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Both the Edgerton Public and Elkton-Lake Benton football teams prepared for the postseason with convincing wins.
Edgerton downed New Ulm Cathedral, 52-7, on a woefully foggy Wednesday, Oct. 15, in this Minnesota Educators Association week special.
Meanwhile, ELB traveled to Hayti, S.D., beating longtime nemesis Hamlin, 46-14, on Friday, Oct. 17.
Edgerton Public’s Michael Gunnink (8) follows blockers through the fog during a first-quarter run versus New Ulm Cathedral on Wednesday, Oct. 15. (Star photo by Eric Viccaro)
The Flying Dutchmen (7-1) were set to play the winner of a Section 3 9-Player game between Adrian-Ellsworth and Heron Lake-Okabena-Fulda 3 p.m. Saturday in the semifinals at Edgerton.
Edgerton head coach Andrew Fleischman said he expected the Dragons to beat the Coyotes.
Edgerton Public head football coach Andrew Fleischman talks with his team during a timeout in a Wednesday, Oct. 15, game. (Star photo by Eric Viccaro)
“We know how difficult it’s going to be,” the coach commented after the win over NUC, “and we’re going to have some days to get ready. It’s going to be a close, tight game. It’s going to take our best effort to beat them.”
Adrian-Ellsworth (6-2) features talented quarterback Charger Erlandson, skill position players Jackson Jenniges, Jesse Bullerman and Ryker Eidhammer, plus several stout defensive players including Jayden Lautt, Caleb Wolf and Garrett Penning.
Elkton-Lake Benton’s Myles Poindexter (2) and Quintin Westley tackle Hamlin quarterback Jackson Wadsworth behind the line of scrimmage during a South Dakota Class 9AA game from Friday, Oct. 17. (Star photo by Eric Viccaro)
ELB originally was scheduled to play Bennett County (Martin) at 7 p.m. Thursday in the first round of the South Dakota Class 9AA playoffs.
However, that changed Monday.
“The state (South Dakota High School Activities Association) made an error while calculating seed points and amended the bracket,” ELB head coach Kaleb Haas explained in an email to The Pipestone County Star.
Elkton-Lake Benton first-year head coach Kaleb Haas watches the action from the sideline during a Friday. Aug. 29 , game versus Viborg-Hurley. (Star photo by Eric Viccaro)
“Now we will be facing De Smet instead of Bennett County,” Haas continued. “The shortened prep week is not ideal; but, it’s something that we have dealt with already this year. The experience with a shortened prep week, and having seen this opponent previously this year should make it more manageable.”
Both Edgerton and Elkton-Lake Benton (7-1) prevailed in regular-season meetings with Adrian-Ellsworth and De Smet, respectively.
The Flying Dutchmen blanked the Dragons, 24-0, on Friday, Sept. 19, at home. Meanwhile, the Elks overpowered the Bulldogs 65-20 at home on Friday, Sept. 12. De Smet features South Dakota State University signee Grant Wilkinson, all 6-foot-8, 320 pounds of him.
Edgerton Public’s Tucker Arp extends the ball toward the goal line, eventually crossing it for a TD during the first quarter of a game versus New Ulm Cathedral on Wednesday, Oct. 15. (Star photo by Eric Viccaro)
Edgerton whips NUC
EDGERTON — Edgerton junior running back Tucker Arp scored Edgerton’s first TD, extending the ball across the goal line for the score.
The Flying Dutchmen (7-1) briefly struggled after that initial score, but eventually the offense got on track.
Arp added his second TD of the game on a 28-yard rumble.
Colin Scholten then hooked up with Kade Moffitt on a 60-yard TD pass, followed by a 25-yard catch to Kaisen Hendriks. Michael Gunnink added a pair of two-point conversions, and the Flying Dutchmen were ahead 32-0 at intermission.
