Photo by Paul Trende
Last year, Lanesboro football won one game. This year, after their week seven win, they put themselves in great position for the #1-seed in the Section 1 9-Man playoffs. In a game featuring three turnovers, plus a recovered onside kick, and with all four coming on kickoff or punt returns, and with all four leading to points, Burro sophomore quarterback Teague Tessum accounted for three scores as the Burros controlled Spring Grove in a game of second place teams (both 5-1) in the South-East. Tessum threw for 152 first half yards and two touchdowns. Both went to junior back Quadyn Kettner, the first a 63-yarder on 3rd and 15 in the first quarter, the second a diving 16-yarder early in the second quarter. After the first score, the Burro kickoff bounced off a Lion returner with Kettner recovering. Ten plays later, Henry Semmen fumbled but recovered in the end zone for a touchdown. Spring Grove’s only score of the first half was an ensuing 61-yard bomb from Dylan Halverson to Caden Gerard. James Semmen’s group went to half up 20-7. Any Lion comeback chances in the second half were hampered when a third-quarter muffed punt was recovered by Semmen at the SG 35. Eight plays later, Tessum authored a four-yard TD run (plus conversion) to make it 28-7 with 1:06 left in the third. The Lions then recovered a muffed Burro punt. Halverson scored four plays later on an 11-yard run to make it 28-13 Burros. But Lanesboro put the game away with a 13-play, 80-yard fourth quarter drive. Charles Guma’s effort-driven, 16-yard TD run made the score 36-13 with 3:52 left. SG scored, got an onside kick, and scored again, but did not convert either. The Burros thus led by three scores, 36-19, and two scores, 36-25, after each. They prevailed by that final in a feisty, penalty-ridden game. By doing so, the Burros (6-1, 6-1) claimed second place alone behind Alden-Conger/Glenville-Emmons (7-0, 7-0). But Lanesboro is the only 1-loss team in Section 1 ahead the Lions (4-2, 5-2), L-O/L/P (4-2, 4-3), Grand Meadow (4-2, 4-3), and Kingsland (3-2, 4-3), which puts them in the driver’s seat for the #1-seed. It was Lanesboro’s fifth straight win while the Lions had five-game win streak snapped. Tessum (8 of 14, 155 yards, 2 TDs; 17-67, TD, conversion rushing) led the way. Backs Semmen (18-81, TD rushing) and Guma (12-63, TD, two conversions rushing) were big help. Kettner (4-102, 2 TDs receiving) had big first half catching the ball. Halverson led the Lions mostly on the ground (12-103, 3 TDs rushing). But he was just 3 of 18 passing for 103 yards. Gerard (2-75, TD receiving) caught the score while authoring three tackles for loss including a sack plus the onside kick recovery.
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