MANKATO — For the second consecutive week, Owatonna was gashed for multiple explosive plays on the ground, failed to gain consistent traction on offense and fell behind by three touchdowns at the break against a talented and young opponent from Mankato.

And for the second consecutive week, the Huskies paid for it on the scoreboard.

Seven days after surrendering 275 rushing yards in a 21-point loss to Mankato East, Owatonna traveled to Mankato West on Friday night and yielded nearly 400 yards on the ground and lost, 35-7, at Todnem Field in a Northstar District South crossover contest.

From the word “go”, the Scarlets were off and running. Literally.

Junior tailback, Trevor Sheldrup, took a handoff on the game’s opening snap, knifed through the first two layers of Owatonna’s defense and easily won an 83-yard footrace into the end zone, scoring the first of Mankato West’s six rushing touchdowns on the night. Sheldrup added a back-breaking 92-yard TD sprint late in the second quarter on the first play of a drive that began immediately after the Scarlets stuffed the Huskies on 4^th-and-goal from just inside the West 5 yard line.

Sheldrup carried the ball just eight times and led the Scarlets with 192 rushing yards. Junior quarterback, Osborn Lorenz, added 168 yards on the ground and three rushing TDs.

Owatonna — which trailed 21-0 at halftime and 35-0 after Mankato West scored its final touchdown of the game just six second into the fourth quarter — avoided the shutout when backup tailback Kade Hullopeter registered his first career touchdown on a 5-yard run with 54 seconds left on the clock.

The Huskies mustered 193 yards of total offense, 120 of which came on the ground. Tristan Graham led Owatonna with 67 yards on 17 carries.

In his second career start, Aiden Tackmann completed 6 of 20 passes (30%) for 74 yards, one interception and no touchdowns.

Brendan Klecker picked off a pass for the Huskies, who fell to 0-2 for the first time since 2010 when they lost to Wayzata and, ironically, Mankato West, to open the season.

Sophomore, Zachary Roesner, hauled in a 41-yard reception to highlight’s Owatonna’s extended, albeit fruitless, 14-play drive in the second quarter.

COVER PHOTO BY JOHNNIE PHILLIPS