The Dayton Bulldogs fell to the DeSales Irish, 34-6, in a heartbreaking loss after a tough fight on last Friday night.

During the Bulldogs’ first possession, the team hit the field fighting, but couldn’t move the ball down the field. They were able to keep the possession alive and hold off the Irish by recovering their own fourth down kick, but the Irish picked up the ball on fumble.

The Irish wasted no time taking the ball down the field for a touchdown at 9:25, bringing the score to 7-0 after a successful one-point kick.

The Bulldogs weren’t ready to give up the ball when an interception ended their possession early. A tackle by Bulldog Alex Naylor and two incomplete passes forced the Irish to kick the ball toward Bulldog territory. But Johnny Sanchez had other plans, blocking the kick to hold the ball in Irish territory.

The Bulldogs held the ball for two first downs, carrying the ball down to the 3-yard line, but a touchdown pass was intercepted by the Irish and turned around for an incomplete pass out of the end zone.

The Irish took off down the field, but couldn’t get the ball to the endzone before the end of the first quarter, clos­ing with a score of 7-0, Irish.

A penalty negated a touchdown for the Irish at the opening of the second quarter and an interception by Wyatt Frame turned the ball over at 10:37. However, a fumble turned the ball over after one Bulldog first down.

The Irish pushed down the field and scored a touchdown at 7:57 and the extra point was good, bringing the score to 14-0, Irish.

But the Bulldogs couldn’t be discouraged, moving down the field with plays by Lowden Smith and Kane Hackett pushing down the line. On the fourth down, the Bulldogs tried for a first and were able to hit the mark for a first down. The Bulldogs continued to push but were unable to make it to the end zone.

The Irish took the ball, but the Bulldogs weren’t ready to give up another touchdown. Hackett made a big sack, giv­ing the Irish a 12-yard loss. In the final seconds of the half, the Bulldogs fought but were unable to keep the Irish out of the end zone, giving up a touchdown with no time left on the clock. The Irish hit the extra point, bringing the score to 21-0, Irish at the half.

The Bulldogs returned from halftime with renewed fervor, moving the ball down the field for first downs from Frame and Hackett. Despite the pressure, the Bulldogs couldn’t make it to the end zone.

The Bulldogs kept the Irish out of scoring territory until the final 31 seconds of the quarter, when the Irish scored a touchdown but missed the extra point, bring­ing the score to 27-0 in the final quarter.

The Irish moved quickly down the field in the fourth quarter, scoring a touch­down at 9:38 with an extra point, bringing the score to 34-0.

The Bulldogs struck back and were able to find an opening, sending Frame to the end zone for the final touchdown of the game at 8:21. The Bulldogs went for the two-point conversion, but couldn’t hit the end zone again, bringing the score to 34-6.

Both teams were tired in the final minutes of the game, fumbling and pushing back and forth unsuccessfully until the clock ran out, ending the game with a final score, 34-6, Irish.

Dayton Head coach Dean Bickelhaupt said the Bull­dogs ended up beating them­selves, with mistakes ulti­mately costing the game.

“They’re playing hard (and) they’re fighting,” Bick­elhaupt said. “It’s getting bet­ter, it just takes time.”

The next game for the Bulldogs will be Friday, Sept. 28, at Tekoa-Oaksdale- Rosalia.