Superior Telegram
The Superior High School football team lived up its No. 8 ranking in Wisconsin with a 37-14 victory over the Chippewa Falls Cardinals Friday night at Dorais Field in Chippewa Falls.
The Spartans dominated from the start, scoring all five times they had the ball in the first half as they built a 30-7 intermission lead.
Wisprep.net Player of the Week Nick Mehlum threw touchdown passes to Jake Libal and Beau Girard while Mitch Anderson, Ross Kennelly and Girard ran in for scores as the Spartans improved to 3-1 overall and 2-0 in the Big Rivers Conference. The Cardinals fall to 1-3 and 0-2 on the season.
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Mehlum completed 12-of-18 passes for 170 yards and his two touchdowns give him 12 on the season.
Kennelly rushed for 102 yards on four carries and led the Spartans on defense with 18 tackles. Girard added 61 yards rushing and 46 yards receiving on four catches. Anderson also had 55 yards rushing and Libal caught four passes for 64 yards.
Superior took a 7-0 lead on the first drive of the game when Mehlum threw a 29-yard touchdown pass to Libal when the Spartans were faced with a fourth-and-20 just 2:33 into the game.
The Cardinals tied the game up when Aaron Knez scored from a yard out putting the finishing touches on a 19-play, 81-yard drive.
The Spartans quickly took the lead back on Anderson’s 9-yard touchdown run up the middle. Anderson’s second touchdown run of the season completed a 10-play, 68-yard drive. The Spartans failed on the extra point for a 13-7 lead.
On the first play after Chippewa Falls punted the ball into the end zone, Kennelly took the ball up the middle, broke a tackle near midfield on his way to an 80-yard touchdown. Schwarz’s kick gave the Spartans a 20-7 lead with 6:08 left in the half.
Schwarz then kicked a 22-yard field to make the score 23-7. The score was set up by Libal’s 37-yard punt return.
The score went to 30-7 when Girard hauled in an 10-yard touchdown pass from Mehlum with 46.9 seconds left in the second quarter. Girard also caught a 27-yard pass on the drive that went 56 yards in just 42 seconds.
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Chippewa Falls scored the only touchdown of the third quarter as Knez scored from 2 yards out and Strand booted the extra point. The score ended a 15-play, 82-yard drive that started after Strand intercepted a Mehlum pass.
The final score of the game came on Girard’s 43-yard touchdown run on the first play of the fourth quarter. Schwarz’s kick gave Superior a 37-14 lead.
Superior plays at Menomonie (2-2, 1-1) at 7 p.m. on Friday. The Mustangs lost to Hudson 35-21 Friday night.
SPARTAN SPIN: Superior has defeated Chippewa Falls three straight times. … The Spartans also got 14 tackles from Jesse Polson and nine from Connor Gray. … Chippewa Falls dominated in time of possession 32:34 to 15:26, but the Spartans had an advantage ein yards gained 386-291. … In other BRC action, Eau Claire Memorial defeated River Falls 28-20 and Rice Lake downed Eau Claire North 41-21.
Superior.................................... 7 23 0 7 - 37
Chippewa Falls...................... 7 0 7 0 - 14
First Quarter
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SHS-Jake Libal 29-yard pass from Nick Mehlum (McKenzie Schwarz kick), 9:27.
CF-Aaron Knez 1-yard run (John Strand kick), 1:30.
Second Quarter
SHS-Mitch Anderson 9-yard run (pass failed), 9:11.
SHS-Ross Kennelly 80-yard run (Schwarz kick), 6:08.
SHS-Schwarz 22-yard field goal, 2:57.
SHS-Beau Girard 10-yard pass from Mehlum (Schwarz kick), :46.9.
Third Quarter
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CF-Knez 2-yard run (Strand kick), :53.9.
Fourth Quarter
SHS-Girard 43-yard run (Schwarz kick), 11:50.
SHS CF
First downs.............................. 11 19
Total Net Yards...................... 386 291
Rushes-yards........................ 20-216 60-252
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Passing yards......................... 170 39
Comp.-Att.-Int.................... 12-19-1 3-13-0
Punt Returns........................... 1-36 1-0
Kickoff Returns....................... 3-27 4-40
Punts........................................ 2-81 5-196
Sacks.......................................... 1 2
Fumbles-Lost.......................... 0-0 0-0
Penalties-Yards...................... 4-20 2-10
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Time of Possession.............. 15:26 32:34
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INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING-Superior, Ross Kennelly 4-102; Beau Girard 2-61; Mitch Anderson 7-55; Jake Libal 1-5; Grant Hanson 2-1; Nick Mehlum 1-0; Jon Cronin 1-(-1); Tre Knight 1-(-7). Chippewa Falls, Clayton Biddle 12-102; Aaron Knez 15-70; Isaac Solberg 8-43; Kole Mewhorter 7-28; Justin Czech 6-9; Jordan Steinmetz 1-4; Max Gibson 1-1; Aaron Houle 1-(-5); Sam Mayberry 2-(-1); Kyle Webb 5-(-2).
PASSING-Superior, Mehlum 12-18-170. Gunner Johnson 0-1-0. Chippewa Falls, Czech 2-10-30; Chandler Blair 1-3-9.
RECEIVING-Superior, Girard 4-46; Libal 4-64; Kennelly 1-12; Anderson 1-19; Andrew Parkinson 1-17; McKenzie Schwarz 1-12. Chippewa Falls, Webb 2-30; Gibson 1-9.
Defense - Tackles
Superior
Ross Kennelly................................................................. 18
Jesse Polson.................................................................. 14
Connor Gray.................................................................. 9
Anthony Bronson........................................................... 8
Garrett Hobson............................................................. 7
Beau Reder..................................................................... 5
Deshon Pleau................................................................. 5
Kyler Krob...................................................................... 4
Joey Miller...................................................................... 4
Blake Sharpe.................................................................. 2
Beau Girard.................................................................... 2
Graskey Blake................................................................ 2
Max Plunkett.................................................................. 1
Jon Cronin...................................................................... 1
Jake Libal........................................................................ 1
Grant Hanson................................................................. 1
Daniel Burger................................................................. 1
Christian Pettit.............................................................. 1
Chippewa Falls
Thomas Williams........................................................... 5
Brady Seidlitz................................................................ 4
Shane Jaquish................................................................ 4
Sam Maybarry............................................................... 3
Kyle Zerbian................................................................... 3
Drew Lahr....................................................................... 2
Bailey Decker................................................................. 2
Kole Mewhorter............................................................. 2
Clayton Biddle............................................................... 2
Zach Meyers................................................................... 2
Simon Martineau........................................................... 2
Aaron Knez..................................................................... 1
John Strand.................................................................... 1
Isaac Solberg................................................................. 1
Kendall Keegan.............................................................. 1
