CARRINGTON, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – The Carrington Cardinal’s football team shutout the Ellendale-Edgeley-Kulm (EEK) Thunder 34-0 at Stadium ’76 to start the 2021 football season.

The Cards racked up 221 rushing yards on 45 attempts (4.9 yards average) while holding the Thunder to just 39 yards on the ground on 18 attempts. The Cardinals outgained the Thunder 314 total yards to 148.

The Cardinals set the tone early scoring on the first possession of the game with 7:03 to go in the first quarter on a Michael Clifton 6 yard  TD run. Clifton was the workhorse on offense, rushing the ball 19 times for 116 yards. Jack Paulson added the extra point kick & also converted all of 4 of his extra points on the night. The touchdown drive was sparked by a 39 yard pass from starting quarterback Lucas Hendrickson to Hudson Schmitz on a 3rd down play that needed 11 yards for the first down. This would be Hendrickson’s only pass of the night as he left the game late in the first half with an injury. Hendrickson added 27 rushing yards on 8 carries before leaving the game.

Grady Shipman would take over at quarterback & scored on a QB keeper from the 1 yard line with just 1:40 to go in the second quarter to give the Cards a 14-0 lead. The Thunder made a late first half threat to score but Shipman picked off an Adam Nitschke pass around the Carrington 20 yard line with :35 seconds to go in the half to secure the 14-0 halftime lead.

The Cards scored on their first possession of the second half when Shipman connected with a diving  Schmitz on a 17 yard TD pass to the right corner of the end zone pushing the lead to 21-0. Schmitz finished the game with 2 catches for 56 yards and the one TD.

Shipman finished the game 3-4 passing for 54 yards, 1 TD, & added 7 carries for 26 yards and another score.

Drew Schroeder added a 7 yard TD run with 1:16 to go in the third quarter and finished the game with 18 yards rushing on just 2 carries. Kael Kovar added the final score on a 6 yard TD run with 7:11 to go in the game. Kovar added 21 rushing yards on 4 carries.

Jacob Seaburg had 1 catch for 30 yards and 3 carries for 11 yards.

The Thunder offensively were paced by quarterback Adam Nitschke (11-18-109-0-2) and running back Dalton Madcke. Madcke finished with 32 yards rushing on 13 carries and also hauled in 4 receptions for a game high 59 yards. Nitschke also hooked up with younger brother Jacob Nitschke for 5 receptions and 35 yards.

Carrington will take it’s 1-0 record on the road next Friday night at pre-season number one ranked Beulah. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 P.M. with the pregame starting at 6:30 on AM 1600 KDAK (THE CARDINAL), FM 100.1, and www.newsdakota.com