For the second straight year the Luverne Cardinals defeated the Pipestone Area Arrows to claim the Battle Axe. Last season the Cardinals edged the Arrows 13-12. This time around there was no doubt who the better team was, with the Cardinals blanking the Arrows 22-0.
The two rivals struggled to move the ball in the first quarter due to strong defensive efforts from both teams.
On Pipestone’s second possession of the game, Luverne’s LaShad Smith broke up a play on an attempted deep pass. On the ensuing play, Peter Baustian broke through the line to record a tackle for a loss to force a Pipestone punt.
With 3:24 left in the second quarter the Cardinals blocked an Arrows punt to set themselves up at Pipestone’s 22-yard line.
A few plays later Ashton Sandbulte put the Cardinals on the board with a 15-yard rushing touchdown. Bailey Cowell converted the two-point conversion on a pass from Casey Sehr to put the Cardinals up 8-0.
After the Cardinals forced the Arrows to go three and out in the third quarter, Luverne started their second possession of the second half at Pipestone’s 33-yard line.
Cowell set the Cardinals up inside the Arrows’ five-yard line with a 26-yard run. On the next play, Cowell punched in for six. Following the extra point the Cardinals led 15-0.
With Pipestone trailing 15-0, they opted to go for it on fourth and five from Luverne’s 39-yard line with 3:20 left in the third quarter. Luverne’s Zach Ahrendt sniffed out the run play to stop the Arrows’ ball carrier in his tracks for no gain.
The Cardinals scored their third touchdown of the game early in the fourth quarter thanks to Cowell. The senior running back scored on a 10-yard run to put Luverne up 22-0 following the successful extra point. It was Cowell’s second rushing touchdown of the game.
The Arrows appeared to be close to getting on the scoreboard after hitting on a long pass to set themselves up inside Luverne’s 10-yard line. The Cardinals defense tightened up and held the Arrows out of the end zone.
The Cardinals defense made a tough defensive stand with less than three minutes to play. With the Arrows inside the 10-yard line again, the Cardinals put the clamps on the Arrows to keep the shutout intact.
Cowell led the Cardinals with 86 rushing yards and a pair of touchdowns. He added 30 receiving yards on two receptions.
Sandbulte rushed for 58 yards and a touchdown.
Cade Wenninger caught two passes for 61 yards. Sehr finished the game with 115 passing yards.
Zach Kruse led the team with five tackles. LaShad Smith, Connor Connell, and Nathaniel Cole-Kraty all recorded 3.5 tackles for loss.
The Cardinals will be back on the road Friday, Oct. 16, when they play Blue Earth Area.
Luverne 0 8 7 7
Pipestone 0 0 0 0
Passing: Sehr 7-15, 115 yards
Rushing: Cowell 10-86-2; Sandbulte 12-58-2
Receiving: C. Wenninger 2-61; Cowell 2-30
Tackles: Kruse 5; Smith 3.5; Connell 3.5; Cole-Kraty 3.5; McCarthy 3