HANCOCK — After three games on the road, the Hancock Bulldogs football team finally came home on Friday to McAfee Field. However, the visiting Gladstone Braves spoiled the homecoming.

They stayed one step ahead of their opponent and tallied a 36-20 win. It was their first win of the season (1-3) and was the third loss for the Hancock squad (1-3).

The Braves scored twice in the first quarter to make it a 15-0 lead. Both touchdowns came on the ground. First, Casey Alworden returned a Bulldogs’ punt for more than 75 yards and into the endzone for six. Three minutes later, Isaac Ketchum dodged several tackles and took it in to score from 38 yards out.

It certainly set the tone moving forward according to Braves’ coach Craig Ness.

“I liked our effort and intensity,” he said. “We had three tough games before this, and this (win) helped with our confidence.”

In the second quarter, the Bulldogs put up their first eight points. With five minutes to go before the half, quarterback Benny Keranen hit Cody Turner with a 26-yard pass play in the endzone. The subsequent two-point conversion was good. It was a 15-8 Gladstone lead at halftime.

“I told the guys to clean up their mistakes and take better control of the ball at halftime,” stated Ness. “We didn’t do that well as we turned it over right away in the third.”

That turnover was a fumble by Gladstone which was converted into a touchdown four downs later by Ned Larson to make it a 15-14 game with just one quarter of play to go.

The two teams traded touchdowns in the first five minutes of the fourth with Gladstone scoring first on another Ketchum run. Turner answered for Hancock with another touchdown pass for six.

The Bulldogs were within two at 22-20 with five minutes to go.

However, that is as close as they got as Gladstone went on to add two more touchdowns complete with extra points.

“I am giving the game ball to our offensive line,” Ness added. They played just awesome in that second half.”

Despite the loss, coach Jeff Hauswirth was really pleased with his Bulldogs’ performance.

“It was our best game as far as consistency goes,” he said. “Our guys played with an edge all four quarters. Unfortunately, we came up on the short end of the score. We grew tonight, and we learned how to compete.”

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Gladstone hosts Ishpeming Westwood at 7 p.m. Friday.