Zephyr inches closer to playoffs, district title with eighth straight win, 68-20 at Sidney

October 23, 2022 at 8:30 am Derrick Stuckly

Jayden Millican, Tripp Ballard, and Karsen Floyd led the charge for the Bulldogs

SIDNEY – After winning just once in the last two seasons, the Zephyr Bulldogs are on the verge of claiming a playoff berth and potentially the District 15-A Division II championship after Saturday night’s 68-20 road win over the Sidney Eagles.

The Bulldogs (8-1, 3-0) have not yet locked up a playoff berth heading into their bye this week. Zephyr will await the outcome of the Blanket (7-1, 2-0) vs. Sidney (3-4, 1-1) game Friday to determine the stakes of the regular season finale on Nov. 4.

If Blanket defeats Sidney this Friday night, then Zephyr will host Blanket Nov. 4 with the outright district championship at stake. The winner of that game would earn the league title and No. 1 seed for the playoffs, while the loser would go into the playoffs as the No. 2 seed.

If Sidney defeats Blanket, then a Zephyr win over Blanket would secure the district championship outright. But if were Blanket to defeat Zephyr after a loss to Sidney, that would create a three-way tie for the district championship and a tiebreaker would determine which of the two teams move on to the postseason.

In Zephyr’s win over Sidney Saturday, the Bulldogs led 16-6 at halftime but dominated the final two quarters with 24 points in the third and 28 in the fourth to end the game early via the 45-point mercy rule.

The Bulldogs chalked up 416 yards of total offense – 370 rushing and 46 passing – and did not commit a turnover. The Eagles managed 246 yards – 132 on the ground and 114 through the air – and coughed the ball up twice.

Jayden Millican rushed for 285 yards and six touchdowns with a long of 56, Tripp Ballard tacked on 55 yards and two scores, and Karsen Floyd rushed for a 30-yard touchdown as well.

Through the air, Bransen Bumguardner connected on 3 of 4 passes for 46 yards – two to Waggoner Shelton for 14 yards and Ballard hauled in a 32-yard reception.

Defensively, Millican and Kaden Floyd led the way with 13 tackles followed by Ballard with 11 and Karsen Floyd and Corbin Brown with nine tackles each. Karsen Floyd also intercepted a pass and recovered a fumble.