Photo by Deb Finseth
Grand Meadow (2-2, 3-2) trailed winless Southland (0-5, 0-5) at one point 34-12 in the third quarter and 34-18 heading to the fourth, before pulling off a ridiculous comeback win. The game started with two Rebel scores in the first quarter followed by two Lark scores. Southland led 14-12 in the second quarter before scoring 20-unanswered points for a 34-12 lead early in the second half. GM then scored 22-unanswered points! Corbin Ludemann’s third TD run of the game (28-yards), and his conversion, made it 34-34 in the fourth. It was the second of back-to-back TDs and conversions that annulled the Rebels’ 16-point lead (34-18). But Southland got a 54-yard TD pass from Noah Bauer to Jack Bruggeman (plus conversion) to retake the lead at 42-34. GM’s next offensive play was a Ludemann 56-yard run. Isaac Harmening followed with a 2-yard TD run. With a Ludemann conversion, the score was tied, 42-42! GM then stopped Southland. A Harmening 23-yard run set up Ludemann’s fourth TD of the game (4-yard run). Another conversion made it 50-42 Larks. And then Jace Kraft (playing in his first game of the year per a hand injury) iced the win, and capped the 38-point quarter, by intercepting Bauer and returning it for 25-yards for a TD. By a final of 56-42, GM posted a wild win. Ludemann (24-239, 4 TDs, three conversion runs) had a huge game. Harmening (22-146, 2 TDs rushing) also topped 100 yards. Cael Gilbert added a 3-yard TD run. The Larks did all 398 yards of their damage on the ground. They did not complete a pass. Southland did most of its work through the air, as Bauer (14 of 24, 233 yards, 4 TDs, 2 INTs) hit Bruggeman (6-171, 3 TDs receiving) often. The teams combined for seven turnovers. GM improved to 3-2, 4-2.