The undefeated Grand Meadow Superlarks dominated the field for a 36-0 victory over Edgerton/Ellsworth in the quarterfinals of the 9-Man state tournament at Rochester Community and Technical College.
The victory was the 48th consecutive for the three-time defending state champion Superlarks and for the Dutchmen it was their seventh state tournament in a 13-year span.
Neither team scored in the first quarter as each team’s defenses stopped each others offense. Then the field position began to favor Grand Meadow with the Superlarks’ 205-pound Christopher Bain bursting across on a 12-yard touchdown run, giving the Section 1 champions a 6-0 lead with 10:27 to play in the second quarter to start the scoring.
E/E picked up first downs on its first drive with a nine-yard pass play from quarterback Landon Buckridge to Mason Sluis and a 12-yard run by Blake Van Dyke finished the game with 16 first downs and a total of 209 yards rushing on 48 carries.
The Dutchmen moved the ball on their second and third drives and were marching again after Bain’s second TD, with a 10-yard run by Sluis, a seven-yard gain by Jaden Bloemendaal, a 12-yard burst by Blake Van Dyke and a 12-yard pass completion from Buckridge to Trey Gilbertson.
With 1:48 remaining in the first half, Buckridge — who was a perfect three-of-three passing for 30 yards — was sacked and suffered a game-ending knee injury.
With wide receiver Dayne Niemeyer taking over for the Dutchmen as quarterback in the second half, the teams stayed close to start the second half.
Early in the fourth quarter (11:08), Bain scored his fourth touchdown. Bloemendaal followed with a terrific 31-yard kick return and the Dutchmen again drove the ball past midfield only to have the ball picked off, giving the possession back to GM.
E/E’s Bloemendaal then picked off GM’s Olson aerial; the Dutchmen were back. This time, the drive ended quickly and the Larks responded with their fifth scoring drive – set up by a 27-yard run by Bain.
The last scoring for the game was when GM’s Jacob Oehlke completed the game’s scoring with a nine-yard touchdown run. The Dutchmen stopped the two-point PAT try.
Late in the game, E/E came close to scoring as Sluis (11 carries for 64 yards) ripped off a 16-yard gain and Bloemendaal (seven carries for 52 yards) carried the ball to the two-yard line before being hit and fumbling the ball.
E/E’s Jake Huisken, finished with eight tackles, Blake
Van Dyke had a team-leading 118 yards rushing on 21 carries.
Senior defensive lineman Rylie Carlson finished with a team-high nine tackles for the Dutchmen, while Van Dyke came up with six and Zach Johnson notched a sack.
E/E finished its season at 10-2 and Grand Meadow will play in the state semifinals at the Vikings US Bank Stadium Nov. 18 at 9 a.m. against Waubun.
E/E 0 0 0 0 — 0
GM 0 16 6 14 — 36
