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Trojans Put Finishing Touches on Perfect 7-0 Season

By Craig Olson, 11/21/20, 4:15PM CST

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The Barnesville Trojans put a cap on a perfect season (7-0) as they allowed only a fourth quarter touchdown to Warroad in a 41-8 victory on Friday night in Barnesville.

“Well there's the wrap on the craziest season of all time,” said Barnesville Head Coach Bryan Strand. “Even though it was short in games, the work that it took to get to the finish line was exhausting.  Kids worked hard and stayed focused throughout the season, from August when we thought we were going in spring, to September when we started our 3 weeks of "practice" to when they made the announcement that we were playing and then in the end when they stopped us literally 3 days before the championship game should have been.  In the end I wouldn't have changed it for the world, as I was very pessimistic of a spring season. During this season we beat 3 teams that would end up being section champs or co-champs, however, you want to see it.  Morris won theirs outright, Breckenridge won theirs outright and WCA split it, but feel they had a great chance at it and were the top seed.” 

On the first play of the game for Warroad, they fumbled the ball.  Joey Mark made the recovery and five plays later Aaron Schiefert ran it in from 4 yards out.  The fake extra-point pass by Nolan Rick just went off the fingertips of Noah Krause and the Trojans held a 6-0 lead.  On the Warriors next possession Krause intercepted a pass giving Barnesville great field position at the 48 yard line.  Adam Tonsfeldt scrambled 32 yards on first down, Schiefert then ran for 9 yards and Tonsfeld took it into the end zone from seven yards out, making it 12-0.  The Trojans held the Warriors to two yards on their next possession and started at the 42-yard line after the punt.  Schiefert ran for 18 on first down and Tonsfeldt then scrambled for 24 yards and his second TD of the opening quarter.  Following the two-point conversion run by Cameron Heng the Trojans enjoyed a 20-0 lead.

The second quarter featured more of the same as Barnesville scored on a 13 yard TD pass to Wyatt Roller from Tonsfeldt.  The highlight of that drive was a 33-yard pass to Mark.  A failed conversion pass left the score at 26-0.  The last scoring drive of the half was highlighted by a 35-yard run by Schiefert and then an 18 yard TD run by Krause.  Heng ran the ball in for the two-point conversion, leaving Barnesville with a 34-0 halftime advantage.

With the second half in running time, the conclusion of the game came fast.  The second half kickoff went to Mark.  He pitched the ball to Tonsfeldt who ran it back to hand it off to offensive lineman Brady Kroll, who returned it 7 yards.  Roller started the offensive series with a 9 yard run, followed by a 9 yard run by Schiefert and then Tonsfeldt scored on a 48 yard run, on what proved to be his final carry of an illustrious football career. Rick booted the extra-point kick and the Trojans led 41-0. 

The Warriors tallied their only TD in the fourth quarter on a 31 yard run and then completed a two-point conversion pass to make the final 41-8.

“I give a ton of respect to Warroad on making the drive down last night knowing their odds were not good but still wanting to give our kids and their kids one more game,” stated Coach Strand.  “Their kids played hard all the way till the end, much respect for the Warrior football team and head coach Gabe Richards.”

Tonsfeldt ran for 129 yards on 6 carries and Schiefert finished with 85 yards on 6 attempts.  The Trojans compiled 402 yards (364 rushing, 38 passing), while Warroad was held to 94 yards (82 rushing, 12 passing).  Jonny Robideau led the defense with 3 solo tackles, 7 assisted tackles and a sack.  Kaden Zenzen was in on 7 tackles (1 solo, 6 assisted) and added a sack, and Joey Mark had 7 tackles (4 solo, 3 assisted) along with a fumble recovery.

Strand closed with the following comments about his team, “What a great group of seniors who were able to get some terrific memories from this crazy year.  Can't say enough positives about this group, so much fun to go to practice every day to work with such fine young men.  I am a very lucky man.   Underclassman did a great job as well and we return a lot of outstanding players on both sides of the ball.  Such a great group of young men who I know will work their tails off in the offseason.  Sure would have been fun to finish this year playing for the section championship but we will just have to split it this year with Pelican Rapids who beat a good Hawley team. Doesn't diminish what this group of players accomplished this year.”