NASHWAUK, Minn. -- For three quarters, the Nashwauk-Keewatin football team played Mahnomen close during the Minnesota Class 1A state football playoffs at frozen Angelo Taddie Field.
There was a little problem in the first quarter, though.
Mahnomen exploded to a 24-0 lead in the opening quarter and rolled to a 46-20 victory Friday.
The Indians will face Goodhue on at 10:30 a.m. on Nov. 15 in the semifinals at the Metrodome.
Mahnomen quarterback Eric Schaumberg led the way for the Indians. Schaumberg had three touchdown runs and hooked up with Cody Bendickson for a 44-yard touchdown pass.
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"That was a great start and the credit has to go with the coaches coming up with a great game plan and the guys getting geeked up," said Schaumberg, who capped his night by throwing for three two-point conversions, running for another and kicking a PAT.
The fast beginning wasn't a strange sight for Mahnomen coach John Clark.
"We always got off to fast starts this year," said Clark, whose team improved to 12-0. "That gets their nerves out of the way."
Nashwauk-Keewatin had nothing go right in the first 12 minutes and could never recover from the early onslaught.
"That was a forgettable first quarter," N-K coach Charlie Campbell said.
Levi DeVries started the scoring for Mahnomen with a three-yard touchdown run, which came after Wade Schoenborn intercepted a pass by N-K quarterback Reed Velo on the opening possession.
Chris Schoenborn contributed to the early blitz with a 23-yard TD run.
Mahnomen didn't duplicate the early fireworks, but the result was never in doubt. N-K got on the board in the second quarter, but the Indians added eight points in the second and seven each in the third and fourth frames.
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"We didn't defend (Schaumberg) well at all tonight," Campbell said. "He's a good player and they were a classy team."
Mahnomen 24 8 7 7-- 46
N-K 0 7 7 6-- 20
M--DeVries 3 run (DeVries pass from Schaumberg)
M--Schoenborn 23 run (Schoenborn pass from Schaumberg)
M--Schaumberg 1 run (Larson pass from Schaumberg)
NK--Miersch 23 pass from Velo (Smokrovich kick)
M--Bendickson 44 pass from Schaumberg (Schaumberg run)
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M--Schaumberg 21 run (Schaumberg kick)
NK--Miersch 35 pass from Velo (Smokrovich kick)
M--Schaumberg 23 run (Schaumberg kick)
NK--Carlson 31 pass from Patras (kick failed)
