KoMets run over, around, and through Falcons’ defense

From start to finish, the Kasson-Mantorville football team dominated the Faribault Falcons as they ran the ball 39 times for 374 yards en route to a 55-6 win on Wednesday, Oct. 16
            However, it was K-M’s defense that got the momentum going as Easton Knoll tipped Faribault quarterback Nick Ehlers’ first pass and after Jacob Keller tipped it again, Knoll came down with the interception and returned it to the Falcons’ eight-yard line.
            Kasson-Mantorville Interim Head Coach Joel Swanson said Knoll did a good job of reacting to the pass.
            “The biggest thing was that Easton reacted the way he did because that wasn't his main responsibility,” he said.
            On the very next play, KoMets’ quarterback Peyton Wilke scored on a eight-yard rushing touchdown to give K-M a 7-0 lead just 19 seconds into the game.
            After a Faribault punt, he said K-M’s offensive line was able to take advantage of a weak Falcons’ rush defense.
“Faribault was determined not to let us complete a deep pass. This also means they have fewer people committed to the run first. I know they blitz a guy to start the game and the line was able to pick up the stunt,” he said.
            Cade Spreiter capped the drive off by scoring by scoring a touchdown on a 28-yard run to give the KoMets a 14-0 lead in the first quarter.
            “Cade is great at running through arm tackles and when he is in the open his speed is very deceptive,” Swanson said.
            The Falcons responded in the second quarter when Ehlers scored a touchdown on a two-yard run, but his two-point conversion pass fell incomplete so K-M led 14-6.
            But that score didn’t last long as less than one and a half minutes later Wilke scored on a 68-yard run and Aaron Winkle’s extra point attempt was good to increase their lead to 21-6.
            Wilke was just getting started as he scored again on the KoMets’ next drive. This time he ran it in from seven yards out to make the score 28-6.
            Then, after another Faribault punt, it was Knoll’s turn to score as he scored K-M’s fifth touchdown on a 44-yard run.
            Kasson-Mantorville’s 35-6 lead held until halftime.
            Swanson was pleased with how his defense held Faribault to just six points in the first half.
 “Overall, I thought we played pretty aggressive. They were able to mount a drive during the 3rd series of the game. They attacked some areas where we were trying to take away Faribault's strength. Then we made some adjustments to what they were doing,” he said.
            Even though K-M was leading 35-6, he said the KoMets approached the second half with the mentality that the score is still zero to zero.
            Faribault kicked off to start the second half and Knoll made the catch and took it 84 yards for his second straight touchdown. Winkle’s extra point was good and K-M led 42-6.
After that, the KoMets started to put their backups in the game.
Even though they were playing against Faribault’s starters, Swanson liked how the backups played in the second half.
 “The players seemed to have a good idea of what we were trying to accomplish,” he said.
Backup running back Brooks Buchanan scored on a five-yard touchdown run to increase K-M’s lead to 49-6.
Later, in the fourth quarter, Preston Hitterdal ran it in from one yard out to give Kasson-Mantorvile the 55-6 win.
             “It was a great team win. A lot of players played well,” Swanson said.
            With a record of 5-3 in their first year playing in Class AAAA, he’s proud of his players have taken on the challenge.
            “I think the players have adjusted well and accepted this season as a challenge. I believe we have learned a lot and improved throughout the season,” he said.
            The KoMets earned a first round bye and will host the winner of Red Wing/Byron at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 26.