Football: #9 Knights Rip #7 Cardinals, Grab South-East First Place

Kingsland senior running back Beau Wiersma ran for under 60 yards and tallied less than 75 yards total offense. The Knights had under 75 yards of second half offense as a team. But neither minimal stat mattered as #9 in 9-Man Kingsland (4-0, 5-0) easily handled #7 in 9-Man LeRoy-Ostrander (4-0, 5-0) in a week six South-East Saturday night showdown. The Cardinal defense stacked the box to limit the Knights first option Wiersma, who entered averaging 200 rushing yards per game. Kingsland’s other options got L-O. Option two-A, sophomore QB Kaaleem Reiland was perfect passing (6-6, 154 yards, TD, two conversions) while rushing for three scores (9-122, 3 TDs rushing, conversion). He accounted for Kingsland’s first three TDs, including runs of 45 and 51.

The Knights built a 20-0 lead early in the second quarter. Their second score was aided by a 4th and 4, 13-yard Wiersma run on their own 38. Three plays later Reiland hit Ayden Howard on a great diving 17-yard TD reception. Trailing 20-0, L-O achieved a 1st and goal at the five. But multiple Knight defenders (Sam Howard, Acelee Kohn, Noah House, Parker Johnson) made plays to stave off the threat. Aided by a 40-yard Reiland to Howard connection, Wiersma’s sole TD run of the game ensued. Kingsland went to half leading 26-0.

Defensively, the Knights flocked to L-O QB Camden Hungerholt, limiting him to 87 yards rushing, 5 of 14 for 59 yards passing, and no scores in the first half. The Cardinals got on the board with the first second half possession, as Hungerholt found Logan Diemer for a 2-yard pass play. But Knight option two-B, Howard, electrically returned the subsequent kick-off 91-yard to paydirt to make it 34-8. Reiland added his third TD run late in the stanza for a 40-8 lead. L-O had a last gasp. After Hungerholt finally broke free for a long TD run (74 yards), the Cardinals recovered the onside-kick and near immediately scored again early in the fourth (Hungerholt 6-yard TD run). With 11:21 left, the Knights led 40-21.

L-O trailed versus Houston earlier in the year 50-28 late in the third and came back to win 59-50. But Wiersma then iced the game with his electric kick-off return TD (61-yards off an onside). It put Kingsland up 48-21. In front of a huge flock fans aching for a winner after years of non-winning teams, Kingsland stayed perfect via a 54-21 victory! Howard contributed in all three phases (3-89, TD receiving, 91-yard KOR-TD, two interceptions) including limiting L-O top receiver Carter Sweeney (3-27 receiving). Wiersma (11-44, TD rushing, 21-yard reception) had a team-high 12 tackles. Acelee Kohn added a 50-yard TD run late. Kingsland tackled Hungerholt for loss seven times. Parker Johnson was credited with four sacks. Noah House had two sacks and five TFLs. Their pass defense limited L-O to just 8 of 27 passing for 71 yards (TD, two INTs). Hungerholt (8-26, 71 yards, TD, two INT’s passing, 37-262 yards, 2 TDs rushing) got his mostly after Kingsland led big. The teams combined for 18 penalties covering 190 yards. Matt Kolling’s group (5-0, 6-0) now finds itself someplace they have not been in football for years; in sole possession of first place. They lead L-O (4-1, 5-1) and their next foe, idle Spring Grove (4-1, 5-1), in their sub-district.