After moving up to 11-man in 2019, the Clippers haven’t met nine-man rival Madelia since they edged the host Blackhawks 26-20 back in September of 2018.
But this season, Madelia—with a new coach and twice as many players as they fielded last year—had to go up a level too, and the two teams reunited in Madelia on Friday. The Clippers weren’t polite guests though, whipping up on the fledgling Blackhawks 40 to nothing.
“Madelia came out super hard and inspired,” said head coach Erik Hermanson, “and I think they thought this was a game they had a chance to win. For us, every win you can ever get is huge. We found that out the last couple of years.”
Typically edged by Waterville-Elysian-Morristown in their second game—and several times suffering devastating injuries in that game too—it was the first time the Clippers have started their season 2-0 since 2016.
“Not having (senior running back and kicker) Caleb (Possin, who was out with an ankle injury), we thought ‘here we go again,'” Hermanson said. “But I think he will be ready for next Friday, and I think we made it out heathy, so that will be huge for us.”
This Friday, the Clippers host Lewiston-Altura in their home opener. As a 2A school last season, the Cardinals compiled a 6-2 regular season record before falling to Caledonia 20-12 in the second round of section play. On Friday, a week after beating Blooming Prairie 21-8, they lost 42-14 to host Waterville-Elysian-Morristown.
“They are going to have a lot of strong, athletic kids, kind of like USC and Waterville have been over the last couple years,” Hermanson said. “So I think it will be a case of they’re big, we’re fast. We have some really talented kids, kids who have heart, and they’re given their plan by their defensive coach and line coach to help play against teams like that, so it is just if we have the want to, we’re going to have a lot of fun on Friday.”
Clippers punish Madelia on defense, score six TDs on offense
Things went from bad to worse for the Blackhawks after the opening kickoff when the Clippers backed them up for a negative 6 yards before the punt snap flew over the kicker’s head.
Taking over on the Madelia 1, it just took the Clippers one play, a run by Braeden Smith, to flip on the scoreboard. With the David Draheim point-after boot, the Clippers were in front 7-0 just a minute and 36 seconds in.
Bode Bartell intercepted a third and 18 throw on Madelia’s next possession. Taking over on their 44, the Clippers took advantage of a late hit penalty after a Tanner Simonette run, a 9-yard Sam Ternes run and a Carson Lyons scramble pass to Smith that took them to the Madelia 10.
From there, Simonette rattled off 4 yards, the Clippers gained 2 more yards on an offside penalty, and Simonette got the call again for the final 2 yards for a TD. Lyons hooked up with Bartell deep in the end zone for the two-point PAT, and the Clippers were quickly up 15 to zip with 3:45 left in Q1.
Madelia went three and out again, but showing they had a pulse, at least on defense, the Blackhawks managed to stop the Clippers on the Madelia 12. But they punted again, got the ball back when the Clippers coughed it up but punted again, this time to the Cleveland 30.
From there, Simonette wove his way 18 yards, and, after Smith dashed for 13 yards, rumbled for 25 more. Bartell took a Lyons pass to the Madelia 6, and, on a Lyons keeper up the gut, the Clippers crossed the goal line again. With the Draheim PAT boot, they led 22-0 with about four minutes left to the break.
On the first play after Smith took the second half kickoff 14 yards, Simonette ran right for a 59-yard touchdown. Draheim’s point after boot was no good, but the Clippers padded their lead, 28-0.
The Clipper defense forced another punt on the ensuing Madelia possession. The Clippers let it roll to a stop at their 42, but on the first play of the series, Lyons hooked up with Smith for a 58-yard catch and run to the goal. Draheim’s PAT kick didn’t get much up in the air, but the Clippers had a cozy 34-0 advantage.
Later in the third quarter, after both teams turned the ball over on downs and the Blackhawks punted to the Clipper 42, Simonette ran for 3 and 25 yards, Alex Kortuem pulled down passes for 11 yards and 12 yards, and the drive ended with a Simonette 1-yard run across the goal line. Draheim’s kick didn’t have the altitude to get over the crossbar.
