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06/22/2005: "T-Birds breeze into title game"

MFL Semi-Finals, Shoremen: Recap
T-Birds breeze into title game
2005-09-27
 The Central Minnesota Thunderbirds wasted no time getting on the scoreboard against the Duluth-Superior Shoremen on Sunday, and didn't let the constant drizzle stop them from dominating the game.
 The T-Birds scored once in the first quarter and twice in the second to take a 21-0 lead into halftime. The team added 15 more to the board while holding the Shoremen to a field goal to win the semifinal playoff game by a score of 36-3.
 "I'm happy with the game," Coach Chad Baldwin said. "The defense played a great game and the offense showed they can score whenever they want to."
 The T-Birds scored early when quarterback Chris Esterley completed a 9-yard touchdown pass to Andy Bogenholm. In the second quarter, Eric Tarasewicz scored on a 2-yard run, and Esterley completed a 29-yard strike to Neuby Ras to go ahead 21-0. Mike Jacobs made all three extra point attempts.
 The Thunderbird defense was just a successful in the half. Ray Reinhart recovered a fumble early in the second quarter, Randy Lee intercepted a Shoremen pass, and Chris Camacho recovered a fumble in the final seconds of the opening half.
 "Our defense has been phenomenal all year long," Tarasewicz said. "Our defense has kept us in games. I can't say enough about our defense this year."
 The two teams played relatively even in the beginning of the third quarter, but with three minutes to go, David Knutson blocked a Shoremen punt and it went through the back of the end zone, which led to a safety.
 Knutson scored again in the fourth quarter when he caught a 6-yard touchdown pass from Esterley.
 The Shoremen's only points of the game came from a 13-yard field goal mid-way through the fourth quarter, but the T-Birds weren't about to let that be the end of it.
 Lance Nelsen recovered an on-side kick, and Central Minnesota put a few more points on the board with a late touchdown run by Johnny Frank, which gave the T-Birds a 36-3 lead.
 The game ended when Tony Norlander intercepted a Shoremen pass.
 In Sunday's game, Esterley completed 12-of-24 passes for 148 yards and three touchdowns and no interceptions.
 "The ball was a little wet and we missed some plays because of it, but it's the same for both teams," Esterley said. "I'm just glad we have such a good running game. When it gets wet like that, we can run the ball."
 Coach Baldwin said the weather did have some affect on the game.
 "Some guys, when it rains they get more intense," he said. "Some guys, they get wet and uncomfortable and it goes to their head."
 Tarasewicz, the team's leading rusher, rolled his ankle in the first quarter, which caused him to limp off the field. He had it re-taped and it didn't seem to bother him the rest of the game. He finished the afternoon with 27 carries for 207 yards and a touchdown.
 "I was happy that he had such a good game," Esterley said. "He was a huge key. If you can't run the ball, you can't win the game. He's the best in the league."
 While Baldwin was pleased with the overall play of the defense, he said there were some shortcomings. Occasional missed assignments and penalties led to a couple of big plays by the Shoremen and eventually led to the lone field goal. Baldwin said he will put additional pressure on the defense to eliminate mistakes in the future.
 "I'm pleased with our ability to always do what we have to do to win a game," he said, adding that the final touchdown of the game was necessary to for the team to keep its standing in the national ratings.
 Tarasewicz also admitted that the game was not flawless, but said it will all come together in time.
 "We did struggle a little bit," he said. "We added a couple things in practice this week. As with anything, we're gonna have some growing pains."
 Tarasewicz said that there are no major issues the team has to work on, just a few minor things.
 "It's just little things that will come with a team that only practices once a week," he said. "When stuff happens, we're able to overcome it."
 Tarasewicz said that this year's squad has a unique chemistry.
 "I can't say enough about the camaraderie we have as a group," he said. "It's the true definition of team."
 The Thunderbirds improved to 10-0 with Sunday's victory and now advance into the Mid-America Football League Championship game, which will be held at noon Sunday at Huskie Stadium on the campus of St. Cloud State University.