Football Week Five: Top Teams Continue Tear

The Fillmore County Journal Sports covers 11 football teams. After five weeks, five are still undefeated. Two more have just one loss. Chatfield (#1 in AA), Caledonia (#3 in AA), Fillmore Central (#6 in A), Lanesboro (#3 in 9-man), and Spring Grove (#6 in 9-man) all won to move to 5-0. R-P and M-C posted “Ws” to move to 4-1. 

#1 Gophers Pick LCH’s Bones Ahead of Caledonia Match-Up

For a quarter or so, La Crescent/Hokah (2-2) stayed with #1 in Class AA Chatfield (4-0).  The Lancers used their passing game to notch five first quarter first downs. The Gophers had six. But LCH was doomed by six turnovers and Gopher running back Sam Backer. Chatfield’s first offensive play went for six, when Backer sped 38-yards to paydirt. After one quarter, it was 6-0 in a Thursday night game. But by halftime, Jeff Johnson’s crew led 41-0, as they notched 35 second quarter points. Backer had TD runs of 18 and 44 yards. His first seven carries all went for double-digits. Parker Delaney hit Cole Johnson (64-yards) and Drew O’Connor (36-yards) for big pass plays. Drew Schindler authored a 42-yard interception return TD, one of three second quarter Gopher interceptions. Each team scored just one TD after intermission.  Backer authored another huge TD-run, an 89-yarder. Noah Bjerke-Wieser (13-yard run) had the Lancers only score in the third quarter. By a final of 51-7, Chatfield prevailed. Backer ran 340 yards and 4 TDs on just 15 carries (more on him below)!  Johnson (3-106, TD receiving) topped the century mark receiving. Delaney made his completions count. Two of five went for scores (5 of 13, 139 yards, 2 TDs passing). A third almost ended in six, but Johnson fumbled at the two-yard-line. Jackson Schild (14-87 rushing) added yards on the ground. The Gophers eclipsed 400 yards rushing behind the line of Than Cole, Isaac Stevens, Blake Thompson, Michael Greiner, and Nathan Allen. Backer ran unimpeded often. O’Connor, Rory Lane, and Ben Carrier also had interceptions. Backer and Jake

Brogan had fumble recoveries. Jacob Erickson kicked a 29-yard field goal. LCH QB A.J. Donovan (15 of 36, 137 yards, 4 INTs) was busy. Bjerke-Wieser (5-37, TD rushing, 6-35 receiving) and Carter Todd (4-75 receiving) were his top targets. The officials were busy, tossing 20-plus flags, penalizing the team’s 200-plus combined yards. The #1 Gophers (3-0, 5-0) and #3 Caledonia (4-0, 5-0) lead the Southeast-White ahead of a huge week six showdown. D-E (2-2, 3-2) and Goodhue (2-2, 3-2) are tied for third. Backer’s numbers through five weeks are jaw-dropping. He surpassed 1,000 yards in the game. The senior has 66 carries for a whopping 1,185 yards and 15 TDs rushing (a non-sensical 17.9 average).

#3 Warriors Better than Goodhue Ahead of Chatfield Match-up

The week four match-up of #3 in AA Caledonia (4-0) and Goodhue (3-1) was key one in the Southeast-White. Last year, the Wildcats won at their house in three overtimes, 39-33. They advanced to the 1AA finals, only to fall to Chatfield. The Warriors strong rebound season continued with their best win of the year over probably their toughest foe. Caledonia never trailed, scoring on their first two possessions. Lewis Doyle hit Kyle Bechtel for a 25-yard TD pass and Ethan Stendel snuck in for a 3-yard TD run to make it 14-0 after one. A 47-yard Eric Mauss run was key to the first score. But Goodhue never fully went away. Malakye Parker’s 3-yard TD run early in the second made it 14-7. A trio of Warrior defensive penalties aided that scoring drive greatly. It was the first score against the Warrior starting defense this year (the first opponent offensive score period). The Warriors got a fortuitous touchdown late in the half. On 4th and 10 from the 30, Stendel hit Caleb Conniff for a 30-yard TD pass.

