FLORENCE, Wis. — It was homecoming in Florence Friday night — people lining the sidewalks of Central Avenue for the parade, kids carrying bags to collect candy thrown from floats.

At Robert Landry Field, head coach Kent Walstrom and his Bobcats welcomed Marinette-Oconto-Northern Lakes-Packerland 8 Conference foe Suring to town.

The visitors, equipped with a 1,400-yard rusher in Logan Staurt, were victorious 42-26. Staurt was a workhorse for the Eagles on the night, carrying 45 times for 372 yards and four touchdowns.

“Staurt was tremendous, he was hitting our “B-Gaps“(the middle of the defensive line) throughout the game,” Walstrom said.

“If he ran to the outside towards either sideline more than five times all night, I’d be surprised. They kept churning out yards and it was mainly with Staurt.”

Kaden Schuls led the Bobcats with 155 rushing yards on 27 carries, with three TDs. He also stood out defensively with a team-leading 20 tackles. He was crowned homecoming king at halftime, while volleyball player Jordyn Springer was named queen.

Florence accumulated 202 passing yards, with Schuls and Braden Boettcher completing passes. Corbin Behrmann was the team’s leading receiver with 139 yards on five catches. Riley Hixon had an interception.

A 65-yard Schuls touchdown run on the fourth play from scrimmage gave the Bobcats an early 6-0 lead.

Less than four minuets later, Staurt scored his first of his four TDs. Suring added the two-point conversion to take an 8-6 lead, which they wouldn’t relinquish.

“Suring played hard, my hats off to them,” Walstrom said. “They punched holes in our defense all night long. They were able to do it with the ease that they did, because we had guys playing out of position, with our top two defensive players out of the game.”

Linebacker, quarterback and team captain Toby Wheeler injured his knee in last week’s loss at Laona-Wabeno and is out for the season. Fellow team captain junior William Liebergen was injured early in the second quarter on Friday and never returned to the game.

Falling to 5-2 and having two games remaining, Walstrom believes his team still has a chance to qualify for the postseason. In WIAA eight-player competition, only 16 teams qualify for the state playoffs.

The Bobcats hit the road next week to the Green Bay area to face the cooperative Oneida Nation/NEW Lutheran team.

They return home for their final game of the regular season on Oct. 18 versus another cooperative team in Lena/St. Thomas Aquinas.

SURING – 16 12 6 8 — 42

FLORENCE – 12 0 8 6 — 26

1ST QUARTER: F – Kaden Schuls 65 Yard Run (2-point failed) 10:05

S – Logan Staurt 1 Yard Run (2-point Pass) 6:12

S – Staurt 86 Yard Run (2-point Run) 3:21

F – Braden Boettcher 13 Yard Pass to Corbin Berhmann (2-point failed) 0:00.5

2ND QUARTER: S – Staurt 5 Yard Run (2-point failed) 6:47

S – Jayden Genniesse 34 Yard Pass to Duncan Breed (2-point failed) 0:55.2

3RD QUARTER: S – Staurt 5 Yard Run (2-point failed) 4:58

F – Schuls 1 Yard Run (Schuls Run) 2:29

4TH QUARTER: S – Staurt 9 Yard Run (Genniesse to Dequez Sepulveda) 3:57

F – Schuls 5 Yard Run (2-point failed) 2:24.