4A Final: Northfield 31, Orono 12
Posted on November 14th, 2008 – 3:31 PMBy Jon Marthaler
I don’t think I’ve ever seen this before in a football game, but Orono turned the ball over eight times in this one. If you’d told the Spartans before the game that Tyler Hartlein would throw for 287 yards, I’m guessing they would have expected to win. Heck, Northfield only outgained Orono 382-380 for the game, and the Spartans didn’t punt once. But really, this one was never close in the second half.
A note: junior Northfield kicker Wes Kramer set what is apparently a state record by kicking four field goals in the game. Kramer hit from 32, 21, and 34 yards in the first half, and from 37 yards in the second half. He might have had another, too - the Raiders set up for a 35-yard try early in the quarter, but ran a fake instead.
And Cole Jirik… my goodness. The senior caught two passes for 69 yards and a touchdown, made five tackles on defense, had three sacks, forced a fumble, recovered three fumbles, and blocked a field goal. All he has to do now is drive the bus home, and Northfield is good to go.
4 Responses to "4A Final: Northfield 31, Orono 12"
Way to go Northfield, Bubba Sullivan is one heck of a football coach and a class guy. Hope the Raiders do well in the Final!!
Way to go Northfield - sent the haughty trust fund brats back to Long Lake empty handed.
Eight turnovers and there were at least (2) other times that Orono put the ball on the rug, only to recover it and run for first downs…
I saw Hutch rush for 440 yards on that defense in week two. I heard Coach Sullivan say we’ll be a better team come playoff time.
Can’t say that anyone believed the third place team in the Missota Conference would beat arguably two of the top three teams in 4A in Mahtomedi and Orono. Wow.