The ball was deflected and Conniff bobbled it before securing the reception with 1:23 on the first half clock. The drive came one series after fortune wasn’t on the Warriors side. A would-be 1st and goal at the five eventually turned into a 4th and goal from the 42! At the half, the Warriors led 21-7. They then took the second half kick-off and scored, Mauss bursting up the gut for a 23-yard TD run. Cal built a 28-7 lead. But it only took a few minutes in the fourth for things to get interesting.  A 60-yard Sam Opsahl to Gavin Shafer pass-play helped set up a Grant Reed 4-yard TD run to make it 28-14 (9:02).  Caledonia then fumbled on its first offensive play deep in their own end. Goodhue recovered. Two plays later, Opsahl hit Shafer for a 15-yard TD pass. The PAT failed. In a matter of moments, a three-TD Warrior lead was a one-score lead at 28-20. But the Warriors then bore down, taking the ball 65 yards in 10 plays. On 2nd and nine from the Wildcat 15, Doyle avoided a sack before speeding into the end zone for a game clinching 15-yard TD run. Carl Fruechte’s Warriors prevailed 35-20.  Mauss (14-152, TD rushing) paced a ground attack that topped 200 yards. Doyle (5 of 12, 65 yards, TD passing, 10-44, TD rushing) and Stendel (3 of 8, 61 yards, TD passing, 8-25, TD rushing) each ran and passed for a scores. Ayden Goetzinger (3-44 receiving), Bechtel (3-39, TD receiving), and Conniff (30-yard TD reception) had the big catches. The #3 Warriors (4-0, 5-0) stayed perfect ahead of a huge ranked-ranked game at #1 Chatfield (3-0, 5-0).

#3 Burros Leave No  Doubt Versus Knights 

Of the five “Journal 11” football teams to start the year 5-0, #3 in 9-Man Lanesboro has taken the wildest ride. They’ve started slow. They’ve started fast.  They’ve made a huge comeback against a winless Houston squad. Every Burro foe, through four weeks, scored double digit points. Three put up 20-plus. Lanesboro’s week five affair with Kingsland (2-2) was more typical of a team ranked #3. Lanesboro’s first two drives didn’t

go anywhere, but they then scored on seven of their last eight possessions. Kingsland got on the board first, getting a 42-yard TD pass from Kaaleem Reiland to Ayden Howard (following a Burro fumble). They jumped out 8-0. But the Burros next drive saw Orion Sass burst for a 64-yard TD run. After one quarter, the score was 8-8. James Semmen’s group then scored two TDs in each of the following three quarters while holding the Knights scoreless. Kingsland had just one drive with more than one first down and zero with more than two first downs. The Knights were held to 127 yards. The Burros got the win by a 49-8 final. The Sass brothers got a lot of touchdown glory. Senior Orion continued his excellent season with another big game (19-157, 3 TDs rushing). He’s ran for 100-plus yards and at least two TDs in every game. Younger brother Cole (4-43, 2 TDs rushing) scored twice in the fourth quarter. He also had 1 ½ sacks. Mason Howard accounted for a pair of TDs as well (4 of 6, 86 yards, TD passing, 11-42, TD rushing). He hit Luke Ruen on a 56-yard TD pass. Hayden Lawstuen (9-43 rushing) chipped in some ground work while intercepting a pass. Reiland (3 of 9, 49 yards, TD passing) and Howard (2-48, TD receiving) accounted for the only Knight score. Beau Wiersma (13-46 rushing, 2-33 receiving) was held in check by the Burro defense, which registered four sacks. Lanesboro (5-0, 5-0) and #6 Spring Grove (5-0, 5-0) are tied atop the South-East district. Mabel-Canton (3-1, 4-1) is in third place. The Knights (2-2, 2-3) suffered their first big defeat of the year. Their other two losses came via opposition scores in the final four minutes. 

#6 Lions Linger Until  Second Half Before  Swamping Southland

The Spring Grove defense dominated until the offense achieved consistency while subduing winless (0-4) Southland, 33-14. The Lion attack eventually provided enough of its characteristic big-yardage plays to overcome three first-half turnovers. After scoring on the third play from

scrimmage, the Lions trailed for the first time this season, 7-6, after the Rebels recovered a fumble in the SG end zone. The Lions needed only five plays to regain the lead at 14-7, but after two SG turnovers deep in Rebel territory, the score did not change before halftime. Grove then scored on its first three second-half possessions to lead, 33-7. Elijah Solum (18 of 25, 241 yards passing, 15-111 rushing) was in on all five touchdowns, throwing for three and running for two more. Tysen Grinde (8-140, TD receiving) scored with a 30-yard pass and set up another score with a 42-yard grab. Jaxon Strinmoen (2-46 receiving) opened scoring with a 41-yard TD catch and later amazed with a diving interception. Ethan Crouch caught a 2-yard TD aerial. Caleb Griffin (6-41 receiving) added extra points with a reception and a kick. The defense limited Southland (0-5, 0-5) to minus-7 yards rushing and 175 yards overall. The Rebel offense did not score until 1:39 remaining. In the second half, every Rebel play was a pass or a punt. SG (5-0, 5-0), ranked #6 in 9-Man, shares East Sub-District lead with Lanesboro (5-0, 5-0).

