Despite three separate 100-yard rushing performances, MFL MarMac was unable to keep pace with Cascade’s high-powered offense in a Class 1A - District 5 match-up in Monona on Oct. 10.
A pair of touchdowns at the end of the third quarter and beginning of the fourth brought the Bulldogs to within 7 points, at 27-20, after the Cougars jumped ahead 14-0 after the first quarter and led 27-7 at halftime. Cascade clawed out two touchdowns in response, however, to go up 40-20 with just under 10 minutes remaining.
Junior Bryce Jones scored his third touchdown of the night at the 6:22 mark, putting MFL MarMac down just 40-26, but the Cougars tacked on another TD two minutes later to seal a 46-26 win.
“The kids fought to the end. Nobody gave up out there, that’s for sure,” said MFL MarMac head coach Dan Anderson. “We had a nice little comeback in the third quarter, and got it back to 27-20, but they pulled away again.”
Behind a stout offensive line, the Bulldogs ran for a combined 366 yards, led by 150 yards on 13 carries for Kashton Decker, who also scored a touchdown. Jones amassed 122 yards and three touchdowns on 22 touches, while Auston Lind added 101 yards on 19 attempts.
“Multiple times we’ve had two 100-yard rushers, but I don’t know if we’ve ever had three go over 100 in one game. Obviously, our running game was clicking,” said Anderson. “We saw things in film and knew we could run the ball on these guys. Coach [Brandon] Burke had a great scheme for us offensively.”
Freshman quarterback Easton Lange completed three of eight passes for 44 yards and threw two interceptions. Anderson said those stats aren’t a full reflection of his improving play, after receivers couldn’t bring down several passes.
“Easton threw the ball really well. Of course, the kids are going to be covered, but we had steps on those guys. We just dropped too many balls that hit us in the hands. We can’t have that,” Anderson said.
MFL MarMac couldn’t match the output from the Cougars, the top passing team in Class 1A. Senior Mick Hoffman completed 22 of 34 attempts for an impressive 312 yards and five touchdowns. Cascade totaled another 160 yards on the ground.“We knew it was a tall task—a senior quarterback, senior receivers. They looked like it out there,” Anderson said.
Defensively, the Bulldogs couldn’t get out of their own way, added the coach.
“We were out of position a few times,” he stated. “And we blitzed a lot tonight, but we didn’t get any sacks. Our defensive line and our linebackers have to do a better job of getting pressure.”
Jones led the MFL MarMac defense with 9 total tackles, 6 of which were solo efforts. Braxton Halvorson netted 4.5 tackles and Kyler Nuehring 3.5, while Decker, Blake Schutte and Anthony Bunting all had 3. Bunting also recovered a fumble.
The loss dropped the Bulldogs to 1-6 overall and 1-3 in the district standings. They will conclude the regular season this week, at Northeast on Friday, Oct. 17. The Rebels are 2-5 overall but also 1-3 in the district.
The winner will play another week.
“We still have something to play for. We still could make the playoffs if we win that game,” Anderson stressed. “It’s a very winnable game.”
