Bobcats miss playoffs with loss to Seeley

Experience is often a priceless commodity. In sports, it is an extra ingredient with usually tangible benefits. 

Talent is inherent but can be achieved with hard work...and experience. 

The Superior Bobcats football team has both in ample amounts. Talent and inexperience. 

But that inexperience will morph into experience and happy fans for the next few years. 

Little consolation for the players and coaches who absorbed a 66-22 regular season ending loss to Western B conference second-place Seeley-Swan this past Friday night in Seeley. 

The loss dropped the Bobcats, who were riding a four-game winning streak coming into the game, into fifth place in the ultra-competitive 8-player league. 

Unfortunately, the top four teams from the 11-team conference advance to the first round of the Class B playoffs which begin this coming weekend, leaving Superior just short of qualifying. 

“We felt the same (about experience being a factor in the loss) but couldn’t overcome the injuries”, said Superior head coach Jeff Schultz of his sophomore dominated squad. 

Seeley got on the scoreboard first in what was a tight defensive battle in the first half. They capped an early possession with a five-yard touchdown run, then added a two-point, point after touchdown (PAT) play that put them ahead 8-0 at the 7:12 mark of the first quarter. 

Superior took the ensuing kickoff and marched quickly downfield behind the passing arm of sophomore QB Landon Richards, who had a long pass and a first down run on the drive.  Another of their outstanding sophomore corps, Turner Milender, then scored what appeared to be an 18-yard touchdown run, but it was initially called back because of a penalty. 

However, after further discussion, the penalty was waved off, and when Milender ran in for the PAT, the game was tied at eight. 

Seeley was driving on their next possession when the Bobcats picked off a Blackhawks’ pass, giving Superior the ball on the Seeley 32. The Cats moved quickly to the Seeley four yard line, where Turner scored again from that distance.  The PAT was no good, but the Cats were in front 14-8 as the first quarter came to an end. 

Seeley struck back in the opening minute of the second quarter on a 26-yard TD run.  The PAT try was no good and with 11:21 to go in the second quarter, the score was knotted at 14-14. 

Superior regained the lead with eight minutes to play in the first half when Phin Cataldo hauled in a 15-yard touchdown toss from Richards.  Turner ran for the PAT, giving the Bobcats a 22-14 lead. 

On the ensuing kickoff, Seeley bobbled the kick, then picked it up and raced 65 yards down the sideline for a touchdown that, with a successful pass PAT, tied the score again at 22. 

Superior appeared to have retaken the lead on their next drive, but the ball was fumbled into the Seeley end zone and recovered by the Blackhawks, who took over on the touchback at their own 15. 

From there the Blackhawks marched to the Superior 32, where they scored on a 32-yard pass play, giving them the lead at 30-22 as the half came to an end. 

The third quarter was pretty much all Seeley as they scored twice, once on a 21-yard run, the other on a 44 yard run that, with a successful two-point PAT gave the host team a 44-22 advantage that held up through the end of the third quarter. 

Seeley scored in again in the early moments of the final quarter on a 63-yard run for six.  They added a two-point PAT to build their lead to 52-22 with 11:40 left in the game. 

The Blackhawks scored two more running touchdowns in the final quarter, one from 30 yards out, the other from 20, giving them a 66-22 lead, which was the final score. 

The win improved Seeley to 7-2 overall and 7-1 in Western B-8 conference play, with their only conference loss being to regular season conference champion Valley Christian (8-0). 

Superior dropped to 5-3 overall and in league play with the loss, leaving them one game behind fourth-place rival St. Regis in the final conference standings. 

Playoff pairings will be announced early this week.