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Honkers open season with big win...

A goal line stand late in the first quarter Friday night, propelled the Kenmare-Bowbells-Burke Central Honkers past the Westhope-Newburg-Glenburn Sioux 33-6 on opening night for both teams.

9/03/19 (Tue)

Stifling defense... The Honker defense, led by Jaden McNeiley on the tackle, stop Wyatt Lemay of Westhope in his tracks during high school football action in Kenmare Friday night. The Honkers, with wide receiver Keagan Lautenschlager scoring three touchdown passes, went on to win the season opener 33-8. 

By Marvin Baker

A goal line stand late in the first quarter Friday night, propelled the Kenmare-Bowbells-Burke Central Honkers past the Westhope-Newburg-Glenburn Sioux 33-6 on opening night for both teams.

With the Honkers ahead 7-0 and the Sioux threatening at the Honker 11, linebacker Garrett Stroklund was pumping up his team in an effort to stop the Westhope march.

Stroklund was motivating his teammates to stop the rush because last year the Honkers didn’t always stop the opposition in similar situations.

The ball went to Sioux workhorse Wyatt Lemay on fourth and goal, but the Honker defense held up, turning the tide.

“I thought if we stopped them, it would be the turning point in the game,” Stroklund said. “I was trying to get the guys going and I guess it worked.”

The Honkers opened the game with a touchdown strike from quarterback Andrew Christensen to wide receiver Keagan Lautenschlager. Noah Heath picked up the point after to put the Honkers up 7-0 early in the game.

After the Honkers held the Sioux at the goal line, it appeared the Honkers were going to score again. Running quarterback Bo Thingvold was punishing the Westhope defense, picking up double digit gains to quickly put the Honkers in Sioux territory.

After Thingvold picked up 8 yards right up the middle, Jaden McNeiley took a short pass on the left side and ran it in for a touchdown, but there was an illegal block and the play was called back.

Later on that same drive, Anthony Tabarez picked off a Christensen pass at his own 16 to stomp out a Honker drive.

Westhope went three and out and although the Honkers threatened once again, Thingvold, who ran it to the 7 yard line, fumbled giving Westhope the ball back.

“We had a couple of turnovers there, we should have been up 35-0,” head coach Rick Linblad said. “Our no huddle offense drove us in the first half, but we’ve got to wrap (tackle) better on defense.”

Midway through the third after Thingvold took the ball 18 yards right up the middle, he hit Lautenschlager on the next play for a touchdown to make it 13-0.

On the ensuing set of downs, Ryen Peterson recovered a Westhope fumble, giving the Honkers another break at their own 40.

A short time later, Lautenchlager got his hat trick, taking it in from 12 yards out on a wobbly Christensen pass and with 4:38 left in the third, the Honkers found themselves up 20-0.

The Honkers later recovered a Westhope fumble at the 50 yard line, which put the Honkers in the driver’s seat.

They marched down the field once again and this time it was a Christensen pitch to Thingvold who took it to the house for a 26-0 lead. The point after was wide right.

On the next set of downs, The Sioux were threatening with a first and 10 at the 14 yard line when Thingvold picked off a Jackson Tofleland pass to all but put the game away.

However, as the Honkers were threatening, Wyatt Lemay intercepted a Kenmare pass and ran it in for a too-little-too-late touchdown, making it 26-8 with 4:47 left in the game.

The final score came with 1:33 left in the game. Christensen threw a drop pass to Caleb Erickson who zig zagged his way 10 yards into the end zone. Heath connected on the point after making the final score 33-6.

Lindblad had his offense in high gear switching Christensen and Thingvold at will. It was happening so often, it had the Sioux players completely wore out by halftime.

But according to Thingvold, it was completely by design, not to fool Westhope, but to switch signal callers to gain yardage.

“He throws and I run, we’re always switching back and forth,” Thingvold said. And regarding his punishing runs from scrimmage, he said it just happened that way. “I was just fighting for every yard I could get.”

On Friday, the Honkers play host to Minot Ryan. Game time is 7 p.m. ... Read EVERY WORD on EVERY PAGE of The Kenmare News by subscribing--online or in print!