Cobras strike twice to stun Buc gridders, 14-8

SACKED — Blue Earth Area’s Caleb Langager sacks Triton quarterback Pierce Petersohn with the help of Bucs’ teammate Noah Dahl (back) during prep football action Friday night at Wilson Field in Blue Earth. Bucs’ defender Cory Kitchel (51) follows the play. (Photo courtesy of Kevin Mertens/Faribault County Register)

BLUE EARTH — The visiting Triton Cobras used two first-half touchdown passes and a solid defense to beat the Blue Earth Area Bucs 14-8 on Friday night at Wilson Field in Blue Earth.

Triton quarterback Pierce Petersohn hit wide receiver Jayce Leonardo on TD passes of 30 and 33 yards, respectively, to lead the Cobras’ offense.

“We hung tough, but in the first half we had too many penalties and mistakes that hurt us,” BEA head coach Randy Kuechenmeister said. “We hung in there and put ourselves in position to win the game. Our kids played hard and this was a second straight character-building game for them. We get another one next week at Jackson County Central.”

Despite the penalties and mistakes, BEA had possession of the ball in the final minute and an opportunity to score the go-ahead touchdown. The Bucs couldn’t move the ball downfield and quarterback Max Loge threw an interception on third down and 10 yards to go, trying to make get the Bucs into the Cobras’ side of the field.

Triton scored a touchdown at the 2:47 mark of the opening quarter on the Petersohn to Leonardo aerial connection and at the 9:27 mark of the second quarter as the same duo scored again. Miguel Martinez kicked both extra points.

BEA’s starting running back Caleb Langager ran for 35 yards in the first half on nine carries, but his injury forced the Bucs to put Kade Gaydon in the backfield to run the ball.

Gaydon responded, rushing for 58 yards and the Bucs’ only touchdown, plus he ran in the two-point conversion.

Gaydon scored on a 2-yard run with 3:48 left in the third quarter and ran in the two-point try to cut the Bucs’ deficit to only six points with more than a quarter left to play.

The Bucs’ defense held the Cobras out of the end zone the rest of the game, giving their offense a chance to win the game.

BEA’s offense committed two turnovers in the final quarter to help Triton hang on for the slim victory.

It’s the second straight week the Bucs lost a close game.

On offense for Triton, Petersohn threw for 235 yards and two touchdowns, while Leonardo caught 5 passes for 119 yards and had both TDs. Hunter Stark rushed for 85 yards on 21 carries for the Cobras.

Defensively for BEA, Gaydon had 10 tackles, followed by Emanuel Granillo with eight and Cory Kitchel with six.

Next for the Cobras (2-0) is a 7 p.m. away game on Friday, Sept. 15, against Caledonia, while the Bucs (0-2) take a trip to Jackson to battle the Jackson County Central Huskies at 7 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 15.

Triton    7  7  0  0–14

BEA       0  0  8  0– 8

Scoring Plays

1st Quarter

Triton–Pierce Petersohn 30 yard pass to Jayce Leonardo (Miguel Martinez kick), 2:47.

2nd Quarter

Triton–Petersohn 33 yard pass to Leonardo (Martinez kick), 9:27.

3rd Quarter

BEA–Kade Gaydon 2 yard run (Gaydon two-point run), 3:48.

4th Quarter

No Scoring

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Adrian Area 35, Martin County West 12 — The Dragons used two touchdowns in the final 7 minutes of the first half to help beat the Mavericks 35-12 on Friday in Sherburn.

Lucas Larson threw a 12-yard TD pass to Josh Roben at the 3:24 mark of the first quarter to give the Mavericks a 6-0 lead.

Adrian tied the game at the 11:59 mark of the second quarter when Garrett Penning completed a 30-yard TD pass to Mechack NdIkubuntu. Cheick Zeba kicked the extra point to give the Dragons a 7-6 lead.

The Mavericks went up 12-7 at the 5:44 mark of the second quarter when Larson connected with Roben on a 5-yard TD pass.

Adrian went ahead 14-12 when Penning hit Ndikubuntu with a 65-yard pass and Zeba kicked the PAT.

Adrian made it 21-12 at the half as Rilee Heidebrink scored on a 4-yard run and Zeba converted the PAT.

Heidebrink delivered both of the Dragons’ second-half TDs from 10 and 2 yards out, respectively.

Larson completed 13-of-23 passes for 103 yards with two touchdowns.

Rylan Cutler rushed for 131 yards and caught six passes for 48 yards, while Jacob Wilmes caught three passes for 17 yards, and Roben had two receptions for 17 yards.

Defensively for MCW, Cutler had a team-best 10 tackles, followed by Riley Allen with seven tackles. Larson, Wilmes, Tyson Thiesse and Cade Williamson finished with six tackles apiece.

Next for the Mavericks (0-2) is an away game at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 15, against Tracy-Milroy-Balaton in Tracy.