HARTINGTON — Going into the season, Coach Randy Eisenhauer said the one advantage he thought the Wolfpack would have over opponents would be team speed.
That was true Friday night as the Wolfpack ran away from Hartington/Newcastle to post a 56 to 19 victory.
The victory boosted the Wolfpack’s record to 2-1.
The Wildcats, fearing EPPJ’s rugged running attack, put eight players “in the box” to start the game. Wolfpack quarterback Seth Schumacher executed the right play as he found fullback Kyle Kallhoff behind the defense for a 43-yard completion down to the one-yard line. Kallhoff then got the call on the next way and scored standing up.
It marked the first of a number of scoring plays for the Wolfpack on an unseasonably cool September night.
On their second possession, Andrew Fangman ran untouched 38 yards for a touchdown, making the score 14 to 0 with 8:22 left in the opening quarter.
Scott Moser’s tackle of Andy Schmidt deep in Wolfpack territory led to the Wildcats turning the ball over on downs. The Wolfpack then went 69 yards in seven plays, Fangman scoring his second touchdown on a 30-yard run just before the end of the quarter, making the score 20 to 0.
On the Wolfpack’s next possession, junior Chad Bode made his presence felt. After bolting for 24 yards, Bode got the ball again on the next play and went 36 yards for the Wolfpack’s fourth touchdown of the first half.
The defense did an excellent job shutting down the Wildcats’ offense. Special teams was another story as on the ensuing kickoff, Devren Sudbeck returned Kalin Henn’s kick 74 yards to remove the goose egg off the scoreboard, making the score 26 to 7.
Answering right back, the Wolfpack put together a 53-yard drive culminating in a Bode eight-yard touchdown run.
The Wolfpack added two more touchdowns before halftime. Fangman scored on a 37-yard run. Then, with less than a minute left on the clock before halftime, Schumacher connected with Dylan Behnk for a 32-yard touchdown pass. The two-point conversion was good, making the score 48 to 7 at halftime.
With the 35-point rule in effect, the final two quarters went fast.
On the first play of the second half, Fangman went 60 yards for a touchdown, making the score 56 to 7.
The Wildcats, playing against the Wolfpack, added two later scores with their first string offense on the field. Andy Schmidt scored on a 14-yard run. The Wildcats then recovered a Wolfpack fumble and went 34 yards in four plays as Ethan Morten scored on a six-yard run.
“Our defense played really well,” Coach Randy Eisenhauer said about the game. He said the coaches challenged the players to “fly around” to the ball like they did in their season-opening victory against Humphrey/LHF and they did just that.
Fangman had a big night running the ball, gaining 264 yards in 18 carries, scoring five touchdowns. As a team, the Wolfpack rushed for 406 yards on 40 carries.
“Alois (Warner), Scott (Moser), Miles (Schrage) along with Dylan (Behnk) and Austin (Meis) on the outside really opened holes tonight,” Coach Eisenhauer said. “They blocked all the way to the whistle … We did a good job tonight, we have to keep improving.”
He said during the two weeks since the last game, the team has focused on drive blocking and it showed against the Wildcats.
On defense, the Wolfpack were led by Fangman and Austin Meis with nine tackles apiece, Kallhoff had eight tackles (six solo).
EPPJ (2-1) will play a rare Thursday night regular season game, hosting Clearwater/Orchard at Elgin Field. Kickoff will be at 7 p.m. The Cyclones enter the game with a 2-1 record. Their lone loss was to Burwell Friday night by the score of 38 to 6.
“I guarantee our kids will be ready,” Eisenhauer said.
Wolfpack 56, Wildcats 19
Wolfpack………20 28 8 0 — 56
Wildcats………..0 7 0 12 — 19
EPPJ — Kyle Kallhoff 1 run (Kallhoff run)
EPPJ — Andrew Fangman 38 run (PAT failed)
EPPJ — Fangman 30 run (PAT failed)
EPPJ — Chad Bode 36 run (PAT failed)
H/N — Brenden Bennett 74 kickoff return (PAT kick good)
EPPJ — Fangman 8 run (PAT failed)
EPPJ — Fangman 37 run (Bode run)
EPPJ — Seth Schumacher 32 pass to Dylan Behnk (Fangman run)
EPPJ — Fangman 60 run (Bode run)
H/N — Andy Schmidt 14 run (PAT failed)
H/N — Ethan Morten 6 run (PAT failed)
Team statistics EPPJ
Rushing 40/406
Passing 4/8/0
Passing Yds 111
Total Yds 517
First downs 11
Penalties/Yds 2/25
Individual statistics
Passing — Seth Schumacher 4/8/0 — 111
Rushing — Kyle Schumacher 5/13, Kyle Kallhoff 5/47, Chad Bode 7/75, Hunter Reestman 2/0, Andrew Fangman 18/264, Seth Schumacher 3/7
Receiving — Dylan Behnk 1/34, Kyle Kallhoff 3/77
Tackles (solo/assists) — Nick Iburg 1/0, Dylan Behnk 2/6, Kyle Schumacher 1/3, Kyle Kallhoff 6/2, Austin Meis 1/8, Miles Schrage 1/4, Chad Bode 1/5, Chase Preister 3/3, Alois Warner 1/1, Hunter Reestman 0/1, Scott Moser 0/7, Liam Heithoff 2/4, Kalin Henn 0/4, Andrew Fangman 3/6, Carter Schindler 0/1, Seth Schumacher 0/3
Quarterback sacks — Miles Schrage (1)
Interceptions — Hunter Reestman (1)
