Football (10/20)

Football: Warriors Hand #2 Gophers First Loss 14-0

Many a football team have taken the long trip to Caledonia and came home disappointed. In a key week six Southeast Central White matchup, #2 in AA Chatfield (5-0, 6-0) suffered said fate at the hands of the Warriors (3-2, 4-2). In a rematch of last year’s 1AA title game (a 24-14 Gopher win), Carl Fruechte’s group got revenge and posted their biggest win of the year. The home team came out fired up. On their first drive, 19 and 48-yard pass plays from Will Allen to Coby Hammell got the Warriors inside the five. But a first and goal at the two turned into a 4th and goal at the 30 per a bad snap. Caledonia turned the ball over on downs. But Chatfield fumbled a play later. Caledonia capitalized on the short field, Allen hitting Grant King on a 15-yard fade route touchdown. With Charlis Mauss PAT, it was 7-0. One Warrior series later, a 43-yard Allen to King pass set up an Allen 29-yard TD run. The Warriors led 14-0 early in the second (11:21). And that was all for the scoring. Caledonia’s defense posted a third shutout of the year, third in four games. They held on four big Gopher threats. A 26-yard connection between Carter Ask and Kaisen Johnson set up Chatfield at the Warrior 24 between Cal scores in the first quarter. But a third and five sack by Warrior Bodie Knutson (and others) led to a 4th and 16 incompletion, ending the drive. The Gophers drove to start the second half, but turned the ball over on downs at the Warrior 22. The ensuing Cal punt then went negative 11 yards, setting Chatfield up. But the Gophers’ best bet, a 1st and goal at the seven again ended in a turnover on downs. Chatfield also reached the 24-yard line midway through the fourth, but again the end zone was capped. Caledonia’s early 14-0 lead held as the final. Allen (8 of 17, 150 yards, TD passing; 17-58, TD rushing) accounted for both scores. Hammell (5-90 receiving) and King (2-57, TD receiving) led a Warrior offensive attack that was most successful through the air. Chatfield’s D’Andre Williams (19-82 rushing) had a couple decent gains but was generally contained. Ask (6 of 17, 58 yards passing) to Johnson (2-53 receiving) was the Gophers top passing threat. Chatfield was held to around 150 yards total offense. They had 15 negative-yardage plays. Caledonia had about 225 yards total offense with five negative-yardage plays. Chatfield (5-1, 6-1) and Triton (5-1, 5-2) will share the Southeast-White title while Caledonia (4-2, 5-2) lurks in third place. 

Football: #3 Cougars Down Knights, Grab First League Crown in 20 Years 

With less than 1:00 to go in the first half, Kingsland (5-1, 5-1) was driving down 16-8 on the road versus #3 in 9-Man Mabel-Canton (6-0, 6-0) in a big South-East matchup. The Knights got as far as the Cougar 15. But seconds later, with nothing on the first half clock, M-C was celebrating. Via some penalties, an interception, and lastly, a 28-yard dime from Isaac Underbakke to Kale Tollefsrud, Paul Tollefsrud group turned a red zone defensive series into a turning-point touchdown with 0:00 on the clock. It sent the Cougars to half up 22-8. With the Knights down, third-year star quarterback Kaaleem Reiland, who got injured early in the game, M-C won the second half 23-0, scoring on their first three offensive series. The second score was set up when senior safety Isaac Underbakke intercepted his third pass. K-Tollefsrud’s ensuing 19-yard TD run made the score 37-8. Continuing their magical season, M-C cruised 43-8 over then second-place Kingsland, scoring the last 43 points. K-Tollefsrud (21-135, 2 TDs rushing; 2-41, TD receiving) continued to be the South-East’s most dangerous all-around weapon. Underbakke (3 of 6, 46 yards, 2 TDs passing) also tossed a 5-yard touchdown to Brevyn Tollefsrud (3-30 rushing). Underbakke’s first interception came late in the first quarter, and he returned it 43 yards to paydirt. The senior also had a blocked punt. He was one week removed from running for 3 TDs versus Spring Grove. Mason Yoder added the Cougars’ final TD on a 1-yard scoring run. With Reiland out, tailback Bently Wiersma (21-89 rushing) carried a big load, as did Reiland’s replacement at quarterback, Collin Stuart (8 of 17, 112 yards, TD, 3 INTs passing). He hit Michael Johnson (3-79 receiving) for the game’s first score, a 60-yard pitch-and-catch. Unbeaten (7-0, 7-0), #3 M-C wrapped up the South-East title over nearest foes the Knights (5-2, 5-2), Lions (5-2, 5-2), Houston (5-2, 5-2), and AC/G-E (5-2, 5-2). It is their first sub-district title ever and first sub-district/conference title since 2005. 

