Hungerholt Runs Wild over M-C as #5 LO/L/P Stays Perfect
Mabel-Canton (3-3) controlled time of possession. The Cougars ran 67 offensive plays and amassed 313 yards of offense. Fifth-ranked LeRoy-Ostrander/Lyle/Pacelli (6-0) ran just 23 offensive plays. But Cardinal senior quarterback Camden Hungerholt ran wild and 23 plays netted 539 yards (23 yards per play) as visiting L-O/L/P (6-0) exploded past the Cougars. Hungerholt had five carries in the first half. He scored four times on scampers of 83, 63, 53, and 84 yards. At halftime, he was already close to 300 yards rushing. And though L-O/L/P jumped out 21-0, a sequence in the final ticks before halftime was critical. Trailing 27-6, the Cougars made L-O/L/P’s seven-yard line only to turn the ball over on downs. With exactly 0:00.8 seconds left on clock, Hungerholt broke for his 84-yard TD run. Instead of maybe a two-score game at half, L-O/L/P led 33-6. They cruised from there, winning 47-14. Hungerholt ran for exactly 300 yards on a measly six carries with four TDs while completing 6 of 8 passes for 153 yards and another long TD, an 80-yard pass to Ryder Stern to start the second half. Tyson Stevens (4-47 rushing) added a score on the ground. Landon Meyer (4-67 receiving) led the Cardinals through the air. Dylan Christianson was in on three of four Cardinal sacks. Isaac Underbakke (9-16, 93 yards, TD passing; 19-74, TD rushing) carried a big load for M-C, accounting for both scores. Kale Tollefsrud (4-65 receiving) caught a 16-yard TD pass. Darian Hershberger (3-53 receiving) also topped 50 yards receiving. L-O/L/P dominated despite being penalized 10-plus times for well over 100 yards. The Cardinals (6-0, 7-0) and #7 Spring Grove (6-0, 7-0) lead the South-East sub-district heading to week eight. L-O/L/P hosts winless Lanesboro (0-6, 0-7) while SG hosts the Cougars (3-4, 3-4).
#10 Falcons Clinch Share of MSE-Blue
After beating top contender Lewiston-Altura in week six, Fillmore Central football had just two games left to secure the Mid-Southeast-Blue sub-division. Both were against teams below-five-hundred, Wabasha-Kellogg (2-4, 2-4) and Kenyon-Wanamingo (1-5, 1-5). In a Thursday night game versus the other Falcons, it was sloppy early. W-K started with, and recovered, an onside kick, but then fumbled on their first offensive play. FC then turned the ball over on downs in the red zone. But, six touchdowns later, FC led 41-0 in the third quarter and they went on to a 41-14 victory, clinching a share of the MSE-Blue. Sophomore QB Bridon Bahl threw for 265 yards, 3 TDs, and one interception on 14 of 21 passing. Greg Kennedy (6-111 receiving, 16-yard TD catch), Anthony Kiehne (2-35 receiving, 29-yard TD catch), and Josh Haugerud (20-yard TD catch) all caught scores. Kane Larson (5-99 receiving) was also busy in the passing game while leading FC’s ground attack (7-43, TD rushing). Kennedy added a 37-yard TD run on a reverse and Bahl a 2-yard TD-run. Kennedy now has a touchdown via five different modes. W-K was able to amass 299 yards total offense. Owen Ollcott (8-95, TD receiving; 6-58, TD rushing) had both scores. But the Falcons-North had four turnovers to FC’s one. Joey Ristau and Cody Serfling each recovered a fumble. Ristau added a sack. Davis Penhollow and Kiehne had interceptions. And Chris Mensink’s group put up 366 yards of offense. Tenth-ranked FC (6-1, 6-1) leads L-A (5-2, 5-2) with one game left. It is the Falcons’ third straight sub-district title. The school had just two conference/sub-district football titles from 1993 thru 2021.
