2010 Season:
Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3 | Game 4 | Game 5 | Game 6 | Game 7 | Game 8
| Game 9 |
Playoffs Game 1
| Playoffs Game 2 | Post Season
Previous season recaps:
2009 | 2008 | 2007
The Romeo Bulldogs varsity football team opened the 2010 season with a defeat at the hands of the Troy Colts, 31-7, on Friday, Aug. 27, at Troy High School.
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What's Being Said After Week 1:
Catch Him If You Can. This Brian Roth catch-and-run past three
Cougar defenders
late in the third quarter led to a field goal
that
tied the game, 10-10. (A hustle recognition: to the Cougar
player who gets deked early on but sprints back into the play and
ends up making the tackle.) more videos
Bearing little resemblance to the dimensionless team that lost its season-opening game, the Romeo Bulldogs varsity football squad demonstrated its multi-faceted depth and jump-started Peach Festival Weekend by defeating the highly touted Macomb Dakota Cougars, 17-10, Thursday, Sept. 2. at Dakota Stadium.
With the win, the Bulldogs even their overall season record at 1-1. In league play, the Bulldogs are in a three-way tie for first in the MAC Red with next week's opponent Utica Eisenhower and Chippewa Valley.
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Galleries -- more than 1,000 images to choose from this week!
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What's Being Said After Week 2:
After a scoreless first half, junior linebacker Troy Zibkowski returned a third-quarter interception 30 yards for a touchdown. Ryan Burkard scored a fourth-quarter touchdown for the Bulldogs.
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Ashley Flinn's kicking exploits in the Dakota game have made it all the way to the Yahoo home page. Click here to read the Yahoo Rivals story.
Brew Time. Alex Brewer fights his way into the end zone and
You can't blame the Sterling Heights Stallions football team if they never want to see Alex Brewer again.
For starters, the flesh-and-blood Alex Brewer -- a Romeo receiver/running back/defensive back and a tough-as-nails leukemia survivor -- scored a touchdown and a two-point conversion (shown at right) to personally account for eight points during Romeo's win against the Stallions Sept. 17 in the second annual cancer awareness Watchdog Game.
On top of that, Alex's namesake -- Bulldog quarterback Blake Laurain, wearing the name "Brewer" on his #7 jersey in recognition of his friend and teammate -- threw three touchdown passes in the MAC inter-divisional match-up.
Photo Gallery:
Watchdog Game -
Romeo vs. Sterling Hts.
The combined efforts of the two "Brewers" propeled the Dawgs to a 43-6 victory before a full house at Barnabo Field.
In all, five different Bulldogs scored touchdowns on the night. Contributions came from all facets for Romeo.
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Check out this story from the Sept. 22 Macomb Daily about Alex Brewer's and Blake Laurain's friendship.
For video, visit this page on the Macomb Daily site and scroll to the bottom.
Featured Video Play
Laying It On The Line. Taylor Brynaert dives to catch an apparent
touchdown late in the first half against Chippewa Valley. (The
play was called back on a penalty, but we like it so much we're
featuring it anyway.) check out this amazing photo of the catch
captured by Mike Nicely | more videos
Photo Gallery
The Romeo Bulldogs varsity football team overcame an early 10-0 deficit to earn a victory over the host Chippewa Valley Big Reds, 41-16, Friday, Sept. 24, and maintain sole possession of first place in the MAC Red Division.
The Bulldogs overcame not just the opponent, but themselves. Consider that:
In spite of all this, and once again displaying the moxie that has become their trademark, the Bulldogs prevailed. Contributions and points came from:
Also worth noting is the Blake Laurain-to-Taylor Brynaert all-out-dive end zone reception just before halftime.... a seeming touchdown that was called back because of a penalty -- a call that nullified points but does not erase the effort, talent and execution of the play.
