Cardiac Cards: LOLP wins Section 1 nine man title in dramatic fashion
Published 10:53 pm Friday, November 1, 2024
LeRoy-Ostrander/Lyle-Pacelli’s Dylan Christianson embraces teammate Camden Hungerholt after the Cardinals secured the Section 1A Nine Man championship against Kingsland Friday night at Art Hass Stadium. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
A LeRoy-Ostrander/Lyle-Pacelli fan holds up a State Bound sign after the Cardinals won the SEction 1 Nine Man chanpionship Friday night at Art Hass Stadium. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
The LeRoy-Ostrander/Lyle-Pacelli celebrates a late fumble recovery against Kingsland in the Section 1 Nine Man championship Friday night in Art Hass Stadium. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
LeRoy-Ostrander/Lyle-Pacelli football players celebrate a late touchdown pass to Tyson Stevens (21) that gave the Cardinals the lead against Kingsland in the Section 1 Nine Man championship Friday night in Art Hass Stadium. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
LeRoy-Ostrander/Lyle-Pacelli’s Landon Meyer tries to avoid being tackled by Kingsland’s Caden Reiter after a reception in the Section 1 Nine Man championship at Art Hass Stadium. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
LeRoy-Ostrander/Lyle-Pacelli’s Dylan Christianson tries to close in on Kingsland’s Zach Reiland, right, during the Section 1 Nine Man championship Friday night in Art Hass Stadium. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
LeRoy-Ostrander/Lyle-Pacelli’s Red Hungerholt secures the ball after a reception against Kingsland in the Section 1 Nine Man championship Friday night at Art Hass Stadium. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
LeRoy-Ostrander/Lyle-Pacelli’s Tyson Stevens carries against Kingsland in the Section 1 Nine Man championship Friday night in Art Hass Stadium. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
LeRoy-Ostrander’s Carson Roe works his way to Kingsland’s Kaleem Reiland during the Section 1 Nine Man championship Friday night at Art Hass Stadium. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
LeRoy-Ostrander/Lyle-Pacelli’s Camden Hungerholt braces to be hit on a carry against Kingsland in the Section 1A Nine Man championship Friday night in Art Hass Stadium. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
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There was a moment of high drama, but never any doubt on the sideline for the Cardinal football team as they overcame the odds to beat No. 3 Kingsland (8-3 overall) 38-27 in a Section 1 nine man title game at Art Hass Stadium Friday night.
LeRoy-Ostrander/Lyle-Pacelli trailed most of the night, but the team took the lead on an improbable play when senior Tyson Stevens pulled in a high arcing lob pass on a fourth and 13 play for a 50-yard TD from senior Camden Hungerholt to put his team up 32-27 with 4:14 left.
“It felt like the ball was in the air forever, then I went up and got it. I can’t explain how it felt (when I scored),” Stevens said. “It didn’t hit me right away until my teammates came running up to celebrate with me.”
LOLP head coach Trevor Carrier may have been sweating it out on Hungerholt’s deep toss, but he never lost faith.
“Kingsland has a great program and it was a heck of a game tonight. What a fourth quarter that was,” Carrier said. “We had the play we wanted, but it didn’t go like it was drawn up. Call it divine intervention, or whatever you want, but sometimes those guys make plays and make me look good out there.”
LOLP (11-0 overall) trailed 27-18 in the third quarter when Hungerholt found Carter Sweeney for a six-yard score to keep things close.
Hungerholt had just two runs of over 20 yards, including a 66-yard TD in the third, but he threw for 227 yards and four TDs with one interception. He said the team never let itself get down, even when it was trailing 13-0 in the first quarter and 19-6 in the second quarter.
“We weren’t over there pouting. We never get down,” Hungerholt said. “They had me cornered, but you can’t stop us.”
While the Cardinal offense made the big plays to take the lead in the fourth quarter, the defense also made a big splash. Stevens broke up a fourth down pass to end one Kingsland drive and the Cardinals also forced a pair of turnovers as Dylan Christianson recovered an errant snap and Ryder Stern tipped and corralled a pass for an interception to close out the game.
“We just had to start doing our jobs and get out on the edge and we did that in the second half,” Stern said. “This means so much to us. Ever since fifth grade we’ve wanted to go to state and win it. Now we’ve got it at our fingertips.”
This is the first year of the co-op between LeRoy-Ostrander and Lyle-Pacelli, making it the program’s first state tournament appearance. LeRoy-Ostrander won the nine man state championship in 2021. The Cardinals will play Renville County West at Kasson-Mantorville High School in a Class nine man quarterfinal at 7 p.m. Friday.
SCORING SUMMARY
Kingsland 13 6 7 0 – 27
LOLP 0 12 12 14 – 38
First quarter
(K) Zach Reiland 52 run (Rieter kick) (3 plays, 65 yards) 10:59
(K) Parker Johnson 57 pass from Kaleem Reiland (kick failed) (11 plays, 91 yards) 2:25
Second quarter
(LOLP) Reid Hungerholt 29 pass from Cam Hungerholt (kick failed) (7plays, 67 yards) 11:55
(K) Kaleem Reiland 5 run (kick failed) (6 plays, 32 yards) 2:59
(LOLP) Carter Sweeney 18 pass from Hungerholt (kick failed) (3 plays, 74 yards) 10:28
Third quarter
(LOLP) Camden Hungerholt 66 run (pass failed) (3 plays, 74 yards) 10:28
(K) Zach Reiland 50 run (Reiland run) (4 plays, 65 yards) 8:55
(LOLP) Sweeney 6 pass from Cam Hungerholt (pass failed) (14 plays, 65 yards) 3:16
Fourth quarter
(LOLP) Tyson Stevens 50 pass from Hungerholt (Hungerholt run) (3 plays, 47 yards) 4:14
(LOLP) Hungerholt 6 run (kick failed) (6 plays, 20 yards) :47
LOLP STATS
Rushing: Camden Hungerholt, 29-for-173, 2 TDs; Stevens, 5-for-38
Passing: Camden Hungerholt, 14-for-27, 227, 4 TD, INT
Receiving: Reid Hungerholt, 3-for-66, TD; Carter Sweeney, 6-for-65, 2 TDs; Stevens, 1-for-50, TD; Landon Meyer, 2-for-23; Talon Lewison, 1-for-20
Defense: Logan Diemer, 1 sack; Ryder Stern, 1 interception; Dylan Christianson, 1 fumble recovery