#7 Lions Repel Rebel Upset Effort
Undefeated, #7 in 9-Man Spring Grove managed to hand Southland a fourth defeat, 31-22, but the Lions (6-0, 7-0) needed a late 45-yard TD run by fill-in quarterback Zach Brumm to seal the win. With TD drives of 62, 66 and 80 yards (but no PATs), the Lions led 18-0 before the Rebels mounted a rally to pull within two points, 24-22, in the fourth quarter. SG scored five TDs to the home team’s three, but suffered with a disparity in extra-points; SG 1 for 5, Southland 3 for 3. The league’s second leading passer, Bryce Berns, was nursing a sore shoulder and traded positions with wide receiver Brumm, the league’s leading receiver by yardage. In his QB debut, Brumm was responsible for all five TDs, rushing 24 times for 181 yards and a TD, passing for 97 yards with four of his seven completions going for scores; 17 and 10-yard passes to Berns (4-43), a 29-yarder to Brandon Jahnke, and a 20-yard connection to a leaping Ben Udstuen (the latter two’s only receptions). Brumm had one interception. As usual, he was a stalwart on defense with an interception, a forced fumble, and a team-most 12 tackles (11 solo). Southland sophomore QB Henry Wiste engineered the Rebel rally. He was responsible for all three TDs; a 4-yard run and two eight-yard passes to freshman Cael Smith. Wiste (19-39, 3 TDs) passed for 224 yards and rushed for 86. It was 18-7 at halftime and then 18-14 before the Lions answered with a 65-yard drive to go up, 24-14. But with 11 straight pass plays (7 completions), the Rebels went 60 yards to make it 24-22. The Lions then had both of their turnovers (fumble, interception), but the Rebels were unable to take the lead as SG stopped them on downs twice at the Lion 37 and 36 yard-lines. Three plays later, Brumm broke free for the 45-yard clincher. The only successful Lion PAT (Udstuen kick) created the final nine-point margin (2:53 to play). SG (6-0, 7-0) and #5 LeRoy-Ostrander/Lyle/Pacelli (6-0, 7-0) top the South-East. The Lions finish with Mabel-Canton (3-4), L-O/L/P with Lanesboro (0-7).
Big Second Quarter Allows #2 Gophers to Roll Along
Chatfield (6-0) piled the points on in the second quarter to post another big victory in a week seven matchup at Class AAA Lake City (3-3). A pair of Tiger field goals were matched up a pair of Gopher touchdowns for 14-6 game after one. But Ben Carrier’s unscripted line-drive (on-side) kickoff, and fumble recovery, then helped set up a big second quarter for Jeff Johnson’s crew. Carrier scored on a 38-yard TD run three plays later to start the second stanza. After a Lake City three-and-out, Carson Rowland capped a six-play sequence with an 11-yard TD run. Chatfield led 29-6 with 7:17 to go in the first half. They then scored twice in the final two-minutes. A 56-yard pass from Rowland to Kaisen Johnson set up Rowland to hit Tobin McMahon for a 5-yard TD pass and a 35-6 lead. The Gophers then took over again with 0:26 left before halftime. Rowland hit McMahon again for a 33-yard TD pass with 0:00 on the clock. The 14-6 edge turned into a 42-6 halftime lead. Chatfield prevailed by 48-20 final. Carrier ran magnificently for 213 yards and three touchdowns on just nine carries. He had scoring runs of 40, 38 and 64 yards. Rowland (4-8, 111 yards, 2 TDs passing; 4-27, TD rushing) also accounted for three scores. D’Andre Willliams (10-51 rushing) also ran for a score. McMahon (3-55, 2 TDs receiving, 3-28 rushing) and Johnson (56-yard reception) led the Gopher receivers. Chatfield rolled up 474 yards of total offense including 347 on the ground. Their only negative play was a kneel-down, as the offensive line again dominated. Colter Hegge (14-22, 96 yards passing; 4-yard TD run) and Aaron Lou (8-85, TD rushing; 7-47 receiving; 36-yard pass) led the Tigers. Ethen Brunkow kicked field goals of 31 and 36 yards. Second-ranked Chatfield (5-0, 7-0) heads to week eight to play second place #8 Cannon Falls (5-1, 6-1) for the outright Southeast-White title. Fifth-ranked Caledonia (4-2, 5-2) fell to Triton (3-2, 5-2) in week seven, 21-20. Those teams are in third and fourth places in the sub-district.
