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NECKING - Zach Froese, quarterback for the junior Bellerose Buldogs, is yanked by the collar in Tuesday's season opener against the O'Leary Spartans. Surprisingly, there was no horsecollar penalty called on the play. The Bulldogs won 47-7 as Froese tossed

Junior Dawgs

09/23/2017, 12:00pm MDT
By Jeff Hansen - St. Albert Gazette

Adam Rafat was on the receiving end of four touchdown passes as the Bellerose Bulldogs roared to victory in Tuesday’s metro Edmonton junior conference opener at Larry Olexiuk Field.

Rafat, a first-year football player, finished the 47-7 blowout against the O’Leary Spartans with six catches for 215 yards.

In the second quarter, Rafat set a junior team record by taking a short pass 105 yards to pay dirt in the second quarter. He also ran in the two-point conversion.

Quarterback Zach Froese, a Fort Saskatchewan minor football product and 2017 Bantam Bowl participant, surpassed 300 passing yards while completing five TD throws and was also a threat using his legs.

The Bulldogs led 6-0 after the first quarter on Rafat’s 23-yard TD catch and the first half ended with Froese connecting with Jordan Howe on a deep 49-yard TD toss and Bellerose in total control at 41-0.

In the second quarter, Clayton Antoniuk capped off a drive with a five-yard TD burst and his second major was a 65-yard catch and run off a screen pass by Froese.

Zach Roberts also recovered a fumble.

The second half was played with running time and O’Leary started the third quarter with a six-play drive, culminating with a 15-yard TD grab by the uncovered receiver.

The Bulldogs answered in the fourth quarter with backup quarterback Ethan Engel hooking up with Rafat on a six-yard TD.

 

The victory was the 35th in 36 league and playoff games for the junior Bulldogs since losing the 2011 semifinal and the lone setback was suffered in last year’s division one semifinal. The 27-11 loss to the Jasper Place Rebels, the eventual champions, ended a run of four consecutive junior playoff banners.

The next game is Tuesday versus the Harry Ainlay Titans at 6 p.m. at Larry Olexiuk Field.

Tag(s): Jr. Bulldogs