A defining moment in Cleveland 35, Mayer Lutheran 7 on Friday came late in the first half.
With the Clipper in front 7-0, Carson Lyons, returning a Crusader punt, dashed 22 yards down the sideline.
When a Crusader special teams defender ran in to greet the Clipper quarterback, Lyons didn’t step off to the sideline. Instead, as the Clipper coaching staff shuddered, he sent the defender reeling backward.
Like the rest of the Clippers—who were coming off a couple of wins where the offense wasn’t quite up to its capabilities— Lyons was determined to triumph in the battle between two unbeaten teams for a homecoming and Senior Night victory.
“I think just that it’s homecoming,” said the senior. “We had a lot of people behind us. Everybody did great.”
And while Lyons racked up over three hundred yards of offense himself, 167 in the air and 130 on the ground, including a pair of TDs, he attributed the win to the line.
“Our offense line was just pushing people around. Our defensive line was great too. Their quarterback was fast, but winning in the trenches wins games like this.”
Teams get off to a slow start
The game didn’t start out too well for either team. Starting out on their 44 after the opening kickoff, the Clippers turned the ball over on downs 9 yards later after a false start penalty and a couple of incomplete passes.
The Crusaders didn’t do much either and punted. Smith hauled in a Lyons pass for 25 yards, and Tony Hollerich legged 19 more, but after three passes that fell to the grass, the Clippers again turned the ball over on downs, this time on the Mayer 23.
Two plays later, Wyatt Krenik snared a Crusader pass, but the Clipper defense, in hot pursuit of the quarterback, threw in a superfluous shove, and the Crusaders got the ball back on a roughing infraction.
The Crusaders rattled off five run plays that took them down to the Cleveland 26, but the Clippers held up the fourth-and-1 run.
On the first play of the ensuing series, Braeden Smith hauled in a Lyons pass for 13 yards, Lyons kept the ball for 10 more, and a roughing-the-passer penalty set up the Clippers on the Mayer 39.
From there, Tanner Simonette smashed for 5 yards, and Garrett Heldberg grabbed a pass for 10 more, and before Lyons weaved his way the last 19 yards to the end zone, and, with the Kiptyn Coon PAT kick, the Clippers were on the board 7-0 with 7:25 left to the break.
The Clipper defense forced a Mayer three-and-out, and Lyons, smashing his way down the sideline, ran the punt back to midfield.
From there, Krenik caught Lyons throws for 14 and 10 yards, and Hollerich dashed for 7 more before the Clippers threw in a little trickery when Lyons handed off to Simonette, who tossed it back to Lyons, and, instead of passing, ran the ball 25 yards to the end zone: a modified flea flicker for lack of a better term.
After Coon airmailed the ball between the uprights, the Clippers led 14-0 with three minutes left to the intermission.
As the half drew to a close, each team threw an interception. Simonette pulled down the pick for the Clippers, but there was only a couple of seconds left, and they took a knee to end the half.
Crusaders score right after halftime
The Crusaders scored in the first series of the second half on a 40-yard run and a PAT kick, and it looked like momentum may have switched in their favor.
It didn’t though. Already missing a couple of players due to injury, it didn’t help their cause when one of their running backs left the game and did not return.
And the rest of the game was all Clippers.
After the kickoff, Simonette broke through with runs of 29, 5 and 21 yards before Lyons hooked up with Krenik in the end zone for a 22-yard TD. Coon’s PAT boot put the Clippers in front 21-7.
“With all the adversity: an interception called back, two sacks being called back, guys being held and thrown to the ground on their TD, a tipped pass interception deep in our end, we never changed our incredible attitude and body language,” said head coach Erik Hermanson. “Nobody got down, blamed each other, whined or made any excuses. They just kept playing hard for each other. We have matured so much in this area of the game.”
Assistant coach Kyle Atherton said the Crusaders scoring a touchdown was the best thing that could have happened to the Clippers.
“We had to respond. That’s where we coaches start talking. We communicate so well. We don’t think we’re stepping on toes. We just want to win games, and it’s all about the kids, not us coaches. We just want to put our best foot forward.”
