GRAND MEADOW — The Superlarks football team overcame a rough start to wrap up their second straight Southeastern Conference title in a 41-28 win over Glenville/Emmons (3-5 overall) in GM Friday.

Grand Meadow (7-1 overall) fumbled four times in the first half and lost two of them, but once it got its offense going, it wasn’t stopping as Caleb Liechtnam piled up 221 yards and three scores while playing through an injury that made him a game time decision.

“We didn’t know how much he would be able to do,” GM head coach Gary Sloan said. “He was at about seventy-five percent but he’s a tough kid and he gutted it through.”

Liechtnam broke a 59 yard TD run by cutting loose and shedding a few tackles to make it 15-6, but he was most instrumental on GM’s next two scoring drives.

After G/E’s Wyatt Madson hit Andrew Lau for a 59-yard score, Liechtnam gained first downs on third down twice and he picked up three yards on fourth and three to set up his own four-yard run to make it 23-14 with 25 seconds left in the half.

“We came out a little flat,” Liechtnam said. “We’re still a little banged up but we’ll be all right and we’re getting healthier before the playoffs. We’ll come out with more fire next time and we’ll be just fine.”

The drive at the end of the first half was 14 plays, and the Larks opened the second half with a 12-play drive that was capped by a Richard Bain touchdown run from two yards out.

Bain finished with 128 yards and he’s starting to feel more confident at running back after making the switch from tight end earlier this season.

“I’m starting to get there and the line’s making some nice holes. That makes my job easier,” he said.

GM, which is ranked No. 8 in nine-man, led 41-14 in the second half when its starters came out.

GM’s defense stepped up it’s game after some struggles in the first half. While Madson, who finished with 250 yards passing, had his way early in the game, GM defensive end Bryce Benson racked up three and half sacks and Andrew Bell picked off a pass to turn things around.

“We just weren’t being aggressive enough and we weren’t very disciplined,” Liechtnam said. “We fixed it and locked down a little more.”

GM will enter the section tournament as the No. 1 seed and it will host No. 8 LeRoy/Ostrander (0-8 overall) Tuesday at 7 p.m.

Last year, the Larks made it to the state tournament but ended up a game away from playing in the Metrodome.

“Last year was tough and there’s a lot of hard feelings,” Bain said. “That’s in the past and you can’t dwell on it, we’ve just got to come out hard.”

STATS

GM rushing: Caleb Liechtnam, 23-for-221, 3 TD; Richard Bain, 16-for-128, TD; Perry Stesjkal, 10-for-57, TD; Andrew Bell, 3-for-8; Dezmon Johnson, 1-for-8, TD; Jason Stier, 2-for-6; Cole Hartson, 1-for-4; Cameron Turner, 3-for-(-4); Collin Jacobson, 1-for-(-4)

GM passing: Liechtnam, 0-for-3

GM sacks: Bryce Benson (3.5); Bain (.5); Brock Johnson (1)

GM interceptions: Andrew Bell (1)

GM fumble recoveries: Cameron Gomer (1)

GE rushing: Landon Hall, 15-for-87, TD; Derek Olson, 9-for-51, TD; Peter Hansen, 1-for-(-5); Wyatt Madson, 7-for-(-12)

GE passing: Wyatt Madson, 18-for-23, 250 , 2 TD

GE receiving: Andrew Lau, 6-for-109, 2 TD; Perry Kirsch, 3-for-45; Peter Hanson, 4-for-38; Derek Olson, 2-for-37; Alex Golbuff, 1-for-16; Caleb Shumaker, 2-for-5

GE penalties: 2-for-15

SCORING SUMMARY

G/E 6 8 0 14 — 28

GM 0 23 6 12 — 41

First quarter

(GE) 7:02 Wyatt Madson 5 pass to Andrew Lau (run failed) (11 plays, 80 yards)

Second quarter

(GM) 11:54 Perry Stesjkal 13 run (Wilson kick) (6 plays, 56 yards)

(GM) 8:06 Caleb Liechtnam 59 run (Stesjkal run) (3 plays, 79 yards)

(GE) 4:49 Madson 58 pass to Lau (Madsen pass to Hansen) (1 play, 58 yards)

(GM) :25 Liechtnam 4 run (Stesjkal run) (14 plays, 55 yards)

Third quarter

(GM) 6:07 Richard Bain 2 run (run failed) (12 plays, 61 yards)

Fourth quarter

(GM) 11:50 Liechtnam 40 run (run failed) (7 plays, 74 yards)

(GM) 10:34 Dezmon Johnson 8 run (kick failed) (3 plays, 28 yards)

(GE) 2:54 Landon Hall 3 run (Madson run) (9 plays, 81 yards)

(GE) 1:19 Derek Olson 15 run (run failed) (3 plays, 31 yards)