Playing Spoiler: Cards win first game over Grafton

Not so long ago, when the old Stadium '76 bleacher section still stood, the Grafton Spoilers got two late scores in rapid succession to prevent a Carrington win.

This year, with both programs now mired at the bottom of the Region 2 table, it was the Cardinals' turn to return the favor.

After watching the Spoilers come back from a 14-point deficit to tie the score in the final minutes, CHS broke the deadlock, then got an emphatic interception return for a score to seal their first win of the 2022 season, 34-20, in Grafton Friday afternoon, September 16.

Coach Kyle Smith, while conceding it wasn't their best effort at times, was relieved for his Cards to finally get out into the 'W' column.

"The first five minutes and the last five minutes of that game were as poised as we've played all year," said Smith. "Now, we just need to keep that mentality and toughness going forward."

Knotted at 20 all, the Cards put together several big runs by Logan Weninger, Hudson Topp and Kael Kovar to make their way inside the Grafton one-yard line, and quarterback Josh Bickett followed the pile of CHS blockers for the go-ahead touchdown, 27-20.

On the ensuing possession, linebacker Hudson Topp stepped in front of a Tony Villarreal pass, and put the cherry on top of the victory sundae with a 31-yard pick-six with a minute left.

Battling a steady drizzle, temperatures in the high 50's and a spongy Spoiler field, the Cards stayed away from getting too adventurous in the passing game, and went to their outside rushing attack.

Topp got the Cards on the board in the first quarter with a two-yard run, and Weninger finished a drive with a four-yard score to make it 14-0 midway through the second.

Grafton's spread offense struck for their first points later in the first half to get within 14-6, when Braylon Baldwin found himself all alone in the end zone following a missed coverage and corralled a 26-yard rainbow from Villarreal.

Weninger would score his second touchdown in the third quarter following a Jake Otto punt block deep in Spoiler territory, putting the score at 20-6.

But Grafton, who also sat at 0-4 coming in, wasn't about to concede defeat. Chance Burns finished a Grafton drive with a four-yard sprint to the pylon off the right side, and Villarreal's two-point run put the Cardinal lead at just six, 20-14.

A game-saving play for the Spoilers came at their own 45-yard line on a fourth-and-inches. Villarreal surged ahead as if he was going to sneak, and when that momentum was stopped, bounced back and turned on the afterburners to the left sideline for a clutch 55-yard touchdown run with around five minutes to go in the game.

The Cards stopped the two-point conversion to preserve the tie.

Even with their lackluster record, Smith said that the Spoilers were not an opponent to take lightly.

"Grafton has some really talented kids with good quickness," he said. "It shows the depth of the teams in our region when they're sitting at 0-5."

Carrington's three-headed monster at the running back spot keyed the team's 317-yard performance on the ground. Weninger finished with 113 yards on 13 carries, followed by Topp (14-84) and Kovar (9-80).

Even Bickett had a solid showing on the ground, running 35 yards on nine carries.

Kovar and Corbin Clifton both had seven solo tackles, and Topp combined for nine solos and assists and Otto six.

"We're getting better each week," Smith noted, "but we continue to have issues with untimely penalties, turnovers, and giving up explosive plays."

This past Friday, the Cards hosted the Park River Area Aggies for Homecoming Week at CHS, and will return home to Stadium '22 this Friday to host traditional rival HWC at 7 p.m.

The Hornets bring a team that has a very explosive offense at times, led by quarterback Tallen Thorson, a slippery back in the backfield in Kayl Sieg, both sophomores, and receivers Gabe Allmaras and Keaton Keller.

HWC (2-3 in both Region 2 and overall) is currently on the outside looking in for the region playoff hunt in the fifth spot, but anything can happen in the final three weeks.

"Right now, we're still very much alive in the playoff race, but we don't have any more room for error. This [win against Grafton] was a good start," said Smith.

Class 11B Region 2 Football

Carrington 34, Grafton 20

Cgtn. 7 7 6 14 - 34

Grafton 0 6 8 6 - 20

First Quarter

Carrington: Hudson Topp 2 yard run (Jack Paulson kick)

Second Quarter

Carrington: Logan Weninger 4 yard run (Paulson kick)

Grafton: Braylon Baldwin 26 yard pass from Tony Villarreal (pass failed)

Third Quarter

Carrington: Weninger 8 yard run (kick blocked)

Grafton: Chance Burns 4 yard run (Villarreal run)

Fourth Quarter

Grafton: Villarreal 54 yard run (pass failed)

Carrington: Josh Bickett 1 yard run (Paulson kick)

Carrington: Topp 31 yard interception return (Paulson kick)

Carrington Statistics

Offense

Passing: J. Bickett 1-4-(-2 yards)-INT; Grady Shipman 0-1-0

Rushing: Weninger 13-113-2 TD; Topp 14-84-TD; Kael Kovar 9-80; J. Bickett 9-35-TD; Ryder Bickett 1-5

Receiving: Topp 1-(-2)

Defense

Tackles (unassisted/assisted): Kovar (7-0); Corbin Clifton (7-3); Shipman (4-1); Topp (4-5); R. Bickett (3-2); Jake Otto (3-3); Brock Jungels (3-0); Ty Johnston (2-0); J. Bickett (1-0); Braden Kruse (1-0); Wyatt Neuman (1-2); Maverick Zink (1-0); McCoy Beckley (1-2); Luke Christianson (1-0); Weninger (0-2); McKade Zink (0-1); Carson Ova (0-2)

Interception: Topp

Tackles for Loss: R. Bickett, Mav. Zink

Blocked Punt: Otto