The Ravenna Bulldogs started 2021 with a difficult road trip to Beal City. The Aggies are a strong team each year, and in 2019 they reached Ford Field in Division 8. Ravenna stepped up to the challenge on Friday night, and after jumping out to a 21-7 lead, they held on for a 21-20 victory.
In the first quarter, the Bulldogs got on the board with a Kyle Beebe pass to Drew Mabrito. This 90-yard explosion of offense gave Ravenna a 7-0 lead that they would carry throughout the remainder of the quarter.
With eighty-three seconds left in the first half, Beal City tied this football game. Cade Block powered across the goal line from two yards out, and the Aggies and Bulldogs were all knotted up at seven. On the final play of the first half, Ravenna regained the lead. Beebe found Hunter Hogan for an 18-yard touchdown pass that put the Bulldogs up 14-7 going into the locker room.
Kyle Beebe’s third touchdown extended Ravenna’s lead to two touchdowns, as the signal caller kept the football on a 1-yard run. The Bulldogs would maintain this lead for the final four minutes of the third quarter, putting their team just twelve minutes from victory.
With 4:30 to go, Beal City broke through and scored on a Jamisen Latham run of four yards. On their ensuing drive, Ravenna would fumble the football away. Beal City’s Cade Block pounced on the football and the Aggies were within an extra point of tying the game. Beal City Head Coach Brad Gross dialed up a two-point conversion attempt, and the run by Wade Wilson was stopped short of the goal line. Ravenna was able to hold on for the final four minutes.
Ravenna dominated the total yardage battle at 289-131. Kyle Beebe was 11/16 passing, totaling up 188 yards. Clay Schulio was the lead rusher for the Bulldogs with 89 yards on 11 carries. Drew Mabrito turned in five catches to pace Ravenna, accumulating 119 yards.
Next week, Ravenna begins WMC play with a home date against Shelby. Beal City will start Highland Conference play against McBain.
