Wolverines suffer heartbreaking two-overtime loss to Alta-Aurelia
It all came down to points after touchdown in South O’Brien’s game with Alta-Aurelia. In the second overtime period the Wolverines scored a touchdown but were stopped short on a two-point run. The Warriors then rushed for a touchdown and kicked the extra point to score a 34-33 win over South O’Brien September 27 at Alta. The loss dropped the Wolverines to 0-3 in Class A District 1 and to 0-5 on the season.
“I was pleased with our fourth quarter and overtime efforts,” remarked South O’Brien head coach Mark Fuhrman. “We were down two touchdowns with eight minutes to go in the fourth quarter. We got three defensive stops and two scores, the last being on a fourth down play. We still need to get better at running the ball consistently. We sometimes fail to maintain our blocks long enough. Defensively, we are getting better but don’t always pay attention to our keys and down and distance situations.”
The teams were tied 7-7 at halftime. Alta-Aurelia had the only score of the third quarter and then took its two-touchdown lead in the fourth.
South O’Brien rallied to send the game into overtime courtesy of a pair of touchdown passes from Jaden Kreber. Both scoring aerials went to Derek Paulsen. The first covered 63 yards and the second six yards. Paulsen kicked the PAT after each of those scores. It was also a hookup between Kreber and Paulsen that allowed the Wolverines to tie the game at 7-7 in the second quarter.
Alta-Aurelia had the ball first in the first overtime and took a six-point lead on a touchdown pass. Each team saw its PAT kick attempt blocked in the first overtime.
For the game, Kreber completed 14 of 21 pass attempts for 222 yards and five touchdowns. Paulsen finished with 192 yards receiving and the five touchdown receptions. Brody Van Beek caught two passes for 30 yards. Kreber rushed 20 times for 55 yards and Jordan Jenness had nine carries for 31 yards.
Jenness and Teagen Bahrenfuss each recorded 13 total tackles. Three of Jenness’ tackles were solo efforts behind the line of scrimmage. Brett Evans contributed nine tackles and Paulsen six. Carter Halverson intercepted a pass and Bahrenfuss and Caden Wittrock each recovered a fumble.
The Wolverines are on the road again Friday as they are the Homcoming opponent for Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn. “We have another opportunity to get one next Friday at HMS,” said Fuhrman. “They are going to throw it a lot more and we have to contain their qb.”
S. O’Brien
0 7 0 14 6 6 – 33
A-A
7 0 7 7 6 7 – 34