Charlo big in first quarter
SEELEY - The 35-point clock in eight-man football is a running clock after one team goes up by 35 points. It's designed to make a game go quicker and lessen the ridiculous number of a blowout by not stopping, regardless of play. Charlo was so good last Friday night, they had the 35-point clock rolling in the first quarter en route to a 60-0 victory over Seeley-Swan.
Senior lineman and kicker Chris Hernandez-Kelley pinned Seeley-Swan on their own five-yard line with the opening kickoff.
The offense fumbled the ball, Charlo recovered and a sophomore Tra Ludeman would score on a five-yard run to give the Vikings the early lead.
"Before the game really got started, it was 6-0," Charlo head coach Mike Krahn said. "Turnovers are such a momentum swing. It's a great way to start the game."
That would get the pilot light started for a 41-point first quarter that essentially cemented the victory for Charlo.
Everything went right for the Vikings and everything went wrong for Seeley-Swan.
After the opening touchdown, senior lineman Joel Lewis would have a sack for a safety, senior running back Austin Bauer then ran the free kick back fifty yards for the touchdown.
"We had the short field a lot," Krahn said. "It seemed like our defense was out on the field more than our offense in the first half."
His offense had 131 yards rushing, and eight yards on one completion through the air despite the gawdy score.
Ludeman would score again on a 65-yard punt return. He would then score for a third time in the quarter with a 13-yard run.
"He's really quick," Krahn said. "That punt return went right up the middle and nobody touched him."
Senior quarterback Chico Stipe followed up that score with an 11-yard run for a touchdown as well. Stipe saw limited action since Krahn decided to rest and protect some of his older players.
The Charlo defense gave up just 38 yards total to Seeley Swan. Bauer would cap off the first quarter scoring with a 27-yard interception return. The Vikings would score once in the second with another Stipe run for a touchdown for the 48-0 lead at halftime.
Bauer would score again in the third quarter with a 44-yard run, the longest scoring play from scrimmage of the night. He finished with a special teams touchdown, a defensive touchdown and an offensive touchdown for the game.
Ludeman would top him in the touchdowns category, scoring on a nine-yard run to give Charlo an even 60. He had four touchdowns in the game.
Charlo will play the Ronan JV at 7 p.m. on Saturday in Ronan.
It will be a hybrid game, with both teams playing with eight men on each side when Charlo is on offense, then eleven men when Ronan is on offense.
Charlo will also have to adjust to a full-sized field, as Ronan plays on a 100x53-yard field and the Vikings play on an eight-man, 80x40-yard, field.