Bellerose Bulldogs Football

The Bellerose Bulldogs finished their Carr conference season the same way they started, a shutout loss in metro Edmonton high school football.

The first-place Sabres (7-1), ranked fourth in Tier I (1,250-plus students), blanked the Bulldogs 14-0 in Friday’s semifinal at Clarke Park.

In the season opener the Sabres downed the Bulldogs 21-0 in Sherwood Park.

In the playoffs the Sabres opened the scoring on the first play from scrimmage, an off-tackle 60-plus yard run from a formation that caught the Bulldogs by surprise.

The Bulldogs’ defence quickly rose to the challenge and gave the offence two possessions inside the Salisbury 35, but Bellerose was unable to capitalize on a fake field goal attempt by Seth Waselenchuk that fell short of a first down and Matty Short’s quarterback sneak from the one after he hooked up with Nick Svenson for a 32-yard catch and run.

In the second quarter the Sabres advanced the ball through the air, but Dean Ciampanelli forced a fumble and Dylan Shorten recovered it at the Bellerose one.

The Sabres scored their second TD on a penalty-aided drive in the third quarter. A face-masking flag against Ciampanelli put the Sabres first and goal and they connected with a TD pass.

The Bulldogs struggled moving the ball in the second half. Jackson Ryan did the bulk of the running with Tyler Feltis, Bellerose’s top rusher, limited in reps due to injury. The absence of injured guard Curt Supruniuk was another big blow.

Nick Cowan led the team in tackles and Ciampanelli and John Comeau recorded sacks.

The Bulldogs ended the season with a 4-5 record as the No. 7-ranked Tier I team in Alberta.