Colfax clipped by Eleva-Strum Cardinals in gridiron action

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by Marlys Kruger

Sports Correspondent

STRUM — After defeating Whitehall, a team from the Dairyland Conference in their season opener, the Colfax football team had high hopes of going 2-0 when they faced off against another Dairyland team August 25.

The Eleva-Strum Cardinals were coming off an 1-8 season just like the Vikings a year ago and their only win was over Colfax. In their opening game, E-S lost 47-6 to Glenwood City, seemingly giving the advantage to the Vikings.

But, games are not won on paper and after holding an early 6-0 lead, the Vikings were overpowered by the Cardinals, resulting in a 54-20 loss on the Eleva-Strum field.

Things couldn’t have started any better for the Vikings after the opening kickoff by the Cardinals, was purposely booted out of bounds to give Colfax the ball on their own 35 yard line. It took all of 12 seconds for center Drake Knutson to hike the ball to quarterback Zach Hiitola who handed it off to Drew Buchner who in turn bolted down the left sideline for a 65-yard touchdown. The two-point conversion pass attempt fell incomplete but it was 6-0 for the Vikings.

The lead was short lived as the Cardinals started at their own 40 after the kickoff return and methodically pounded and sliced their way through the Viking defense picking up three first downs and finally scoring from three yards out. They ran the ball in for two more points and an 8-6 lead with 6:30 left in the quarter.

Starting at their own 35 again, Austyn Pederson and Buchner both picked up first downs on long runs but on third and 11 from the Cardinals 24, Hiitola had his pass picked off and the Cardinals took over at their own 23. The Viking defense stood tall and forced a punt after three plays and they regained possession at the 50 yard line.

Facing a fourth and two, the Vikings were set up for a play but a delay of game penalty forced a punt. Colton Hoffman booted a long ball but his knee inadvertently touched the ground reaching for the low snap and the ball was placed at the Colfax 41. Two running plays later the Cardinals were in the end zone again for six points and the conversion run gave Eleva-Strum a 16-6 lead.

The Vikings failed to move the ball in their next possession and Hoffman punted again, and raced down the field to tackle the ball carrier.

Starting at the Viking 32, the Cardinals stayed on the ground and with 4:58 left in the half scored from one yard out. Camron Molina stuffed the two-point run but it was 22-6.

However, they weren’t done yet.

After picking off a Hiitola pass, the Cardinals ran in for six more points, and when the kick was blocked, the half ended with the Vikings down 28-6.

Things went from bad to worse when E-S started the second half at the Viking 35, and in a minute found the end zone again. The two-point run put them up 36-6.

It was Buchner time for the next five minutes when he took the kickoff back to the Colfax 43. After running four times with a couple of Pederson rushes in between and an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on the Cardinals, Buchner bullied his way to paydirt from a yard out. The two-point run was halted but it was 36-12 with 6:36 left in the third quarter.

Once again the Cardinals countered, this time in just two plays they found the end zone on a 49-yard run. The kick was off the mark to make it 42-12 at the 5:40 mark of the third quarter.

E-S recovered a Viking fumble a minute later but, the Colfax defense bucked up and with a huge hit by Grant Paulus and another Christian Ebert stuff, the Cardinals punted the ball away. 

But, the woes of last season continued as the Vikings fumbled the ball away again and in just one play it was 48-12 for the Cardinals on a 33-yard run.

With 1:45 to go in the third, the Vikings fired up and after a nice kickoff return by Orion Nichols and a long run by Buchner, Hoffman bolted down the left sideline for a 50-yard touchdown. Kade Anderson ran in the two-point conversion and the quarter ended with the Vikings down 48-20.

There was still a glimmer of hope for Colfax after Eli Ralph recovered a Cardinal fumble on a third down play. But, things just are not falling into place this season after Hiitola went out with an injury. Hiitola and Theo Hovde were expected to rotate at quarterback this year but Hovde was hurt in the first game and unable to play. Now without an experienced quarterback, Buchner had to step in and take over. Colfax ended up punting the ball away when they didn’t gain any yards and the Cardinals put the finishing touches on the game with a long touchdown run.

Buchner was the leading rusher for the Vikings with 110 yards on 13 carries. Hoffman ran for 65 yards on six attempts along with Anderson gaining 53 yards on three attempts, Hiitola 45 yards on two runs, Pederson 43 yards on four carries, and Nichols six yards on just two carries. Three players were 0-for-6 combined in the passing game. The Cardinals finished with 363 rushing yards and Ryan Julson had 195 of them.

Defensively, Ebert and Matt Dachel collected seven tackles; Ralph, Nichols, and Grant Paulus all had five while Grant Cook finished with four.

Things won’t get any easier for Colfax when they travel to Boyceville Friday night to face the 2-0 Bulldogs. Boyceville is highly favored by most coaches to win the Dunn-St. Croix Conference this season.