Titans compete in loss to Loboes

By necessity, the Griggs/Midkota Titans have had to earn an education on the football field the hard way.

Now down two quarterbacks after an injury to starter James Woodstead, the Titans turned to their third signal-caller in freshman Trace Spickler.

Spickler did very well in his starting debut, going 12-for-18 for 100 yards, but G-M dropped their fourth straight game to start the season, 37-6, against the LaMoure/Litchville-Marion Loboes.

The game at Townsend Field in LaMoure was an encouraging showing, according to Titan Coach Ryan Dockter.

"The score doesn't show it, but we played pretty well," Dockter said. "We moved the ball well, picking up 176 yards on the ground and 100 in the air, but threw three interceptions, one for a pick-six, that were hard to overcome."

L-L-M got out to a 16-0 lead in the second quarter on two touchdown passes plus two-point plays, those coming from the aptly-named Gunner Thielges to Henry Lettenmaier (three yards) and Brayan Karlgaard (10 yards).

Griggs/Midkota answered in the second quarter for their only score, a nine-yard touchdown run by running back Kindle Carlson. The run play for two points came up short.

In the third quarter, Thielges plunged in from one yard away, and completed the conversion pass to Lettenmaier for a 24-6 lead. The aforementioned interception return for a score followed, with the Loboes' Blase Isaacson returning the ball 25 yards the other way.

The Loboes' final score came in the fourth, on a four-yard run by Avery Kramer. Juan Cruz kicked the extra point for the final winning margin to move L-L-M to 3-1 both overall and in Region 1.

Statistically, Carlson led the Titans with 113 yards on 20 carries. Cortez "CJ" Rainey ran 13 times for 53 yards, and Spickler had 10 yards on four carries.

"We fixed some things up front allowing us to run the ball well," said Dockter. "It was just the turnovers and some small things in the end that shot us in the foot, making it hard to get back into the game."

Spickler's leading receivers were Latrell Rainey (three catches, 37 yards) and Lakin Ronningen (four catches, 32 yards).

Defensive leaders for G-M were Isaac Stadler with five solo tackles, and Ronningen had six total stops (three solo, three assists), along with an interception. Wyatt Hoyt and Aedian Olafson shared a sack, and Brady Dewald had an interception as well.

Max Ludwig and Levi Kautzman each had two tackles for loss against L-L-M.

This last Friday, the Titans (0-4) made the short trip to Hope to take on Maple River, and they return home this Friday night against the Richland Colts. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. in Cooperstown.

9-Man - Region 1 Football

LaMoure/L-M 37,

Griggs/Midkota 6

G-M 0 6 0 0 - 6

L-L-M 8 8 14 7 - 37

First Quarter

L-L-M: Henry Lettenmaier 3 yard pass from Gunner Thielges (Blase Isaacson pass from Thielges)

Second Quarter

L-L-M: Brayan Karlgaard 10 yard pass from Thielges (Karlgaard pass from Thielges)

G-M: Kindle Carlson 9 yard run (run failed)

Third Quarter

L-L-M: Thielges 1 yard run (Lettenmaier pass from Thielges)

L-L-M: Isaacson 25 yard interception return (pass failed)

Fourth Quarter

L-L-M: Avery Kramer 4 yard run (Juan Cruz kick)

Griggs/Midkota Statistics

Offense

Passing: Trace Spickler 12-18-100 yards-INT

Rushing: Carlson 20-113-TD; CJ Rainey 13-53; Spickler 4-10

Receiving: Latrell Rainey 3-37; Lakin Ronningen 4-32; Kyle Johnson 3-19; Jarin Monson 1-12; Wyatt Hoyt 1-0

Defense

Tackles (unassisted/assisted): Isaac Stadler (5-1); Ronningen (3-3); Carlson (3-2); Coltyn Hilbert (2-0); Max Ludwig (1-4); Hoyt (1-2); Tatum Loge (1-0); Rori Kautzman (1-0); Colten Walker (1-0); L. Rainey (0-5); Levi Kautzman (0-4); Brady Dewald (0-2); Johnson (0-2)

Tackles for Loss: L. Kautzman and Ludwig 2, Carlson, Dewald, Hoyt

Sacks: Hoyt and Aedian Olafson 0.5

Interceptions: Dewald, Ronningen