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By Charlie Warner
Argus News Editor
Caledonia’s dream of a “threepeat” was crushed Friday night when a very large and very physical Waterville-Eylsian-Morristown defeated the local football team 20-13 in the Class AA State Quarterfinals.
The two-time defending state champs had their 22-game win streak snapped by the WEM Buccaneers, who proved to be the Warriors’ toughest foe this season.
 Quarterback Bobby Augedahl (12) picked up a block from Mitch Reiser (71). Photos by Becky Fruechte and Charlie Warner
The Bucs featured very large offensive and defensive lines, along with 6'2" 225-pound fullback Zach Geyer, who racked up 121 yards on 21 carries and 5'10" 200-pound halfback Reid Roemhildt who added 103 yards on 20 carries.
WEM controlled the tempo of the game, reeling off long, time-consuming drives. The Warriors countered with a big defensive play by Troy Frank who scooped up a Buc fumble and raced 83 yards for a TD, and a TD pass from Josh Gran to Isaac Fruechte from 26 yards out.
Following a three and out by the Warriors at the start of the game, WEM set up shop on their own 30 and marched down the field to score from three yards out at the 5:51 mark in the first period. The extra point kick was good and Cal found themselves trailing 7-0. That was the first quarter score.
The WEM defense stopped the Warriors on their first possession of the second quarter. The Bucs moved the ball down the field once again, and appeared to have the momentum to break the game open. On a sweep right, the Warrior defense held up the Buc ball carrier and stripped the ball. Frank scooped the ball up and scampered 83 yards for a touchdown. A high snap on the extra point attempt resulted in a blocked kick.
The Warriors went into the halftime intermission trailing by one point, 7-6.
The Bucs came out in the third period as they had at the beginning of the game. Six first downs and 80 yards later, they scored from one yard out. The extra point kick was good, and WEM had a 14-6 lead with 6:37 left in the third period.
Caledonia took the ensuing kickoff and worked the ball down the field. On a fourth and inches from the 26 yard line, Gran moved the chains on a QB sneak. Three pass plays later, Cal was facing fourth and 10 from the 26. Gran rolled right and under very heavy pressure got off a “Hail Mary” pass. Fruechte and two Buc defenders went up for the “jump ball.” Fruechte fought off the WEM defenders, pulled the ball free and fell into the endzone for the TD. The Frank kick was good, and Cal pulled within one point, 14-13 with 3:30 left in the third period.
The two teams battled back and forth for the remainder of the third period and into the fourth.
With 10:30 left in the game appeared is if WEM was going to mount another long scoring drive. They moved the ball all the way down to the Caledonia nine yard line, where they had a first and goal. But two motion penalties by the Bucs and three solid defensive stops by the Warriors pushed WEM back to the 15, where they faced fourth and goal. Instead of going for the field goal, WEM went for the TD. A big quarterback sack by Mitch Reiser snuffed the WEM offense and the Warriors took over, trailing by just one point with 3:01 left in the game.
Following a first down, Gran rolled right and under very heavy pressure tried to hit a Cal receiver. Buc defender Cody Williams stepped in front of the pass and raced 38 yards down the sideline for the third WEM TD of the night. The Warriors blocked the extra point, and with two minutes left, trailed by just seven points, 20-13.
The Bucs decided on a squib kick. The Warriors recovered it on the 39 and needed to cover 61 yards in 95 seconds. Cal tried several “trick” plays, but the WEM defense held, with the final offensive play of the year for Cal being a quarterback sack of Bobby Augedahl.
Offensive stats
The Warriors were held to 206 total yards of offense (66 yards on the ground and 140 through the air).
Trent Meyer had 19 yards on three carries, Ivan Augedahl had 15 yards on five carries, Gran had 10 yardes on five carries, Lonnie Hudson had 10 yards on four carries, Bobby Augedahl had four yards on four carries, Alex Diersen had four yards on two carries and Fruechte had four yards on one carry.
Gran completed five of 9 passes for 97 yards and one TD. He was intercepted once. Bobby Augedahl completed four of 7 passes for 43 yards.
Fruechte had four catches for 80 yards and a TD. Luke Lampert had two catches for 29 yards, Frank had two catches for 25 yards and Ethan Lapham had one catch for six yards. Frank scored one extra point kick.
Defensive stats
The Warriors gave up 243 yards on the ground and 84 yards passing for a 327 yard total.
 Warriors Troy Frank (33) and Cody Haugstad (14) applied pressure on the WEM quarterback. Photos by Becky Fruechte and Charlie Warner
Meyer led the Warrior defense with 16 tackles. Zach Lechner had 13; Ivan Augedahl had 10; and Reiser had nine tackles, two QB sacks and caused a fumble. Gran and Cody Haugstad each had eight tackles; Lapham had six tackles; and Zach Buttell, Mike Ideker and Frank each had five tackles. Frank also had a fumble recovery he returned for a TD. Seth Kasten had three tackles; Justin Hesse, Chris Dvorak and Fruechte each had two tackles, and Jim Costigan, Royal Sonsalla and Lyndon Becker each had one tackle.
The loss ended the Warriors’ season with 11 wins and one loss. Over the past three seasons, Caledonia has won the Section 1AA championship three straight years, won the Class AA State title twice and compiled a three-year record of 37 wins and 3 losses.
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