Passing game comes alive for football win
The Staples-Motley football team beat Frazee 26-14 on the road Sept. 9 using a balanced attack. The Cardinals rushed for 85 yards and passed for 145, with Matt Miller making two touchdown catches.
The Cardinals scored first on a Mason Rychner quarterback sneak to start the second quarter. A few minutes later Rychner hit Matt Miller for a 38 yard touchdown.
Both extra points were missed and Frazee scored late in the quarter to make the score 12-7 at halftime.
The Cardinals scored first again in the second half, as Dalton Holmberg threw a five yard touchdown pass to Miller and Josh Lombard ran in the extra point.
In the fourth quarter, Frazee scored again to make the game close but Hunter Berggren’s 15 yard touchdown run with five minutes left ended the scoring.
“Despite a couple of players out of the lineup, we showed our strength throughout the game, most noticably on the offensive and defensive line,” saod Coach Travis VanOverbeke. “Our defensive line played well and the scouting report was on target. It was nice to see some young players get a chance and execute well.”
VanOverbeke said the team still has some work to do, especially facing a 2-0 Osakis team at home on Friday, Sept. 16. “This should be pegged as the game of the week in our district,” said VanOverbeke.
One issue to work on is holding on the the ball. The Cardinals had three fumbles and lost two against Frazee.
The team’s third down and fourth down conversions were good, making two of three fourth down attempts and six of twelve third downs.
Team results
SM 0 12 8 6 - 26
F 0 7 0 7 - 14
Rushing - Staples-Motley 38-85 Frazee 37-140
Dalton Holmberg 15-55; Hunter Berggren 9-28; Josh Lombard 2- (-7); Mason Rychner 11- (-2)
Passing - Staples-Motley 14-23, 145 yards; Frazee 4-8, 54 yards
Rychner 13-22, 140 yards, 2 TD; Holmberg 1-1, 5 yards, 1 TD
Receiving: Matt Miller 8-114, 2 TD; Berggren 1-23; Holmberg 2-6; Rychner 2-4; Isaiah Ross-Bahn 1-4;
Tackles: Braden Tyrrell 12, Trey Skeesick 9, Holmberg 8, Miller 5, Luke Schmieg 5, Berggren 4, Hunter Carlson 4, Kyle Serich 4, Scout Strickland 2, Isaac Swensrud 1