Hurricanes Grab Bell Back From Burros
A year ago, then 0-5 Lanesboro ousted 3-2 Houston in week six South-East matchup 20-16. It was the Burros’ only win of the year and the Hurricanes’ hardest defeat. The Burros grabbed the series’ “Bell” reward. This year, Cody Hungerholt’s Hurricanes got some redemption, and got the “Bell” back, in a week six matchup. Houston performed the rare feat of scoring seven touchdowns and converting each with a two-point play. The halftime score was 24-8 ‘Canes, as the Burros were still hanging around. But Houston scored 24-unanswered points out of intermission to lead 48-8 and they cruised to a 56-16 victory. Sophomore Lee Klunder ran for 141 yards and three touchdowns on 20 carries. Maddox Rodriguez (11-73, TD rushing, 3-44 receiving), Rysen Gorman (4-78 rushing), and Zach Olson (3-61, TD rushing) also topped 60 yards on the ground. Chamberlain Bergesen (58-yard TD run) and Owen Sobotta (5-yard TD run) also scored, as Houston racked up 431 yards rushing. Cole Sass (10-72, TD rushing; 6-77, TD receiving) had both Burro scores. Each completion by Burro QB Mason Gilbertson (6-15, 77 yards, TD) went to Sass. Houston (3-3, 4-3) won its third straight. Lanesboro (0-6, 0-7) remains winless.
Late Conversion Fails as #5 Warriors Fall at Triton
Triton’s Pierce Petersohn scored on a 3-yard run in the fourth quarter and kicker Miguel Martinez booted the extra point to give the Cobras a 21-14 lead on #5 in Class AA Caledonia. The Warriors then replied with a late score, a Ben Stemper 6-yard run. But Caledonia’s ensuing, go-for-the-win, two-point run, was stopped. It allowed Triton to down the Warriors 21-20 in a battle between teams that made state last year. The teams exchanged scores in the first and second quarters, with it being tied 7-7 after one and 14-14 at intermission and three quarters. Hindering the Warrior effort was a trio of interceptions. Quarterback Ethan Stendel ran for over 100 yards and total over 200 yards offense (10-118 rushing; 9-17, 102 yards passing) but threw two picks. Stemper (12-40, 2 TDs rushing) and Noah Schroeder (9-34, TD rushing) scored the three Warrior TDs on the ground. Fischer Wait (3-54 receiving) and Tristan Meyer (3-38 receiving) were Caledonia’s top receivers. Cooper Allen had two sacks defensively. The Warriors (4-2, 5-2) fall to third place in the Southeast-White behind #2 in AA Chatfield (5-0, 7-0) and #8 in AA Cannon Falls (4-1, 6-1) with the Cobras (3-2, 5-2) in fourth in a super-tough sub-district.
Mid-Southeast District Football (10/11)
Lewiston-Altura 20, Rushford-Peterson 18 (R-P: Caden Lea 11-17, 91 yards, 3 TDs, INT passing; Jonah Bunke 12-59 rushing; Jaxson Meldahl 5-56 receiving; Carson Johnson 9-yard and 14-yard TD receptions; Domanick Corcoran 5-yard TD reception. L-A: Eli Jensen 21-114, TD rushing; William Kreidermacher 11-67 rushing; Carter Cady 12-81 rushing, 2-42 receiving; Peyton Snikter 4-7, 76 yards passing, 2-yard TD run; Tyson Prigge 27-yard TD run. Lea hit Corcoran to put R-P ahead 18-13 later in the third quarter. After a 13-play, 96-yard drive in the fourth quarter, Prigge scored on his only carry of the game. The PAT put L-A ahead 20-18. R-P’s first pass of its final possession was an interception. L-A out-gained R-P 383 to 181 and the final pick was the game’s only turnover. L-A improved to 5-2 overall and in the MSE-Blue with the win)
South-East District Football (10/11)
Grand Meadow 6, Alden-Conger/Glenville-Emmons 57 (GM: Dalton Pischke 11-65, TD rushing. The Knights (3-4) scored the first 57 points. GM fell to 1-5 in the South-East, 1-6 overall)
Kingsland 41, Red Rock Central 14 (K: Kaaleem Reiland 7-13, 112 yards, TD, 2 INTs passing, 8-37, 2 TDs rushing; Zach Reiland 11-103 rushing; Parker Johnson 4-32, TD rushing, 14 total tackles, two sacks; Sam Howard 2-38, TD receiving, 14 total tackles, two sacks, 42-yard interception return TD; Caden Reiter 2-55 rushing, 67-yard punt return TD, 47-yard reception. Kingsland jumped out 21-0 and then expanded a 21-8 halftime lead to 34-8 in the third quarter)