By the numbers
Lyons hurled 26 times with 16 completions for 201 yards and a TD. Smith hauled in four of his throws for 91 total yards and a TD. Bartell also grabbed four for 48 yards and a two-point conversion. Kortuem hauled in three catches for 27 yards. Ternes caught three passes for 33 yards, and Simonette had two catches for 2 yards.
The Clippers netted 260 yards on the ground. Simonette zipped over the field for 203 rushing yards in 15 carries and three touchdowns. Ternes rushed six times for 32 yards. Owen Lloyd had five carries for 10 yards. Smith had one carry for 1 yard. Jake Mueller took a Jack Mons handoff for five yards. Tony Hollerich also ran a Mons handoff.
With Possin sidelined, Draheim took over most of the kicking duties. He kicked off three times and made two of five extra point attempts. Smith kicked off three times. The Clippers never punted.
Bartell returned five punts for a total of 33 yards. His best return was 23 yards. Wyatt Krenik returned one punt for six yards. Smith returned the opening kickoff for 14 yards.
The Clippers committed four infractions costing them 70 yards. Madelia had nine penalties for 68 yards. Cleveland fumbled four times with the Blackhawks falling on two of them. Madelia’s only turnover was an interception.
Often in the Madelia backfield, the Clipper defense looked like they were on a jail break. Madelia managed just one first down compared to a dozen first downs by the Clippers.
With 11 tackles and three assists, one and a half sacks and five tackles behind the line, Max Esser paced the defense. Garrett Heldberg had three solos and five assists with one sack and one tackle behind the scrimmage stripe. Lyons had two solo tackles and one pass deflection. Smith had five solos, two assists with three tackles on Madelia’s side of the scrimmage line. Simonette had one solo tackle and recovered one fumble. Mason Kluntz had four solos, three assists, one and a half sack and one tackle behind the line. He also deflected a pass. Jackson Shouler had one solo and one assist. Draheim had five solos and one assist with two tackles behind the line. Ternes made two solos and one assist with one behind the line tackle. Nathan Seeman had two solos and three assists with two behind the line tackles. Bartell had one solo tackle and a pickoff. Garet Peterson had six solos and five assists with three sacks and two tackles behind the line. Urijah Hoheisel had three solos and one assist with one tackle behind the line. Lloyd had one assist. Adam Rain had two solos. Carsyn Ryg, who was sidelined with an ankle injury for much of the game, had two solo tackles with one of them behind the scrimmage line.
Hermanson said it was going to be fun returning to the Cleveland field on Friday after a quiet Madelia crowd with no music before the start of the game or at the breaks.
“It was almost surreal. When we get on the hill and the crowd behind us, they’re always so supportive.”
Elsewhere in the district and Section 2A, USC bounced back from their big loss to the Clippers and blanked visiting Tracey-Milroy-Balaton 34-0. Host St. James Area edged GFW 10-6. With a 26-6 win over host Martin County West, Mayer Lutheran upped its record to 2-0. With an 18-16 loss to host BOLD, Lester Prairie is still looking for its first win.
Above: With 203 ground yards, Tanner Simonette held a mortgage note for the Madelia football field.
Braeden Smith reaches out for a pass after a shove from the defender in the end zone.
Carson Lyons winds up for a pass.
Bode Bartell returns a Madelia punt.
Sam Ternes on the run.
Owen Lloyd comes in to assist Garrett Heldberg and Braeden Smith on a tackle.
Alex Kortuem caught three passes.
Freshman Urijah Hoheisel corrals a Madelia runner in the backfield.
Jack Mons hands off to Jake Mueller in the fourth quarter.
Garrett Heldberg sets up to tackle a Madelia punt returner.
Owen Lloyd on the run.
With six touchdowns to cheer after, it was a busy night for the bib crew.
This quartet of young Clippers got in some practice of its own at the game.