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The Ottertail Central football team improved their season record to 2-0 with a 34-23 victory over the Underwood Rockets on Friday night in Underwood. OTC led 6-0 after the first quarter and had a 20-10 halftime advantage. The Bulldogs maintained their double digit lead throughout the second half as the teams exchanged touchdowns in the third and fourth quarters.
Tyler Christianson reached the end zone first, capping a 5-play, 40-yard drive with a one yard run at the 6:50 mark of the first quarter.
With 11:03 to play in the second quarter the Bulldogs expanded their lead to 14-0 when Tyler Christianson scored on a 2 yard run and Jack Mekalson scored the two-point conversion. The drive was set up by a Sawyer Christianson fumble recovery. Underwood got on the board with a 32 yard field goal by Sorin Floden with 7:11 remaining in the half, making the score 14-3. Ottertail Central increased their lead to 20-3 when Mason Dalluge hauled in a 34 yard pass from Mekalson with 2:43 left in the half. Underwood answered with a 4-play, 40-yard scoring drive that saw Evan Lundgren score on a 15 yard pass from Drew Evavold. Flodin kicked the PAT and the Bulldogs lead was cut to 20-10 with 2:15 remaining. Underwood then stopped OTC near the goal line when Gaiden Hoeper intercepted a Mekalson pass.
The Rockets cut the lead to 20-17 with an efficient 14-play, 87-yard drive that ended with a 9 yard run by Collin Lukken and a Flodin extra point kick. On the ensuing kickoff, Mason Dalluge returned the kick 88 yards for an OTC TD and Lane Dilly carried the ball in for the two-point conversion, giving the Bulldogs a 28-17 lead. They added a 20 yard touchdown pass from Braxtyn Cameron to Dalluge for a 34-17 advantage with just over a minute to play in the game. Underwood ended the scoring on a 58 yard run by Evan Lundgren with 17 seconds remaining, putting the final score at OTC 34, Underwood 23.
Mekalson (7 carries, 38 yards, 10-14 passing, 145 passing yards), Dalluge (6 catches, 101 yards, 2 TDs, 88 yard KO return for TD), Dilly (16 carries, 80 yards, 5 receptions, 64 yards) and Tyler Christianson (16 carries, 52 yards) were the statistical leaders for the Bulldogs.
Underwood was led by Drew Evavold (10 carries, 53 yards, 8-17 passing, 134 passing yards), Lundgren (6 carries, 89 yards, 3 receptions, 58 yards, 2 TDs), Owen Harig (3 receptions, 61 yards) and Soren Floden (5 points, 32 yard FG, 2 PAT).
Underwood will host Ashby/Brandon-Evansville on Friday, while OTC will entertain Hillcrest in Henning.