Indees can’t stop Cardinals in DC loss

A game featuring two teams with birds as mascots came down to what happened on the ground as Eleva-Strum out-rushed Independence/Gilmanton by 508 yards in a 39-18 win.

The Cardinals controlled the line of scrimmage rushing for 512 yards, including 353 by Wyatt Miland as they built up a big lead and never allowed the Indees to get back in it.

The loss dropped I/G to 0-6 on the season and essentially ended any hopes of getting into the playoffs as they dropped to 0-4 in Dairyland Conference play with three games left. Teams need to finish with a winning conference record to guarantee a playoff spot, though teams with losing records are sometimes still awarded berths. 

I/G will head to Pepin/Alma for a game this Friday, taking on an Eagles team that is coming off of its first loss, 22-20 to Augusta in what was essentially a DC championship game. 

The Indees return home to play Melrose-Mindoro next week.

E-S 39 I/G 18

It took just one play for the Cardinals to take control.

The Indees received the opening kickoff, but went three-and-out. E-S took over at its own 33 before Miland got free for a 67-yard touchdown. 

I/G seemed to have some momentum after blocking the point after. The Indees moved into E-S territory on their next drive, but gained just four yards on third-and-13. A penalty moved them closer, but on fourth-and-four from the E-S 32, they elected to punt.

On the first play of the ensuing drive, Miland busted a 55-yard run. He finished the drive a few plays later with a five-yard touchdown. The two-point conversion made the score 14-0 with about three minutes left in the first quarter.

Ryan Julson had a 53-yard run on the next Eleva-Strum drive, which came after a punt at midfield that ended as a touchback. The Indees had a chance for a stop, but Miland scored a seven-yard touchdown on a fourth-and-five play. The point after was blocked, but E-S was up 20-0. 

After another I/G punt, a 35-yard pass from Carter Gunderson to Alex Anderson put the Cardinals in business again. Julson ended that drive with a two-yard touchdown and kicked the extra point, making it 27-0.

The Indees got on the board before the half as Hunter Guenther connected with Ben Pyka for a 35-yard gain on a third-and-13 play. Tyler Kingsbury then ran for 20 yards before Guenther finished the drive with a three-yard touchdown pass to Wyatt Kuerschner. The two-point try was stopped, leaving the score at 27-6 with 3:45 left in the half.

A Guenther interception of Gunderson kept the score at 27-6 as the Cardinals were driving before halftime.

E-S received the opening kickoff in the second half and it took just one play as Miland broke loose for a 63-yard touchdown. The point after was no good, but the score was 33-6.

An E-S fumble put the Indees in business as they took over at the 41. They moved backwards to a third-and-16 before Guenther passed to Mason Gierok for 10 yards. On fourth-and-six, Guenther connected with Kingsbury for a 37-yard touchdown, making the score 33-12. The two-point try was stopped.

E-S drove down the field again as Julson scored from four-yards out, making the score 39-12. 

The Indees came right back as Pyka returned the ensuing kickoff 80 yards for a touchdown. The two-point try was no good, so the Cardinals maintained a 21-point lead.

I/G had a chance to cut into the lead after a fumble by Miland on the next E-S drive. The Indees took over at their own 33 and picked up one first down, but then lost yardage and had to punt the ball away. 

Another E-S fumble gave I/G a chance, but with an incomplete pass on fourth down clinched the win for the Cardinals.

While the Cardinals amassed more than 500 yards rushing, the Indees managed just for. Kingsbury had 20 yards, but most of that was negated by negative rushes. 

                           I/G             E-S

Rushing                 17/4           53/512

 Passing               27/157      5/40

Total                     44/161      58/552

First downs              8             22

Turnovers                 1             4

Penalties                5/50       5/45

I/G

Rushing (att./yds.) — Kingsbury 1/20 Pyka 9/2 Gierok 2/0 Guenther 5/-18

Receiving (rec./yds.) — Pyka 3/79 Kingsbury 2/34 Pyka 1/14 Gierok 1/1 Kuerschner 2/10 Sylla 2/9

Passing (comp./att./yds.) — Guenther 11/27/157

Tackles (solo/asts) — Gierok 5/6 Guenther 6/0 N. Pyka 5/2 Rieck 5/1 G. Bragger 4/2 Medina 4/2 Pyka 3/1 Severson 3/0 Kingsbury 2/2 A. Bragger 2/0 Przybilla 1/0 Pietrek 0/2