Giving up the big play turned into a big problem for the Alden-Conger football team Friday night in its state quarterfinal game against Clinton-Graceville-Beardsley at Mattke Field on the campus of Southwest State University in Marshall.

On a snowy, windy, bone-chilling evening, the Knights (7-4) couldn’t find any answer for the Wolverines (12-0) and their explosiveness in a 44-6 loss. C-G-B scored five touchdowns that were longer than 30 yards. The Wolverines scored touchdowns of 42, 54, 34, 51, and 89 yards.

“Every game we lost this year was because of big plays,” said Alden-Conger head coach Chad Mattson. “A big play here and a big play there, that’s been our downfall.”

Early on it was the Knights who got the big plays. In the first quarter Spencer Niebuhr blocked a punt that rolled back to the C-G-B 4-yard line. Two plays later Alden-Conger running back David Troska ran in from 2 yards out to give the Knights a 6-0 lead with 5:14 left to play in the first quarter.

But then in the second quarter the Wolverines found the end zone. Levi Nelson ran 41 yards down the far side line to tie the game at 6.

C-G-B found something along the left side of the offensive line and continued to put up points running plays on that side. The Wolverines scored on their next two possessions in the second quarter. Quarterback Zach McNally completed a 54-yard touchdown pass on a screen play to running back Nate Vogt along the left side to make the game 14-6. On the very next possession C-G-B set up a 2-yard score by McNally with a 31-yard screen play to Vogt down to the left side for a 20-6 lead.

“I’m not sure what was happening over there,” Mattson said. “A couple of times we were just getting caught up with that wing on the crack back.”

The Wolverines, who will play Kittson County Central next Saturday at 8 a.m. in the semifinals at the Metrodome, seemed to have a revolving door of running backs entering the game, each offering some offense of their own. Five different backs scored a touchdown in the game.

The Knights had started the game strong on defense, forcing a three and out to open the game and blocking a punt on the next series. But the quick strikes deflated the team at halftime.

“It’s hard to get some momentum going,” Mattson said. “We just did what we could. That’s just the way it goes.”

The offense was limited as well. David Troska, the speedy back for Alden-Conger, was neutralized by the slick field and a quick C-G-B defense that got to the outside quickly. The Knights looked to E.J. Knight to provide a change and some power running. Knight gave Alden-Conger 57 yards rushing and 14 yards receiving during a comeback effort.

Before the game Mattson thought the team could using the passing game to its advantage against the Wolverines. The crosswind which blew from west to east curtailed any chance of a Knights passing game as passes sailed on Alden-Conger quarterback Lucas Kleinschrodt. He finished 9-of-22 with 76 yards. Nick Wach caught six balls for 57 yards.

The second half didn’t start well for the Knights. On the first play in the half Vogt intercepted a pass along the near sideline which put Alden-Conger in a bigger hole.

“The conditions didn’t help at all,” Mattson said. “And we kind of shot ourselves in the foot.”

C-G-B scored seven plays later when Justin Seifert rumbled in from 34 yards out. The Wolverines added a two-point conversion and made the score 28-6. C-G-B scored twice more on long plays to make the game 44-6.

The Knights had an opportunity to climb back into the game shortly before halftime. A punt by Alden-Conger bounced and hit a Wolverine player in the back and Derek Thostenson recovered at the C-G-B 49-yard line with 58.2 seconds left to play, but the offense couldn’t find the end zone for halftime.

The loss ended a season filled with its ups and downs for the Knights, but it was a season where the team learned perseverance as the Knights made their first trip to state in 10 years.

“We’ve come a long way since the start of the season,” Mattson said. “We really stepped it up and were playing well at the end of the year.”

The team will always be able to reflect on making it to state.

“There are only eight teams that make it and you can’t take that away from them,” Mattson said.

C-G-B 44, A-C 6

C-G-B – 0 20 16 8 – 44

A-C – 6 0 0 0 – 6

First Quarter

A-C – David Troska 2 run (kick failed)

Second Quarter

C-G-B – Levi Nelson 42 run (pass failed)

C-G-B – Nate Vogt 54 pass from Zach McNally (Nelson run)

Third Quarter

C-G-B – Justin Seifert 34 run (Isaiah Athey run)

C-G-B – Sam Bikholz 51 run (Athey run)

Fourth Quarter

C-G-B – Levi Lupkes 89 run (Michael Weick from McNally)