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MARSHALL -- After struggling offensively in a loss to Orono, the Marshall football team wanted to make a statement in its next game. The Tigers did exactly that, jumping out to a fast start and rolling to a 48-0 victory over Fergus Falls on Senior Night.
Now, Marshall will look to carry that momentum into Wednesday's regular-season finale at Benilde-St. Margaret's.
"I think we started fast against Fergus Falls," Marshall head coach Terry Bahlmann said. "Our kids were disappointed in the way we played, especially on offense against Orono, so we wanted to start off fast."
The Tigers wasted little time getting their offense going. Using a play they had run two weeks in a row, quarterback Cannon Craigmile connected with Tyler Kraft in the flat, where Kraft broke several tackles to spark the offense.
Marshall built a 20-0 lead within the first four minutes, providing the early momentum the Tigers wanted.
"Once we go, we wanted to play fast," Bahlmann said. "Our kids played hard. We were focused."
The quick start helped Marshall regain its confidence offensively after a difficult outing against Orono. Bahlmann said the team never lost faith in its approach but wanted to get back to executing it effectively.
"I don’t think we’re questioning what we’re doing, but we wanted to get out and get going again, and get that bad taste out of our mouth from the previous week that we struggled on offense," Bahlmann said.
Marshall found success attacking off tackle and turning those opportunities into bigger gains. Bahlmann was particularly encouraged to see the Tigers produce explosive plays, something he felt had been missing from the offense.
"We haven’t made a lot of explosive plays," Bahlmann said. "Cannon hit back with a big pass. Magnus had a huge run. So it’s nice to see us make big plays."
Throughout the season, Marshall has faced several of the state’s top teams. The Tigers’ demanding schedule has given them a measuring stick as they prepare for the postseason, with matchups against ranked opponents providing valuable experience.
"We’re playing the best teams in the state," Bahlmann said. "We’ve got beat by number one and number three, and showed us where we’re at, but, you know, we beat some ranked teams along the way. Hutchinson, Delano and Rocori at the time."
That experience has reinforced the importance of consistent execution on both sides of the ball. Defensively, Bahlmann said the Tigers must remain disciplined with their run fits and use their speed to their advantage.
"We need to be perfect in our execution, and mentally into it every time," Bahlmann said. "Defensively, when we run fit well, we’re going to be a good defense. We don’t have a lot of size. We have to play fast."
Bahlmann also praised his players for responding quickly after the loss to Orono, saying their ability to move forward helped set the tone against Fergus Falls.
"The way they’ve come back, teenagers bounce back faster than adults sometimes," Bahlmann said with a smile. "So when they came back after the Orono game, I was impressed."
The Tigers’ next challenge comes Wednesday against Benilde-St. Margaret’s, which Bahlmann said has plenty of speed and skill, particularly among its receivers.
The Red Knights also reached the Class 4A state tournament last season before falling to Grand Rapids, 54-7.
Benilde-St. Margaret’s passing attack will present a different challenge for Marshall. The Tigers will need to limit opportunities for big plays while continuing to pressure the quarterback and force turnovers.
"B-SM has a lot of speed. Their skilled kids look good," Bahlmann said. "They throw the ball around a lot."
Marshall has been effective at creating turnovers in recent weeks, and Bahlmann wants that trend to continue. He also sees special teams as an opportunity to gain an advantage through strong returns and better field position.
"We’ve been good in the turnovers the last couple weeks, so we want to keep that up," Bahlmann said.
Bahlmann emphasized the value of what he calls the "hidden yards" in the return game. Gaining extra yardage on punt and kickoff returns can give the offense a shorter field and create more scoring opportunities.
"If you can save 30 yards on a punt return or kickoff return, that’s huge for drives," Bahlmann said.
As Marshall prepares for its regular-season finale, the goal is to build on the improvements against Fergus Falls while continuing to trust the system that has guided the Tigers throughout the season.
"Just build off what we’ve done," Bahlmann said. "We’re going to stay with our base stuff and just have the confidence in it."
Marshall enters Wednesday’s matchup with a 5-2 record and will look to finish the regular season on a strong note before turning its attention to the postseason.