Lakers drub Sauk Centre in football opener

The Sauk Centre Mainstreeters had a tough outing in their football season opener against Minnewaska Area on the home turf. The Lakers left town with a 28-12 win that avenged their 40-7 playoff-opening loss last year to Sauk Centre.

Starting the game with the ball, the Mainstreeters suffered a lost fumble on their second play from scrimmage. The Lakers proceeded to drive 49 yards on seven plays to post the first touchdown of the game. With about nine minutes left, Greg Helander ran 20 yards for a touchdown and a 6-0 lead.

On Sauk Centre's second drive of the game, they managed just seven yards of offense and punted.

As the first quarter was coming to a close, Minnewaska converted third down with an 18-yard reception. Then with 11:13 left in the second quarter, Helander ran in another touchdown for the Lakers, this time from three yards out. Austin VerSteeg hauled in the two-point conversion for a 14-0 lead to cap a 14-play, 63-yard drive.

On Sauk Centre's third drive of the game, they started from their own 40 with great field position after the kickoff. Austin Nelson plowed his way for seven yards on a fourth-and-inches play at midfield. Later on third-and-nine on the Minnewaska Area 29-yard line, an incomplete pass brought fourth down. The Lakers then earned a quarterback sack with a 12-yard loss.

The Lakers ended up punting on their next possession to the Sauk Centre 19. Cole Neubert then converted his team's first third down of the game at their own 31-yard line. A few plays later Sauk Centre attempted to convert a fourth-and-two play near midfield but got stuffed on the play.

Minnewaska Area capitalized on the miscue when quarterback Michael Gruber hit VerSteeg with a 37-yard touchdown catch with 18.8 seconds left. VerSteeg ran in the two-point conversion and gave the visitors a 22-0 lead going into halftime.

With about one minute left in the third quarter, Minnewaska Area got a four-yard touchdown run for a 28-0 lead.

With about 9:30 left, Nelson busted up the shut out with a one-yard touchdown run. The failed PAT kick made it 28-6.

In the final minutes, Sauk Centre drove 99 yards and scored on a seven-yard reception by Will Funk from relief quarterback Jay Friedrichs with just eight-tenths of a second on the clock.

Minnewaska Area hosts BOLD next Friday for the home opener on "Tackle Cancer" night.