Playing a Worthington team that was selected by many as the SWC favorite in 2000, the Cardinals secured a stunning 24-13 road victory and served notice that they will have a say in what happens in the title chase the rest of the season.
The win over the Trojans, who entered the game as the state's eighth-ranked Class 2A team, gives Luverne a 3-0 record overall and the outright conference lead with a 2-0 mark. Only LHS and Jackson County Central, which is 1-0 in the loop, have not lost a league game this season.
There is a downside to Luverne's early season success, that now includes victories over last year's SWC co-champions (Windom and Worthington). Instead of being an underdog, Luverne will enter its remaining games as one of the top contenders for a league championship.
The fact that the Cardinals will be a target the rest of the year is not lost on LHS coach Joel Swanson, who will do everything he can to keep his players from becoming complacent,
"I just don't want to see our kids become overconfident. We still have a lot of room for improvement, and still are making a lot of inexperienced mistakes. The big thing is the kids have stepped it up and are meeting our goal of improving each week," he said.
The way things unfolded against Worthington, Swanson has reason to be concerned with overconfidence. After falling behind 7-0 in the first four minutes, LHS dominated play while scoring 24 consecutive points to put the game away.
Luverne's defense limited a high-powered Trojan offense to 242 yards and nine first downs while taking the ball away from WHS five times.
Led by a 194-yard rushing performance by senior tailback Brad Walgrave, Luverne's offense compiled 354 yards and 15 first downs while turning the ball over once.
"I think we were a little tight to start the game," Swanson admitted. "They broke off a big running play early in the game to take the lead, but our kids responded well after that. We didn't give up any more big plays, and that's always the key against Worthington."
The defenses of both teams forced punts to start the game, but Worthington was aided by good field position after Luverne's first punt when a nice return gave the Trojans the ball on the LHS 38-yard line.
A five-yard motion penalty pushed the ball back to the 43, where Trojan back Anthony Wilson took the ball on first down and ran his way through the Cardinal defense for a long touchdown. When Wilson added the extra point, the Trojans had a 7-0 advantage 3:44 into the game.
Instead of being intimidated by Worthington's quick strike, Luverne responded to the challenge like a true champion hopeful.
The Cardinal offense overcame two penalties during an 11-play, 65-yard drive that ended with Walgrave scoring on an eight-yard run at the 2:50 mark of the opening period.
James Fisher, who completed key 11- and 12-yard third-down passes to Luke Iveland during the drive, added the extra point to knot the score at seven.
Luverne nearly took its first lead of the game before the first quarter after Fisher intercepted a pass two plays into Worthington's next offensive possession.
A 54-yard Fisher-to-Iveland pass on second down moved the ball inside Worthington's 10, but a fumble two plays later was recovered by the Trojans on their two with 14 seconds left in the first quarter.
Luverne's defense forced the Trojans to punt five plays later, and a 36-yard return by Walgrave gave the Cards the ball on the Trojan 40.
The Cardinals covered 40 yards in seven plays with Zach Skattum capping the march with a one-yard plunge with 8:35 remaining in the first half. Fisher's extra point made it a 14-7 game.
Luverne's second touchdown march featured 14-yard runs by Fisher and Walgrave.
Neither team was able to generate a scoring threat in the final 8:35 of the first half, but Worthington opened the second half by moving the ball inside Luverne's 20 with six consecutive runs.
On a second-and-three play, a blitzing Skattum forced a fumble during an attempted exchange between the Worthington quarterback and running back, and Cardinal Aaron Lass recovered the loose ball on the Trojan 18.
"That was a big play," Swanson said. "They came out storming in the second half and took it right to us, but then we got that big play. We had a blitz called and came up with the big turnover."
Worthington's defense was stunned when the potential tying drive ended with a fumble, and the Cardinal offense took advantage of the situation. Luverne went on a seven-play, 82-yard scoring drive featuring 38- and 18-yard runs by Walgrave and ending with Fisher and Iveland hooking up for a 21-yard touchdown pass with 4:06 left to play in the third quarter. Fisher's kick made the difference 21-7.
A 31-yard field goal by Fisher in the fourth quarter iced the game for LHS.
Worthington put together a five-play, 46-yard drive that was capped by Watson's six-yard touchdown run with 1:01 left to play, but the outcome had been settled by then.
Luverne hosts Litchfield tomorrow before continuing its quest for an SWC title. Litchfield is 1-2 overall, but it led Class 2A power Albany before falling in the fourth quarter Friday.
Team statistics
Luverne: 242 rushing yards, 112 passing yards, 354 total yards, 15 first downs, six penalties for 40 yards, one turnover.
Worthington: 156 rushing yards, 68 passing yards, 224 total yards, nine first downs, five penalties for 35 yards, five turnovers.
Individual statistics
Rushing: Walgrave 30-194, Tony Sandbulte 8-35, Ryan Goebel 7-24, Skattum 6-10, Fisher 6-minus 21.
Passing: Fisher 5-11 for 112 yards.
Receiving: Iveland 4-98, Tyler Scheidt 1-14.
Defense: Fisher two interceptions, Goebel one interception and one fumble recovery, Lass one fumble recovery, Sandbulte one sack.