SIDNEY – The Zephyr Bulldogs scored the first two touchdowns of their 2021 football season opener, but were unable to hang on to the momentum as the Sidney Eagles rallied for a 21-18 victory on their home turf Thursday night.
Zephyr (0-1) owned a 271-253 edge in total yards, thanks in part to 207 yards and a touchdown on the ground by Jayden Millican. Sidney (1-0), however, countered with Mike Lindeque who rushed for 144 yards and two scores.
Trailing 15-12 late in the third period, an ill-fated fourth-and-10 attempt from their own 15 turned out to be what sank the Bulldogs. Millican was wrestled down in the backfield for a 6-yard loss, Sidney took over at the Zephyr 9 and two plays later Steven Redden scored on a 1-yard plunge to boost the Eagles’ advantage to 21-12 on the first snap of the fourth quarter.
Zephyr answered with a 35-yard touchdown run by Eathan Gowin with 7:50 left, a play in which the Bulldogs put the ball on the ground.
Clinging to a 3-point lead, Sidney attempted to run out the clock but the Bulldogs stuffed the Eagles’ final drive at the Zephyr 20 with 2:17 remaining. However, Zephyr was unable to pick up a first down and turned the ball back over to Sidney with 39 seconds left, allowing the Eagles to take just one snap before securing the victory.
In the first period, Zephyr turned away a Sidney march to the Bulldog 5 on the second Eagle possession of the game. Following a pair of Bulldog penalties that backed the ball to the 1, Millican broke free on a 79-yard scoring sprint that put Zephyr on the board first, 6-0, with 2:33 left in the opening period.
The Bulldogs followed with an onside kick that they recovered at the Sidney 32. Three plays later, Gowin – who completed 1 of 5 pass attempts, and caught three passes from Millican for 16 yards – connected with Corbin Brown on an 11-yard scoring toss, as Zephyr opened a 12-0 cushion with 18 seconds left in the first quarter.
Sidney seized control in the second period, however, as runs of 15 and 12 yards by Lindeque helped set up his 8-yard scoring sprint, and Redden added the extra point run as the Eagles closed the gap to 12-7 with 9:45 left in the first half.
Zephyr’s ensuing possession was foiled by a holding penalty – one eight flags for 44 yards against the Bulldogs during the contest – which negated a 42-yard touchdown run by Millican. Instead, the Bulldogs’ drive stalled at the Sidney 16 with 4:52 left in the second period.
The Eagles turned around and marched 64 yards in eight plays with a 4-yard touchdown run by Lindeque – who also added carries of 17 and 19 yards on the drive – which gave Sidney a 15-12 lead, after the two-point kick, with 1:15 remaining in the opening half.
Neither team scored in the third period, as Zephyr forced a Sidney fumble at the Bulldog 10 with 2:31 left in the quarter.
The Bulldogs will open the home portion of their schedule next Friday against Veribest, which visits Brookesmith today. Meanwhile, the Eagles venture to Gorman, whose Week 1 game was cancelled due to a COVID outbreak in the community.
