MFL MarMac outlasts Alburnett
By Audrey Posten | Times-Register
MFL MarMac outlasted Alburnett 24-21 on Oct. 25, to advance to the second round of the Class 1A football playoffs.
“A little nervous, but we got it done,” said head coach Dan Anderson. “It doesn’t matter—win by one or win by 1,000. Just win and keep playing.”
Quarterback Carter Stoddard scored the first points, breaking into the end zone from a yard out. An extra point from Eli Hanson gave the Bulldogs a 7-0 lead to close the first quarter.
Alburnett tied the game early in the second quarter, but MFL MarMac responded with a field goal from Hanson, who was kicking for the first time this season.
The Pirates crossed the goal line again with 5:30 left in the quarter, and were driving right before halftime when an Austin Schaller sack halted the momentum.
Anderson said a 14-10 deficit didn’t worry the Bulldogs.
“There was no screaming and yelling, no panic by our guys. We had to make a few adjustments and talked about a few things we were going to try in the second half offensively and defensively,” he stated.
The defensive alignment, in particular, helped slow the Pirate running game.
“They’re a very athletic team. That back [Laken Caves] is fast and athletic and he can find holes and cutback lanes. It made it a little difficult in the first half,” said Anderson, “but we made a few adjustments that...helped on some of those pitches. We got more penetration right away. The defense played great in the second half.”
MFL MarMac kept the Pirates off the board through the third quarter and much of the fourth while scoring 14 unanswered points on a pair of touchdowns by fullback Quinn McGeough. Hanson hit both point after attempts.
“The kids rallied, and we got a couple picks in the second half, which was really big,” Anderson said.
But fumble issues struck again. Alburnett capitalized on a Bulldog turnover and scored with less than a minute remaining to trim a 10-point lead to 24-21.
“We were clean all game until a minute and a half left, then, boy, it made it scary there at the end. Credit to them, they executed well in their two-minute offense and threw a couple screens,” Anderson said.
The Pirates tried to get the ball back with an onside kick, but Hunter Christofferson scooped it up to give the Bulldogs possession—and the win.
Anderson credited MFL MarMac’s postseason experience in securing the victory.
“This Alburnett team didn’t make the playoffs last year. Our guys are experienced,” he said. “I thought we did a better job, on both sides of the ball, maintaining drives and really milking that clock and trying to keep the ball out of their hands.”
Although Alburnett put up 297 yards of total offense, it was just one more yard than MFL MarMac had from its ground game alone. McGeough rushed for 187 of those yards on 26 carries, while Hanson earned 74 yards on 19 attempts.
Stoddard completed none of his four pass attempts, but carried the ball eight times for 14 yards and a touchdown.
Defensively, MFL MarMac was led by 6.5 tackles from Schaller, who also recorded a sack. McGeough tallied 6 tackles, Brock Hackett 5.5 and Hanson 4. Parker Kuehl finished the game with 3 tackles and Koda Warrington and Keith Anderson each had 2.5.
McGeough and Hanson snagged the two interceptions.
With the win, 7-2 MFL MarMac moves on to a round of 16 match-up at Wilton on Friday, Nov. 1, at 7 p.m. The Beavers are 8-1, their only loss to Regina Catholic.
Anderson is happy the team has another year of November football.
“We take a lot of pride in playing until November. Only the best teams play in November,” he said. “It feels great for these kids, to prove that we’re still winning and winning in the playoffs.”