Superlarks move on to title game after shutout of Bombers
Published 5:48 pm Friday, November 18, 2016
- Grand Meadow’s Christophor Bain plunges in for a touchdown against Waubun at the end of the first half in the Minnesota State Nine Man semfinals Friday at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
MINNEAPOLIS — The Grand Meadow football team used a couple of big plays early to set the table and its bruising running back eventually found his way to some appetizing runs as the Superlarks beat Waubun 35-0 in the Minnesota Class nine man semifinals in US Bank Stadium Friday.
Although Grand Meadow didn’t score on five of its first six possessions, it struck gold when Brenn Olson caught the Bombers looking in the back field when he faked a hand-off and hit Jacob Oehlke for a 55-yard TD strike to make it 7-0 Superlarks with 6:53 left in the first quarter.
Grand Meadow’s Connor King, right, and Wes Ojulu put pressure on Waubun quarterback Peyton Syverson during the third quarter in the Minnesota State Nine Man semfinals Friday at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
“They were really keying on [Christophor] Bain and he went down the sideline,” said Oehlke, who also picked off two passes. “I just went down the middle and waved my arm and Brenn threw it too me.”
Grand Meadow’s Blake Benson wraps up Waubun’s Dayton Makey in the second quarter in the Minnesota State Nine Man semfinals Friday at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
The game turned into a defensive battle from that point as both squads made big fourth down stops. GM (13-0 overall) seized momentum right before the half when it recovered a fumble deep in Waubun territory. From that point Christophor Bain began to establish himself as he hauled in a 17-yard pass on fourth and nine to set up his own seven-yard TD run that made it 14-0 GM with 19 seconds left in the first half. Bain, who ran for 173 yards and three TDs, opened the second half by blasting off a 62-yard TD burst behind a big block from Connor King that made it 21-0.
Bain had just 73 rushing yards on his first 18 carries before he broke past an aggressive Bomber defense on his long run.
“Waubun’s defense was shooting the gaps because they knew what plays were coming,” Bain said. “After awhile the coaches told me to slow down and read the hole before I made my cut back. Early on I was shooting for the hole too fast, thinking it was going to be open.”
Grand Meadow’s Connor King comes up to Christophor Bain after Bain’s touchdown at the end of the first half against Waubun in the Minnesota State Nine Man semfinals Friday at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
GM’s defense controlled the line of scrimmage throughout the day on the other side of the ball. King had a sack and Zach Myhre and Blake Benson each had a sack and a fumble recovery. The Superlarks forced four turnovers, while only committing one turnover themselves. GM has committed just five turnovers all season long.
“Our defensive coaches, Anthony Stejskal, Deke Stejskal and Justin Bain did a great job of game planning and the kids did an awesome job,” GM head coach Gary Sloan said. “Waubun is so quick and deceptive and you have to have a great deal of discipline to stop them.”
Grand Meadow’s Jacob Oehlke wraps up the ball following an interception in the third quarter against Waubun in the Minnesota State Nine Man semfinals Friday at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Waubun (12-1 overall) was missing a couple of its key players due to injuries and their big play quarterback Peyton Syverson was a little hobbled as well, but Bomber head coach Paul Clark wasn’t about to make any excuses after seeing the Superlarks end his team’s season for the second straight year in the state semis.
“When you get to game number thirteen, everyone will have injuries,” Clark said. “They were bigger, faster and stronger than us today. I thought we did a good job of fighting, but we just ran into a machine.”
Sloan said he had a lot of respect for Waubun and the Superlarks had to fight for every yard on Friday.
“The game was closer than the score. Waubun is a very good football team and they’re so explosive,” Sloan said. “If we played them three or four times, you never know how it’s going to go. I’d say it certainly wouldn’t go like this every time.”
Grand Meadow fans cheer late in the game as Grand Meadow moved to a shutout win over Waubun in the Minnesota State Nine Man semfinals Friday at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
GM, which has won the last three state titles, has now won 49 straight games and it will play in its fifth straight state title game when it plays Cleveland at US Bank Stadium 10 a.m. Friday.
SCORING SUMMARY
GM 7 7 7 14 — 35
Waubun 0 0 0 0 — 0
First quarter
(GM) Jacob Oehlke 55 pass from Brenn Olson (Wes Ojulu kick) (3 plays, 66 yards) 6:53
Second quarter
(GM) Christophor Bain 7 run (Ojulu kick) 7 plays, 25 yards) :19
Third quarter
(GM) Bain 62 run (Ojulu kick) (2 plays, 62 yards) 6:01
Fourth quarter
(GM) Bain 15 run (Ojulu kick) (9 plays, 85 yards) 11:54
(GM) Zach Myhre 9 run (Ojulu kick) (2 plays, 24 yards) 10:04
Waubun quarterback Peyton Syverson races for the corner as Grand Meadow’s Connor King pursues in the third quarter in the Minnesota State Nine Man semfinals Friday at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
GM STATS
Rushing: Christophor Bain, 23-for-173, 3 TDs; Zach Myhre, 14-for-66, TD; Brenn Olson, 9-for-44; Drew Copley, 2-for-25; Nolan Skifter, 1-for-6; Rian Leichtnam, 2-for-(-6)
Passing: Olson, 4-for-9, 94, TD; Bain, 0-for-1
Receiving: Jacob Oehlke, 2-for-67, TD; Bain, 1-for-17; Myhre, 1-for-10
WAUBUN STATS
Rushing: 33
Passing: 116
Head coach Gary Sloan talks to his team following their win over Waubun in the Minnesota State Nine Man semfinals Friday at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com