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Football: Flivvers fall in home opener, 49-6

Kingsford's Jake Viau (17) handles a kickoff Friday in the home opener with top-ranked Fond du Lac at Flivver Field. (Burt Angeli/The Daily News)

KINGSFORD — Kingsford’s demanding start to the football season wound up Friday at Flivver Field.

Fond du Lac, ranked No. 1 in Wisconsin’s top division, yielded a first-quarter score before taking charge in a 49-6 win over the Flivvers.

Cardinals senior quarterback Carson Raddatz ran for two scores and threw for another to lead the unbeaten Cardinals.

The Flivvers (0-3) suffered earlier losses this season to unbeaten Wisconsin schools Menasha and St. Mary’s Springs.

“I was happy with the way we came to play,” said Kingsford head coach Chris Hofer. “They just got it rolling downhill on us and we couldn’t stop them.”

Fond du Lac started the game with a 79-yard drive that was checked at the one. Kingsford got some breathing room from the goal line and Trevor Povolo rambled 89 yards on a misdirection for the first score.

“Believe it or not, we did some good things in the game,” Hofer said.

Fond du Lac dominated from there, rolling to a 14-6 advantage after the first quarter when Raddatz raced 60 yards for one score and hit Eben Sauer from 44 yards for the other.

“I was a little disappointed on our first drive that we didn’t finish it,” said Fond du Lac head coach Steve Jorgensen. “I was disappointed with our defense that allowed that long run.

“I just give credit to Kingsford for making a stop on the goal line and creating a long run there. After that we seemed to settle down and take care of business.”

The Cardinals registered 28 second-quarter points, with two scores on Raddatz’ runs. The other two were on a 56-yard Sauer punt return and a 45-yard pass interception return by 6-foot-3 senior linebacker Adam Hopper.

“If you score on D and get a punt return and things like that, they usually add up to wins,” Jorgensen said.

The Cardinals held a 42-6 halftime lead to bring on the “mercy rule” running clock. After a scoreless third quarter, Fond du Lac scored in the opening seconds of the fourth quarter and Kingsford kept the ball for the remainder of the contest.

The Cardinals gained 346 yards to 146 for the the Flivvers.

“They’ve got speed,” Hofer said. “Wow, they can move it.”

Kingsford fulfilled a one-year game contract with Fond du Lac.

“I’m just thankful that Kingsford gave us a game and allowed us to come up here,” said Jorgensen. “Because if they didn’t, we wouldn’t have had a game. So I’m very, very happy for that.”

The Flivvers begin UP and Great Northern Conference play Friday when they host Gladstone.

Fond du Lac 14 28 0 7 — 49

Kingsford 6 0 0 0 — 6

First Quarter

K — Povolo 89 run (Kick failed), 6:01

F — Raddatz 60 run (Scheberl kick), 5:01

F — Sauer 44 pass from Raddatz (Scheberl kick), 3:20

Second Quarter

F — Sauer 56 punt return (Scheberl kick), 11:46

F — Raddatz 5 run (Scheberl kick), 9:02

F — Hopper 45 pass interception (Scheberl kick), 7:33

F — Raddatz 8 run (Scheberl kick), 0:18

Fourth Quarter

K — Vanna 4 run (McArthur kick), 11:57

Statistics

Total offense — Kingsford 146 (127 rushing, 19 passing), Fond du Lac 346 (259 rushing, 87 passing)

Rushing — Kingsford, Kopp 4-minus 11, Povolo 7-96, Schmutzler 3-10, Normand 15-29; Fond du Lac, Raddatz 8-69, Ellis 4-58, Sauer 6-47

Passing — Kingsford, Kopp 2-10-2, 19; Raddatz 5-5-0, 87

Penalties — Kingsford 3-11, Fond du Lac 4-50

First downs — Kingsford 7, Fond du Lac 14

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