Football: #3 Falcons Methodically Top Lewiston-Altura, Grab Sub-District Crown

Fillmore Central’s largest gain was just 27 yards. Visiting Lewiston-Altura had the three longest plays. But in a matchup of the top two teams in the Mid-South Green, the #3 in A (tie) Falcons (4-0, 6-0) had four double-digit play drives. That disciplined offensive led to a 26-7 win over the Cardinals (3-0, 4-2). FC held the ball for nearly the entire second quarter. After Bridon Bahl intercepted a Cardinal pass at the five yard-line, FC went 95 yards in 13 plays. Twelve plays were in the second quarter. Kane Larson capped the drive with a 1-yard TD run, Bahl hit Larson for the conversion, making it 8-0. On FC’s subsequent kick-off, a squibbed-onside ended up in the hands of Falcon Jeremiah Bushman. FC then went 44 yards in 11 plays. After getting stopped twice on goal-to-go at the one, after a false start penalty, Larson scored from six yards out with 0:33 left. L-A’s offense ran one play late in the second quarter. FC led 14-0 at half. After just two carries in the first, Larson had 16 in the second for 89 yards and two scores. Once L-A’s offense took the field to start the second half, they marched. One of their big plays, a 38-yard pass from Jayden Hansen to Tyson Prigge, was key in getting into FC’s end. Ripping off four quick first downs, L-A went 74 yards in seven plays. Hansen capped it with a 3-yard TD run. L-A pulled to down 14-7 with 8:11 left in the third. But FC then put together their third straight 10-play drive. It was capped by their biggest play. On 3rd and eight, Bahl hit Cody Serfling perfectly for a 27-yard TD pass. FC went back ahead by two scores 20-7. The Cardinals then got a little life to start the fourth. Seth Lubinski intercepted a Bahl pass and returned it 38 yards into Falcon territory. But a holding call put the Cards up against it. They failed on 4th and 14. FC then marched 61 yards in 10 plays, Bahl capping the series with a 1-yard TD plunge. Up 26-7 with 4:06 left, FC won by that final. Larson, the state wrestling champ, again killed L-A with a hard-nosed running (21-155, 2 TDs rushing). He went for about the same line (31-140, 2 TDs rushing) in last year’s 35-14 win. Serfling (4-29 rushing, 4-38, TD receiving) and Bahl (8 of 13, 79 yards, TD, INT passing; 1-yard TD run) were his best assistants. Lubinski (6-64 rushing) and stout Lincoln Murphy (9-56 rushing) led L-A on the ground. The former had L-A’s third big play, a 44-yard run. Prigge (6-37 rushing; 38-yard reception) also contributed. Hansen (4 of 12, 64 yards, INT) completed just four passes. FC tallied 20 first downs to L-A’s 10, and 302 total yards to the Cards’ 240. With its sub-district season complete, FC (5-0, 7-0) is the champion over nearest foes L-A (3-1, 4-3) and Southland (3-1, 4-3). It is the fourth straight sub-district title. They had just two conference or sub-district titles from 1993 thru 2021 (SEC in 1996, MSE-East in 2016). 

