Complete with a gigantic LED scoreboard, two large sets of spectator stands and artificial turf, Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop's new football stadium in Gibbon hosted its first game on Friday when Cleveland came to town.
But, after stymieing GFW’s signature T backfield, the Clippers put a dent in the new facility when they beat the Firebirds 28-8.
The triumph, the fourth-straight for the Clippers, was a senior showcase, said head coach Erik Hermanson.
“Caleb Possin (on the carry above) was really the MVP, running for over 100 yards, catching four passes, kicking three PATs, punting and getting a ton of tackles. Every time we needed a big run, he did it. His running behind Mason (Kluntz) and David (Draheim) was the key. Bode (Bartell) and AK (Alex Kortuem) had the TDs. It was really a great senior showing.”
Clippers lead early, never trail
After the opening kickoff, the Clippers forced a GFW punt, and Carson Lyons flung a towering pass that sailed beneath the threatening rain clouds, in front of the visitor bleachers and into the arms of Bartell, who sprinted the remaining 55 yards for an 80-yard catch and run to the end zone.
The big, beautiful touchdown set the tone for the remainder of the game, and with Possin’s PAT kick, the Clippers went ahead 7-0 and never trailed from there.
It got even better for the Clippers after the kickoff when they held the Firebirds to just half a yard, Braeden Smith blocked the punt, and the Clippers got the ball back on the GFW 11. Smith’s 9-yard catch put the Clippers on the 1, but it was negative yards after that, and Possin’s field goal was wide right.
GFW punted twice and the Clippers punted once from there. Moving the ball, the Clippers were close to scoring again, but plagued by dropped passes, they missed the opportunity. After, GFW threatened in the final series of the half.
Taking over on their 37, the Birds bashed their way to five first downs. Poised on the Clipper 3, they ran for a yard and spiked the ball with 19 seconds to the break. From there, the quarterback swept right, but Lyons stopped him on the 1. Somehow the Birds managed to get set and got off a pass with no time left, but Smith blocked it, and the Clippers maintained their 7-0 advantage at the break.
“We’ve come through a few times this year when we’ve needed to make a stop,” Hermanson said, “and that was just one more time.”
After the second half kickoff, the Clippers started on their 22, and, after a Bartell catch for 10 yards, a 31-yard Tanner Simonette catch and run, a 13-yard Possin run, and a 5-yard Lyons keeper, Lyons found Kortuem in the corner of the end zone for Kortuem’s first varsity touchdown. With the Possin PAT kick, the Clipper were in front 14-0.
Skewing toward the methodical instead of explosive gains, the Firebirds relied on their deceptive running game. While they occasionally broke through for decent yards, for the most part, the Clippers stopped them, and time continued to run. So, with the lead, taking advantage of the clock was key to the victory, said head coach Erik Hermanson.
“We started thinking about clock management even before the half. The defense they were playing, sending two guys blitzing through the A gap, made it really hard to run, but they were giving us the pass, and we hit some big plays, so it tempts you to keep going for the big play, but we had to be disciplined enough to run the shorter routes, to take what they were giving us and just be smart. Bode was able to run so many patterns and get open because they were afraid of him hitting that big play again. When you complete four or five-yard passes, those are like a great run, and the clock keeps going. Carson threw it 40 times, but those are not risky passes, it is just like throwing runs.”
With things continuing to go the Clippers way, the defense stopped GFW to a net 2 yards, and after the punt, the Clippers took over on the Firebird 44. From there, Possin ran left for 13 yards. The Clippers picked up 5 more yards on an encroachment penalty, but Lyons got sacked for a 2-yard loss. Shaking it off, the junior QB ran for 7 yards after the next snap and another encroachment penalty put the Clippers on the GFW 6.
From there, Possin ran a hard yard, and a pass fell incomplete before Lyons connected with Bartell in the end zone for a 5-yard TD pass. With Possin’s PAT kick the Clippers were in front 21-0 with 4:26 left in the third quarter.
Possin recovered a fumble during the Firebird’s next drive, but the Clippers ended up turning the ball over on downs on the GFW 21. The Firebirds gave the ball back on downs as well, and starting out on the GFW 44, Lyons linked up with Nathan Seeman for a yard before Possin took a handoff 29 yards to the GFW 14.
From there, Lyons once again found Kortuem in the corner of the end zone for a touchdown.
While Kortuem missed a couple of catches early, including the one at the goal line, Hermanson and company didn’t give up on the senior.
“There were a lot of years with a lot of teams if you drop a couple of balls you get down on the guy, and he doesn’t play anymore, but AK came back, and it was lights out, and that showed great confidence. It showed a lot of character too, and that’s what our seniors are all about.”
