Dogs growl, 44-26

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Dogs growl, 44-26

Sports

Friday, 21 October 2011 09:46

News-Gazette Photo/Mary McIntee

St. Cloud defensive back Anthony Ellis grabs Liberty running back Bobby Jones during their game at Gannarelli Field Thursday. The Bulldogs won, 44-26.

Steinmetz throws for 3 TDs;
OHS, Gateway win in 7A-6

By Rick Pedone
Sports Editor
St. Cloud struck by land and air during its 44-26 7A District 6 football win over Liberty Thursday at Gannarelli Field.

Bulldogs quarterback Phillip Steinmetz threw for 260 yards and three touchdowns, including two to Brett Biller. Steinmetz, Eric Pfeifer and Travon Williams rushed for scores. Steinmetz threw his third TD pass to Cole Harvey, and Nick Askey kicked a 23-yard field goal in the second quarter.
The Bulldogs claimed their first official win of the year. At 1-6 overall and 1-2 in the district, the Bulldogs ‘playoff prospects remain alive with district games remaining against winless Celebration and rival Harmony. St. Cloud forfeited wins against Gateway and Agape Christian earlier in the season.
Liberty could have remained tied with Osceola at the top of the district standings, but it slipped to 2-5 and 2-1 in the district with the loss.
The Chargers took a 6-0 lead, driving 69 yards on the first possession of the game, when quarterback Terrell Bonds hit Joey Casillas for a 10-yard scoring play.
The Bulldogs quickly countered on Eric Pfeifer’s 1-yard run to tie the score at 6. St. Cloud took possession at the Chargers 13 after a botched punt attempt.
Steinmetz ran 20 yards to put the Dogs up, 13-6 after Askey’s PAT, and his 18-yard TD pass to Cole Harvey made it 20-6 in the second quarter.
After St. Cloud’s Jacob Shearsey recovered a muffed punt, Askey’s 23-yard field goal made it 23-6 at the half.
The Chargers scored on their first possession of the third quarter when Bobby Jones (17-84, 2 TDs) ran over from the 2 to close the gap to 23-12, but Steinmetz (22-32-260, 3 TDs) turned red hot and found Brett Biller on TD passes of 10 and 14 yards in the second half.
During one stretch, Steinmetz hit 16 of 19 passes during consecutive possessions.
“We made some changes at the half, changed some of the calls,” Bulldogs Coach Chad Ansbaugh said. “We put a lot on Phillip, but he’s a senior who can handle it.”
Jones second TD run of the night, from the 2, closed the gap to 30-20 in the third quarter, but Steinmetz hit Biller from 14 yards and Williams ran 41 yards with 3:08 to play.
St. Cloud totaled 396 yards, but it may have lost Pfeifer, the team’s leading rusher, after a second-quarter ankle injury. He did not return.
Bonds (14-28-160, 2 TDs) hit Ameer Thompson for a 13-yard TD play with 13 seconds to play.
The Chargers totaled 323 yards, but defense was the problem.
“Every time we had a chance to get in it, we gave up a big play,” he said. “That’s been a problem of ours all year.”
Osceola (6-1, 3-0), beat Harmony (2-6, 1-2), 42-6, and Gateway (5-3, 2-1), 5-3, 2-1, blanked Celebration (0-8, 0-3), 37-0 Thursday.