STAPLES -- Despite not gaining any yards through the air, Staples-Motley snapped New London-Spicer's six-game winning streak Friday by posting a 16-8 victory that also moved the Cardinals into a first-place tie with NLS in the West Central North Conference.
Junior fullback Kodeiy Lind almost literally carried the Cardinals' offense by piling up 202 yards on 47 carries. Staples-Motley attempted only three passes as its running game produced 300 yards on 64 carries.
The Cardinals (5-1, 5-2) struck first on Caleb Nurnberger's two-yard TD run. NLS (5-1, 5-2) answered back in the second quarter when quarterback Austen Hadley scored on a two-yard run of his own and also ran in the two-point conversion to tie the game at 8-8.
But it was the Cardinals' special teams that made the biggest play of the game. A 60-yard punt -- going with the wind -- from Jose Alba pinned NLS at its own one-yard line with just under five minutes left in the first half.
Staples-Motley then sacked Hadley in the end zone to notch a safety and pull ahead for good at 10-8.
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The Cardinals added some insurance on Derek Peterson's 64-yard run in the fourth quarter.
Staples-Motley 16, New London-Spicer 8
NL-Spicer (5-1, 5-2)..............................0 8 0 0 -- 8
Staples-Motley (5-1, 5-2).........................8 2 0 6 -- 16
SM - Caleb Nurnberger 2 run (Kodeiy Lind run)
NLS - Austen Hadley 2 run (Hadley run)
SM - Natt Edin sack Hadley in end zone
SM - Derek Peterson 64 run (run failed)
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New London-Spicer
Team statistics
First downs: 7 ... Rushing: 27-77 ... Passing (com-att-yds-int.): 7-20-116-0 ... Fumbles lost: 2 ... Penalties: 9-73
Individual statistics
Rushing: Shawn Halliday 3-31, Mike Bonynge 9-25, Blake Williamson 8-16, Austen Hadley 6-4, Levi Schultz 1-1 ... Passing: Austen Hadley 7-20-116-0 ... Receiving: Wade Powers 3-71, Mike Bonynge 4-45 ... Punting: Austen Hadley 4-31.5 ... Interceptions: none ... Fumble recoveries: Skylar Wachter 1 ... Tackles (solo-assist): Ben Koch 13-0, Blake Williamson 13-1, Sam Steffl 13-4, Matt Dreier 13-4, Jacob Reiter 10-2, Skylar Wachter 7-0, Alex Nelson 8-0 ... QB sacks: none
Staples-Motley
Team statistics
First downs: 16 ... Rushing: 64-300 ... Passing (com-att-yds-int.): 0-3-0-0 ... Fumbles lost: 1 ... Penalties: 6-50
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Individual statistics
Rushing: Kodeiy Lind 47-202, Derek Peterson 6-80, Caleb Nurnberger 11-19 ... Passing: Derek Peterson 0-3-0-0 ... Receiving: none ... Punting: Jose Alba 4-43 ... Interceptions: none ... Fumble recoveries: not available
