No slow start for Goodhue as they motor past Red Wing

A slow start to the game was not an option for Goodhue.

Welcoming Red Wing and celebrating their seniors in the final regular-season home game, the Wildcats had every intention of perfecting what makes them good. They wasted little time getting a lead and expanding it with some possessions needing fewer than five plays to score.

As a result, it was all Goodhue (5-2) as they rolled to a 49-0 win over Red Wing (1-6) Wednesday night.

“We can't have a weak start like we did in the past weeks like we did with Kenyon and a few other games. The biggest thing is to be prepared off the bus and start strong,” said Cam Agenten.

Goodhue began the game with touchdowns on their first five possessions. Only two of the seven total touchdowns scored were inside the 10-yard line. The Wildcats made long touchdown rushes look routine, scoring from 43, 25, 20, 55 and 48 yards out.

Goodhue led 21-0 after the first quarter and 35-0 at the half.

With a short week, coming off a loss, both teams were eager for a better effort or wanting to change the outcome on a few plays. The Wildcats rushers, no matter who they had, followed what was an excellent display by their offensive line and used the open space in front of them to gain the first 5-6 yards. Then, they used their athleticism to gain the rest, bouncing several inside runs to the outside.

Fourteen of the 43 rushing attempts for the Wildcats were for double-digit yards. They ended with 501 yards on the ground. Owen Roschen, Jay Ryan and Jack O’Reilly each ended with over 100 yards rushing. Roschen ran for four touchdowns.

Red Wing was able to move the ball through the air. All eight of their plays for double-digit yards were on passes.

Cody Roschen picked off a pass toward the end of the first half for the only turnover of the game for the Wildcats. He then made an outstretched grab along the sideline. Other than a few plays early in the game, not much went the Winger's way.

With one more game to go in the regular season, Goodhue comes away feeling a lot more polished. They assuredly get the No. 2 seed in the Section 4AA playoffs behind No. 1 Cannon Falls. That would pit Goodhue against the likely No. 7 seed Kenyon-Wanamingo. They end the regular season against Central (Norwood Young America) on the road Tuesday.

Red Wing is in danger of falling to the seventh seed in their section, 1AAA. Despite the win over PEM, the Wingers could be seeded behind Lake City, who also has one win, and it came at the Wingers’ expense. If they are the seventh seed, they would travel to face the presumptive No. 2 seed, Zumbrota-Mazeppa. The Wingers face Dover-Eyota at home Tuesday to end the regular season. 

Notes

Goodhue had a streak of uncharacteristic starts defensively. They allowed a touchdown on the second play of their previous two games coming into the matchup with Red Wing. The Wingers were able to move the ball at first but were totally shut down by the swarming Wildcat defense.

It is the third time Red Wing has been shut out this season; previously losing 35-0 to Zumbrota-Mazeppa in Week 2 and 56-0 to Cotter in Week 5.

The win was Goodhue’s second shutout of the season, having gotten their first in 35-0 win over Randolph in Week 2.

Quotes

“Jackson (Lodermeier) has been doing great. It's been awesome with him. I feel like all our wide receivers are good with Cody (Ryan), Alex (Loos), Owen (Roschen). We have an abundance of guys in our wide receiver core. It's not just all focused on one person, so we're able to spread the targets. I played JV with him. He, Colten (Lohman), Cody, we were the wide receivers for him last year on JV. Feel like we have a little more experience together, so that probably helps quite a bit, too.” - Cam Agenten on what has allowed him and others to be a factor in the passing game. Agenten made the only catch of the game, a 30-yard reception.