Cardinals’ offense struggles with state-rated Pender

Randolph — The Randolph Cardinals fell to 0-2 in football with a tough, 63-0 defeat at Pender last weekend.

It was a game that gradually got away from the Cardinals and head coach Mark Lech as the hosts started out with a 12-play scoring drive to get on the board right out of the gate, then scored again to lead 14-0 after the first quarter and 35-0 by halftime.

“We are still positive as many of our remaining opponents have similar records and are still feeling their way around,” Lech said.

Despite the lopsided setback, Justin Haselhorst was a bright spot for the Cards.

Haselhorst led the ground attack, churning out 80 yards. He also caught five passes for 48 yards and threw for 13 more, connecting on 1-1 attempts.

“Justin Haselhorst had a strong game against Pender, but as a team we had a really hard time with Pender’s overall team speed,” Coach Lech said. “We seem to finally generate an offensive drive and we would have a mistake or a turnover.”

Lech said the team is still learning to play together, and mistakes

“We are at a stage with our team that we can’t afford to make mistakes and overcome negative plays. Our younger guys played a lot of football on Friday night, so they are gaining valuable game experience. I know in the long run this will only be beneficial to the team.”

Randolph mustered 147 total yards of offense – compared to Pender’s 334 – and was led by Justin Haselhorst’s 80 yards rushing on 25 carries and 141 total yards of offense. He ended the night with 197 all-purpose yards.

“Our greatest challenge is to hold our head up and to keep working on getting better,” Lech said. “I know good things will happen if we keep improving. I am going to challenge our seniors to set the tone with their attitude and help the younger guys forget last week and get back on track focusing on the weeks ahead.”

One of those seniors is Tyson Junck who embodies the fighting spirit that Lech hopes to see over the next few months.

“Tyson is a senior that has played a lot the last two years, but is not the most talented,” Lech said. “He knows the game well, but it doesn’t match his skill set and he gets a lot of grief for it.”

Junck acknowledges that he is more Tom Brady than LeBron James as an athlete, sans the million-dollar arm and six Super Bowl rings.

Junck finished the night going for 5-for-7 for 32 yards and caught one pass for 13 yards.

“I’ve always had to work a lot harder than everybody else and study the game more,” Junck said. “When others don’t look at the game as hard as I do, it kind of irritates me and I feel I have to make them watch a little bit more and figure out what they are doing. I always have to look at what I need to do and my mechanics are on point.

“I think my work ethic and competitive spiri t is what put me over the top over a few of the other players. Everything is a competition for me whether its doing schoolwork, being on the football field or playing cards. I always have to be winning and if I am not, I don’t take it to well. Everything is personal.”

Junck knows he has to give his 10 pounds of flesh, but he likes his competitive fires and believe they will help him from his Cardinals day and onward.

“There are times you have to congratulate someone on doing a good job and others where you have to chew someone out,” Junck said. “You have to make sure you have a right to chew them out. It’s a huge satisfaction to me to look back and say ‘I accomplish this and my teammates pushed me to do better and I pushed them to get better.’

“I am happy to be on the field because of it.” The Cardinals face host Emerson-Hubbard 7 p.m. Friday.

“We have played Emerson-Hubbard for many years and have had success against them the last few years,” Lech said. “Both teams are coming off a tough loss, so I expect a good game where both teams are trying to get on track. Emerson-Hubbard always has a physical team and I expect the same this year.

“We will have to match that physical style and be able to get back on the scoreboard if we expect to come out on top.”

Randolph 0 0 0 0 — 0

Pender 14 21 14 14— 63

RAN PEN

Passing Yards 66 119

Rushing Yards 40-81 23-215

Total yds 56-147 36-334

First Downs 11 18

Third Downs 3-15 2-6

Turnovers 4 0

Penalties 4 -20 3-25

PASSING

Randolph - Tyson Junck, 5-7-32; Isaiah Salmon, 1-7-21; Justin Haselhorst, 1-1-13; Tristan Mosel, 0-1. Pender - Braxton Volk, 7-13.

RUSHING

Randolph - Justin Haselhorst, 25-80; Carter Olson, 3-5; Cadein Villwok, 1-4; Tristan Mosel, 6-1; Bryson Eledge, 1-0; Tyson Junck, 4- -9. Pender - Caleb Trimble, 11-150; Dylan Vogt, 6-27; Braxton Volk, 4-19; Brody Krusemark, 2-19.

RECEIVIING

Randolph - Justin Haselhorst, 5-48; Tyson Junck, 1-13; Tristan Mosel, 1-5. Pender - Dylan Vogt, 3-63; Caleb Trimble, 2-33; Chase Hoffmeister, 2-23.

TACKLES

Randolph - Justin Haselhorst, 9; Colby Wather, 6; Tristan Mosel, 4; Tyson Junck, 3; Cadein Villwok, 3; Jacob Calder, 2; Carter Olson, 2; Isaiah Salmon, 1.

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