O’Connor To Corson Fuels #3 Falcons Past Rockets

Fillmore Central (4-0) had some tough news coming out of its week four win at Faribault B.A. The #6 Falcons lost All-District wide receiver/safety Jayce Kiehne to a collarbone injury. In their key week five match-up versus Randolph (3-1), seniors Dillon O’Connor and Bryce Corson picked up the slack. The home Rockets put the first eight points on the board, scoring late in the first quarter via an Evan Bennerotte 5-yard run. The Falcons then rattled off 29-unanswered. O’Connor hit Corson for a trio of touchdown passes, covering 8, 49, and 47 yards in succession. The latter came in the third quarter to give FC a 22-8 lead. O’Connor then hit Chase Christianson 19-yard TD pass. FC went ahead 29-8 heading to the fourth quarter and prevailed by that final. For a second time this year, O’Connor (17 of 21, 281 yards, 4 TDs, INT passing) tossed for nearly 300 with four TDs. For a third time this year, Corson (7-134, 3 TDs receiving, 12-38 rushing) scored thrice. Christianson (4-75, TD receiving, 30-yard run) and Jake Fishbaugher (4-59 receiving) also were busy at receiver. FC ran for just 69 yards. Defensively, the Falcons had four sacks; Gunner Benson (who has five on the year), Christian Ladd, Garrett Gossman, and Henry Liew. Christianson added an interception. J.J. Root (5-78 receiving) and Bennerotte (16 of 24, 150 yards, TD run) led the Rockets.  FC improved to 4-0, 5-0. The Falcons lead the Mid-Southeast-Blue over R-P (3-1, 4-1) and B.A. (3-1, 3-2).

Trojans Pick Cotter Five Times, Run Streak to Three

The Mid-Southeast Blue match-up of Rushford-Peterson (3-1) and Cotter (1-3) was all about touchdowns and interceptions. The Trojans had a lot of each and thus easily picked up their third straight win. The Ramblers turned a Trojan opening kick-off fumble into six points, but it all went downhill from there.  R-P then posted eight straight scores to lead 51-6! The Trojans got a big game from senior athlete Grady Hengel who amassed over 200 offensive yards (17-184, 3 TDs rushing, 3-35 receiving). Sophomore RB Jonah Bunke (10-73, 3 TDs rushing, 3-63 receiving) also scored thrice while going over 100 yards total offense. All three of his TDs came in the third quarter. Jaxon Meldahl (7-50 rushing) added some ground yards. Riley Tesch (12 of 16, 187 yards, TD, 2 INTs passing) hooked up with Dalton Hoel (4-55, TD receiving) for the Trojans lone passing score. Hoel was a tri-faceted star. The senior snagged three of R-P’s five picks. Bunke had the other two. Hoel returned a kick-off 70-

yards to paydirt as well. The defense scored R-P’s first points of the game. Andrew Wilkemeyer returned a fumble five yards for a TD. Racking up 492 yards total offense, holding Cotter to 133 total yards (including -10 rushing), snagging six total turnovers, and scoring in all three phases, the Trojans prevailed 58-20. The game featured seven interceptions. Davin Thompson’s group (3-1, 4-1) is tied for second place with Faribault B.A. (3-1, 3-2) in the Mid-Southeast Blue behind FC (4-0, 5-0).

Cougars Dedicate Field to Urbaniak,  Dominate Madelia

Mabel-Canton began its game with Madelia by dedicating its field to a coaching legend. The contest itself ended prematurely in the third quarter. In between, it was all Cougars. Long-time coach and teacher Karl Urbaniak retired last fall, and M-C christened their field in his namesake prior to their game. Close to 100 former players plus many members of the community were on hand in support of the coaching mainstay, who influenced thousands of young men’s lives. Once the ball took the air, M-C rolled. They scored 32 first quarter points and 60 first half points. After Madelia’s starting QB Eric Anderson took a hard hit on the sideline (and was thus knocked out of the game), Blackhawk coaching staff surrendered the rest of the game with 10:28 in the third. Madelia had just 19 players on its roster. A number were already in street clothes. Anderson walked off on his own power. M-C got the win 60-14. It was the Cayden Tollefsrud show. The junior authored TDs three different ways. He had two kick-off return TDs (77-yards, 79-yards), a leaping 41-yard TD reception, and a TD rushing. Tollefsrud finished with over 300 all-purpose yards (6-92, TD rushing; 3-55, TD receiving). Tyler Larson (4-35, 2 TDs rushing) scored twice and had two fumble recoveries. Isaac Underbakke (4 of 4, 78 yards, 2 TDs passing) tossed two scores. Tollefsrud had one and Jordan Larson (23-yards) the other. Robert Michels (4-31, TD rushing) also found paydirt while converting three two-points runs. Both of Madelia’s scores came after M-C was ahead 40-0. Anderson had an 11-yard TD run and Blayne Wilde a 55-yard fumble return TD. The win improved M-C’s record to 3-1, 4-1. They trailed #3 Lanesboro (5-0, 5-0) and #6 Spring Grove (5-0, 5-0) in the South-East.