Despite losing QB to injury, Cavalier knocks off defending state champion Thompson

CAVALIER, N.D.-Cavalier opened the high school football season Friday with a big win and a potentially big loss.

The Tornadoes held off defending North Dakota 9-man state champion Thompson 28-24 here in the opening game of the season for both teams.

But Cavalier also may have lost all-state quarterback Austin Urlaub indefinitely. The senior suffered an injury in his right (throwing) shoulder late in the third quarter and left the game. His status is unknown until the shoulder is tested.

"It's tough to maybe lose your quarterback,'' Cavalier coach Sandy Laxdal said. "But we'll take the win. We hope the shoulder checks out OK and he'll come back to help us.

"Right now, we're not sure of his status. Maybe he'll be out a couple of weeks. Maybe longer. It would be big, losing the guy who makes your offense go. But we got just enough done to win.''

Urlaub led the Tornadoes to scoring drives on their first three possessions in building a 20-6 lead. Tristen Sott scored on a 45-yard drive, Urlaub on a 1-yard keeper, then the senior hit Andre Carrier for a 54-yard scoring pass down the right sideline.

Urlaub finished 5-of-10 passing for 183 yards. Carrier was the Tornadoes' main target with five catches for 161 yards.

But Thompson was within 20-18 at halftime. It remained that way until, two plays after Urlaub left the game, backup quarterback Jayden Laxdal went left on a bootleg and scored on a 20-yard run for a 28-18 lead.

"That was big,'' Sandy Laxdal said of his son's touchdown. "He's got some wheels and he read the blocking scheme right.''

Thompson got within 28-24 on a 62-yard pass from Cadyn Schwabe to Hayden Overby. Schwabe finished 15-of-28 passing for 239 yards. The 6-foot-6 Overby had six catches for 148 yards. He also had 6- and 18-yard TD receptions.

"Hayden's lanky and fast,'' Tommies coach Brady Schwab said. "Our quarterbacks did a good job of getting him the ball and Hayden has the ability to make big plays.''

But Thompson twice moved inside the Cavalier 40-yard line in the fourth quarter, but couldn't score. "We didn't get much going on the ground in the second half,'' Schwab said. "We weren't moving the ball like we needed to. And kudos to (Cavalier's) defense.''

For the Tornadoes, it was a case of reacting well to the absence of their all-state quarterback.

"I thought we showed our character,'' Cavalier junior Tommy Enerson said. "Austin has a big influence on us offensively and defensively. For him to go down, everyone had to step up.''

1/2: Cavalier's Conley Carrier takes down Thompson's Nicholas Reck in the North Dakota 9-man high school football game in Cavalier on Friday. Photo by Nicki Smith, Special to the Herald.

2/2: Cavalier quarterback Austin Urlaub drops back to pass Friday night in the season opener against Thompson in Cavalier. Photo by Nicki Smith, Special to the Herald.