Posted: 10/17/07
CHS gridders continue to roll with 25-13 win of R-P Trojans
 Senior Zach Gran raced 38 yards on a fake punt for a TD, which put the Warriors up for good Friday night in thge 25-13 win over R-P. Photo by Charlie Warner. |
By Charlie Warner
Argus Editor
The Caledonia Warriors continued their perfect season with a hard-fought win over defending Class A state champion Rushford-Peterson by a 25-13 score Friday night at Rushford.
The Warriors came into the game sporting a 6-0 record, while the Trojans had suffered just one loss, to undefeated Southland. The big showdown for the TRC-South title will take place this Wednesday night (due to MEA vacation) in Adams, when the 7-0 Warriors lock horns with the 7-0 Rebels.
For the first time this season, the CHS gridders found themselves trailing in a football game. The home-standing Trojans took the opening kick-off and marched down the field for the first score of the night. Mark Agrimson plowed in from the one. The extra point kick was good, and the visiting Warriors were down 7-0.
CHS came right back with a score of their own. The long Caledonia drive was highlighted by a four-yard run by Kody Moore on a quaterback keeper. Ryan Goetzinger split the uprights and the game was tied at 7-7, as the first quarter came to a close.
The Warriors held R-P on their next possession and started moving the ball down the field. It appeared as if the drive had stalled when the Warriors faced a fourth and three from the 38. They lined up in punt formation with Goetzinger back to punt. The ball was hiked to Zach Gran, who ran off tackle and down the sideline for a 38-yard TD. The two-point conversion failed, and the Warriors had a 13-7 lead.
The CHS defense came up big again, stopping the Trojan drive. The Warriors took over, moved the ball down the field and scored with 37 seconds left in the second period on an 11-yard pass play from Moore to Gran. The Warriors went for two, but the CHS pass play was broken up and the Warriors took a 19-7 lead into the halftime intermission.
The Warriors put the game out of reach in the third period. Following a tough defensive stand, the Trojans were forced to punt from inside their 30 yard line. Defensive lineman Eddie Hodges broke through the R-P line and blocked the punt. He then picked up the ball and romped 21 yards for the defensive TD. The Warriors went for two, but the run was stuffed and the CHS lead was 25-7.
R-P scored once more midway through the fourth period on a Mark Agrimson TD. The Trojans went for two, but failed.
The Warriros ran out the clock and won their seventh game in as many tries by a 25-13 score.
Gran led the CHS offense, rushing for 91 yards and one TD on 13 carries, and pulling in six catches for 82 yards and another touchdown. Cody Petersen had 37 yards on 12 carries, Pat Bolduan had 22 yards on two carries, Moore had 14 yards on three carries and a TD, and Lonnie Hudson had two yards on one carry.
Moore completed 10 of 22 passes for 140 yards and one TD. Andy Bauer had two catches for 23 yards, Isaac Fruechte had one catch for 23 yards and Kevin Voight had one catch for 12 yards.
Bauer had another big night returning kicks. The junior wide receiver had a punt return for 50 yards and a kickoff return for 20 yards. Hodges had one punt return (the one he blocked) for 21 yards and a TD.
Goetzinger had but one punt, for 31 yards.
The Warriors racked up 305 yards of offense, while holding R-P to 179. Gran had an interception for the Warriors, while Mitch Meiners had a quarterback sack.
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