Cardinals suffer first loss of season to Blue Earth

The Luverne Cardinals were handed their first loss of the football season on Friday, Oct. 16, against Blue Earth Area 41-10. With the loss the Cardinals drop to 1-1 on the season.
During the first possession of the game Blue Earth took the ball down the field on six plays to score a touchdown. The Buccaneers never took their foot off the gas.
Zack Kruse put an end to another potential scoring drive on Blue Earth’s second possession of the game. Kruse picked off a pass with the Buccaneers inside the Cardinals’ 20-yard line.
Following Kruse’s interception, the Cardinals went three and out on the ensuing offensive possession.
The Buccaneers scored on the opening drive of the second quarter to go ahead 14-0 following the extra point.
Luverne’s Casey Sehr was tackled by a Buccaneers defender on the Cardinals’ next possession.
Two plays later Luverne’s LaShad Smith picked off an attempted pass and returned it for a touchdown to get the Cardinals on the board. The extra point gave the Cardinals 7 points, but they still trailed by 7.
With 3:56 left in the first half, Blue Earth scored their third touchdown of the game to go ahead 21-7.
On Blue Earth’s opening possession of the second half, the Buccaneers scored their fourth touchdown of the game on a 41-yard rushing touchdown on a fourth and one. The extra point attempt was no good.
With 3:10 left in the third quarter, the Buccaneers crossed the goal line again to go up 34-7.
Blue Earth scored another touchdown early in the fourth quarter to build a 41-7 lead.
Luverne’s Shaid Shearer got the Cardinals on the board again by nailing a 38-yard field goal. Shearer’s field goal closed out the scoring as the Cardinals fell 41-10.
Bailey Cowell led the Cardinals with six receptions for 66 yards.
Zach Ahrendt led the Cardinals in tackles with 6.5. Ahrendt also recorded one tackle for a loss.
Ethan Beyer recorded five tackles. Kruse and Cade Wenninger both recorded 4.5 tackles.
The Cardinals will be back in action for their Homecoming game on Friday, Oct. 23, when they’ll play host to Jackson County Central.
 
Luverne 0 7 0 3 10
Blue Earth 7 14 13 7 41
 
Passing: Sehr 6-12, 66 yards
Rushing: L. Smith 7-37-0; A. Sandbulte 5-30-0
Receiving: Cowell 6-66-0
Tackles: Z. Ahrendt 6.5; Beyer 5; Kruse 4.5; C. Wenninger 4.5; McLaughlin 4; L. Smith 3.5; Cole-Kraty 3; Ripka 3
Interceptions: L. Smith 1; Kruse 1