MAYER – Through five weeks of the regular season, the Mayer Lutheran football team has put themselves in a good position. Not only are the Crusaders undefeated this season, but they are also ranked No. 9 in the latest Class A poll.
Even with all the success the Crusaders have had this season, they know how much of a grind these middle of the season practices, games, and road trips can be.
“Game four, five, and six are always a tough one,” Mayer Lutheran coach Dean Aurich said. “Somewhere in there, you kind of just don’t have it.”
The Crusaders will hit the road to Fairbault Friday night to take on Bethlehem Academy in a Mid Southeast West district matchup. After a long bus ride, Aurich knows how important it is for his team to come ready to play.
“We got a bus ride where we’re going to lose a little energy,” Aurich said. “They don’t. If we’re going to play at our level, we’re going to have to be able to execute what we want to do right away. We can’t wait. It’s hard to have a great week of homecoming and put out all that energy, and then come back and play the very next game on a long road trip.”
Not only are the Crusaders facing a long road trip, they are also coming off an exciting win last week against Kenyon-Wanamingo on their homecoming.
“I was just talking with a pair of coaches, and I go, we got two issues,” Aurich said. “One, we’re coming off of a what I call a post-homecoming where you get a little bit down, They’re getting on to the homecoming energy.”
The Cardinals (3-2, 2-2) come into the matchup playing well as they come off an impressive 48-0 win against Hayfield last week. With just two losses on the season that came by a total of 14 points, the Crusaders will have to ready for the physicality the Cardinals will bring.
“They’ve been physical,” Aurich said. “They’ve knocked out a few kids even the past few games. They’re very physical.”
A win Friday night would give Mayer Lutheran a share of the district title as well as give head coach Dean Aurich his 200th career win.
Defensively, the Crusaders, who have been prone to give up big plays due to their aggressive nature, gave up another big play touchdown to K-W last week. Aurich knows that big plays will happen against his aggressive defense, but hopes to limit those plays as the season goes.
“We keep talking about that,” Aurich said. “When we stunt, it’s a good thing, but we always got to have someone there for that containment alley on the weak side or cut back. You just hope we can stay steady. I believe it we keep it close right away and get a good start, good things will happen. If we let them have some energy on their homecoming, bad things can start building up.”
A win for the Crusaders Friday night will also give Aurich his 200th career victory as a head coach.