File photo by Travis Rosenau Knights quarterback Carson Domeier lines up under center during a home game with Nicollet on Sept. 10.

SLEEPY EYE — Unbeaten and ranked No. 4 in the state in 9-man football, the Sleepy Eye St. Mary’s football team is rolling past the midway point in the regular season.

The Knights are 5-0 so far this year, averaging 37.2 points per game while allowing 7.2 ppg.

And Kevin Currans couldn’t ask for a much better spot to be in during his first year as head coach of the high school team either.

“I could not have asked for a better situation as a head coach because — No. 1 — I knew all these players,” Currans said. “I was the junior high coach for 14 years in a row. So I’m walking into a situation where the players know me and I know them. And I really was blessed to get players who wanted to work hard.”

The Knights’ offense has had little issue putting points on the board this year, and it starts with the running game. Led by senior running back Trent Steffensmeier, who has rushed for 795 yards and eight touchdowns so far, the Knights have controlled the ground game and used it to open things up for senior quarterback Carson Domeier, who has thrown for 595 yards and 10 TDs.

Junior wideout Kaleb Wait has collected most of those Domeier passes, pulling in 20 receptions for 242 yards and five TDs. Junior tight end Owen Weiss has also been a key for the offense with three TD receptions.

The Knights’ defense has played a big role in the wins this season also, with 215-pound senior nose tackle Jacob Stevens leading the team in sacks with seven.

The Knights’ defense also hasn’t allowed more than 8 points in a game this season aside from Week 1, where they beat Heron Lake-Okabena/Fulda 36-14 in Heron Lake.

“It all starts up front,” Currans said. “And I’ve got a nose tackle, Jacob Stevens, I’ve got Carson Domeier and Owen Weiss at the ends. Those front three is where it all starts. So far we’ve been able to limit team’s rushing attacks without having to put a fourth guy on the line. That’s a huge advantage in 9-man. If you can stop the run and you don’t have to put a fourth guy on that line, some teams will even go to a fifth if they have to. The play of those front three guys really sets the tone for our whole defense.

“Jacob Stevens leads our district in sacks, so we’re able to pressure the quarterback without blitzing and that’s huge for any defense. Those three are setting the tone — and not that anyone else is doing bad, it just helps make everyone else’s job easier.”

In a 22-6 win last Friday over Granada-Huntley-East Chain/Truman, Steffensmeier rushed for 190 yards, while Domeier threw for 115 yards. That win also saw the Knights score their fewest points this season.

Despite ending with a win, Currans said that his team was frustrated and felt that more could have been done.

“At halftime we were frustrated and we were up 16-0,” Currans said. “After the game, we were just as frustrated because we feel like we could have scored more, too. So I guess it’s a good problem to have when you win and you’re frustrated that you should have won by more. So obviously there are some execution issues, we’re far from a finished product by any stretch of imagination. We’ve got a long ways to go to be our best, and that was a good reminder.”

Regardless of needing to improve on some things yet, the Knights are still undefeated and ranked this year. But Currans said his captains have done a good job of not letting records or rankings overly affect the team.

“Our captains … [Domeier, Stevens, Steffensmeier] — they get it,” Currans said. “Their leadership is the reason we’re 5-0 and they understand that that outside noise is absolutely a distraction, a poison — they know that. So their example I’m hoping keeps us on path to working hard for our next opponent.”

That next opponent for St. Mary’s will be Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart on Friday in Hector. Currans said that BLHS likes to run the ball, so his team’s linebackers need to be ready to help stop the run.

“We have to be able to stop the run,” Currans said. “Can we do it with only our three guys on the line and not have to put another one up there? It’s going to put a lot of pressure on our linebackers this week, and we’re looking forward to this challenge. But that’s what I’m expecting out of BLH, they’re going to try and run the football and our goal is to try and make them not have success.”