This week for sectional quarterfinals we headed north up Hwy. 169 to watch the Princeton Tigers (5-4) get a sectional quarterfinal to win over Big Lake (2-7) by a score of 21-6. Here is the game recap of what happened at John Harvey Field in Princeton.
The game was started by an RB Cole Carlson (Sr. 2020) TD to put the Tigers up 7-0 in the 1st quarter. Big Lake was able to drive down the field and get the ball to the Princeton 2 yard line. However, a bad snap would put them back to the 17-yard line and they would fail to score on 4th down getting a Tigers turnover. After getting the ball back, Princeton QB Ben Arseneau(Jr. 2021) would find leading WR Colton Malecha(Sr. 2020 for a deep throw to get the ball into Hornet territory. RB Cole Carlson (Sr. 2020) would then punch it in again for his 2nd touchdown of the game before the half. It would be a Princeton lead at halftime 14-0 over Big Lake.
After a defense battle, Big Lake QB Brandon Stern (Jr. 2021) threw an interception by Tigers standout defender LB Haydn Stay(So. 2022) to give the ball back to the Tigers with time left in the 3rd quarter. Immediately after QB Ben Arseneau (Jr. 2021) threw an interception back to the Hornets in which LB Nathan Hedstrom (Sr. 2020) picked the ball off for Big Lake. Big Lake’s biggest struggle throughout the night was dropped passes. On their incoming drive, they had a key drop that could have allowed them to get closer to the Tigers. The Tigers subbed in RB Jake Whitcomb (Jr. 2021) and he was very productive in the 2nd half as the 2nd punch to Cole Carlson. Midway thru the 3rd quarter, Whitcomb found the end zone for the Tigers to put them up 21-0. Big Lake would finally get on the board in the 4th quarter with a 1-yard score by RB Rieley Mullen (So.2022) although the extra point was blocked. Mullen had a great second half after struggling in the first half for the Hornets.
Princeton (5-4) will travel to Becker (7-1) on Saturday to take on the Bulldogs who hold the 1 seed in the section. That game will be at 1 PM at Eppard Field. Big Lake’s football season comes to an end after a very tough schedule this season. Their offense will lose RB DeAndre Hill to graduation but I feel that sophomore RB Rieley Mullen (So. 2022) has the potential to blossom in that Hornets offense.
Look for my Nate’s Big Dogs of the Week today and tomorrow for offense/defense in this game between Big Lake and Princeton.
