Football: Cougars Steam Early to Top Hurricanes
Mabel-Canton’s gridiron guys had enough steam early to jump out on Houston. M-C then held the ‘Canes at bay in a week two South-East sub-district match-up. With Steam Engine Days going on in Mabel, and a steam engine at Karl Urbaniak Field, Cougar senior quarterback Isaac Underbakke tossed touchdowns passes on M-C’s first three drives. He hit Brevyn Tollefsrud for an 18-yard score on 3rd and 8 to put M-C on the board, Kale Tollefsrud for an 11-yard score early in the second quarter, then Darian Hershberger on a 12-yard score on 4th and goal later in the stanza. It gave M-C a 20-0 lead. The Cougars ran 27 of the first 35 offensive plays of the game. The ‘Canes then put together a drive late in the first half. Going 67 yards mostly on the ground, they earned their first offensive down, and got a 5-yard Lee Klunder TD-run to get on the board. At the half, M-C led 20-6. Houston then took the opening second half kick-off 54 yards in nine plays. Elliot Frauenkron’s 15-yard TD run capped the sequence. With an Axel Vix conversion run, the ‘Canes drew to down 20-14. Houston threatened more a series later. Frauenkron won a jump-ball over Underbakke to catch a 35-yard pass to the Cougar 30. But the M-C defense held. Early in the fourth, B-Tollefsrud took an inside double-handoff counter and scored on a 46-yard run, a play that has been run by the Cougars for decades. M-C went ahead 26-16. An Underbakke interception on Houston’s next series, and then a walk-in quarterback boot 15-yard touchdown run by the senior, iced it. M-C improved to 2-0 in the South-East and overall courtesy of a 32-14 victory. Underbakke (10 of 17, 135 yards, 3 TDs, INT passing; TD run; defensive interception) made plays every-which-way. The speedy K-Tollefsrud (6-92, TD receiving) did his biggest work in the passing game. Kale Eiken (13-59 rushing) and B-Tollefsrud (4-47, TD rushing; 18-yard TD reception) led the Cougar ground game. Hershberger (2-20, TD receiving) also caught a conversion. Houston was led by quarterback Hector Steinfeldt (4 of 13, 94 yards, 2 INT passing; 15-57 rushing), Klunder (12-62, TD rushing), and Frauenkron (5-38, TD rushing; 35-yard reception). M-C won total yardage 298 to 256 and the turnover battle 3 to 1. The Hurricanes fell to 1-1 in the South-East and overall.
Football: Second Half Rally Lifts Falcons Over Rebels
In the teams first meeting since 2018, Fillmore Central had to come back to beat again-11-man-squad Southland in a week two Mid-South “Green’”battle. Each team scored with its first series in about the same way. Falcon Cody Serfling broke tackles on his way to a 27-yard TD run and then Rebel Beau Sathre did the same on a 16-yard TD score. The only other touchdown of the first half was in the final seconds. Rebel returning starting quarterback Henry Wiste hit Cael Smith for a 2-yard TD pass. Having turned the ball over twice in the stanza, Chris Mensink’s Falcons went to break down 14-6. The score stayed that way until late in the third. A 43-yard pass from Bridon Bahl to Rylan Ristau was huge, setting up a Kane Larson 3-yard TD run. Bahl then hit Quinci Kaase for the conversion to tie the game 14-14 with 4:04 left in the quarter. It started a 24-0 run by the Falcons. After the FC defense forced a three-and-out, the offense marched. Bahl hit Serfling for a 21-yard pitch-and-catch, on 4th and 17 no less. It came one play after the two had an 11-yard TD strike annulled by penalty. Larson again added the conversion, giving FC its