EBEN — The Rudyard Bulldogs provided stiff competition for Superior Central’s homecoming here Saturday as they handed the Cougars a 67-6 eight-player football loss.
Rudyard did most of its damage on the ground, rushing for 309 of its 364 yards in this Great Lakes Eight Conference East Division outing.
Senior Wyatt Kulik provided the Cougars with their lone touchdown on a 10-yard run late in the third quarter.
“We provided the most of the problems for ourselves by not blocking, passing and holding on to the ball,” said Cougars’ coach Josh Trader. “If you do that, you’re going to struggle.”
Rudyard answered on the ensuing kickoff when junior Aiden Bickel dashed 99 yards for a score.
The Bulldogs needed just three plays to find the end zone in this one, taking a 7-0 lead on junior Cam Peterson’s 20-yard pass through the middle to sophomore Damon MacDowell.
Peterson added a one-yard TD run up the middle and Bickel added scoring runs of 29 yards through the middle and 13 yards off right tackle for a 27-0 cushion in the opening frame.
Bickel caught a 35-yard TD aerial from Peterson early for a 34-0 advantage in the second stanza.
Peterson added a 36-yard TD dash through the middle and sophomore Tanner Baker scored from five yards out for a 48-0 advantage late in the second.
“We’re well rounded,” said Rudyard coach Jim Suggitt. “We hadn’t played in 15 days, so we were well rested. It’s always nice coming in healthy. We’ve run the gauntlet, playing Munising, Newberry and Pickford. We were battle tested.”
McDowell scored his second TD on a three-yard run up the middle for a 55-0 advantage early in the third quarter.
Junior Landen Mayer concluded the scoring on a seven-yard run through the middle with four minutes, 34 seconds left in the game.
Peterson was 2-of-5 passing for 55 yards and two TDs. Cougars’ senior was 2-of-7 for 14 yards and two interceptions.
“We have probably one of the hardest schedules in the U.P., although there’s no excuses,” said Trader. “We have to execute. You’ve got to come ready to play and do the little things right.”
The Cougars finished with 135 yards in total offense. Kulik ran 13 times for 76 and Swetich added 47 on 17 carries.
They travel to Gaylord to face Colon Friday.
“I thought we did a good job containing their running backs,” said Suggitt. “Our defensive line did well and the guys persued the ball well. We have decent speed, but don’t have a burner per se. We still have some tough games left on our schedule. We’ve got work to do.
Peterson rushed 10 times for 155 yards, all in the first half. Bickel had 53 on just four carries for the Bulldogs, who host Cedarville-DeTour for homecoming Friday.