Football: Lions Survive Back-and-Forth Battle at Lanesboro

Following five lead changes, it ended with two 32-yard Lanesboro passes to the Spring Grove goal line – the first broken up by Ezra Konkel and last intercepted by Caden Gerard. The Lions escaped with a 28-24 road win, avoiding an upset versus Lanesboro (1-6). Spring Grove (5-2) had one more touchdown but trailed by extra points after their first three touchdowns. The Lions outgained their hosts, 290 yards to 175. But the Burro offense took advantage of a short field and scored once on defense. An errant punt snap left the Burros needing to go only 16 yards for an early 8-0 lead. And later David Harvey intercepted a Lion pass and returned it 37 yards to the end zone for a 24-20 lead. In between, Lanesboro enjoyed its only lengthy scoring drive, 67 yards in 7 plays, for a 16-12 lead. Quarterback Mason Gilbertson (17-53 rushing) scored both offensive touchdowns with 1-yard and 7-yard runs. He also ran in a 2-point conversion and completed 2-point PAT passes to Harvey and Quadyn Kettner. SG quarterback Dylan Halverson completed 6 of 13 passes for 109 yards and three Lion TDs before halftime. Grove answered the first LHS score with an 11-play, 57-yard drive, capped by a 4-yard TD reception by Jacob Solum. But the unsuccessful extra-point kick left Lanesboro still leading 8-6. Halverson finished a 6-play, 58-yard possession with a 34-yard TD toss to Devon Williams for the first Lion lead, 12-8. After Lanesboro went back ahead, 16-12, Halverson needed only one play, a long 49-yard TD heave to Gerard. Reynolds ran in the conversion and SG regained the lead, 20-16. Harvey’s interception TD came just 19 seconds before halftime for a 24-20 Burro lead. Another one-play possession for SG created the final score, 28-24, with Reynolds (21-154 rushing) bolting 75 yards and then passing to Christian Bjerke for the PAT – just two minutes into the second half. The final 22 minutes were scoreless. Lanesboro’s last chance came with 2:41 to play, 84 yards to go. Gilbertson (12 of 18, 91 yards, two INTs) completed four straight passes for 46 yards with outstanding receptions by Kettner and Reid Olson. But with time running out, Konkel and Gerard defended passes at the goal line.

Football: Canes Put 60 Points, 505 Rushing Yards on B.A. 

Houston put up 505 rushing yards and seven ground scores as they topped Faribault B.A. 60-7 in South-East week seven action. Junior Lee Klunder (13-217, TD rushing) went over 200 yards rushing a second straight week. Axel Vix (7-132, TD rushing) also topped the century mark. Elliott Frauenkron (5-87 rushing) added two ground scores, as did Hector Steinfeldt (1-yard and 3-yards). The duo also hooked up for Houston’s only completion, a 28-yard TD pass. Normal lineman Logan Kinstler (1-yard TD run) also found paydirt. After Mabel-Canton (7-0, 7-0), there is four team log-jam in the South-East district with the Hurricanes (5-2, 5-2), SG (5-2, 5-2), Kingsland (5-2, 5-2), and Alden-Conger/G-E (5-2, 5-2). Houston has beaten the Lions and ACGE. 

Southeast Central District Football (10/10)

Dover-Eyota 25, Rushford-Peterson 6 (R-P: J. Johnson 11-110 rushing; Caden Mattson 9-78 rushing; Jaxson Meldahl 9-48 rushing; Creighton Hoiness 7-21, TD rushing. R-P ran for 261 yards on 39 carries (6.7 per), but they had zero passing yards. D-E out-gained them 284 to 261 but R-P lost the turnover battle 3 to 1. Trojans are 1-5 in sub-district, 2-5 overall) 

South-East District Football (10/10) 

Wabasha-Kellogg 30, Grand Meadow 14 (GM: C. Glynn 21-100, TD rushing; 10 of 21, 93 yards, TD, 2 INTs passing; Blake Hubbard 6-51, TD receiving; Logan Grafe 2-31 receiving. GM fell behind 16-0 after one quarter and could not recover, trailing 16-8 at half and 24-8 after three. Superlarks are 1-6 in South-East/overall) 

LeRoy-Ostrander/Lyle/Pacelli 46, Alden-Conger/Glenville-Emmons 52 (L-O/L/P: R. Hungerholt 17 of 47, 386 yards, 6 TDs, INT passing, 18-58 rushing; H. Wollenburg 6-149, 2 TDs receiving; Logan Diemer 2-96, 2 TDs receiving; Talan Lewison 5-80, TD receiving; Grady Meyer 2-44, TD receiving; Carson Roe 1-yard TD run, team high 13 total tackles, two sacks. ACGE started the game up 20-0. LOLP was then within eight twice in the second quarter (20-12, 26-18) and trailed by 10 at halftime, 34-24. L-O/L/P trailed 46-32 heading to the fourth but pulled even, 46-46, with 2:15 left on a Hungerholt to Diemer 52-yard TD pass. ACGE’s Jacob Dulitz scored the game-winning TD on a 34-yard scramble with 1:12 left. L-O/L/P is 3-4 in the South-East/overall)