Prep football: Esko leans on running game to beat Deer River

ESKO -- As the grandson of Esko's most well-known football coach, Marc Peterson is no stranger to the x's and o's of the game.

Even on the day Bob Peterson died two years ago, the younger Peterson used diagrams his terminally ill grandfather had drawn up only days before to help guide his ninth-grade team to a last-second victory.

Peterson didn't need any last-second drama Thursday in his first game as varsity quarterback, leaning on a running game that produced nearly 300 yards in Esko's 22-12 season-opening nonconference victory over Deer River. The junior completed 11 of 18 passes for 116 yards, including a 15-yard touchdown to Ryan Holte.

"Grandpa taught me a lot about football, so that helps when you get up to the big stage," Peterson said.

Coach Peterson, who won 174 games, 11 conference championships and a Class C state title between 1965-89, was known as an offensive-minded tactician. Even from his bedside at St. Mary's Medical Center, he drew up screen plays for his grandson's game against Cloquet.

"Even until his last day in the hospital, he was drawing up plays for me," Peterson said. "He was looking down on me and I threw the game-winning touchdown as time was running out.

"It was very emotional, probably the hardest thing that's happened to me so far."

After spending all that time around football as a youth, Peterson seemed destined to play quarterback. His father, Todd, also quarterbacked the Eskomos.

"He understands our offense already and he's starting to read defenses," said Eskomos coach Bill Hudspith, who also played quarterback under Peterson in the 1970s. "He'll probably be calling half the plays at the line of scrimmage toward the end of the season. He's just a little nervous right now. But he has all the skills, the height, throws a beautiful ball and is a leader."

Deer River scored on the first play from scrimmage, a 78-yard run by August Marleau, who led his team with 100 yards rushing on 10 carries. But the Warriors only had 30 more yards the rest of the first half as Esko ran off 22 consecutive points.

Riley Mudek scored from 4 yards out and ran in the ensuing two-point conversion on Esko's first possession for an 8-6 lead.

Later in the half, Peterson completed four passes on a 17-play, 89-yard drive, including the 15-yard TD pass to Holte on fourth-and-12, for a 16-6 lead. Earl Brinkley added a 1-yard plunge 44 seconds before halftime.

The second half reverted to flag football as the Eskomos were whistled for 11 of their 15 infractions.

"We came out slow in the second half, but we looked good in the first half," said Mudek, who rushed for 88 yards on 16 carries.

Deer River's only scoring of the second half came on Jesse Miller's runback of a Peterson interception, precipitated by a lineman leaving his handprint on Peterson's forearm.

Hudspith said his players have a lot to work on before their next game against Eveleth-Gilbert.

"When you get a bunch of young, somewhat inexperienced kids, they assume the game is over and get lackadaisical," he said. "We have to clean up the garbage."