Bellerose Bulldogs Football

The Bellerose Bulldogs kicked off the high school football season with a convincing exhibition win Friday in Lacombe.

Grade 12 quarterback Quade Kozak completed 14 of 20 passes for 320 yards and six touchdowns in the first three quarters of the 47-0 decision against the Notre Dame Cougars of Red Deer.

Logan McCullough caught three TDs, Travis Heggart was on the receiving end of two scoring strikes and Cordel Callioux also hauled in a TD pass.

Callioux hit Nathan Brake for a TD in the fourth quarter.

Heggart was the leading receiver with five receptions for 126 yards.

Ben VanLeeuwen converted five out of seven converts and was the team’s top rusher.

On defence, lineman Branden Jackson recorded one sack, recovered a fumble and dished out some bone crunching hits.

Matt Coogan and Brett Yost, a pair of linebackers, led the team in tackles.

The secondary didn’t allow a single completion for a first down.

In Saturday’s scrimmage against West Central at Rocky Mountain House, the Bulldogs sat all but three Grade 12s and several Grade 11s so the team’s young seniors and mostly junior players could get meaningful reps.

Rookie standouts included Adam Rafat and Jordan Howe and both Grade 10 players reeled in TD passes from Callioux.

Michael Toovey, a Grade 12 rookie, scored both a rushing major and receiving TD.

Defensively, Grade 10 rookie Kolby Phillips picked off two passes.

The metro Edmonton league openers for the Bulldogs are Sept. 8 for the division one Carr conference team against the Spruce Grove Panthers and Sept. 19 for the junior team against the O’Leary Spartans. Kickoff times are 6 p.m. at Riel Recreation Park.