Bulldogs fall to No. Summit, 

38-16 now 2-3 on season

 

By Matt Harris 

Staff writer

9-24-2020

 

 

COALVILLE—The Gunnison Valley football team entered last week’s game against North Summit with a head full of steam.

And Coach Patrick King thinks that may have been the problem.

The Bulldogs struggled mightily on offense as they fell to North Summit, 38-16, on the road last Friday, moving to 2-3 on the season.

Junior quarterback Jack Hansen struggled to complete passes, completing 9 of 20 for only 80 yards, but still accounted for two touchdowns, thrown to sophomore Bryson Sorensen and senior Peyton Dyreng. This was Dyreng’s first touchdown of his Bulldog career.

Senior running back Zach Stewart led the running game with 74 yards on 12 carries.

King said after the game that the Bulldogs came into the game “over-pumped,” and it led to more mistakes than anything else.

“We were trying too hard and had a pass sail, a block get missed,” King said, “the little things that are needed to do well. The second quarter we did very well.”

Indeed, Gunnison did put together a strong second quarter drive. Initially, the Braves were up 14-0 after two quick passing touchdowns in the first quarter, but Hansen completed their best drive of the game in the second quarter with a scoring play to Sorensen as the sophomore impressively dove for the touchdown catch on a comeback route.

“That was one of the best catches I’ve ever seen on the high school level,” King said.

After that, however, the second half was all Braves.

North Summit scored on their opening drive of the second half on a 13-yard pass, one of three touchdown passes by Braves quarterback Beau Woolstenhulme.

On the ensuing kickoff, North Summit landed a haymaker on the Bulldogs by kicking an unexpected onside kick and recovering. That set up another touchdown for the Braves as they scored 24 points straight before Hansen completed his second touchdown with a mere minute to go in regulation.

“Give the Braves a ton of credit,” King said. “We didn’t have many receivers open. Part of that came because the Braves slowed down our rushing attack early in the game.”

Gunnison lost some forward momentum at an inopportune time as the Bulldogs now prepare to go on the road this Friday against undefeated Duchesne, likely the toughest team on their schedule.

“We will respond to this with grit and excitement for the second half of the season,” King said. “We are off to a good start and have many positives still to play for.”