Warriors at Apollo
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Where: Michie Field, St. Cloud
Last meeting: Brainerd won 35-6 in 2015
The series: Brainerd leads 37-7
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Twitter: @bertsballpark
Radio: KLIZ-AM (1380)
Web stream: www.brainerdradio.net .
Justin Skaalerud is hoping his St. Cloud Apollo team can accomplish what few Eagles teams have done through the years-beat Brainerd.
The Eagles enter Friday's North Central Red District game having lost 12 straight to the Warriors dating back to 2003. Apollo has built early momentum this fall with a 38-20 season-opening victory over Cambridge-Isanti. The Warriors are attempting to rebound from a 42-0 beating administered by Elk River.
"We told the kids it's a similar scenario to last year," Skaalerud said. "We went to Brainerd and they handed it to us pretty good (35-6). We know they're coming down here expecting to right the ship. With the great coaches they have and talented players, we have to be prepared to go into a battle. They don't want to go 0-2 just as much as we don't want to lose to them."
The Warriors totaled 333 yards of offense against Elk River, ran 35 more plays from scrimmage and punted only once. But they turned over the ball three times and Elk River converted the turnovers into 12 points.
"They were just a bigger, stronger, faster team than we were and more experienced," Warriors coach Ron Stolski said, "so when you have a game like that you just let it go.
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"I was disappointed in two things-we didn't finish offensively and we tackled poorly. Other than that, our effort was fine. Nobody on our team quit.
"We had three turnovers in the first half, which is probably typical of an opening game, but certainly atypical of a team of ours, but it doesn't matter much who you play. If you turn it over three times, that's three less possessions that you have."
Against Cambridge, Apollo received big games from senior quarterback Joey Atkinson and senior wide receiver Peter Nelson. Atkinson completed 13 of 15 passes with one interception for 314 yards and three TDs. Nelson caught six balls for 149 yards and two scores. Nelson was a state wrestling runner-up last year.
Apollo's Nick Gill added 83 yards rushing and Schannon Spears Jr. 36 yards and one touchdown.
"We've got some weapons," Skaalerud said. "We have two running backs that can carry the ball. That gives us a run-pass option. Last year, we struggled to get our ground game going.
"(Last week) we hit both of our offensive goals-150-plus yards rushing and passing. To have that balanced attack definitely will help Joey in the passing game."
Defensively, Skaalerud thought his linebacking corps, including sophomore Chris Hance and senior Logan Ford, stepped up. Up front, the Eagles rotated a number of players.
"We have a little more size and strength up front than we have in the past, which is huge going against teams like Cambridge and against running teams like Brainerd," Skaalerud said.
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The Eagles opened with a victory over C-I last season, but lost their last eight. Skaalerud is hoping to avoid a similar fate this fall.
"We're in a little bit of a rebuilding mode," he said. "To be able to come out and have our seniors step up like we thought they would was huge for us. Our quarterback played very well and everything fell into place.
"Defensively we started out a little slow. Cambridge was able to move the ball early, but then we buckled down and held them to seven points the second half. I was pleased with the adjustments and growth we showed throughout the game."
Bright spots for Brainerd included Charlie Geraets rushing 24 times for 160 yards. Defensively, safety Luke Wiskow and linebacker Luke Johnson led the Warriors with with 11 and 10 tackles, respectively. Jeff Spieker intercepted a pass and Devan Liebeg blocked an extra point.
"We know there's going to be growing pains with us," Stolski said. "We're playing or starting two or three sophomores and several juniors. That's not an excuse. It's high school football. I fully expect us to play much better this week."
Brainerd Warriors
OFFENSE
WR: 8-Pat Gervenak, 82-Brandon Burgraff, 12-Cade Pikula, 87-Mike Bostrom
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T: 75-Michael Bieganek, 74-Hunter Erickson, 71-Ryan Powers
G: 55-Seth Desrocher, 71-Ryan Powers, 52-David Olson, 50-Ryan Peterson
C: 62-Will Schneider, 53-Brett Hague
TE: 91-Greg Rider, 80-Sam Olson
QB: 15-Will Peabody, 7-Sam Miller, 16-Joe Stolski, 14-Abe Schlegel
RB: 28-Charlie Geraets, 34-Max Zimmerman, 27-McCale Peterson, 25-Jacob Ebinger, 21-Tanner Stenglein
FB: 47-Evan Schreifels
DEFENSE
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Line: 91-Greg Rider, 95-Isaak Hines, 54-Josh Rushmeyer, 74-Hunter Erickson, 32-Ryan Miller
OLB: 35-Brandon Justin, 48-Taylor Ludwig, 46-Nate King, 44-James Loveless
ILB: 42-Luke Johnson, 55-Seth Desrocher, 54-Josh Rushmeyer, 41-Devan Liebeg
CB: 36-Jeff Spieker, 21-Tanner Stenglein, 38-Chris Karels, 33-Cody Christiansen, 17-Tanner Clink, 22-KJ Jackson
S: 25-Jacob Ebinger, 20-Luke Wiskow, 40-Jake Hodge, 38-Chris Karels
SPECIAL TEAMS
P: 41-Devan Liebeg, 82-Brandon Burgraff
K: 81-Zach Henke
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Holder: 15-Will Peabody
Long snapper: 35-Brandon Justin
Punt return: 25-Jakob Ebinger, 20-Luke Wiskow
Kick return: 28-Charlie Geraets, 27-McCale Peterson
St. Cloud Apollo Eagles
OFFENSE
QB: 10-Joey Atkinson
RB: 28-Schanonn Spears Jr.