first lead at 22-14 nine seconds into the fourth. Serfling’s score started a Serfling play-making spree. On Southland’s next series, he opened it by tackling Rebel runner Smith for a seven-yard loss, then capped it by intercepting backup Reb quarterback Royce Jax. Jax entered when Wiste, an offensive catalyst (9 of 17, 106 yards, TD passing; 10-44 rushing), left with an injury. Later in the quarter, Falcon freshman Grant Daniels intercepted Jax, setting up FC’s game-securing score. Larson lumbered in from 4-yards out and added the conversion to make it 30-14 with 3:01 left. Southland scored and converted with 25-seconds left, but Logan Illg recovered their onside kick, cementing a 30-22 Falcon victory. Larson (18-80, 2 TDs rushing) and Serfling (3-40, TD rushing; 2-29, TD receiving) each scored twice for FC. Bahl (9 of 13 for 116 yards, TD, INT passing) to Ristau (4-73 receiving) was the best passing option. In the second half, the Falcon defense forced three straight three-and-outs, then sniped the two interceptions, before the Rebels finally got their first first down on their final drive in the final three minutes. Wiste finished as Southland’s leading rusher. The Rebels ran for just 75 yards. Jax (6 of 10, 68 yards, TD, two INTs passing; 4-51 receiving), Sathre (5-57 receiving), and Smith (4-56, TD receiving) joined Wiste in leading Southland (0-2, 0-2). FC improved to 2-0 in the sub-district and overall.
Football: Special Teams and Defense Lead Chatfield Over D-E
Special teams and defense made multiple big plays as Chatfield won another tightly battled Southeast Central contest, topping rival Dover-Eyota. Gopher junior Sean Kirchner had maybe the biggest play, blocking a Talen Rabe punt, returning it for a 29-yard touchdown with 0:58 left in the first half. Said play allowed Chatfield to lead 12-7 at the half versus potentially trailing 7-6. In the third quarter, the Gopher defense yielded a key turnover. Mitchel Hinckley recovered a botched Eagle snap deep in their end. Via a D’Andre Williams 8-yard TD run, Chatfield went ahead 19-7 late in the third. D-E then threatened, getting a 53-yard pass from Cooper Kellen to Jace Drilling to the Chatfield seven-yard line. But Gopher lineman Will Boelter then authored a tackle for loss and Hunter Polikowsky and Jackson Bernard each knocked down passes to aid in snuffing out the threat. Chatfield’s offense was forced to punt, but Kirchner uncorked a 65-yarder to flip field position. D-E’s subsequent punt went just 26 yards, helping set the Gophers up in good field position again. A 47-yard drive was capped when Carter Ask hit Keyan Danninger for an 18-yard TD pass, putting Chatfield up 26-7 early in the fourth. Getting outgained 246 to 157 including 199 to 85 through the air, Chatfield still prevailed 26-14. Passes accounted for each team’s first score. Ask (5 of 13, 85 yards, 2 TD passing) hit Logan Pearson (3-46 receiving) on a 42-yard TD reception in the first quarter. He later used his wheels to race across the field to pay dirt. Kellen (12 of 25, 199 yards, TD, INT passing) hit Joel Skrukrud (6-85, TD receiving) for a 40-yard TD in the second quarter. Rabe added the final score, a 1-yard run, with 6:54 left. The Eagles ran for just 46 yards on 31 carries. Williams (14-68, TD rushing) led Chatfield on the ground. They had just 72 yards on 28 carries. Defensively Ross Stoehr had an interception and 1 ½ sacks while Hinckley was in on two sacks on top of his recovery. Chatfield improved to 2-0 in the sub-district and overall.
