Bulldogs dominate Phoenix

The win sends the Bulldogs (11-1) into the 4A title game Saturday against top-ranked Marist (13-0). The game kicks off at 11 a.m. at Reser Stadium on the Oregon State University campus in Corvallis.

“The boys did good,” said Baker coach Dave Johnson.

“They were amazing. I’m very, very proud of them. They played hard and fast.”

Against Phoenix, Baker scored on 5 of 6 possesions in the first half. The only possession the Bulldogs didn’t score on was the final play of the second period when Baker regained the ball with just 20 seconds left in the half.

The Bulldogs were on offense for just under 10 minutes in the first half, but still managed to put 36 points on the scoreboard and amass 388 yards.

If those numbers weren’t impressive enough, Baker did even better to start the second half.

Baker scored three times on just four plays, including twice in the first 32 seconds.

Stephen Talbot got the ball rolling on Baker’s first offensive play with 9:45 left in the first quarter.

Talbot scooted through a giant hole made by the Baker line, bounced off his own blocker, then raced outside for an 81-yard touchdown run. Talbot then added the two-point conversion to give Baker an 8-0 lead.

Then, after stopping Phoenix on the Baker 24, the Bulldogs marched downfield for another TD. This time quarterback Jesse Brown went up the middle from 6 yards out for the score. Dekker Smith’s conversion kick made the score Baker 15, Phoenix 0 with 4:45 left in the first quarter.

Baker then needed just two plays following a Phoenix punt to build the lead to 22-0. This time Brown found Trace Richardson in stride for an 83-yard TD aerial with 2:23 left in the first period.

Brown added his second TD run, a 6-yard option run, with 8:56 left in the first half for a 29-0 Baker lead.

The Bulldogs closed out the first-half scoring with 2:44 left in the half when Smith rumbled 22 yards for the touchdown.

Talbot received the second-half kickoff and raced 82 yards for a touchdown just 14 seconds into the third quarter. It was Baker’s third score of more than 80 yards.

Smith then recovered a Phoenix fumble on the Pirate 3. Talbot picked up his second touchdown run a play later.

Talbot’s score with 11:28 left in the third period invoked the 45-point mercy rule and a running clock the rest of the game.

The Bulldogs scored one more time midway through the period when Brown connected from 8 yards with tight end Will Barr.

Talbot finished with 159 yards rushing on just eight carries.

Brown finished 7-of-9 passing for 155 yards. Richardson led the Baker receivers with three catches for 102 yards.

The Bulldogs ran just 32 plays but amassed 447 yards in total offense. Phoenix ran 54 plays, finishing with 241 yards.

Baker    22    14    21    0    — 57

Phoenix    0    0    0    14    — 14

B — Talbot 81 run (Talbot run)

B — Brown 6 run (Smith kick)

B — Richardson 83 pass from Brown (Smith kick)

B — Brown 6 run (Smith kick)

B — Smith 22 run (Smith kick)

B — Talbot 82 kikcoff return (Smith kick)

B — Talbot 3 run (Smith kick)

B — Barr 8 pass from B rown (Smith kick)

P — Reagan 5 pass from Bohn (Hernandez kick)

P — Snyder 54 pass from Bohn (Hernandez kick)

Individual statistics

Rushing — Baker: Talbot 8-159, Austin 2-47, Brown 6-44, Smith 2-34, Richards 5-12. Phoenix: Lapat 11-40, Adams 3-29, Bohn 3-9, Kammael 6-(-31).

Passing — Baker: Brown 7-9-0-155. Phoenix: Kammel 9-22-0-105, Bohn 6-9-0-89.

Receiving — Baker: Richardson 3-102, Barr 2-23, Talbot 1-18, Durflinger 1-9. Phoenix: Reagan 9-89, Snyder 2-60, Bohn 2-20, Austin 1-13, Treadway 1-8.