game notes

 

PROGRESSING NICELY

Graduation depleted the ranks, but a strong junior class had Orono coach Jeff Weiland cautiously optimistic that his team had a chance to repeat the 7-3 record of last season.

So far, the Spartans might be even better.

“I never trust juniors until I see how they play, but we came out and beat Glencoe-Silver Lake in the first game of the season, and that has added confidence,” Weiland said.

Junior QB Hank Seward shrugs off his 5-7 height and is 5-0 as a starter dating back to last year. This season, he’s accounted for 783 yards of total offense, 616 of them through the air. Junior running backs David McCuskey (429 yards rushing) and Blake Leischow both excel in the short passing game.

 

FAMILIAR FOES

Orono and Hutchinson have a long history of playing each other, dating to their days as opponents in the old Suburban West conference. “Steve Fedie, our former head coach who is an assistant with us now, said he thinks we’ve beaten Hutchinson more than any other team in the league,” Weiland said. “Me? I just remember the 500 rushing yards they had against us last year.”

Weiland said he thinks Hutchinson is as good as any team he’s faced. ‘‘They don’t have a weakness, and Andy [Rostberg] does a great job preparing that team,” he said.

 

STREAKING

If Hutchinson wins, it would become the seventh team in recorded state history to win 30 consecutive games, according to the Minnesota State High School League website. Mahnomen team will be trying for its 31st consecutive victory on Friday. The state record is 76 victories in a row, set by Stephen-Argyle from 2003 to 2008.

JIM PAULSEN