NRHEG football team humbled by icy field, No. 1-ranked Caledonia
TOUGH YARDS — Sawyer VanMaldeghem (26) runs the football as Tyler Jacobson (4) blocks Jacob Staggemeyer (6) during state football quarterfinal action at Burnsville Friday, Nov. 9. In the background is Blake Ihrke (14). The Panthers saw their season end with a 41-0 loss to undefeated three-time defending state champion Caledonia. (Star Eagle photo by Chris Schlaak)
By JIM LUTGENS
Publisher
All good things must come to an end. But what a ride it was.
Under different field conditions, with some different bounces, things may have been different. But it wasn't meant to be. Not on this night, anyway.
The NRHEG High School football team, the Cinderella story out of nowhere, finally saw its season end with a 41-0 setback to three-time defending state champion and No. 1 ranked Caledonia on a chilly, snow-covered field at Burnsville Friday, Nov. 9. Caledonia, which has won eight state championships since 2007 and appears well on its way to a ninth, advanced to the state semifinals at U.S. Bank Stadium against Paynesville Area. It was the 52nd consecutive victory for Caledonia, which last lost in the 2014 state championship game.
The Panthers end their season 9-3, with losses to the No. 1, No. 4 and No. 9 rated teams in the final Class AA state rankings. The Panthers, making their first state tournament appearance in football, were ranked 10th.
Just as the Panthers did in their previous playoff games, the Warriors dominated in the end, capitalizing on four turnovers while playing relatively mistake-free football, with no turnovers. About their only miscue was a missed extra point. They held a 325-90 advantage in total yards, holding the Panthers to a net 4 yards rushing, and their defense and the frozen artificial turf prevented NRHEG from getting its passing game going.
It was 20 degrees with a cold, west wind blowing as the Panthers took the opening kickoff, and they had the advantage in the early going. Starting on their own 13-yard line, Sawyer VanMaldeghem ran for 7 yards on first down, and Blake Ihrke threw to Brady Agrimson for 10 yards on the next play. Then Tyler Jacobson ran for 10 yards before the drive stalled, but the Panthers reversed the field, putting the Warriors on their own 20 after VanMaldeghem’s punt.
Caledonia punted three plays later and the Panthers took over on their own 46. VanMaldeghem again found a hole on first down and gained 4, but on the next play Tate Meiners stepped in front of an Ihrke pass for an interception.
On their second play of the next drive, the Warriors drew first blood as Noah King hit Meiners with a 36-yard touchdown pass, making it 7-0 with 5:36 left in the first quarter.
It quickly went to 14-0 as the Panthers fumbled on their next play and Payton Schott scooped it up and returned it for a score.
After a Panther punt, the Warriors covered 52 yards in 10 plays, King scoring on a 7-yard run on the first play of the second quarter.
The Panthers had a chance on their next drive, but a long pass from Ihrke to Agrimson fell incomplete and the Panthers punted again.
This time Caledonia went 53 yards in 10 plays, with Nick McCabe scoring from a yard out.
Lonnie Wilson broke loose on the kickoff return, giving the Panthers the ball on the Warriors' 45, but six plays later Jack Beardmore picked off Ihrke for the second time.
Taking a page from the Panthers' playbook, the Warriors added more points as the first half wound down, going 85 yards in 13 plays, scoring on an 11-yard pass from King to McCabe with 1 second remaining. It looked like McCabe was stopped at the 7, but he broke two tackles and somehow made his way into the end zone.
It was 34-0 at halftime.
Defense dominated in a third quarter that saw the teams exchange punts. A key play came late in the period when the Panthers fumbled for their fourth turnover, but this time Caledonia did not capitalize and it remained 34-0.
The Warriors' final score came on the third play of the fourth quarter on a 12-yard touchdown run by Beardmore.
It went to running time after that.
The Panthers knocked on the door on their final drive but, fittingly, the game ended when Ihrke was sacked on the final play.
The Panthers will graduate 10 seniors in Agrimson, VanMaldeghem, Jacobson, Jacob Schuller, Alex Buckmeier, Lucas Bailey, Devin Buendorf, Jack Hostad, Quinten Arndt and Spencer Tufte.
First-year head coach Marc Kruger did not have any comments on Friday's game, but he did remark about his seniors.
"Brady Agrimson: Was a fantastic WR and DE for us, and the term game changer comes to mind when I think about him.
"Quinten Arndt: Was a great OT and DT, on offense he was a force for us, and we ran behind him a lot.
"Alex Buckmeier: Partnered with Quinten on the line. He was a great captain and team leader. He is also going to be playing in the MN all-star game.
"Devin Buendorf: A perfect team player, who was willing to do whatever the team needed. Devin made some great special team plays for us as well.
"Lucas Bailey: A physical player who loves contact. Lucas sadly ended his season early after an injury but was still a great part of the team.
"Jack Hogstad: Starting center for us and was superb. He isn't the biggest, fastest, or strongest, but he was always able to get the job done.
"Tyler Jacobson: The perfect mike backer for us, and basically an extra coach on the field.
"Jacob Schuller: WR and S who developed so well this year. He was able to make big plays on both sides of the ball.
"Spencer Tufte: Another lineman for us, and played with more heart than anyone I have ever coached.
"Sawyer Vanmaldeghem: A home run threat out of the backfield, and he was really able to show that off."
NRHEG 0 0 0 0 - 0
CAL 14 20 7 0 - 41
First Quarter
CAL - Meiners 36 pass from King (Wagner kick)
CAL - Schott fumble return (Wagner kick)
Second Quarter
CAL - King 7 run (kick failed)
CAL - McCabe 3 run (Wagner kick)
CAL - McCabe 11 pass from King (Wagner kick)
Third Quarter
No scoring
Fourth Quarter
Beardmore 12 run (Wagner kick)
NRHEG CAL
First downs 8 16
Total plays 42 52
Rushing 26-4 33-160
Passing 7-16-2 11-19-0
Passing Yds. 86 165
Total yards 90 325
Fumbles-lost 2-2 1-0
Penalties 0-0 4-35
Turnovers 4 0
Third down 0-9 5-12
Fourth down 2-3 3-3
Time of poss. 23:56 23:49
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
Rushing - NRHEG: Jacobson 9-16; VanMaldeghem 8-12; Schlaak 5-6; Ihrke 4 -30; CAL: Beardmore 14-71; McCabe 10-32; Wagner 1-31; N.King 8-26
Passing - NRHEG: Ihrke 7-15-2, 86; Schlaak 0-1-0, 0; CAL: N.King 11-17-0, 165; Meiners 0-2-0, 0
Receiving - NRHEG: Agrimson 3-34; VanMaldeghem 2-27; Schuller 1-17; Wilson 1-8; CAL: Meiners 3-74; E.King 1-27; Denstad 1-23; Cavanaugh 3-20; McCabe 1-11; Lakey 2-10
Tackles - NRHEG: Buckmeier 7; Schuller 6; Arndt 6, 1 sack; Jacobson 5; Afrimson 5, 1 forced fumble; VanMeldeghem 4; Reich 4; Wilson 3, 1 forced fumble; Okland 2; Schlaak 1; Ferber 1; Tufte 1