Sports News

Riding the shoulders of junior fullback Andrew Grothmann, Hillsboro escaped the clutches of Wyndmere-Lidgerwood Friday, beating the Warriors, 21-20, in a Region 2 brawl that wasn’t decided until the final minute.
Playing in Wyndmere before a crowd that noisily surrounded the football field, the Burros won their fifth straight 9-man football game and third in Region 2.
The undefeated Burros and Finley-Sharon-Hope-Page share the Region 2 lead. Hillsboro entertains Barnes County North tonight in the Burros’ 2007 Homecoming game. Kickoff is at 7 p.m.
It wasn’t a stellar performance by the Burros Friday at Wyndmere, but it was a win where the blue and white showed a “lot of heart,” according to coach Mark Rerick.
“This group of kids had to go to the last play for the win, and they responded.”
Andrew Grothmann literally carried the Burros on his back.
Grothmann, who intercepted a Warrior pass with under two minutes to play, secured the win when he plunged for a first down in the final minute.
He finished the game with one touchdown and 143 yards rushing. The 210 lb. fullback averaged 11 yards a carry.
He dominated play in the second half.
“Andrew took over the game,” acknowledged Rerick.
“He played a solid game on both sides of the line of scrimmage, but he became an absolute force on offense in the second half.”
When the Burros needed a couple of yards, Andrew Grothmann was the designated ball carrier.
“The ball was in his hands all night,” offered the Burro head coach.
“It takes a special player to amass that kind of yardage against an opponent with a good run defense.”
Tentative at first, which allowed Wyndmere-Lidgerwood a 8-0 first quarter lead, the Burros scored the game’s next two touchdowns. Brian Smelden, who finished with 56 yards on 14 carries, plunged over from one yard out in the second quarter and Hillsboro was on the scoreboard. A 14-yard TD run by Grothmann, PAT by Smelden, and Hillsboro led 14-8 at halftime.
A Smelden 3-yard TD and PAT by kicker Matt Schmidt in the third quarter finished the scoring for Hillsboro.
The Warriors, however, weren’t finished.
Wyndmere-Lidgerwood scored in the final quarter, but elected to pass for the point after. The play failed and Hillsboro’s one-point lead was maintained.
Hillsboro was within striking distance three different times. Missed opportunities kept the fighting Warriors in the game.
“Our play was much sloppier than usual,” commented Rerick. “We didn’t execute and we made too many mistakes.”
It was encouraging, however, to “sneak away with a win” with that many mistakes, said the coach.
As the year progresses, Rerick suggested, “we won’t win close games with that kind of play.”
But the Burros won Friday at Wyndmere.
Hillsboro had 14 first downs, Wyndmere-Lidgerwood 12. The Burros had 307 total yards on offense, 283 rushing.
The Warriors countered with 167 yards on the ground and 84 through the air.
The Burros, however, were penalized seven times for 45 yards. They lost two fumbles.
On third down efficiency, the Burros were nine for 13.
Anthony VonRuden was Hillsboro’s top defensive player. The Grothmann brothers, Andrew and Zach, also had good defensive stats.