Greyhounds earn trip to stateLast-minute interception seals victory

By JEREMY BEHNKE

Journal Sports Writer

MANKATO -- The Mankato Loyola offense had plenty of tricks but not enough treats as New Ulm Cathedral earned its first trip to the state football tournament with a 14-11 win in the Section 2A championship game Friday night.

"This is awesome," Cathedral's Eric Schugel said. "This is the first time Cathedral's ever done this before."

Schugel's interception with four seconds left on the clock coupled with a missed field goal by Jon Miller that sailed wide left solidified a tough defensive effort by the Greyhounds.

"I just went to either knock it down or pick it off, and being they played a great game that's what I wanted to do," Schugel said.

Cathedral coach Denny Lux was equally ecstatic in the win.

"I'm just really really proud and happy for our players," Lux said. "I see all the hard work that they've put in over the summer and throughout the fall, and I'm just so happy and proud for the players."

Jeff Schnobrich led the Cathedral attack with 138 yards on 24 carries. His 23-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter put Cathedral ahead 14-11 after the two-point conversion.

"It's just great," Schnobrich said. "We knew all along that we could do it. At the beginning of the season, we knew that this team could make it to state, and it just feels awesome."

The Greyhounds caught a break early in the game after Adam Koch recovered a fumble and four plays later Adam Neubauer hooked up with Schugel for the 5-yard touchdown pass to put Cathedral up 7-0 on the PAT.

"We were fortunate to get a break there on the fumble recovery and four plays later Eric Schugel made a heck of a catch," Lux said. "It was just a great high school football game. My hats off to Mankato Loyola because they played one heck of a game."

"We were like five yards out from the end zone and he played right up on me and I knew I'd get the break on him," Schugel said. "Neubauer threw it -- it was a little underthrown -- and I just jumped up and grabbed it."

In the second quarter, Miller connected on a 35-yard field goal that cut the Cathedral lead to 7-3 where it remained until halftime.

Then, in the third quarter on Loyola's first possession, Todd Tacheny ran up the middle and brought the ball to the Cathedral 2 on a 13-yard carry. Two plays later, quarterback Andy Rotchadl snuck in behind his line for the score, giving Loyola a 9-7 lead.

The Crusaders made good on the two-point conversion after Trung Ho found Bret Brielmaier in the end zone for an 11-7 Loyola lead with 4:58 left in the third quarter.

Cathedral got another break on a punt return in the fourth quarter after Schnobrich brought the ball back to the Loyola 39.

Schnobrich then burst up the middle for a 16-yard carry, bringing the ball to the Loyola 23. Two plays later he scored from the 23, making it 14-11 after Philipp Niemeyer's PAT.

"It was a power out to the left and I got behind the blockers and I cut right, got around one guy and I was in the end zone," Schnobrich said.

Loyola had a chance to tie the game late in the fourth. With the ball on their own 45, the Crusaders went to the reverse to try and fool the Cathedral defense, but he managed only five yards on the play. The Crusaders tried the same play later in the drive and Brielmaier took the ball to the Cathedral 14 on a 4-yard run. That set up Miller's field goal attempt, which sailed wide left.

After a Cathedral three-and-out, Loyola had one more chance for the win. The Crusaders gamble with the hook and ladder worked after Brielmaier pitched to Ho, bringing the ball to the Cathedral 45.

Two plays later, Rotchadl's pass to Ho was picked off and the celebration began.

"That's awesome, it's not only baseball now, it's a football town too," Schnobrich said. "It's great for New Ulm football."

Jeremy Penkert had 12 tackles and a sack and Al Gleisner finished with 11 tackles. Scott Knisely had 10 tackles and Joey Lux had nine tackles and a caused fumble. Loyola had 261 yards of total offense compared to 196 for Cathedral.

New Ulm (9-2) begins state action at 7 p.m. Friday at Medford.