INDEPENDENCE — The Melrose-Mindoro High School football team won for the third time in four weeks and picked up its first Dairyland Conference victory of the season with a 47-8 win over Independence/Gilmanton on Friday.
Junior Isaiah Kleinsmith rushed for a 52-yard touchdown and returned a fumble 25 yards for another score. Junior Maverick Blank-White also returned an interception 70 yards for a touchdown as Melrose-Mindoro (3-1, 1-1) bounced back from a loss to Eleva-Strum last week.
Kleinsmith had six carried for 89 yards and the touchdown. Junior quarterback Brady Blaken completed 4 of 5 passes for 66 yards and a touchdown.
Triton 13, Caledonia 3
CALEDONIA — The Warriors (1-2 overall and Southeast Central-Yellow) kicked a field goal in the first quarter but were shut out the rest of the way.
Charlie Mauss was good from 22 yards out, and Caledonia led 3-0 after one quarter, but Triton came back with some big defensive and special teams plays to get the road victory.
Senior quarterback Will Allen completed 9 of 21 passes for 111 yards, but he was intercepted twice. Triton also blocked a second attempt at a field goal and recorded the second interception with 4:02 remaining.
Senior Noah Schroeder carried eight times for 35 yards and senior Jack Schmitz 10 times for 30, but the Warriors were limited to 94 rushing yards. Sophomore Grant King had four catches for a team-high 64 yards.
North Crawford 44, De Soto 16
DE SOTO — The Trojans jumped out to a 24-0 halftime lead, and the Pirates (2-1, 1-1 Ridge and Valley) couldn’t catch up.
Senior Bryce Schultz carried 13 times for 137 yards and a 70-yard touchdown run for De Soto, which also received a rushing touchdown and 76 yards on nine carries from senior Austin DeFlorian, who also had a two-point conversion.
Senior quarterback Finn Wrobel completed 6 of 15 passes for 87 yards, and four of those went to senior Jackson Trussoni for plays that picked up 62 yards. Schultz also caught two passes for 25 yards and gave the Pirates a two-point conversion.