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Photo Gallery
Riding the shoulders of workhorse running back Ryan Burkard, the Romeo Bulldogs varsity football team hung on to defeat the Cousino Patriots, 21-17, at Cousino Stadium Friday, Oct. 1.
In typical Burk fashion, the senior RB ran, spun, swiveled, swayed, eluded, evaded, juked, jived, jumped, ran over, ran through, ran past, ran around, stiff armed, stiff legged and, when all else failed, dragged opposing tacklers for 144 rushing yards — his fourth 100+ yard game this year — including two first-half toudowns to lead the Bulldogs to their fifth-straight win of the season and continued sole possession of first place in the MAC Red Division.
QB Blake Laurain contributed a rushing TD in the third quarter to account for the remainder of Dawg scoring on the night. In the air, Laurain was 9/18 for 134 yards, with big connections to Darryl Johnson and Brian Roth.
Defensively, Joe Bacci led the way with 15 tackles. Dalton Binkowski added eight tackles, along with Anthony Iafrate's seven. Taylor Brynaert and Justin Medley each had interceptions for the Dawg defense, and Brynaert also disrupted three Patriots' passes.
After losing the ball on their first snap from scrimmage — the second straight game they've turned the ball over on their debut play — the Bulldogs built a 21-3 lead going into the fourth quarter.
With approximately five minutes left in the game, Cousino blocked a punt in the end zone for a two-point safety and added 12 more points via two touchdowns, all within a two-minute span, to close the gap to the final margin on what was the Patriots' Homecoming night.
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Bad Habits:
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As many of you know and for those of you who don't: after the Cousino game there was miscommunication in my family about the whereabouts of my son, JB.
Amidst the post-game activities, I did not hear JB tell me that he was going home with his mom instead of riding the team bus with us, as he usually does. As a result, when it came time for the busses to head out and I could not locate him, I thought he was missing.
Panic set in, naturally, as I set out in search of him. An army of fans, players and coaches from Cousino and Romeo helped me scour the stadium and the Cousino grounds looking for him. The Warren police lent a hand, too.
After finally reaching my wife, I learned that JB was safe with her and on his way back to our home in Romeo. (When I got there, I gave him enough hugs for everyone.)
I want to thank everyone from Romeo and Cousino for their search efforts and concern. To the Romeo players: I look forward to shaking each of your hands and personally thanking you. You are a GREAT bunch of young men!!
To the Cousino players, coaches and fans who helped: THANK YOU, too. Words cannot express our gratitude.
All of you will forever be champions in our minds.
Thanks again,
Coach Jason Couch & JB
Video Gallery
Now You See Him... Now You Don't . Ryan Burkard evades even the cameraman on this second-quarter TD run. More videos
Photo Gallery
The Romeo Bulldogs varsity football team struck early and often in their 38-0 win over the host Warren-Mott Marauders on Friday, Oct. 8, at Warren-Mott stadium.
Zak Bellas recovered his own game-opening onside kick that the Bulldogs converted into a touchdown and the Dawgs scored on four other first-half possessions on their way to a 35-0 halftime lead.
Taylor Brynaert caught three touchdown passes from Blake Laurain, while Ryan Burkard and Brian Roth each ran for scores.
Ashley Flinn kicked a 28-yard fourth quarter field goal.
With the win, Romeo secures an automatic state playoff berth and earns, at least, a tie for the MAC Red division title.
A win next week against Sterling Heights Stevenson would make the Bulldogs outright champs of the MAC Red and would be Romeo's first title since moving up to the top-tier division at the start of the 2008 season.
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Dawgs Rule the Red O&D
Featured Video Plays
Head Over Heels on Homecoming. Quarterback Blake Laurain goes
air borne and head first on this two yard touchdown run late in
the first half that put the Bulldogs up 39-13. more videos
Defense on Display. Ellis Weeks makes a big sideline hit, followed
by two Joe Bacci tackles for losses. more videos
Photos
King & Queen
Three years after moving up to the Macomb Area Conference's top football division, the Romeo Bulldogs varsity football team earned its first outright MAC Red championship with a 49-20 Homecoming victory over Sterling Heights Stevenson Friday, Oct. 15 at Barnabo Field.