RB: 40-Nick Gill
TE: 14-Blake Louangsyharaj
WR: 11-Peter Nelson
WR: 23-James Blommel
WR: 13-Jayden Lister
WR: 36-Jonh Sithamat
OL: 55-Luke Dunsmoor
OL: 71-Eddie Brown-Donald
OL: 51-Alex Alvord
OL: 59-Isaac Erickson-Thoemke
OL: 62-Jordon Minks
DEFENSE
DE: 35-Max Korte
DT: 56-Trent Baird
DT: 14-Blake Louangsyharaj
DE: 55-Luke Dunsmoor
DT: 79-Mitch Alvord
DE: 74-Zach Willard
LB: 30-Chris Hance
LB: 45-Logan Ford
LB: 88-Clifton Patterson
CB: 28-Schanonn Spears Jr.
CB: 23-James Blommel
S: 7-Ashton Ward
S: 11-Peter Nelson
CB: 36-Jonh Sithamat
SPECIAL TEAMS
Punter : 36-Jonh Sithamat
Kicker: 24-John Blommel
Kick return: 11-Peter Nelson, 36-Jonh Sithamat
Punt return: 11-Peter Nelson
Warriors schedule
Sept 1, at Elk River - Lost 42-0
Sept 9, at St. Cloud Apollo 7 p.m.
Sept 16, Willmar 7 p.m.
Sept 23, at Sauk Rapids 7 p.m.
Sept 30, Moorhead 7 p.m.
Oct 8, Alexandria 2 p.m. Homecoming
Oct 14, at Sartell 7 p.m.
Oct 19, Bemidji 7 p.m.
North Central Red District
School Dist All PF PA
Alexandria 0-0 1-0 51.0 39.0
Rocori 0-0 1-0 28.0 7.0
Sauk Rapids 0-0 1-0 16.0 14.0
Apollo 0-0 1-0 38.0 20.0
Tech 0-0 1-0 48.0 13.0
Bemidji 0-0 0-1 13.0 16.0
Brainerd 0-0 0-1 0.0 42.0
Moorhead 0-0 0-1 6.0 16.0
Sartell 0-0 0-1 14.0 17.0
Willmar 0-0 0-1 20.0 47.0
Sept. 2 Results
Elk River 42, Brainerd 0
Apollo 38, Cambridge-Isanti 20
Alexandria 51, Monticello 39
Rocori 28, Big Lake 7
Rogers 17, Sartell 14
Sauk Rapids 16, Princeton 14
Tech 48, Chisago Lakes 13
St. Francis 16, Bemidji 13
St. Michael-Albertville 16, Moorhead 6
Buffalo 47, Willmar 20
Section 8-5A
School Sect All PF PA
Alexandria 0-0 1-0 51.0 39.0
St. Cloud Apollo 0-0 1-0 38.0 20.0
Bemidji 0-0 0-1 13.0 16.0
Brainerd 0-0 0-1 0.0 42.0
Moorhead 0-0 0-1 6.0 16.0
Sartell-St. Stephen 0-0 0-1 14.0 17.0
Section 8-5A Playoffs
Oct 25, QF, high seed, 7 pm
Oct 29, SF, high seed, time TBA
Nov 4, final, 7 p.m. at Alexandria, Brainerd or St. John's
Warriors statistics
ONE GAME
PASSING Com Att Yds TD
Will Peabody 3 7 36 00
Abe Schlagel 0 1 0 0
Sam Miller 2 2 35 0
RUSHING Att Yds Avg TD
Charlie Geraets 24 160 6.7 0
McCale Peterson 12 59 4.9 0
Will Peabody 19 46 2.4 0
Sam Miller 1 4 4.0 0
Jacob Ebinger 1 1 1.0 0
Max Zimmerman 3 0 0.0 0
Abe Schlagel 1 0 0.0 0
Tanner Stenglein 1 -8 -8 0
RECEIVING No. Yds Avg TD
Max Zimmerman 2 35 17.5 0
Brandon Burgraff 2 19 9.5 0
Pat Gervenak 1 17 17.0 0
DEFENSE
vs. Elk River
Tackles: Wiskow 11, Johnson 10, Justin 7, Ebinger 6, Stenglein 5
Interception: Spieker 1
Blocked extra point: Liebeg 1
