The Cardinal football team of St Mary’s has been cruising all year. Last Friday was not an exception as the Cardinals played the Sioux Falls Lutheran Eagles. St Mary’s took the game on Friday 52-0, as the Cardinals enter the playoffs undefeated.
First Half
The first and only score of the first half came in the first quarter of play. Senior running back Lincoln Lebrun took three handoffs a combined 72 yards on the first Cardinal drive of the game. Lebrun punched in for a touchdown from a yard away. Unfortunately for the Cards, the two-point was no good making it 6-0. The first half would stay that close, entering the third quarter 6-0.
Third Quarter
St Mary’s started with the ball and drove right down the field in the third quarter. A missed snap, however, turned the ball over to the Eagles, stalling out the drive. The Cardinal defense was looking for a stop when junior linebacker Logan Bauer jumped in front of an Eagle pass. Bauer ran the ball back 58 yards for a touchdown. Lebrun would punch in for the two-point conversion making it 14-0. Additionally, Cardinal junior Jacob Flemmer kicked an onside kick which was recovered by freshman Isaac Ahlers. As a result, senior quarterback Trimmier Hanson threw to Bauer for a 42 yard touchdown.
Hanson pulled his best Harry Houdini act, rolling to the right side of the field before escaping pressure and bringing the ball all the way back to the left side for the two-point making the score 22-0 all of a sudden. A Sioux Falls Lutheran punt consequently led to a 39 yard rush for a Hanson touchdown. Hanson then threw to junior Kade Lutt for the two point. Lutt would then intercept an Eagle pass, running it for 26 yards before going down. Hanson would score again from 27 yards out and punched in again for the two-point. Sioux Falls Lutheran would get deep into Cardinal territory, inside the five, as the quarter ended.
Fourth Quarter
The Cardinals entered the fourth up 38-0. While the Eagles looked to punch in from the doorstep of the end zone, the Cardinals were searching for a goal line stand. Lutt came through for the Cardinals, grabbing his second interception of the night a yard into the end zone. Lebrun took a handoff a near 50 yards to open the next drive. Nearly immediately after, Hanson threw to Bauer for a 26 yard touchdown with Lebrun adding the two-point. St Mary’s would get the ball back and drive down the field when freshman quarterback Jacob Geraets waltzed in from nine yards out, ending the game 52-0.
Closing
As the Cardinals enter the playoffs undefeated, we’ll take a look at the stats of their final regular season game. Lebrun ran the ball 13 time for 184 yards, two two-point conversions, and a touchdown. Additionally, Hanson carried the ball 15 times for 133 yards, two two-point conversions, and two touchdowns. Bauer caught the ball twice for 68 yards and two touchdowns, and Lutt caught a two-point conversion. Hanson was 2-6 for 68 yards and two touchdowns along with a two-point throw.
Defensively, Lutt and Lebrun both had five and a half tackles. Lutt had two interceptions, while Lebrun had a forced fumble. Josh Liebl had five tackles and a sack, while Thomas Lavoy had five tackles. Carlo Pica finished with four tackles with a sack, while Bauer had three and a half tackles and an interception returned for a touchdown. Hanson had two and a half tackles with a fumble recovery, while Jaxon Baumberger added a tackle, an interception, and a pass breakup.
From Coach Ross Flemmer,
“The guys played a good second half tonight. We struggled a little in the first half but eventually got going. I’m proud of how they bounced back tonight.”
The Cardinals will play again on Thursday at 3:00 against the Irene/Wakonda Eagles at home. That game will be streamed on Big Sioux Media under https://www.youtube.com/live/oUddfnymQlE?si=5Z341nWvr9MhG9yd.
