Red Wing snaps long, multi-year losing streak

The losing streak is over in Red Wing.

Finally, after 28 straight losses, the Winger earned themselves a well-played 30-21 win over PEM Thursday night on the road.

Lincoln Chandler made the game-clinching interception as PEM (1-2) tried for a deep pass with just over a minute to go. All that was left was to kneel down and watch the seconds tick. Victory formation is one of the few plays Red Wing (1-2) hasn’t had the ability to call. Sparingly over the past 10 years has Red Wing ever gotten close to doing so.

Many coaches and many more players have come and gone without ever seeing a win in Red Wing, much less being close enough to a win that a one-score loss wouldn’t sting as bad.

“I gave a speech and I told the team the last time this varsity team won a game I was 14 years old starting as kick return(er) freshman, glad we could do it one more time before I'm gone,” said senior Cale Anderson.

Just about every coach teared up. On one of the two buses back to Red Wing, the players sang Enter Sandman loudly.

For those that haven’t experienced a win, it’s relief. No more will they have to wonder what made them play through excruciating lopsided losses and is any of this worth it.

Even just this one win fills the emotional bucket back up. Anderson said above all else, there’s belief now.

“We've got a lot of young guys playing big contributions to this team. Everybody wants it more than ever. Coaching staff is great, I love every coach here,” he said. “I'm excited for this team and what the rest of the season has to offer.”

“We were talking after the first game against Pine Island. They were giants to us, defending section champs. Going in there the way we played, we haven't been as a staff to coach kind of ahead of things. We're always trying to play catch up and how do we do it, how do we get over it? Always seem to be down by two or three touchdowns,” said head coach Pat Kelly. “Pine Island was a different feeling (despite the loss). Tonight, for all of us, we got this and we're in the lead. It was fun but it was odd because it's been so long.”

At the half, one of the seniors spoke up and reminded the team, there is a lot of game left to be played. Better not to get ahead of yourself by simply holding a slim lead through two quarters of play.

Both defenses allowed first quarter yards but no score. Same thing in the third quarter. Yet, it was Red Wing’s defense that had a slight edge. Liam O’Connell was in perfect position to recover a fumbled PEM handoff toward the final minutes of the third. The Wingers scored on the ensuing possession to go ahead 24-14 early in the fourth quarter.

The turnover came after a third quarter in which PEM didn’t get a first down.

The Bulldogs led 7-6, then 14-6 and 14-12 before the Wingers took the lead for good on a 60-yard touchdown reception by Cody Roschen late in the second quarter.

Playing from behind has happened far too often and by several touchdowns on many of the previous 28 losses for the Wingers. Anderson said it was all about staying engaged and wanting more.

“If we're not the first ones to score, we're kind of down and it takes a while to build back that momentum,” Anderson said. Coming back from them scoring first was a huge difference maker.”

Red Wing didn’t play afraid. They went for it on multiple fourth downs. The first fourth down they went for was an incomplete pass. The last was rollout by Kemper Thorson, who bought time for Cody Roschen to find space behind the lone defensive back and allowing Thorson an easy lob pass to Roschen for the final score of the game.

The game was preemptively moved from Friday to Thursday due to weather conditions. Like a holiday weekend where we all get Friday or Monday off work, the Wingers will get to enjoy themselves a little bit longer.

Notes

Apart from a 14-7 loss in 2024, the Wingers hadn’t been involved in a competitive game against PEM. The other two most recent games ended with the Bulldogs winning 37-0 in 2023 and 42-14 last season.

Red Wing’s last win came on Sept. 1, 2023. A road victory against La Crescent-Hokah 24-12 in the first game of that season.

Quotes

“Back in those Albert Lea days and those one-win seasons, getting to see a win early in the season it kind of gives hope to the guys that there's a lot of season left. We can win more than one.” – Kelly reflecting on his many seasons as assistant coach and how it compares to this season. 

“I'm excited. We got more to come hopefully. I think every guy on this field could agree with me that we could have done more. We could have capitalized more as a whole. I think we're all very excited right now and we should be.” – Anderson on initial feelings following the win.