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The Mahnomen-Waubun football team entered its match-up with Ada-Borup West giving up just nine points all season to its opposition.
The Thunderbirds (8-0) concluded their undefeated season whooping ABW, 52-6 on Oct. 16.
MW controlled the clock, consistently scoring every quarter of the game. The game opened up with a surgical four-minute, 16-second drive capped off by a 25-yard Brady Lhotka rushing touchdown. The Thunderbirds got a helping hand from a Cougar kickoff out of bounds to start the game.
Defense was the name of the game as well, with the Thunderbirds forcing several three-and-outs on the day starting in the first quarter. MW got the ball back for the offense to operate and rewrite their mistakes as Tanner Stech coughed up the ball deep in Cougar territory.
Stech took the snap and blasted past the Cougars for a 67-yard touchdown, laying the groundwork for another rout. The Thunderbirds slammed the ABW quarterback to the turf for a 10-yard loss, and the defensive domination continued.
A quick drive from the Thunderbirds was capped off with the third touchdown of the first quarter courtesy of Manny Johnson, giving the Thunderbirds a 20-0 first-quarter lead. Most of the team’s damage came from strong first quarters this season.
Blake McMullen quarterbacked to an efficient outing of 145 yards on nine passes and a touchdown. He found Stech for a 20-yard touchdown, ballooning the lead to 28-0 at the half.
MW delivered the knockout blow in the third quarter with a 12-yard touchdown run from Drayton Tibbets and a Brady Lhotka 10-yard rushing touchdown at the buzzer, with the score being 44-0.
The Thunderbirds’ defense was beaten on a 20-yard passing touchdown from Connor Nelson to Adam Fassino for the Cougars’ lone score of the game. Fourteen seconds later, Gavin McArthur returned the kickoff for a 75-yard touchdown in direct response to the lone touchdown they gave up.
The Thunderbirds finished with the top spot heading into the Section 8A tournament . They will have a first-round bye before the semifinal on Saturday, Oct. 25 and a possible rematch with Ada-Borup West or against Bagley.
MAHNOMEN-WAUBUN 56 ADA-BORUP-WEST 6
MW – 21 8 14 13 – 56
ABW – 0 0 0 6 – 6
FIRST QUARTER SCORING – MW TD 10:44, Brody Lhotka 25-yard run (Tanner Stech kick) 7-0 MW; MW TD 5:08 – Tanner Stech 67-yard run (Stech kick) 14-0 MW; MW TD 0:00 – Manny Johnson 5-yard run (Kick failed) 20-0 MW
SECOND QUARTER SCORING – MW TD 4:04,Blake McMullen 20-yard pass to Tanner Stech (Gavin McArthur run) 28-0 MW
THIRD QUARTER SCORING – MW TD 5:06 – Drayton Tibbetts 12-yard run (McMullen pass to McArthur) 36-0 M; MW TD 0:01 – Brody Lhotka 10-yard run (McMullen run) 44-0 MW
FOURTH QUARTER SCORING – ABW TD 4:24 – Connor Nelson 3-yard pass to Ames Fassino (PAT no good) 44-6 MW; MW TD 4:10 – Gavin McArthur 75-yard kickoff return (Hudson McArthur run) 52-6 MW
GAME STATS
PASSING — Blake McMullen – 7/9, 145 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT, 0 SCK
RUSHING — Stech – 6 attempts, 103 yards, 1 TD; hotka – 11 attempts, 83 yards, 2 TDs, 7.5 avg, 25 long; Johnson – 6 attempts, 40 yards, 1 TD, 6.7 avg, 10 long; McMullen – 7 attempts, 13 yards, 0 TD, 1.9 avg, 5 long; Tibbetts – 1 attempt, 12 yards, 1 TD, 12.0 avg, 12 long, 0 FUM
RECEIVING — Zach Zima – 4 receptions, 94 yards, 0 TD, 23.5 avg, 35 long; Tanner Stech – 1 reception, 20 yards, 1 TD, 20.0 avg, 20 long
DEFENSE
Logan Abdo – 2 solo, 6 assist, 1.5 TFL, 1.5 sack
Tatum Bement – 5 solo, 2 assist, 3.5 TFL, 0.5 sack Brody Lhotka – 4 solo, 1 assist, 2 TFL, 0 sack, 1 FMR Cade Walz – 3 solo, 2 assist Drayton Tibbetts – 1 solo, 3 assist, 1.5 TFL, 0.5 sack Chase Haurlik – 4 assisted tackles Dylan McMullen – 3 solo, 0 assist, 2 TFL, 2 sacks