Edgerton Public’s Avery Bootsma races on a long run during a Wednesday, Oct. 15 game versus New Ulm Cathedral. (Star photo by Eric Viccaro)
Arp opened the second-half scoring with a near 80-yard run, with Tucker then catching the subsequent two-point pass. Scholten added another TD pass and
Eli Anderson scored New Ulm Cathedral’s lone TD, with Andrew Stern adding the extra-point kick with 2:55 remaining in the third quarter.
Edgerton Public’s Tanner Thomson deflects a New Ulm Cathedral pass during a game on Wednesday, Oct. 15. (Star photo by Eric Viccaro)
Evan Skyberg rushed in from four yards out providing Edgerton’s final score and 45-point margin. Reserves played the entire fourth quarter, which used a running clock.
ELB thumps Hamlin
HAYTI, S.D. — After Jonathan Leonardi rushed in from four yards out with the first score of this Class 9AA game, Elkton-Lake Benton went to work scoring the next 46 points.
Colt Beck was responsible for five of them with four rushing TD and a 20-yard pass to Myles Poindexter (a highlight found on The Pipestone County Star’s Facebook page).
Elkton-Lake Benton’s Lane Schindler makes a reception during a South Dakota Class 9AA game on Friday, Oct. 17. (Star photo by Eric Viccaro)
“We knew that we were in for a heavyweight fight coming into the game,” Haas said. “The boys did a great job of settling into it.”
Haas said offensive coordinator Jared Beck came up with a brilliant gameplan, and defenders read their keys effectively, and limited the Chargers’ big-play ability with pressure and tackling well in space.
Elkton-Lake Benton’s Eliot Erickson (0) runs through traffic on a kickoff return during a Class 9AA game versus Hamlin on Friday, Oct. 17. (Star photo by Eric Viccaro)
Eliot Erickson added two second-half rushing TD, including a 68-yard sprint to the end zone. Erickson rushed 27 times for 227 yards, bringing his total to 746 in the past three games alone.’
Elkton-Lake Benton assistant football coach Alex Marsh works with Kaleb Larson (16) before practice. (Star photo by Eric Viccaro)
Beck was a perfect 8-of-8 passing for 157 yards as the Elks amassed 486 yards in total offense. He added 103 yards rushing on four carries. Poindexter was the leading receiver with four grabs for 87 yards.
Hamlin gained 228 yards, most of it either early or in the fourth quarter when the game had been decided. Jackson Wadsworth was 12-of-23 for 163 yards. Watson Grantham added a rushing TD in the fourth.
Elkton-Lake Benton’s Jaycob Westley works in the trenches during a Class 9AA game versus Hamlin in Hayti, S.D., on Friday, Oct. 17. (Star photo by Eric Viccaro)
Quintin Westley registered 11 tackles, and hounded Wadsworth with four hurries and a sack. Poindexter added 10 tackles and a sack. Wanner Enriquez also helped going 4-of-5 on kicks, and he had two touchbacks.
Knights earn sixth win
TYLER — Weather conditions also were foggy as Russell-Tyler-Ruthton blanked Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg 42-0 in the Knights’ regular-season finale.
RTR (6-2) played Bird Island-Olivia-Lake Lillian in a Section 3A first-round playoff game Tuesday, Oct. 21.
The Knights defeated the Warriors, 33-20, on Friday, Oct. 3, so it was yet another match-up of familiar opponents.
Russell-Tyler-Ruthton’s Gavin Schreurs (2) is cool in the pocket, despite under duress from Lakeview’s Dustin Schlenner (57) during this Friday, Sept. 12, game. (Star photo by Eric Viccaro)
Quarterback Gavin Schreurs powered the Knights, going 10-of-12 passing for 140 yards and three TD — all of them to Brayden Chandler — including a long covering 41 yards.
Tyson Burns rushed 17 times for 102 yards and one TD. Mainly playing the fourth quarter, Micah Johnson totaled 108 rushing yards and a TD. Colten Thomsen added 63 yards and Tyler Wichmann 44 yards plus a score.