CLEARWATER — Battered and bruised.
Elgin Public-Pope John continues to battle through injuries as on Friday night starting tailback Kenny Bush went down and did not return as the Cyclones went on to defeat the Wolfpack 62 to 0.
Bush was injured making a tackle in the second quarter. The loss of Bush just made matters worse for a Wolfpack offense which struggled to gain any yards against the Cyclones defense.
The Cyclones scored 14 points in the first quarter and then broke the game open with 28 more in the second quarter.
Doing most of the damage for the Cyclones was quarterback Blake Hoke who tossed four touchdown passes in the game.
Chris Kester, Creston Bertschinger, Seth Lampert and Eli Macke all scored on touchdown runs.
Highlights for the Wolfpack included an interception by Cameron Nielsen which thwarted one Cyclone drive in the first half.
Junior Liam Heithoff, playing on a bad knee, led the Wolfpack with 16 tackles. Senior Miles Schrage had 15 tackles and a quarterback sack in the game.
On offense, Kyle Schumacher led the Wolfpack with 26 yards rushing on 10 carries and also had three kickoff returns for 46 yards.
This marks the Cyclones’ second victory in a row over the Wolfpack.
The last time the two teams met was in the Class D-1 State Football Playoffs which the Cyclones won.
Friday night’s loss dropped the Wolfpack’s record to 0-4. Their next game will be Friday night on the road against Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family. Kickoff will be at 7 p.m. at Humphrey.
Cyclones 62, Wolfpack 0
Wolfpack……..0 0 0 0 — 0
Cyclones……14 28 6 14 — 62
O/C — Jacob Long 3 run (PAT failed)
O/C — Chris Kester 13 run (Jacob Long run)
O/C — Blake Hoke 14 pass to Kester (PAT failed)
O/C — Hoke 30 pass to Long (Kester run)
O/C — Hoke 10 pass to Creston Bertschinger (PAT failed)
O/C — Bertschinger 8 run (Kester run)
O/C — Hoke 44 pass to Travis Kerkman (PAT failed)
O/C — Seth Lampert 2 run (Clay Thiele run)
O/C — Eli Macke 5 run (PAT failed)
Team stats EPPJ C/O
Total plays 33 51
First downs 1 18
Penalties/Yds 1/5 3/25
Rushing 21/-12 50/178
Passing 3/11/2 8/12/1
Passing Yds 3 128
Total off. -9 306
Fumbles lost 3 0
Interceptions by 1 2
Individual statistics
Passing — Conor Ramold 3/11/2 — 3. Cyclones — Blake Hoke 8/12/1 — 128
Rushing — Conor Ramold 3/-15, Joseph Bailey 2/1, Kyle Schumacher 10/26, Kenny Bush 5/-19, Carter Schindler 1/-5. Cyclones — Kirby Willats 5/37
Receiving — Kyle Schumacher 2/1, Kenny Bush 1/2. Cyclones — Creston Bertschinger 3/31, Travis Kerkman 2/51, Jacob Long 2/32
Tackles (solo/assists) — Cameron Nielsen 6/5, Conor Ramold 3/0, Joseph Bailey 1/0, Miles Schrage 9/6, Kyle Schumacher 7/3, Adam Dreger 0/1, Noah Knievel 6/1, Cory Romej 1/0, Kenny Bush 1/4, Liam Heithoff 11/5, Hayes Miller 1/2, Lane Bartak 1/1, Carter Schindler 0/2, Nick Iburg 1/2. Cyclones — Travis Kerkman 3/6, Jacob Long 1/7, Dominic Bolling 0/8
Quarterback sacks — Miles Schrage 1. Cyclones — Travis Kerkman .5, Clay Thiele .5
Interceptions — Cameron Nielsen 1. Cyclones — Blake Hoke 1, Creston Bertschinger 1
Fumble recoveries — Wolfpack 0. Cyclones — Travis Kerkman 1, Creston Bertschinger 1, Dominic Bolling 1
Kickoff returns — Kyle Schumacher 3/46, Conor Ramold 1/12, Cameron Nielsen 1/0, Joseph Bailey 2/18, Cory Rojen 1/6, Kenny Bush 1/8.
