PHILLIPS 42, RIB LAKE 18 - Rib Lake strikes first and last; Loggers are too much in between

An opening-drive touchdown provided some early hope Thursday, but seven six touchdowns later, the Phillips Loggers were well on their way to a 42-18 road win over the Rib Lake Redmen.

The Loggers’ punishing run game was too much for Rib Lake to handle, averaging just over 10 yards per carry with 385 yards on 38 attempts. Three Loggers did most of the work. Ayron DeLeasky had 145 yards on just nine carries, JJ Heikkinen ran for 105 yards on eight attempts and Sawyer Kubaca added 71 yards on six carries.

The Loggers added 46 passing yards on two completions to finish with 431 yards of total offense.

Rib Lake, meanwhile, moved the ball at times and finishing with 17 first downs and 245 yards of total offense. But after their first touchdown drive, the Redmen weren’t able to finish pushes into Phillips’ side of the field until the outcome was well decided in the fourth quarter.

It was also a tough night on the health front for Rib Lake, who lost lineman Brevin Brahmer in pre-game warmups and running back/defensive back Slade Scheithauer in the third quarter to significant injuries.

Rib Lake’s first scoring drive started at the Phillips 48-yard line when it recovered an onside kick attempt by the Loggers to start the game. The Redmen ran for two first downs. Then Slade Scheithauer got open cutting across the Loggers’ defensive backfield and caught a pass from Talon Scheithauer in stride for a 26-yard touchdown just 2:01 into the game. The two-point conversion failed, keeping Rib Lake’s lead at 6-0.

Phillips came right back, using a 31yard pass from Heikkinen to Ben Virnig to set up a 10-yard touchdown run by DeLeasky, who also ran in the two-point try to put the Loggers up 8-6.

Rib Lake went three and out, pinning Phillips on its 5-yard line after Slade Scheithauer’s punt. The Loggers quickly flipped the field position thanks to a 35yard run by Kucaba. Heikkinen had a run of 13 yard and DeLeasky added a run of 14 yards before Heikkinen finished the 95yard drive with a 6-yard touchdown run that made it 14-6 late in the opening quarter.

Rib Lake had a promising drive end on a fumbled pitch at the Loggers’ 44. Just two plays later, Heikkinen avoided one tackle and was gone along the right hashmarks on a 51-yard scoring run. After the Redmen gained a first down, two sacks put a quick end to the next drive and Phillips turned a short 30-yard field into six more points. Heikkinen’s 15-yard touchdown run opened up a 28-6 lead, which is where the game stood at halftime.

DeLeasky’s 62-yard run on the third offensive snap of the second half all but put it away. Despite losing Slade Scheithauer to his knee injury on the second play, Rib Lake had something going with two first downs picked up on its first drive of the half, but a fumble ended that. Phillips turned that into a 47-yard, seven-play touchdown drive that ended with a 2-yard run by Kucaba that made it 42-6 and put the running clock into effect late in the third quarter.

Lucas Cook caught passes of 21 and 23 yards from Talon Scheithauer to set up his 11-yard touchdown run as Rib Lake finally ended the 42-point run by the Loggers early in the fourth quarter. Rib Lake’s last possession was a five-play scoring drive that included passes of 21 yards to Grant Beard and 28 yards to Cook before Talon Scheithauer scored in the final minute on a 6-yard run.

Talon Scheithauer completed 11 of 18 passes for 161 yards with Lucas Cook grabbing four of the completions for 74 yards. Beard had his second straight solid outing as a receiver out of his tight end position with four receptions for 55 yards.

Talon Scheithauer ran for 45 yards on 14 carries. Slade Scheithauer had 29 yards on 12 carries and caught three passes for 32 yards before departing.

Rib Lake was not flagged for any penalties, while Phillips had six for 45 yards.

Rib Lake fell to 1-2 in the Northwoods East Conference and 1-3 overall with the loss, while Phillips improved to 3-0, 3-1.

The Redmen aim to bounce back Friday when they host a struggling Winter-Birchwood team in a Northwoods Conference crossover game at 7 p.m.