(KWMN)- The Rushford-Peterson Trojan Football team faced off with Wabasha-Kellogg last Friday and showed just how good they can be.
With a final score of 62-8, the Trojans put on a clinic in all three sectors of the game.
The Trojans scored 35 points in the first 12 minutes of the game thanks to a pick-six from the defense and four straight possessions with a touchdown from the offense. The Trojans only punted once throughout the whole game.
It was the best the team has looked all season.
Rushford typically beats Wabasha-Kellogg handily so each game with them always has the potential to be a ‘trap game’ where the players may come out flat, not ready to play and they let one slip to a team they should beat. Head Coach for the Trojans, Davin Thompson, said he’s seen that less since COVID. In fact, he says it might be easier to get his players ready for games like these. During the COVID season, games weren’t guaranteed. He said he believes that it sort of put each season as a whole in perspective for his players. Every game counts and every game is not guaranteed. Trojans proved that attitude on Friday, giving no remorse for the opponent.
“Sometimes the perception is we are supposed to win by a large margin and sometimes when that’s the expectation, it’s hard to do…[I’m] Proud of the kids for going out and executing, doing what we had to do to put points on the board,” said Thompson.
Riley Tesch barely needed to throw the football but had an efficient day nonetheless. Tesch went 5 for 7 through the air with 42 yards and a touchdown.
It was the Trojan rushing attack that dominated. Totaling 264 yards, the backfield was led by the usual suspects, Grady Hengel and Jonah Bunke, but we saw flashes of what the future holds with freshman Jaxon Meldahl getting in on the action. Hengel finished with only two carries but with those two carries, he got into the endzone both times. Bunke only needed to touch the ball eight times to garner 78 yards on the ground with a touchdown mixed in. Those stats are expected. The headline from the backfield lies with Meldahl, who got his first moments of game-time in the blowout.
Meldahl came in for relief of starters Bunke and Hengel when the game was already far out of reach for Wabasha-Kellogg. Meldahl found success with 111 yards on only seven carries and found the endzone twice. It was a peek into the future for the Trojan faithful and Meldahl showed he can be a perfect pair with Jonah Bunke in seasons to come.
“Plays on scout team most of the time…that was fun [to watch him]…just for him to come out and have the success, and it keeps them hungry, keeps them motivated,” said Thompson when asked about his freshman running back.
Now, the key for Trojan football is to carry this momentum throughout the season. The Trojans will expect much tougher opponents deeper into sectionals, but games like this provide the team with an opportunity to gain confidence and really spot the weaknesses. Davin Thompson is well aware of this and says “There’s always stuff to find,” when it comes to looking at the tape and seeing where the team made mistakes.
Next up for the Trojans will be close rival Cotter at Altra Federal Credit Union Stadium, the same place where the Winona State Warriors play.
“I mean yeah, they’re [players] excited already, they were talking about it after the game Friday…It’s just exciting to be over at Winona State, we got two kids on that team so kinda get to play where those guys play,” Thompson said about the prospect of playing on a college field.
The matchup may seem easy on paper, but it’s never easy on the field. The Trojan defense will have their hands full with the air attack from Cotter and their talented receiving core. The Trojans struggled the last time they faced off with a team that liked to use the whole field passing in Fillmore Central so this matchup will prove to be a great litmus test to see the improvements the defense has made since week 2.
Trojans will face the Cotter Ramblers this Friday at 8:00 p.m. from Maxwell Field, only on the Winona Sports Network, 99.3 FM.
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