Football: Knights Stay Perfect, Pitch Second Straight Shutout
For the second straight week, Kingsland’s defense did the best a defense could do, pitching a shutout. Matt Kolling’s group posted a 36-0 win over neighbor Grand Meadow in a South-East match-up. Kingsland scored 22 points in the second quarter and 14 more in the third. Kaaleem Reiland (6 of 12, 94 yards, TD, INT passing; 14-117, 2 TDs, conversion rushing) ran for over 100 yards and multiple scores for a second straight week. Bently Wiersma (10-81, TD rushing; 2-18 receiving), for a second straight week, was his best offensive accomplice. Michael Johnson (2-34 receiving) had the Knights lone TD reception while Nathaniel Drees (2-42 receiving) was their top receiver. Carter Stobel added a 65-yard fumble-recovery return touchdown to cap the scoring. KD Reiland was credited with a team-high 12 tackles. Despite losing, GM had 177 rushing yards, led by Parker Armagost (19-70 rushing) and Carter Glynn (13-69 rushing). But the Knights had over 300 yards total offense, GM under 200. Each team had multiple turnovers in the contest. The Knights also blanked Faribault B.A. 48-0 in week one. Kingsland improved to 2-0 in the South-East, 2-0 overall. Grand Meadow fell to 0-2, 0-2.
Football: Warriors Rally With Win Over St. Charles
Caledonia rebounded from a by-class-powerhouse week one upset loss to Rushford-Peterson by ripping past St. Charles. At home, the Warriors built a 27-0 halftime lead and prevailed by a final score of 40-18. Senior running back Jack Schmitz had a monster game; 15 carries, 200 yards and 3 touchdowns on the ground. Included was a 95-yard TD run in the fourth quarter. Noah Schroeder (4-31 rushing) and Chase Hauser (6-31 rushing) also ran for scores. The Warriors ran for 286 yards on 32 carries, a paltry 8.9 yards per carry, helped by Schmitz’s huge run. Will Allen (7 of 10, 115 yards, TD passing) hit Grant King (2-41 receiving) for the Warriors lone passing score. Zeke Gengler (3-53 receiving) was Caledonia’s top receiver by yardage. Sophomore Cooper Allen was credited with a team-high 14 total tackles. The Warriors improved to 1-1 in the sub-district, 1-1 overall.
Southeast Central Football (9/5)
Rushford-Peterson 6, Triton 21 (R-P: Will LaFleur 6-35 rushing; Landon Dahl TD run. RP opened the scoring before Triton tallied 21-unanswered points. R-P ran for 138 on 33 carries with five backs getting at least five carries. The Cobras survived despite a 5-2 turnover deficit, having out-gained R-P 325 to 143. Trojans > 1-1 in the Southeast-Central-Yellow, 1-1 overall)
Nine-Man South-East Football (9/5 & 9/6)
Alden-Conger/Glenville-Emmons 36, Lanesboro 0 (L: Mason Gilbertson 16-59 rushing. The Knights’ lead was 14-0 at the half but they scored 22 third quarter points to lead 36-0 heading to the fourth. Burros > 0-2 in the South-East, 0-2 overall)
Faribault B.A. 0, Spring Grove 54 (SG: Dylan Halverson 10 of 14, 154 yards, 2 TD passing, 13-86, TD rushing; R. Reynolds 18 total points, 58-yard TD reception, 4-yard TD run, 2-point PAT run, four PAT kicks, 7 tackles; Dash Ranzenberger 1-yard TD run, 13-yard TD reception; Jacob Solum 14-58, 2 TD rushing; Ezra Konkel 4-95, TD rushing; Devon Williams 3-50 receiving; Sam Klug interception, 6 tackles. The Lions held the Cardinals to minus-2 yards rushing, 94 overall, while piling up 410 yards total offense. SG scored on 8 of 10 possessions.)
Wabasha-Kellogg 22, LeRoy-Ostrander/Lyle/Pacelli 33 (LOLP: Reid Hungerholt 24-102, TD rushing, 8 of 23, 108 yards, TD passing; T. Lewison 6-102, TD receiving, 76-yard punt return TD, 17-yard TD run; Carson Roe 14-60 rushing, 21-yard TD reception, 66-yard TD pass; Logan Diemer 2-42 receiving. LOLP scored once in each of the first three quarters to lead 21-0 after three before the teams alternatingly scored 34 fourth quarter points)
Leave a Reply