CRESWELL – Things weren’t looking promising for the Creswell Bulldogs early this season.
After an 0-2 start, key injuries, and a general lack of execution, the Bulldogs were looking more like the “Under Dawgs” with each game.
But first-year head coach Chase Beach remained confident in the Bulldogs long-term potential – and that faith paid off Friday night.
The Class 3A Bulldogs defeated the Class 4A Cottage Grove Lions 21-13 in what is likely one of the toughest scheduled games of the year.
“It’s special,” Beach said of the team’s first victory. “I think tonight everyone saw the things I was talking about and felt when I first took this job – I’m just so proud of them, man, that’s it. I mean, we’re blessed.”
ADON ECCLES / THE CHRONICLE
Beach attributed the win to the team “finally playing a full 11,” with senior “buy-in” and improved defense.
The game was a defensive standoff early with both teams failing to convert on fourth downs. Creswell stuck to its run-heavy offense and stingy defense. Cottage Grove focused on the play action-fake, outside running lanes, and its passing game.
In a reverse of last year’s game, it was the Lions who threw the first punch. Jacob Palluck rushed into the end zone on a 1st-and-20 carry at the end of the first quarter.
The Bulldogs didn’t let it sway them. Upon the opening of the second quarter, the Bulldogs relied on a series of carries from Coleman Breslaw and Hunter Mustin, driving down to the 10-yard line. Mustin tied the game 7-7 with a touchdown run.
The score came only two minutes before halftime. But there was more to come. Cottage Grove’s offense fumbled and Mustin returned it 36 yards for a 14-7 Creswell lead.
The Lions defense was chasing Creswell running back Hunter Mustin, who gained 218 rushing yards, all night. ALL PHOTOS BY ADON ECCLES
“What motivates me on that field is just getting better every day,” said Mustin after the victory. “Just getting 1 percent or better every day. We showed up to practice this week and we got better. We put the past two weeks behind, and we just focused on this week.”
The Lions bit back after halftime though, when they returned a Creswell punt to the 10-yard line. The Lions failed on the two-point conversion, and Creswell led 14-13.
“When they went for two and were down one instead of tying it up, I told the team that was step one of the second half,” he said. “I don’t care if they score. That’s a good team. Those coaches are incredible. But we kept the lead because I trusted my defense. I trusted my punter, even after that high snap. I believed that we were going to do our job, all 11 of us, and we did. And that’s why we won.”
ADON ECCLES / THE CHRONICLE
Breslaw scored the last touchdown of the night in the fourth quarter when he ran it in from the 40-yard line.
The Bulldogs ran for more than 300 yards, led by Mustin’s 218 yards and two touchdowns. Breslaw recorded 7 carries for 85 yards with one touchdown.
Mustin, a senior, also excelled defensively, with nine tackles – including three tackles for loss. Brandon Church was a bright spot with 1 sack and two “tackles for loss.”
“Every single day at practice, it’s been about, do your job, do your job, do your job,” Beach said. “And I challenged the seniors. I told them, ‘I can go lose games with sophomores and freshmen, but I can’t win them. I can’t win these games without you. And I need you. I need your leadership. I need you to be committed. I need you bought in,’” he said.
An area of focus for the Bulldogs is penalties. The Bulldogs were called for holding, illegal formation, and facemask penalties. Though, Cottage Grove also struggled with penalties, including a couple of unsportsmanlike conduct calls and a facemask penalty.
Cottage Grove’s passing game showed life. All 176 passing yards came from only two wide receivers. Cade May averaged 18.6 yards per catch and Trevor Cooper 10.7 yards. May finished with seven receptions for 130 yards. Whereas Creswell struggled with their own air raid and passing protection.
Cottage Grove excelled in their passing game where Cresewell struggled. ALL PHOTOS BY ADON ECCLES
“It was still a good lesson,” Beach said about the areas of improvement. “Yeah, our passing game wasn’t great, and we need to fix those things, but we still won, right? It shows them that we don’t have to be perfect to win, but we have to be together, and we have to be committed to doing it as a team. Regarding the penalties, we’re still learning how to win. It’s all brand new. So I think we are playing with a level of aggression that results in some penalties, I’ll take that every day the rest of the year. But the procedural ones, those are the ones we clean up, and that’ll be a big focus next week,” he said.
