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The Superior Spartans Football Team visited Menomonie last Friday, September 1, to face the Mustang’s in the third game of the season for both teams.  This was the first game, for both teams, in the always tough Big Rivers Conference.  It was 85 degrees for the 7pm opening kickoff and sweltering heat would be an understatement.  As it turned out, the Mustang’s were as hot as the weather.

Superior received the opening kickoff but failed to muster any offense against the tough Menomonie defense.  After some good defense by both teams, Menomonie took over and with 4:14 to go in the first quarter, junior running back, John Higbie, scored from 5 yards.  The extra point was good by senior, Ryan Dingwall.  Mustangs 7, Spartans 0.

In the second quarter, Menomonie scored twice on a 60-yard pass completion from junior quarterback Ryan Johnson to senior Steele Schaefer.  The extra point attempt failed.  After an exchange of possession, Schaefer scored on a 13-yard run, with the successful 2-point conversion pass to Luke Bystol, which gave Menomonie a 21-0 lead at the half.

After the half-time intermission, Menomonie took the opening kickoff of the second half and put together a sustained drive culminating on a 3-yard touchdown run with 7:33 to go in the third, conversion kick was good.  After a fumble recovery, the Mustang’s offense scored on a 29-yard run by Higbie which made the score 35-0 after the one-point kick.  With 26 seconds showing on the game clock, Superior got on the scoreboard with a 3-yard run by quarterback, Tanner Leno with Leno tacking on the extra point making the score 35-7 after three.

With both teams substituting freely in the fourth quarter, due to the extreme heat and the score, the only scoring was at 5:34 to go on an eight-yard run by Menomonie senior running back James Hoff.  The extra point was successful making the score 42-7.  That would be the final score, but the Spartans had one last shot at scoring, but a short touchdown pass attempt in Menomonie’s end zone fell incomplete on the last play of the game. 

For the game, the Spartans ran totaled 48 plays with 94 passing yards and 166 on the ground while accumulating 13 first downs with a third down efficiency of 50% converting on 4 of 8 opportunities.  Superior lost 2 fumbles.  Leno led the team with 52 yards rushing with Taynum Clark 42, Lucas Williams 37 and Sam Hoff 30. Hoff also had 45 receiving yards with Liam Flores at 29, Jacob Lyons 16 and Lucas Williams 4 yards.  Defensively, Patrick Semborski and Aiden Doolittle were in on 8 tackles each to lead the way.

The effort is always there, and at times, the Spartans had some great plays on both sides of the ball.  With hard work by them, following their coaches lead and putting more of those plays together, success will be the result.  Hard work always leads to success.

Menomonie improves to 3-0 while Superior falls to 0-3 in the Big Rivers Conference.  Both teams are in action on Friday, September 8 with Menomonie playing at Chippewa Falls and Superior will be hosting Eau Claire North.  Both games are scheduled to start at 7PM.