Adrian junior running back Trent Bullerman (43) fights his way through a pair of Minneota defenders to score his team's final touchdown of a 27-9 homecoming win Friday.
By John Rittenhouse
It was a special homecoming night in Adrian Friday when the Dragon football team rolled to a 27-9 win over Minneota.
The Dragons, who lost back-to-back games entering Friday's tilt, needed a good performance to remain in position to host at least one playoff game at the end of the regular season.
Adrian rose to the challenge with a solid defensive effort and an outstanding offensive performance by senior Dusty Henning.
The Dragon defense, which allowed 31 points in a loss to Canby the week before Friday's game, may have turned in its best performance of the year Friday. Adrian limited the Vikings to 52 total yards and four first downs in the game.
Henning compiled a total of 281 offensive yards (256 rushing and 25 receiving) while scoring three of his team's four touchdowns in the game.
Adrian coach Randy Strand said Henning's performance was a career-best, but it was his team's effort on defense that made the difference against the Vikings.
Minneota, one of the Little Sioux Conference's top offensive teams statistically, brought a three-game winning streak into the game. The Vikings were able to move the ball early, but the Dragons met the challenge, limiting them to a second-quarter field goal.
"Our defense played very well," Strand said. "Minneota is the leading offensive team in our conference. They have the top quarterback, the top running back and three of the four top receivers. They averaged 200 yards per game passing coming into the game. They got six passing yards against us. Defensive backs Levi Bullerman, Henning, Pete Hohn and Tyler Wolf did a good job of staying with their receivers."
Adrian's defense also gave the offense some good field position that led to the game's first touchdown in the first quarter.
The Dragons received the kick to start the game and advanced the ball deep into Minneota territory before an interception on the goal line ended the scoring threat.
The AHS defense forced the Vikings to punt moments later, giving the offense the ball on the Minneota 40-yard line.
Henning scampered for a 24-yard run on the first play of the possession, which set up a 14-yard touchdown pass from Bullerman to Hohn three plays later. Bullerman added the extra point to make it a 7-0 game with 3:40 remaining in the first period.
Minneota made a bid to answer Adrian's first touchdown by advancing the ball 63 yards in 13 plays. The drive ran out of steam on the AHS four, and the Vikings settled for a 21-yard field goal by Wade Gillund at the 10:15 mark of the third quarter.
Penalties kept both teams from scoring as the second quarter progressed.
Hohn caught what looked to be his second touchdown pass of the game, but an illegal formation call against the Dragons negated the play. A Minneota player picked off a pass a few plays later and returned it for a touchdown, but a holding penalty on the Vikings during the return erased the play.
The score remained 7-3 until late in the third quarter, when Adrian turned its second possession of the second half into a 10-play, 53-yard drive. During a fourth-and-12 situation from the Minneota 21, Bullerman lofted a 21-yard touchdown pass to Henning. A missed extra-point attempt left the Dragons sporting a 13-3 lead with 1:05 left to play in the third period.
Adrian put the game away by scoring touchdowns with its next two possessions.
The Dragons marched 77 yards in 11 plays before Henning scored on a three-yard plunge at the 7:47 mark of the third quarter. The drive was aided by a roughing the passing penalty against the Vikings, and a 31-yard run by Henning. Adrian tried to pass for a two-point conversion, and the attempt fell incomplete.
Adrian's defense stopped Minneota on downs on the Viking 38 moments later, setting up a six-play drive capped by Trent Bullerman's two-yard touchdown plunge with 4:19 remaining. Levi Bullerman ran in the two-point conversion to make it a 27-9 game.
Minneota ended the scoring when Craig Myhre returned a punt 75 yards for a touchdown with 1:17 left to play.
Strand also gave his offensive line some credit for playing well. The line helped the Dragons run for 324 yards and 20 of their 22 first downs in the contest.
"Our offensive line did a good job. We figured that this game would be won up front. We ended up running 75 offensive plays to their 40 plays. One game's telling statistics was third-down conversions. We were eight of 10. They were zero of nine," he said.
The 3-2 Dragons play 0-5 Murray County Central in Slayton Friday.
Team statistics
Adrian: 324 rushing yards, 39 passing yards, 363 total yards, 22 first downs, two penalties for 15 yards, three turnovers.
Minneota: 46 rushing yards, six passing yards, 52 total yards, four first downs, two penalties for 20 yards, zero turnovers.
Individual statistics
Rushing: Henning 39-256, L.Bullerman 11-27, Joe Kruger 8-22, Brandon Wolf 3-2, T.Bullerman 5-17.
Passing: L.Bullerman 3-9 for 39 yards.
Receiving: Henning 2-25, Hohn 1-14.
Defense: Kruger 12 tackles, Brent Voss 10 tackles and one sack, Brandon Schettler 11 tackles and one sack, Justin Wilson one sack.