As for Kortuem, he was just happy to get the proverbial monkey off his back and was grateful for the second chance.
“I dropped a couple early and could have had touchdowns. But Carson just trusted me, and he threw me the ball again. I thank him for that. It was a pretty good feeling after not getting a touchdown all season.”
The Clippers continued to turn lemons into lemonade. As a holder for Possin, Bartell couldn’t get the ball upright in time, but he scooped it up and ran right for a 2-point conversion, and the Clippers led 28-0.
Later in the half, the Firebirds managed a 66-yard touchdown pass and a two-point PAT run, but it was too little too late.
On GFW’s field in Winthrop last year, the Clippers triumphed 17-10 for their first ever win against the Birds. They lost to the GFW twice in 2023: 28-0 during the regular season and 30-6 in a soaking wet playoff game. The year before, the Birds beat the Clippers 36-6. In 2021, Cleveland’s third year back to 11-man, GFW rolled over the Clippers 48-6.
While the victory was a big one, it didn’t come without a cost. A sprained ankle and a dislocated shoulder sidelined two players, and another suffered a concussion on the last play.
“I feel bad for the kids who got banged up tonight because they put so much into the season and preseason,” Hermanson said. “They worked so hard. Hopefully they are going to be able to bounce back. That’s a scary thing. You never know when you will need the next man up, but they did a good job of that tonight.”
Stats and district/section results
The Clippers had 11 first downs, two more than GFW. They only had two penalties, which cost them 15 total yards while GFW had four penalties for 40 yards. GFW fumbled a couple times with one of them recovered by Cleveland. The Clippers had no turnovers.
Lyons completed 20 of 40 passes for 201 yards and four touchdowns. Bartell caught four passes for 107 total yards and two TDs. Kortuem caught two passes for 23 yards and two TDs. Simonette had three catches for 44 total yards. Smith caught two passes for 13 yards. Seeman caught two passes, each for a yard. Possin caught four passes but only got a yard out of them.
Possin legged the ball 13 times for 112 yards. Lyons kept the ball three times and averaged 7 yards a carry. Sam Ternes had a 2-yard run.
Possin was three for three in PAT boots. He kicked off four times. Smith kicked off once. Possin punted a 46 yarder and a 24 yarder. Bartell returned three punts for a total of 15 yards. Kluntz fell on one punt. Tony Hollerich returned one kickoff for 10 yards. Bartell returned the other GFW kickoff for three yards.
With 10 solo tackles and eight assists, including three tackles behind the scrimmage line, Jackson Shouler paced the defense. Possin made seven solo tackles and eight assists with two tackles behind the line and one fumble recovery. Smith had five solo tackles and one assist with one tackle behind the line. He also deflected a pass and blocked a punt. Ternes made two solos and two assists. Kluntz also made two solos and two assists with one tackle behind the line. Lyons and six solos and one assist. Max Esser made two solos and had two assists. Carsyn Ryg had one solo and one assist with one tackle behind the line and one pass deflection. Bartell had one assist. Draheim had three solo tackles, three assists, one sac and one pass deflection. Garet Peterson made three solos, sacked the GFW quarterback twice and made one tackle behind the line. Garrett Heldberg had one solo tackle. Simonette had one assisted tackle. Gauge Bock and Urijah Hoheisel each had one solo tackle.
“Mason Kluntz and David Draheim were running behind and just stuffing that run,” Hermanson said. “That’s just senior leadership.”
The Clippers host St. James Area for homecoming on Friday. The Saints, who the Clippers beat in the first round of the sections last year, are coming off a 39-20 win over crossover opponent Southland. They started out their season falling to LCWM 24-20 but then topped GFW 6-0 and Lester Prairie 7-0.
Elsewhere in the district and section, Fillmore Central bashed host USC 37-6, Mayer Lutheran beat visiting Madelia 19-0, host Lewiston-Altura topped NRHEG 40-12, and Lester Prairie beat visiting Martin County West 16-6.
Bode Bartell weaves his way through traffic after a catch.
Braden Smith corrals a GFW runner while Jackson Shouler and Caleb Possin move in to finish.
Mason Kluntz reaches out to grab a Firebird runner while David Draheim awaits a tackle.
Max Esser put the stop on a GFW run. At left is Carsyn Ryg. Moving in is Mason Kluntz.
Nathan Seeman turns downfield after a catch.
Sam Ternes attempts to stay in bounds after shaking off a defender.
Tanner Simonette falls to the turf after breaking through a defender to add a few extra yards to his gain.
David Draheim breaks up a pass.
Carson Lyons sets up to roll left for a throw.
The win was a senior dominated team effort. In front is Alex Kortuem. At left is Jack Shouler. On the right are Tanner Simonette and Mason Kluntz.