In his first season starting under center, 6-foot-5 sophomore quarterback Baden Noennig has experienced the same learning curve all rookie signal callers go through. Mistakes are bound to happen during the learning process, but sometimes a bit of luck can transform a small mistake into a huge play.  

Noennig had some of that rookie fortune on his side Friday night against Maple River; a high-throw evaded Dylan Fisher, but was tipped into the hands of Branden Carlson who completed the 61-yard play for an early touchdown.

“That was lucky,” Noennig said. “It was an okay throw, but a better catch.”

Noennig set luck aside in the fourth quarter, showing his skill with a leaping interception in the end zone that contributed to a stalwart 14-0 shutout of the Eagles at Mayer Lutheran High School.

“[Maple River quarterback Nathan Moore] was looking right, he looked left and threw it up and I knew I was gonna catch it,” Noennig said.

Ranked No. 11 in the Associated Press’ Class 2A state football poll, the Crusaders (6-1, 6-1) forced four turnovers to shutout the No. 6-2A Eagles who entered the contest averaging 36.7 points per game.

Sophomore Mitchell Thiesfeld made the final interception of the game with under two minutes remaining and Mayer Lutheran ran out the clock to deal Maple River (5-2, 5-1) its first South Central Blue Division loss of the season. With the win, the Crusaders also went joint first in the league standings.

Noennig’s good fortune was not shared by his opposite number, as Eagles quarterback Jeff Lewis was knocked out of the game late in the first quarter with concussion-like symptoms following a blindside tackle by Kenson Boelke.

When Mayer Lutheran visited Maple River last year, the Eagles won on a last-second heave from Lewis.

Crusader’s coach Dean Aurich felt that was the game-changer, as Maple River resorted to putting jack-of-all-trades Nathan Moore under center. Moore plays offense, defense, punts and returns for the Eagles, but could not find a way to get Maple River into the end zone.

Mayer Lutheran’s coaching staff has promised the offensive line a steak grill-out every time they score a rushing touchdown in the second half, which may contribute in some small way to Kenson Boelke’s hit-first mentality.

At 150 pounds, Boelke’s frame doesn’t match his bruising play as a member of both the offensive and defensive lines, but the junior seems to have no problem holding his own.

The steak-worthy touchdown came on the opening drive of the second half, as Mayer Lutheran ran 13 plays on the ground to drain the clock and take a two possession lead that forced the Eagles into playing catchup.

Boelke may have to grow a second stomach -- or borrow an extra from the cow -- as the defense was also awarded steak for its first shutout of the season.

“We’ve always pushed for a shutout but we’ve never got it,” he said. “To get it against a conference rival feels great.”

Mayer Lutheran can clinch the league crown outright with a win next week against Waterville-Elysian-Morristown.

“We just need a fast start like we did today, hit hard and do our jobs, and we’ll be good,” Boelke said.

Baden Noennig tossed a 61-yard touchdown to Branden Carlson and made a crucial fourth-quarter interception to lead the Crusaders to a 14-0 shutout over Maple River Friday night at Mayer Lutheran High School.

Ranked No. 11 in the Associated Press Class 1A state football poll, the Crusaders (6-1, 6-1) forced four turnovers to deal the No. 6-2A Eagles their first South Central District Blue Division loss of the season.

Maple River quarterback Jeff Lewis was knocked out of the game in the first quarter after showing symptoms of a concussion.

Noennig finished the game with 101 yards passing, while Lincoln Arndt racked up 96 yards on the ground for the Eagles (5-2, 5-1).