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Rain, wind and mud seemed to be the theme for Minnesota high school football the Wednesday evening before MEA break.
For the Hills-Beaver Creek Patriots it was all that plus a 43-8 victory over the host Edgerton Flying Dutchmen. The Patriots’ win pushed the team to a 6-2 regular season record.
The rainy, windy elements prevailed in Edgerton from the opening kickoff to the final horn in the regular season football finale.
After the Dutchmen received the opening kickoff, the talented Patriots defense forced the Dutchmen into a quick three and out.
It took the Patriots only three plays to score their first touchdown. Cole Baker took the ball across the goal line on a 31-yard run during the third play of the drive for an early lead. Baker then added the two-point conversion run with 9:12 left in the first quarter for an 8-0 lead.
On Edgerton’s next possession, Patriot defensive lineman Cody Moser pounced on an Edgerton fumble deep in Dutchmen territory.
Baker ran it in from the nine-yard line on the next Patriot offensive play. Baker’s run was successful for the two-point conversion and widened the Patriots’ lead to 16-0 with 8:04 left in the first quarter.
After both offenses exchanged fumbles in the wet and muddy conditions, Patriot cornerback Drew Leenderts scooped up a Dutchmen fumble and ran 40 yards to the end zone. Baker tacked on the two-point conversion run over the left side after a direct snap from center Troy Durst. The score stood at 24-0, Patriots, with 3:49 still left in the first period.
Moving to the second quarter, the Dutchmen put together a drive consisting of 13 plays that advanced the ball to the Patriots’ six-yard line.
The Dutchmen called two timeouts in a row to discuss their options on fourth down from the six-yard line. A stop by the Patriot defensive line crushed any hopes of the Dutchmen getting on the scoreboard during the second quarter. The Patriots’ offense would drive 95 yards in six plays and end it with another Baker touchdown run, this one seven yards.
The big play of the drive was a 60-yard scamper by quarterback Oliver Deelstra on an option keeper. With the score at 30-0, the Patriots were looking to score again before the end of the first half.
Late in the second quarter, the Patriots’ defense forced yet another punt by the Dutchmen. Pinned deep in their own territory, the Dutchmen punt would travel only to their own 26-yard line.
From there, the Patriot offense went to work. After a false start by the H-BC offense, quarterback Deelstra pumped fake right and tossed to the left for a screen pass to the up-back, Casey Kueter, who fought his way to the nine-yard line. On the next play, Baker tallied his lone receiving touchdown of the game from Deelstra. The two-point conversion run was short, and the score stood at 36-0 with 1:18 left in the half.
H-BC received the second half kickoff and wasted no time in scoring.
Baker scored his fifth touchdown of the contest on a 70-yard run on the first play from scrimmage of the third quarter. Ty Bundesen booted the extra point with Troy Durst long-snapping and Sawyer Bosch place holding. The kick made the score 43-0 in favor of the visiting Patriots.
The only scoring for the remainder of the game was a 10-yard run by Edgerton with 4:00 left in the final quarter. The two-point conversion run was good, and the final game score was Patriots 43, Dutchmen 8.
Patriot head coach Rex Metzger praised his team following the game.
“We created some early turnovers and we were able to jump on them early,” he said. “Our defense played well against their run attack and was able to get them in some third and longs.”
Regarding the post-season, the Patriots received the second seed in the upcoming Section 3 Nine-Man playoffs and were scheduled to face the Granada-Huntley/East Chain Mustangs on Tuesday in Hills.
It will be the second meeting of the teams this fall. H-BC won the first meeting 56-0. Edgerton finishes the regular season at 3-5 and received the third seed.
Depending on the outcome of Tuesday’s game, the second round of the play-offs, the Section semifinals, will be in Hills at 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 30.
Team statistics
HBC: 259 rushing yards, 32 passing yards, 291 total yards, five first downs, 2 penalties for 10 yards, zero turnovers.
Edgerton: 178 rushing yards, zero passing yards, 178 total yards, 10 first downs, 1 penalty for 10 yards, two turnovers.
Individual statistics:
Rushing: C. Baker 12-182 yards, O. Deelstra 2-61 yards, Sawyer Bosch 2-9 yards, Justin Roelfs 2-7 yards.
Passing: O. Deelstra 2-3 for 32 yards.
Receiving: Casey Kueter 1-23 Yards, C. Baker 1-9 Yards.
Defense: Gideon Taubert nine tackles, C. Kueter eight tackles, Luke Fuerstenberg six tackles, Brayden Metzger five tackles, Drew Leenderts three tackles & one fumble recovery, Cody Moser two tackles & one fumble recovery.