Gavin Storbeck runs for a gain in BEA's win over the Redwood Valley Cardinals.

A potent offense coupled with a stingy defense helped the Blue Earth Area Bucs to defeat the Redwood Valley Cardinals 46-18 for their third consecutive victory.

It was another dominating performance for the Maroon and Gold whose offense has scored more than 40 points in each of their three victories.

Redwood Valley’s defensive game plan was to stop BEA’s prolific rushing attack by stacking eight men in the box which left their cornerbacks exposed to the Bucs’ passing attack.

BEA senior quarterback Gavin Storbeck took advantage of the situation by completing 13 of 18 passes for 231 yards and four touchdowns, including a 75-yard touchdown pass to Cameron Anderson and a 36-yard touchdown pass to Ashton Lloyd.

The Bucs’ running game was up to the challenge also. BEA’s running backs ran for 258 yards on 41 carries, an average of 6.29 yards per gain.

Redwood Valley received the opening kickoff and employed their option offense to put together an eight play drive for 68 yards for a touchdown and an early 6-0 lead. Their two-point conversion attempt was foiled when Anderson intercepted the ball in the end zone.

The Bucs recovered the Cardinals onside kick attempt and began their first drive of the day at their own 40-yard line.

BEA put together an 11-play 60-yard drive which ran over five minutes off the clock and resulted in a six-yard run for a touchdown by Max Ehrich.

One key play on the drive came on a fourth down and three yards to go at the Redwood Valley 43-yard line. Storbeck connected with Lloyd on a quick out pattern for four yards and a first down to keep the drive alive.

Kean Hicks kicked the extra point attempt through the uprights and the Bucs took a 7-6 lead which they would not give up.

Following the ensuing kickoff, BEA forced Redwood Valley to punt after only three plays and BEA once again started their drive from their own 40-yard line.

This time it only took the Bucs four plays to reach the end zone.

Storbeck began the drive with a five-yard gain before throwing a seven-yard completion to Ashton Lloyd for a first down to Redwood Valley’s 48-yard line.

Anderson ran the ball around the end for a 47-yard gain before being forced out of bounds at the one-yard line. Ehrich finished the drive with a one-yard run for the touchdown. The extra point kick was no good and BEA led 13-6.

Redwood Valley failed to get a first down on their next drive and had to punt the ball away to BEA.

The Bucs needed only two plays to cover 80 yards and score their third touchdown of the half.

Ehrich ran for the first five yards before Storbeck completed a short pass to Anderson who broke free for a 75-yard touchdown.

Hicks’ extra point attempt sailed through the uprights to put the Bucs on top 20-6 with just over eight minutes remaining in the opening half.

Luverne received the kickoff and was faced with a third down and six yards to go from their own 19-yard line. A sack of their quarterback, Isaac Lou-wagie, by Anders Fering, resulted in a nine-yard loss back to the 10-yard line and forced another Cardinals’ punt.

The punt sailed out-of-bounds at the Cardinal 36-yard line to give the Bucs excellent field position.

BEA covered the 36 yards in six plays with Anderson rushing for the final 13 yards and a touchdown.

The extra point was unsuccessful so the Bucs lead was 26-6.

BEA would score once more in the first half.

Luverne had made one first down on their next drive when Fering forced a fumble which was recovered by the Bucs’ Luke Schonborn on the Cardinal 36-yard line.

It took only one play for Storbeck to complete a pass to Lloyd which covered 36 yards for another touchdown and a 32-6 lead after the two-point conversion failed. That was the end of scoring in the first half.

Redwood Valley appeared to have successfully executed an onside kick to begin the second half. However, the officials ruled a Cardinals’ player had touched the ball before it went 10 yards so the Bucs began their first drive of the second half only 49 yards away from the end zone.

BEA only needed six plays to score again. The touchdown would come on a 15-yard strike from Storbeck to Lloyd. Storbeck then completed a pass to Austin Thielfoldt for a two-point conversion to take a 40-6 lead over the Cardinals.

The Bucs would score once more while the Cardinals would cross the goal line two times against BEA’s reserves.

BEA ended the game with 28 first downs to eight for Redwood Valley.

The Bucs gained 258 yards rushing and 231 yards passing for a total of 489 yards.

BEA held Redwood Valley to 100 rushing yards and only 56 passing yards.

Anderson was the leading rusher for the Bucs with 83 yards on three attempts and one touchdown. Ehrich finished with 75 yards on 16 attempts and two touchdowns. Cole Warmka picked up 40 yards on six attempts, Storbeck rushed for 28 yards in five tries, Riley Anderson picked up 31 yards on five rushes and Waylen Douglas had 12 yards on five attempts.

Cameron Anderson had four receptions for 116 yards and one touchdown. Lloyd had six receptions for 78 yards and two touchdowns. Thielfoldt finished with three catches for 37 yards and one touchdown.

The Bucs were scheduled to play the Pipestone Arrows on Friday, Oct. 30. Results of that contest will be in the next edition of the Faribault County Register.