The Crusaders punted to end the next series, and the Clippers, taking over on the 19, drove the rest of the way with Simonette runs of 9 and 7 yards, a Lyons keeper for 14 yards, a Jack Mons catch that put the Clippers on the Mayer 1 and a Lyons pass to Sam Ternes in the end zone for the touchdown and, after the Coon kick, a 28-7 lead with a minute or so left in Q3.
The Clippers final score came with 4:33 left in the fourth quarter when Mons, in at QB, handed off to Hollerich for a 6-yard run across the goal line. Coon’s perfect-on-the-day foot made for the 35-7 final.
Like his quarterback, Hermanson gave creds to the Clipper line, and especially to senior Garet Peterson and junior Carsyn Ryg.
“The fact that Carsyn and Garet could push defensive linemen out of the way when we needed it was a huge advantage for us. They are just dynamite players. I don’t know that there are many linemen who they can’t block.”
But the entire offensive line was at its best, Hermanson said.
“All the tight ends, all the linemen get the game ball. We dominated their line. They have talented players. Their quarterback is one of the fastest kids in the state, but our line just dominated, and he couldn’t get loose. We made him throw, but he runs better than he throws.”
For Atherton, the game wasn’t won on the field on Friday but rather in practices and in the weight room starting way last November, and the Clippers need to continue to compete to their capabilities.
“Before the game I quoted coach Krenik (the late former Clipper head coach Dave Krenik, for whom the field is named) to them. He always said ‘It’s a great day to be a Clipper.’ But right now it is a great time to be a Clipper. And the reason it’s a great time to be a Clipper is because of all the work they put in. Now they need to accumulate that into beating good teams because before this game, no one gave us any credit. ‘Oh, you beat four teams that only have one or two wins.’ But guess what. We just beat a 5-0 team, and by numbers, they should have beat us, but it wasn’t even close. And it just shows how good we can be. We just have to keep playing to our potential.”
Stats
Lyons completed half of his 26 passes for 167 yards and a pair of TDs. He got picked off once and legged 102 yards for a pair of TDs.
While last week, the grass in the St. James field was long because rains made it too wet to mow, the Clipper field was trim and in top shape, and that helped make a difference in offense production, Hermanson said.
“Being able to play on a beautiful field…Alec Rogers does a great job, and Larry (assistant coach Larry Walechka) and Garrett (custodian and assistant coach Garrett Mensing) too, making this field so nice late in the year. Last week we played in an absolute mud pit, and it hurt us more than it hurt St. James. So this week being able to come out looking at the beautiful weather and beautiful field on Cleveland homecoming, we threw it all over and had a game.”
With six catches for 84 yards and a TD, Krenik was Lyons’ favorite target. Smith caught three passes for 40 yards.
“Braeden was double and triple teamed all night,” Hermanson said. “They were not going to let him beat them, like he has done to so many teams in the past, including them last year with a long TD catch. But he was an amazing captain tonight, pointing out their coverages and letting everyone know to get the ball to the players that were now open because of the Mayer strategy. Braeden didn't care he wasn't getting as many targets as usual, he just wanted the victory.”
Garrett Heldberg pulled down a 10-yard pass. Mons caught one for 25 yards, Hollerich caught one pass for 7 yards, and Ternes’s one catch was good for a yard and six points.
Simonette overcame a sore ankle for 112 yards in 20 carries.
“The offensive line was great,” said the 6-2, 190-lb senior. “The holes were there the whole time. I thought it was going to be a lot closer. I thought it was going to be a dog fight because their offense averages 42 points per game, but we came to play.”
“It was the best game Tanner has ever had,” said Atherton.“ He was running confidently, but they went to a three-man line, and our guys were just steamrolling, getting more and more confident.”
Hollerich took four handoffs for 29 total yards. Owen Lloyd ran twice for 10 total yards. Gauge Bock’s one run covered a yard.
The Clippers picked up 28 first downs, 13 more than the visitors, but they also were flagged for more penalties: 10 for 90 yards compared to the Crusaders’ four penalties for 45 yards. Each turned the ball over on an interception.
Besides nailing all five of his PAT kicks, Coon kicked off six times and punted once. It went 31 yards and landed inside the 20. Lyons returned one punt for 22 yards and another punt for 6 yards.
