A week after one of the most dramatic finishes of the season, the Green Bulldogs are riding high. On October 24, the Bulldogs defeated the Lake Blue Streaks 34-27 in overtime, closing out the regular season with four straight wins and clinching a Division II playoff spot against Garfield Heights.
The game was a battle from start to finish. Lake opened the scoring with a short field goal after a Green turnover, but the Bulldogs quickly answered. Quarterback Tyson Hunka capped off a steady drive with a 7-yard keeper to give Green its first lead early in the second quarter. The Blue Streaks responded before halftime, taking a 17-10 lead into the locker room.
The second half became a showcase for Green’s running game. Senior running back Evan Reed carried the offense, finishing with 211 yards on 30 carries and two touchdowns. His power runs in the third and fourth quarters helped the Bulldogs retake the lead, but Lake kept striking back. With the score tied late in the fourth, kicker Logan Noirot lined up for a potential game-winning field goal, but his 31-yard attempt sailed wide as time expired.
In overtime, Green wasted no time. Hunka scored on a one-yard run, and Noirot converted the extra point to make it 34-27. Lake’s final drive reached inside the five-yard line, but the Bulldogs’ defense held strong, stopping a fourth-down pass just short of the end zone to seal the win.
The victory gave Green a 5-5 regular-season record after beginning the year 1-5. Four of those early losses came by a single score, making the turnaround even more meaningful. With the win over Lake, Green locked in as the No. 11 seed in Division II, Region 5, setting up a first-round matchup at Garfield Heights.
For a team that refused to quit, this playoff berth served as the ultimate reward. What looked like a lost season in September turned into one of the most memorable comebacks in recent Bulldog football history.
