It didn’t take long for the tone to be set Friday night when Morris played host to Byron Center, Michigan.

Morris received the opening kickoff but fumbled on the return. Byron Center’s Owen DeYoung scooped it up and returned it 28 yards for a score. Dawson Hilliard’s extra-point kick gave the Bulldogs (6-3) a 7-0 lead just 12 seconds into the game. It was the first of eight turnovers for Morris, seven of which came in the first half as Byron Center built a 28-7 lead.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen that many turnovers by one team in my 20 years of coaching,” Morris coach Alan Thorson said. “You can’t survive that many turnovers and expect to win the game.

“We were our own worst enemy tonight.”

Morris (8-1) picked up a first down and moved into Bulldog territory on the ensuing drive, but Keaton Van Kampen intercepted a deep pass attempt at the 15. The Morris defense put Byron Center into a third-and-13 situation, but Bulldog running back Cam Payne broke free for a 46-yard gain to the Morris 42. After a five-yard gain by Payne, quarterback Easton Wychers connected with Marcelus Vance for a 37-yard touchdown, and it was 14-0 with 8:22 remaining in the first quarter.

Morris answered on its next drive, with Brady Varner hitting Logan Sparrow for an 18-yard touchdown pass to pull to within 14-7 with 6:16 still to play in the first. After Morris forced a punt, it fumbled, and Byron Center recovered at the Morris 29. The Morris defense forced a turnover on downs and had second-and-goal from the 7 at the end of the first quarter. DeYoung, though, stepped in front of a pass in the end zone to thwart that drive.

On third-and-6, Wychers hit Chase Swartz with a 76-yard touchdown pass to put the Bulldogs ahead 21-7. Morris looked like it had a good return on the ensuing kickoff, but fumbled again, and Byron Center recovered. Once again, the Morris defense forced a turnover on downs and took over on its own 35. Another interception by DeYoung stopped the drive, and Byron Center took over on its own 35.

On third-and-14, Payne (15 carries, 99 yards) ran for a gain of 13 yards and gained two more for a first down on 4th and 1. On third-and-11, Wychens hit Hunter Pulawski for a 17-yard touchdown with 1:17 to go until halftime.

“Our defense did a pretty good job, but third downs killed us,” Thorson said. “We couldn’t get a stop when we needed one on a few 3rd and longs.

“We knew Byron Center would be a tough team, and they are. That running back [Payne] is very good, but we put our defense in bad positions all night.”

The Bulldogs punted on the opening possession of the second half, but on the third play of the next Morris drive, a bad snap was recovered by Byron Center. The Bulldogs proceeded to get a 36-yard field goal by Hilliard to go ahead 31-7 with 3:27 to go in the third.

Morris drove 65 yards on 15 plays and scored on a one-yard run by Caeden Curran (29 carries, 132 yards, 2 TDs), but the two-point conversion failed, making it 31-13 with 10:47 to play.

Morris attempted an onside kick, but Byron Center recovered it and put the game away with a 16-yard TD run by Connor Nealon. Morris scored on a five-yard run by Curran with 2:30 to play, recovered an onside kick, then scored on an eight-yard pass from Varner to Daniel Hunt with 52 seconds left to provide the final margin.

Varner was 12 of 23 for 166 yards with two touchdowns and four interceptions. Mick Smith ran six times for 53 yards, while Logan Conroy caught three passes for 29 yards. Morris outgained the Bulldogs 396-312, but the 8-0 turnover margin was too much to overcome.

“The fact that we only lost by 12 when we turned it over eight times shows how good we can be,” Thorson said. “Probably the most disappointing thing was the two turnovers on special teams. All year, we have controlled field position with our special teams, but that didn’t happen tonight.

“This is one of those games that you have to get out of your system. I’d much rather have it happen this week than next week. We’re still a good team. We just have to learn from this and take those lessons into the next game.”