Ryan Burkard rushed for 133 yards and five touchdowns, Blake Laurain was 9-13 passing for 203 yards and a head-over-heels rushing TD, and Taylor Brynaert caught seven passes for 178 yards.
Evan Simpson and Ashley Flinn each kicked a field goal and three PATs.
Other key plays on the night included:
On defense, Bacci finished with seven tackles, Troy Zibkowski and Fraeyman chipped in with six, and Dan Bowers and Medley had four each.
The Bulldog defense made a multi-play goal line stand at the end of the second quarter that prevented Stevenson from scoring as time expired to end the first half.
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Video Highlights
Plus & Minus... but the minuses are plusses. Bulldog scores and defensive takeaways against L'Anse Creuse North. Included are TD receptions by Nathan Fraeyman, Justin Medley (2), Taylor Brynaert and John Rauen; a TD run by Ryan Burkard; a TD kickoff return by Ellis Weeks; a fumble recovery by Anthony Iafrate; and interceptions by Zak Bellas and Joe Bacci.
Photos
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The Playoff Picture:
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Photo Gallery
Video
Video by Don Chamberlain, Source Newspapers
The blackout turned into a rout.
Wearing special black jerseys for the first time, the Romeo Bulldogs varsity football team scored a school-record ten touchdowns on their way to a 70-42 first-round playoff victory over the Utica Chieftains Friday, Oct. 29, at Barnabo Field.
The Bulldogs' record-setting touchdown tally was logged as follows:
Offensively, senior running back Burkard ran for 184 yards -- surpassing 1,000 yards for the season -- and five touchowns, four of which came in the first half.
The halftime score was 42-14.
Staking his claim as running back heir-apparent, junior Williams made his own statement by gaining 87 yards and scoring twice in the second half on seven carries, including a 55-yard touchdown gallop.
Other touchdowns for the Dawgs came on passes from quarterback Blake Laurain to receivers Brynaert and Roth, and an interception return from Fraeyman.
Laurain was 7-13 for 142 yards passing with two touchdowns and one interception.
Evan Simpson and Ashley Flinn each kicked five extra points.
Defensive contributors for Romeo were:
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Great season, Bulldogs. MAC Red Champs. That accomplishment can NEVER be taken away from you.
Be proud.
The Romeo Bulldog football team was named Macomb County Team of the Year, and co-coaches Jason Couch and Curt Rienas were named Coaches of the Year, at the 2010 Macomb Daily Football Awards Dinner. The All-County Teams were announced as well. Macomb Daily coverage.
The football squad is the latest in a string of Romeo athletic teams to be recognized as Team's of the Year. Most recent recipients have included:
2010 Season
Video Highlights
(Dakota game shown below. More.)
The following Bulldog seniors were awarded scholarships by the Four Corners Football Club at the 2010 Bulldog football banquet held Nov. 21 at Addison Oaks. This year, the FCFC gave out a record-setting SEVEN!!! scholarships.
Recipients were:
To recognize their son, Stanley, who passed away from cancer in 2010, Stan and Lisa Babinski established a Stanley Ian Babinski PRIDE Scholarship Award to be granted each year to a Bulldog football player who best embodies the PRIDE values of Perseverance, Respect, Integrity, Dedication, and Educational excellence. This year's inaugural winner, announced at the Romeo football banquet, was:
The following Bulldog players earned post-season football honors. Congratulations.
First Team:
Second Team:
MD Tier 1 Team (PDF)
First Team:
Second Team:
Honorable Mention:
First Team (PDF) | Second Team (web)
Dream Team/All-State (PDF)
All-East Team (PDF)
Dream Team/All-State (PDF)