Local Sports

Tigers, United rematch in section championship

MARSHALL - Two teams who are very familiar with each other will rematch in the Section 3A Football Championship game this Friday as top-seeded Springfield (9-0) will take on second-seeded Sleepy Eye United (6-3) with a trip to the Class A State Football Tournament on the line.

The game will be held at 4:30 p.m. at Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall.

Springfield is coming off of yet another successful season, staying undefeated to this point with an average of 52 points scored and just 8.8 points allowed per game. The Tigers will be playing in their fifth consecutive section championship game, with three state tournament appearances in that time frame.

“We return a lot of experience from last years team and I feel that are roster is very balanced throughout, which has given us the ability to adjust week to week depending on the opponent,” Springfield head coach Adam Meyer said. “Our players have done a really nice job preparing each week and I feel like we've played very consistent football this season in all phases.”

The Tigers are looking to return to the state tournament this year after losing in the section championship game this year.

“This time of year we're always excited to be playing regardless of the outcome a year ago,” Meyer said. “The kids have worked really hard to get back to this point and we're excited for the opportunity to play this deep into the postseason.”

Springfield took the regular-season matchup between the two teams in a 34-20 Week 6 matchup, but that margin of victory was Springfield’s second-closest game of the season, with 20 points being the most the Tigers has given up all season. SEU has played Springfield tough over the past several seasons, even as the Tigers were making runs the state championship games. Last season, SEU fought Springfield to a tie in regulation before falling in overtime 28-22.

“It’s that rivalry game, given the close proximity of Sleepy Eye and Springfield,” SEU head coach Joe Hoffmann said. “I think there’s a natural rivalry. When you get those games, it’s one of those things where if you get a turnover here or the ball bounces a different way, it can even things out between the two teams. It’s fun to have that, it’s fun to have games that you can circle on your calendar. They’re always competitive, they’re always tough, and the kids get excited for them.”

Meyer said that SEU has rostered plenty of talent over the past few seasons, and this year is no different.

“Sleepy Eye has a very talented roster each year and this year they have a lot of players with valuable experience as multi-year starters,” he said. “They have always had really fast and strong athletes in the skill positions and are physical up front at the point of attack.”

Hoffmann says his team learned a lot from the regular-season loss.

“They are a good team, they are as advertised,” he said. “But we also learned that we can compete with them. We know that we can score, and when we do our job defensively there are times where we can get stops. And that’s what it’s going to take, we got to play our best and do our jobs and execute our plays. Taking away their big plays and controlling the clock with our offense moving the ball and moving the chains.”

Springfield has been quarterbacked by senior Parker Kuehn this season, who is breaking records in his third season as a starter. Kuhn is the Tigers’ all-time leader in passing yardage and touchdowns at a school that has traditionally been pass heavy. This season, Kuehn has 2304 yards and 35 touchdowns passing with a 68.2% completion percentage and just two interceptions. His favorite target has been Madden Lendt, who has 34 receptions for 820 yards and 15 touchdowns, while Braxton Brown (25 receptions, 623 yards, 8 TDs_ and Ely Streich (23 receptions, 520 yards, 7 TDs) have been excellent receivers as well. Springfield presents a strong rushing attack as well, with Carter Jackson (525 yards, 10 TDs), Colten Sell (400 yards, 4 CDs) and Conner Schmitt (445 yards, 6 TDs) earning the majority of the production at running back.

Defensively for the Tigers, Aiden Moriarty has been his usual disruptive self in the trenches and at linebacker, leading the team with 63 total tackles and adding eight tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. Tyson Hockey leads the team in sacks with three and has eight TFLs and 35 total tackles, and the secondary has produced its fair share of turnovers, with Brown leading the team with five interceptions and Tayte Hall earning four INTs.

“They’ve got a really good program in Springfield,” Hoffmann said. “Year-in and year-out, they keep getting kids and developing kids that fit what they do. They run the ball, but ultimately they look for big shots and big plays. They can hurt you if you fall asleep. They maintain that and they keep reloading with their teams. They’ve been a strong team in Class A for the past several years.”

But SEU has put up an impressive season in its own right, averaging 37.4 points per game and allowing 26.7.

“Ultimately it’s our persistency as a team,” Hoffmann said. “We keep playing hard. We’re very resilient and gritty, and we always keep battling. We never quit. That’s what’s been carrying us throughout the season, it started Week 1 and it’s kind of been that way throughout the season.”

This is the second time that SEU has been to the section championship game in its fourth year as a united team, and this year’s group is exited for the chance to take it one step farther.

“It’s an exciting opportunity for us,” Hoffmann said. “Being that the United co-op is relatively new yet, this is a great opportunity to try to be the first United team to make the state tournament. It’s a good opportunity for our kids and our program.”

Keeyan Netzke has been the engine of the SEU offense this year, recording 1,096 yards and 15 touchdowns on 170 carries. Merrick Mathiowetz adds explosiveness out of the backfield and at receiver, taking 48 carries for 475 yards (9.9 ypc) and seven touchdowns and adding nine receptions for 117 yards and another touchdown. Gavin Fischer has also contributed 308 yards and four touchdowns rushing.

But United also has a strong counterpunch to any team keying in on the run game with wide receiver Carson Uecker, who has 24 receptions for 615 yards and eight touchdowns on the season. Landry Folkens has been the main passer for SEU this season, recording 827 yards and 10 touchdowns with seven interceptions.

“Their rushing attack puts a lot of stress on opposing defenses, being able to attack multiple areas on the field with different players,” Meyer said. “They also are able to throw the ball well enough off play action, primarily to Carson Uecker, that you can't commit fully to the run. Defensively, their defensive line and linebackers pursue the football really well and have really strong cover guys on the back end of their defense.”

On that defense, linebacker Nick Tauer has been a force in the middle of the defense with 103 total tackles, a sack and an interception. Keeyan Netzke has been a disruptor off the edge with 47 tackles and a sack, with three players - Jonny Flores, Uecker and Karter Haala - have produced two interceptions.

With two teams that have had several close battles over the past few years, the outcome of the game may come down to one or two plays.

“Explosive plays I feel will play a key role in this game,” Meyer said. “Both teams are very capable of changing the game on any given play, whether it's on offense, defense, or special teams. The other key will be at the line of scrimmage. Whoever is able to assert themselves up front will have a big advantage throughout the game.”

Hoffmann said his team was going to have to produce at a consistent level to come away with the win.

“For us, it’s going to take us protecting the ball on offense and don’t get behind the chains,” he said. “We want to get to third and manageable. Given our style of offense we want to control the ball, control the clock, march down the field and put some points on the board. That’s going to be big for us and limiting the big plays defensively. And tackling better than we did the first time around.”