Eagles soar over Indees in I/G opener
Grant Klimek of Independence/Gilmanton eyed a hole as he received a handoff from quarterback Chase Back during the team’s game against Cashton on Friday. (Times photograph by Andrew Dannehy)
The Independence/Gilmanton football team had no answers for Cashton in the first half as the Eagles rolled up a big lead en route to a 41-13 win on Friday night.
The game was the first of the season for I/G, which forfeited its Week One game against Boyceville. The Indees suited up 15 players, but that was about a third as many as Cashton had and the latter looked to be continuing its run as one of the premier Division Seven programs in the state. Cashton scored three touchdowns in the first quarter and three more in the second. I/G scored two in the fourth quarter.
Now 0-1, the Indees will take on another premier Division Seven program and a team that tied for the Dairyland Conference title last year, Pepin/Alma. The game will be played in Pepin and the Eagles enter with a 2-0 record, outscoring Wisconsin Rapids Assumption and Elmwood/Plum City 86-6 so far this season.
Cashton 41 I/G 13
The Eagles controlled the line of scrimmage from the start as the Indees had difficulty getting anything going.
Cashton had three touchdowns in the first quarter, including a 70-yard run by Landen Laufenberg on a third-and-16. The team finished with 197 rushing yards, Laufenberg had 91 on three carries to lead the team.
Drew Butzler was perfect as a passer, completing all four of his passes for 90 yards and two touchdowns. Rory Mlsna caught both of the touchdown passes, finishing with three catches for 90 yards.
The Indees finally got going offensively in the second half as quarterback Chase Back connected with Preston Solberg for a touchdown. Darion Gibbs added a touchdown run in the game.
Back passed six-for-11 for 80 yards and also led the team with 52 rushing yards on 12 attempts. He was also the team’s leading tackler with nine stops and had the most kickoff return yards with 37.
Independence/Gilmanton
Rushing (att./yds.) — Back 12/52 Klimek 5/12 Turner Jr. 2/7 Gibbs 5/2
Receiving (rec./yds.) — Solberg 3/36 Gibbs 1/35 Klimek 1/8 Kreibich 1/1
Passing (comp./att./yds.) — Back 6/11/80
Tackles (solo/ast) — Back 9/5 Klimek 2/3 Carillo-Taylor 1/4 Kreibich 1/2 Kirtley 1/1 Turner Jr. 0/2 Gierok 0/5 Solberg 0/1 Gibbs 0/2 Jasin 0/2 McHugh 0/1
