PHILLIPS 56, RIB LAKE 38 - Loggers execute just a bit better in 8-man offensive shootout

PHILLIPS 56, RIB LAKE 38

The Rib Lake Redmen continued to get things done offensively Friday, but they ran into a team that executed just a little bit better in a 56-38 loss at Phillips in Northwoods East Conference football.

For the most part, the Redmen matched the Loggers’ physicality from an offensive perspective in a game where the teams combined for 918 total yards. The Loggers had a slight 322-290 edge in rushing yards and an even slighter 160-146 edge in passing yards The game took a couple of key swings that allowed Phillips to open up a lead and the Loggers’ ability to convert all seven of their two-point conversions was big as Rib Lake only made one of its six two-point tries.

“We moved the ball pretty well,” Rib Lake head coach Jonah Campbell said. “The misdirections, the straight-at-them runs set up other plays. We felt comfortable offensively. We had some key mistakes. Phillips went two a four-front and they had two really quick, really strong nose tackles. They were a little bit smaller, but they were able to beat us for a couple of sacks. There were just some things that were unfortunate. One of six on two-point conversions is definitely not going to help in a tough, close game like that.” After solid outings in his first two starts, junior quarterback Talon Scheithauer took it up another notch Friday, running for 171 yards on 35 carries and three touchdowns. Without sacks, he would’ve been around 200 yards. He also completed 12 of 15 passes for 113 yards.

“He got put into some tough spots where a guy came through pretty much on the snap and he had no chance,” Campbell said. “But he carried the ball a bunch of times and he did very well. He played physical. He and Tucker Phillips were able to break a bunch of tackles. Logan Schmittfranz had a few big runs in there too. I’m very happy with the way our runners are running physical. The line is playing physical. That’s a key for success in any type of football game.”

The Loggers, though, have been successful at the eight-man game for awhile and their offensive style, which features a mix of straight-ahead running and pulling and misdirection to attack the edges was too much, piling up 482 yards.

“It’s a really good football team,” Campbell said. “When they are executing well and they’re getting their pulls, they’re going to move the ball and they did. I give a lot of credit to them for that system and being able to run it. We did well at times stopping them and felt like we knew what was coming but then every once in a while a wrinkle catches you.”

Ethan Cook and Schmittfranz, who led Rib Lake with 12 and 15 total tackles respectively, each came up with tackles in the backfield to quickly stop Phillips’ first drive and Rib lake turned that into a short 46-yard touchdown drive. Scheithauer ran for 34 yards on the first play and he eventually hit Phillips for a 13-yard touchdown for a 6-0 lead just 2:54 into the game.

Phillips came right back with a 70-yard scoring drive and the tone was set for an offensive shootout. Ayron DeLeasky had a 51yard touchdown run nullified by a late block in the back, but the drive still ended with a 18yard touchdown pass form Shay Denzine to Collin Kleinschmidt. DeLeasky’s 50-yard run on the first play of the Loggers’ next drive made it 16-6, but Rib Lake countered with a 63-yard touchdown drive capped by a 27yard scoring run by Phillips.

Schmittfranz made a big defensive play, chasing down DeLeasky on a 16-yard run and punching the ball out. Rib Lake recovered on its 49-yard line and turned that possession into a 16-yard touchdown run by Scheithauer that gave the Redmen an 18-16 lead on the first play of the second quarter.

The Loggers answered with their longest drive of the night, a 13-play, 70-yard march that ended with an 7-yard touchdown run by Binton Lowary that made it 24-18. The teams traded turnovers on the next three possessions. Ben Virnig’s interception set up the Loggers for a short 40-yard drive that ended with DeLeasky’s 5-yard touchdown run with 2:30 left.

The Redmen started their next possession at their 45 and got the ball to the five on a 15-yard Scheithauer run, but he was tackled just before he could get out of bounds. Rib Lake had no timeouts left and snapped the ball with five seconds to go. Scheithauer ran right and picked up a couple of yards, but time expired as he was pushed out of bounds, keeping Rib Lake two scores behind at 32-18.

Rib Lake got the ball to start the second half. Slade Scheithauer had to come in for a couple of plays, but he hit Blake Henderson for a 33-yard gain on one of them to set up Talon Scheithauer’s 5-yard touchdown run that got the Redmen within 32-24. Cook recovered the onside kick and Rib Lake seemed to be in business, but two sacks and Lane Abraham’s interception killed that threat.

The Loggers turne that possession into a 25-yard touchdown run for DeLeasky. Two sacks ended Rib Lake’s next drive and the Loggers connected on a big punch when Denzine hit Abraham for a 60-yard touchdown pass to extend their lead to 48-24 with 10:21 to play.

Rib Lake came back with a nine-play, 59-yard touchdown drive. Talon Scheithauer scored from 17 yards out and the Redmen finally got a two-point conversion on a pass to Lucas Cook to regain some hope at 48-32 with 6:28 left. But Kleinschmidt perfectly fielded a high bounce on the ensuing onside kick and took it 50 yards to the house to push the lead back to 24.

Rib Lake got one last consolation touchdown on an 8-yard pass from Talon Scheithauer to Schmittfranz with 41 seconds left.

Tucker Phillips had 83 yards on 13 carries for Rib Lake plus he caught four passes on crossing patterns for 46 yards. Schmittfranz had four receptions for 44 yards.

DeLeasky ran for 171 yards on just 13 carries to lead the Loggers. Denzine was three of seven in passing for 129 yards.

The Loggers improved to 2-0 in the conference standings and 2-1 overall. Rib Lake fell to 1-2 overall and 1-1 in league play heading into its crossover game for the season, a trip to Northwoods West squad Winter-Birchwood this Friday.

“That game was 160-some plays, so it’s a long game and you have to be conditioned for it or be able to sub and rotate guys and keep them fresh,” Campbell said. “That was one of the things we weren’t necessarily able to do but I’m proud of the fight that our guys put up. They played until the final whistle. They played fairly well, we still made some key mistakes that led to big plays. Those plays affected the outcome of the game.”