Chargers fall on Homecoming to Luverne
Staff photo by Travis Rosenau Minnesota Valley Lutheran quarterback Eli Schauland is brought down by Luverne’s Benjamin Hartquist during Friday night’s Homecoming football game against Luverne at Johnson Field.
Staff photo by Travis Rosenau Minnesota Valley Lutheran’s Eric Sorenson returns the ball and avoids a tackle by Luverne’s Matthew Gangestad during Friday night’s Homecoming football game against Luverne at Johnson Field.
Staff photo by Travis Rosenau Minnesota Valley Lutheran’s Andrew Enter, back, and Wyatt Feucht (11) bring Luverne’s Jaymyn McLaughlin down on a kickoff return during the second half of Friday night’s Homecoming football game at Johnson Field.
Staff photo by Travis Rosenau embers of Minnesota Valley Lutheran’s pep band play during halftime of MVL’s Homecoming football game against Luverne on Friday night at Johnson Field.
Staff photo by Travis Rosenau Members of the MVL Homecoming court throw out candy while being driven around the field during halftime of MVL’s Homecoming football game.
Staff photo by Travis Rosenau Minnesota Valley Lutheran quarterback Eli Schauland is brought down by Luverne’s Benjamin Hartquist during Friday night’s Homecoming football game against Luverne at Johnson Field.
Staff photo by Travis Rosenau Minnesota Valley Lutheran’s Eric Sorenson returns the ball and avoids a tackle by Luverne’s Matthew Gangestad during Friday night’s Homecoming football game against Luverne at Johnson Field.
Staff photo by Travis Rosenau Minnesota Valley Lutheran’s Andrew Enter, back, and Wyatt Feucht (11) bring Luverne’s Jaymyn McLaughlin down on a kickoff return during the second half of Friday night’s Homecoming football game at Johnson Field.
Staff photo by Travis Rosenau embers of Minnesota Valley Lutheran’s pep band play during halftime of MVL’s Homecoming football game against Luverne on Friday night at Johnson Field.
Staff photo by Travis Rosenau Members of the MVL Homecoming court throw out candy while being driven around the field during halftime of MVL’s Homecoming football game.
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NEW ULM -- Down 14-0 after the first quarter to Luverne, the Minnesota Valley Lutheran Chargers took the ball over at their own 28-yard line to start the second quarter of their Homecoming game.
From there the Chargers mounted an 18-play drive that ate up nine minutes and 45 seconds and took them to the Luverne 10-yard line.
But on fourth-and-goal, the Cardinals defense turned the Chargers away.
Luverne took advantage of that as it went 90 yards in just over a minute and scored on a 12-yard pass from quarterback Josh Hansen to Evan Ossefort with 12 seconds left in the first half for a 21-0 lead.
In the end, those series of plays may have changed the momentum of the game as Luverne came away with a 28-6 win over MVL at Johnson Field.
Chase Tweit scored the lone Chargers touchdown in the fourth quarter on a 4-yard run that capped off a 54-yard, seven-play drive that saw Tweit carry the ball on all seven plays.
Chargers head coach Jim Buboltz said that he felt that the game really came down to that stalled MVL drive late in the second quarter
"I told the guys that that was the game," Buboltz said. "If we score we are down 14-7 at halftime and we are doing everything that we had to do -- we just have to finish that drive."
Instead Luverne drove a spike to the Chargers upset chances when they went 90 yards for a score and a 21-0 lead at the half.
Despite the loss, Buboltz said that he is seeing progress in his team.
"And that is what the guys have to hang their hats on," he said. "We are struggling in some areas, but the big things is that we put ourselves in a lot of good opportunities -- we put ourselves in a lot better spot tonight than we have."
Buboltz said the final score didn't tell the whole story.
"The score is not indicative of where we are at -- we are getting better and it is starting to show," he said.
The Chargers (0-6) are at Lake Crystal Wellcome Memorial next Friday.
For more photos, see page 6B.