Sunday, September 05, 1999

Untitled Document

Rebels, Vikings start season with victories

By THOMAS BROCK

Austin Daily Herald

The beginning of another high school football campaign began in Minnesota Friday night. The Southland Rebels and Hayfield Vikings picked up big non-conference wins. Both teams were coming off disappointing seasons so the opening victories should give them a big boost in confidence for the coming season.

Opening games were not as successful for Grand Meadow and LeRoy-Ostrander. Both schools lost their openers in the Southern Confederacy.

Across the boarder in Iowa, Riceville also picked up a victory to start the season.

Southland 19, Kingsland 0

The Rebels dominated the Knights in Adams. The key to the victory was a strong rushing attack and a defense that was impenetrable.

"Kingsland only got one first down against us," Southland coach Dick Strand said, "and that came on a penalty. We had a great effort from the defense."

The defense limited the Knights to 35 total yards, all on the ground. The Rebels successfully defended 18 of 21 passes and the three Kingsland did complete went for no gain.

On offense, the Rebels added up the yards with a potent ground game. They rushed for 211 yards. Adam Chapek picked up 89 yards on 13 carries and Todd Osmundson rushed for 52 on 11.

Southland quarterback Cyle Erie went 10-for-20 for 94 yards. His favorite target was Scott Schammel, who caught seven Erie passes for 75 yards.

Southland scored on their second possession of the game on a 13-play, 62-yard drive. They kicked the extra point to make it 7-0. Erie snuck it in from the one. He also scored Southland’s second touchdown on a one yard run in the fourth quarter. Southland’s final touchdown was scored on a four-yard run by Dustin Wiste. Southland did not convert on either extra point try in the fourth quarter.

Southland (1-0, 0-0) opens their Southeast Conference season next Friday at defending champion Caledonia. The Warriors were 47-7 winners over La Crescent on Friday.

Hayfield 14, Cannon Falls 13

The Vikings traveled home from Cannon Falls with a big victory under their belts.

The Vikings came from behind in the road victory. The Bombers scored first on a six-yard Rob Lindell run in the first quarter. Hayfield then scored on a one-yard run by Justin Oakland in the third to make it 7-6. The kick failed.

At the start of the fourth Lindell again powered through the Hayfield defense for a touchdown, five yards. The kick failed to make it 13-6.

Hayfield quarterback Jon Severson then connected with a streaking Oakland for a 34-yard touchdown reception to make it 13-12 with 5:27 remaining. Oakland then pulled in for the two point conversion needed to give the Vikings the win.

Oakland picked up 108 yards on the night on 16 carries.

Hayfield opens its home schedule next Friday. They play Zumbrota-Mazeppa which lost to 32-0 to Kenyon-Wanamingo Friday.

Nicollet 23, LeRoy-Ostrander 8

The Cardinals were never able to make the big play in their Southern Confederacy game against the Raiders.

In the first half it was the defense unable to make the big stop and the Raiders went up 21-0 at the break. The Raiders hit paydirt on an 8-yard pass and a 21-yard run in the first quarter. Their third touchdown also came via the air in the second quarter. The stats for this balanced attack was 131 yards rushing and 108 passing.

The Raiders expanded the lead to 23-0 on a safety on a bad long snap by the Cardinals on a punt.

LeRoy got back into the came on the ground. They rushed for 145 yards in the contest but could only pick up 29 through the air. The Cardinals finally were able to cross the goal line in the fourth quarter. Chad Orum banged it in from the eight. On the two-point conversion Ryan King hit Clint Hodgdon for the score. That, however, was the end of the scoring for the Cardinals.

Next week the Cardinals travel to Medford. The Tigers beat Lyle-Pacelli 20-18 Thursday in Lyle.

Cleveland 22,

Grand Meadow 18

The Superlarks were done in by Clippers tail back Andy Dauk in their opening game home loss.

Dauk picked up 217 yards on 32 carries in the game. He got the ball close to the goal line and then backfield mate, Dan Starke, plunged in for the score. Starke scored on runs of 11, 1, and 1 yard. The Clippers were also able to convert two-of- three two-point conversions to spell the difference in the contest. Grand Meadow twice failed with the pass on their two-point tries and then missed a kick after its third touchdown.

Grand Meadow’s D.J. Morrow caught a 17-yard pass for a touchdown from Ben Thorsen for the Superlarks first score of the contest. It was sandwiched between Cleveland’s first two score. All three scores were in the second quarter. Grand Meadow then pulled to within 14-12 in the third quarter on a Thorsen five-yard run. Cleveland came right back on Starke’s third score and pulled out to a 24-12 lead with a Jeff West to Josh Goetlicher pass.

Grand Meadow then pulled to within six on an 85-yard punt return by Thorsen in the fourth quarter.

Grand Meadow faces another tough opponent, Granada-Huntley/East Chain/Martin Luther next week on the road. GHECML, the preseason favorite in the Southern Confederacy, lost 27-26 to Alden-Conger.

Riceville 27, Greene 0

Riceville score three touchdowns in the second quarter and totaled 290 yards on the ground en route to the victory at home.

Mike Schwark had 130 yards on 28 carries and Willie Schroeder had 81 yards on 15 carries. Schwark and Schroeder each had two touchdowns.

Matt Schilling, who was 4 of 8 passing for 40 yards, was the third leading rusher for riceville with 69 yards on nine carries.

Tom Conger had two catches for 36 yards.