The Ravenna Bulldogs and Mason County Central Spartans kicked off their West Michigan Conference matchup on Thursday night. It was the first game of the 2021 campaign for the Spartans, while it was Ravenna’s fourth. The larger roster and playing experience proved to be major keys in the Bulldogs’ victory over MCC on Thursday night, 53-8.
In the opening quarter, Ravenna got out to a 14-0 lead. Kyle Beebe, the signal-caller for this Bulldogs’ team, broke off an 18-yard touchdown run. Later in the quarter, Beebe found Grant Becklin on a 44-yard scoring strike.
The second quarter saw more of the same for the Bulldogs. Kyle Beebe would again start the scoring with his legs, as his quarterback keeper went 11 yards for a touchdown. Midway through the quarter, Clay Schullo broke off a 9-yard run. With just seconds left in the half, Hunter Hogan booted a 27-yard field goal, his seventh point of the half scored as a kicker. This gave Ravenna a 31-0 lead at the break.
Ravenna turned on the running clock with a 2-yard touchdown plunge by Clay Schullo in the opening minutes of the half. Later in the third quarter, Beebe and Becklin paired up for a 14-yard touchdown that pushed the lead to 45 points. Hunter Hogan reeled off an 80-yard touchdown for Ravenna’s final score, with Drew Mabrito and Grant Becklin connecting on the two-point try.
Mason County Central scored their first touchdown of the 2021 campaign with 1:17 to play. Ethan Wood tossed the football toward Xander Gajeski, who raced to the end zone on a 60-yard scoring play. Gage Ruiz would add two more points to the Spartans’ tally with a conversion run.
Ravenna outgained Mason County Central 489-132 in this ballgame. Kyle Beebe finished 13/19 for 194 yards through the air, and he turned three carries into 47 yards, with a total of four touchdowns. Hunter Hogan had just four carries, turning them into 126 yards. Clay Schullo added 79 yards on the ground on his team-high 12 carries. Grant Becklin (70 yards) and Drew Mabrito (50 yards) each led Ravenna with four catches. Mabrito led the defensive charge with 7.5 tackles.
Ethan Wood was MCC’s leading passer, completing 1/5 for 60 yards and a touchdown. Xander Gajeski turned his 10 carries into a team-high 27 yards, while Gage Ruiz chipped in 24. Gajeski also paced the receiving corps with the lone 60-yard catch.
Next week, Ravenna (3-1) will take on Montague in a pivotal WMC showdown. Mason County Central (0-2) will take on Shelby next Friday.
