The Superior Bobcats are for real. 

After dropping two of their first three games of the season, the young Cats are on a roll that has them in contention for a playoff berth.

Their latest conquest was another overpowering display of offense and defense as they routed Charlo 60-12 this past Friday in Superior. 

The Bobcats sophomore-dominated offense exploded for 30 first quarter points and while the Superior defense pitched a shutout en route to a 30-0 lead after 12 minutes of play. 

All four Superior touchdowns in the opening quarter were scored by their talented sophomores, the first a drive-capping four-yard touchdown plunge by running back Turner Milender.  One of the only seniors on the Superior roster, Trizten Avilla ran for a two-point after touchdown (PAT) bonus, putting the Cats in front 8-0 with just under nine minutes to play in quarter number one. 

After shutting Charlo down on their first possession, Superior scored again as Gannon Quinlan, who has also been a standout on defense for the Cats this year, scooted into the end zone from five yards out.  Junior Phin Cataldo converted the PAT run, lifting Superior to a 16-0 lead with 7:04 still on the first quarter clock. 

Quinlan broke free a short time later, sprinting 12 yards for his second TD of the game.  The PAT try failed, but at that point Superior’s lead had grown to 22-0. 

Sophomore quarterback Landon Richards capped the first-quarter sophomore blitz with a three-yard touchdown run less than two minutes later.  Milender ran for the PAT, giving the Cats a formidable 30-0 advantage as the quarter ended. 

The super sophs were in action again in the second quarter as Richards scored his second TD of the game via a 14-yard run.  The PAT attempt failed, leaving Superior with a 36-0 lead. 

Quinlan crossed the goal line for the third time with time running out in the first half to increase the Cats’ lead to 42-0 as the Superior defense stymied the Viking offense throughout the first half.  Richards then threw a PAT pass to Avilla to cap the first half onslaught that had Superior up 44-0. 

Charlo got on the scoreboard in the second half when they cashed in on a Superior fumble and returned it for six points. The PAT try was no good. 

Milender added to his impressive offensive totals a short time later when he broke through the Charlo defense and scored from 16 yards out with 1:02 to play in the third quarter.  The Richards to Avilla duo hooked up for the two-point PAT pass, enhancing the Cats’ lead to 52-6. 

That tandem struck again in the fourth quarter when Avilla scored from nine yards out and Richards ran for the PAT, giving Superior a 60-6 lead.   

Charlo scored its second TD of the game with two minutes remaining on a 16-yard pass play.  The PAT kick was no good, securing the Cats 60-12 victory as time ran out. 

The win lifted Superior to 4-2 on the year, while Charlo fell to 0-7. 

Milender had another 100-plus yard rushing game, piling up 127 yards and three TDs.  Quinlan added 70 yards rushing with a pair of TDs, while Richards totaled 54 yards on the ground, including two touchdowns. 

Sophomore Sam Doughty had a strong game on defense for Superior, leading the team with 12 tackles and five sacks. Gannon had ten tackles and an interception for Superior, while Logan Merrill had four tackles and three sacks as the Cats made life miserable for the Charlo offense. 

Milender chipped in five tackles and had two sacks on the night for Superior. 

Superior has two games left on the regular season schedule, including this Friday (Oct 18) at Arlee.  They close out their schedule with a crucial road game October 25 versus 5-1 Seeley-Swan.