Falcons blank MVL

By PAUL DUNLAP

Journal Sports Editor

NEW ULM -- One huge play made the difference.

Lee Schaffran's 84-yard fumble return for a touchdown late in the third quarter Wednesday turned a possible tie game into a two-touchdown advantage as Red Rock Central pulled away for a 28-0 win over Minnesota Valley Lutheran in Southern Minnesota Conference football action at Johnson Field.

"They (RRC) are a very solid team -- very hard-hitting and I thought our guys were up to the challenge for the whole game," Charger head coach Jim Buboltz said. "One play really turned this game around."

The Falcons wouldn't waste any time as they scored a touchdown in their first possession of the game. Quarterback Corey Fishel directed a 7-play, 59-yard drive which culminated in a 22-yard scoring strike to running back Chase Hillesheim.

That 7-0 lead would hold up through the entire first half as, despite good field position, MVL couldn't mount a serious offensive threat. A 13-play Charger drive late in the half was derailed by a disputed illegal-block penalty.

"Right before the half was our best shot (to score)," Buboltz said. "There was that odd penalty called that really bothered us ... we didn't like it at all, and that was tough because we had something going there and to be able to put some points on the board would have given us even more momentum."

The Chargers' next drive in the third quarter was equally impressive as quarterback Dan Unke moved his team from the MVL 28 to the RRC 6 on 13 plays -- before disaster struck. His option pitch on 3rd-and-5 was batted back, and Schaffran scooped up the ball and went the other way for the score and a 14-0 lead with :15 left in the third quarter.

"Dan said the guy just jumped out out of nowhere," Buboltz explained. "He didn't even come at him, and Dan made a quicker decision because he thought he would be coming right at him. The kid jumped up, got a big paw on it, and ... boy oh boy, it was huge."

Red Rock would put the game away in the fourth quarter on a pair of touchdowns -- a 4-yard run by Hillesheim and a 1-yard plunge by Mike Redman -- both times when the Falcons started their drives in MVL territory.

"If we would have had half this effort last week against MLBO, we would have been in great shape," Buboltz said. "If we're playing up to our competition, then the playoffs is the best spot for us right now."

Hillesheim led the RRC ground attack with 93 yards on 22 carries while fullback Craig Swan added 76 yards on 15 tries. The Falcons end the regular season with a 5-3 mark.

Unke finished the game 12-for-21 for 88 yards to lead the Chargers, who end their regular season with a 3-5 record.

"A very disappointing 3-5 record," Buboltz added. "We thought we could have been easily 5-3 or better, but that's one nice thing about the playoffs -- everyone begins with a 0-0 record, and hopefully that will give us the advantage."

RRC 7 0 7 14 -- 28

MVL 0 0 0 0 -- 0

FIRST QUARTER

RRC-C.Hillesheim 22 pass from Fishel (C.Hillesheim kick) 7:09

SECOND QUARTER

No scoring.

THIRD QUARTER

RRC-Schaffran 82 fumble return (C.Hillesheim kick) :15

FOURTH QUARTER

RRC-C.Hillesheim 4 run (C.Hillesheim kick) 6:16

RRC-Redman 1 run (C.Hillesheim kick) 2:01