By Mike Drooger –

Going into the final football game of the regular season, the Edgerton Flying Dutchmen knew there were a multitude of scenarios as far as the playoffs were concerned. When Edgerton won, Heron Lake-Okabena/Fulda lost, and Westbrook-Walnut Grove lost as well, EHS gained the third seed, which meant they could host the first round of playoffs.

And they were able to play the Chargers of W-WG, a team that had defeated Edgerton by 16 points in Wesbrook, but the Dutchmen knew they could gain revenge. Edgerton, on a wet, sloppy October 1st night, had three turnovers in the red zone, including a fumble that the Chargers returned 95 yards for a touchdown. If Edgerton could play error-free ball in the rematch, they knew they could win.

And win they did! Running behind an offensive line that has played well beyond its age and experience, the Dutchmen gained 444 yards on the ground (478 total yards) en route to a 30-20 win in Edgerton on October 26.

Senior Nolan Buckridge, the conference’s leading rusher, gained 226 yards on 20 carries and was named Co-Player of the Game along with fellow senior Jacob Fischer (1 catch, 13 yards). During his postgame radio interview, Buckridge (1 catch, 22 yards) was quick to thank his linemen and the scout players who seldom see the field in games, but give the starters a great workout in practice.

Fischer, who missed the previous game with a bum knee, thanked Coach Fleischman for his work with this year’s team, a team that began the game vs. W-WG with a starting lineup of two seniors, two juniors, one sophomore, two freshmen, and two eighth-graders.

The Chargers like to pass, which came as no surprise to Fleischman and the Dutchmen. But the pass happy Chargers’ first TD actually came on the ground at the 5:50 mark and a 6-0 lead.

Edgerton quickly retaliated. After a nice kick return by eighth-grader Michael Gunnink (26 carries, 174 yards) that put the ball at the W-WG 47, Gunnink lugged the pigskin three successive plays for 26 yards. The biggest run was 20 yards behind a great block from Fischer. Later, freshman quarterback Blake Schultz (33 yards rushing, 35 yards passing) caught the Chargers off guard with bootleg run to the left for 21 yards and Gunnink finished the drive with a four-yard scamper to the end zone. Gunnink also added the two-point conversion for an 8-6 lead with 2:50 on the first quarter clock.

The Chargers took all the wind out of Edgerton’s sails when they ran the ensuing kickoff for an 89-yard run and a TD. W-WG also got the PAT for a lead of 14-8. Edgerton regrouped and had a decent drive going, but they fumbled and the Chargers recovered. A trio of in-completions forced a punt, and Edgerton went back to work.

The Dutchmen got a huge play on the drive on fourth down when Schultz hit Fischer on a slant play, good for a first down at the 35. Later, a misdirection run by Buckridge caught the Chargers by surprise, and Buckridge was gone for a 24-yard TD. Buckridge also added the conversion for a 16-14 lead.