As usual, tackles were spread out among the Clippers. Ternes made three solo tackles with two of them behind the line. Peterson had two solos and two assisted tackles. Jack Shouler had four solos and four assists. Lyons made two solos and two assists and deflected a pass. Simonette had one solo and three assists and intercepted one pass while deflecting another. Heldberg had two solos and one assist with one sack. Coon had four solos and one assist with one tackle behind the line. Krenik and one solo and two assists and one pass deflection. Smith made three solo tackles. Hollerich made one solo tackle and three assisted tackles. Adam Rain had one solo tackle. Jake Mueller and Brayden Seeman each assisted a tackle.
To cap off a short MEA week, the Clippers take on host Lester Prairie today (Wednesday). Lester Prairie, 2-4 overall, is coming off a narrow 14-6 loss to host GFW. In the district, the Bulldogs have also fallen to SJA 20-6 and MCW 40-0 but beat Madelia 37-0.
Elsewhere in the district on Friday Madelia lost to 13-0 to host Yellow Medicine East in a district crossover. Martin County West, the team the Clippers will play in their final regular season game, beat visiting St. James Area 30-0.
Above: Tanner Simonette had big holes to run through and tons of confidence too for a 112-yard game.
Kiptyn Coon and Zander Hoechst work to clear a path for Tanner Simonette.
Tanner Simonette and Garret Heldberg wrap up a Mayer Lutheran ball carrier.
With over 100 rushing yards, Carson Lyons was a threat on the ground as well as in the air.
This catch by Jack Mons for 25 yards put the Clippers on the Mayer 1-yard line and set up a TD pass from Carson Lyons to Sam Ternes.
Wyatt Krenik slips around Crusader defenders.
Carson Lyons went up to deflect this Mayer Lutheran pass, but Wyatt Krenik (at left) ended up knocking the ball out of the receiver’s hands.
Garet Peterson readies to stop a Crusader ball carrier.
Garrett Heldberg and Garret Peterson put pressure on the Mayer Lutheran pass block.
The bib girls had tons to cheer about.
Homecoming was a ton of work for Student Council President Taylor Wolf, not only at the game and throughout homecoming week, but also in the weeks leading up to the event. Money raised from the tailgate dinner will fund student enrichment activities, Wolf said.
Maicey Fischer, Ellie Williams and Kennedy Schleeve were among the Student Council member working the tailgate dinner.
Jocelyn Kortuem, Luke Kortuem and Leighton Entrekin serve up taco-in-a-bag meals at the tailgate dinner.
The Student Council set up some parking lot games for the tailgate dinner.
Brienna Groebner and Brylee Kortuem play a dice game.
This trio enjoyed their tailgate dinner in the parking lot.
Kenzie Kortuem went with the Batman face paint.
Clara Hilfer paints the face of a second grader during the tailgate dinner.
Kendall Kern, Lucy Smith and Harper Rutz helped with the tailgate dinner.
This second grader was decked in orange and black from head to toe.
Taylor Wolf, Aubrey Blaschko, Kiya Sohn, Delaney Thompson were up front in the pep band.
Homecoming queen Kaitlyn Flowers in the pep band.
Jackson Shouler and Blake Stocker raised the flag. Guiding them is Son’s of American Legion member Greg Davis.
Members of the Cleveland American Legion Family (Legion, Auxiliary, Sons), carried flags onto the field before the game. With them is SAL member and scoreboard keeper Greg Davis (third from left).
With perfect weather and a great homecoming matchup, the hill was filled, and that meant great business for the Booster Club’s concession stand.
Braeden Smith breaks through the halftime banner.
The game against Mayer Lutheran was not only homecoming, it was Senior Night too. They are, from L-R: Carson Lyons, Braeden Smith, Henry Boelter, Jackson Shouler, Sam Ternes, Garet Peterson and Tanner Simonette.
Senior girls and boys: front row: Neenah Lassiter, Amelia Chmiel, Kaitlyn Flowers, Taylor Wolf, Delaney Thompson, Taylor McCabe, Keira Schipper, Melia Sathoff and Liviana Lee. Back row: Adan Domras, Charlie Perkins, Caleb Connor, Braeden Smith, Jackson Shouler, Henry Boelter, Carson Lyons, Sam Ternes, Tanner Simonette and Garet Peterson.