Prep Football- 8-Player kicked off the quarterfinal round last night and familiar faces will be making a reappearance at the UNI-Dome next Wednesday, November 13th, after dominating the competition, while one game needed extra time to decide a winner.
Pod A
If #1 Lenox and Montezuma counted only the odd quarters, it would have been a tight contest; unfortunately for the Braves, that’s not how football works as they were outscored 35 to 0 in the second and fourth quarters as the Tigers won 62-20.
Both teams ran the ball efficiently as Lenox rumbled for 325 rushing yards and six scores, while Montezuma put up 221 rushing yards and three scores, but turnovers leaned in the Tigers favor with three interceptions, including a pick-six from senior Brody Brokaw.
The Tigers were led by dual threat quarterback Gabe Funk as he rushed for 145 yards and collected six total touchdowns in the win. The Braves had Broox Stockman finish the night with 132 yards and two scores on the ground.
Montezuma finished the season with a 10-2 record.
Pod B
#3 Don Bosco and #5 Gladbrook-Reinbeck had already met for the season opener, which the Dons won 33-26. Since then, the teams had only grown stronger especially on offense as Don Bosco outscored their first two postseason opponents 114 to 26, while the Rebels put up 119 points.
A close matchup was expected, a double-overtime thriller ending on a failed two-point attempt was unexpected but enjoyed by Gladbrook-Reinbeck who snuck away with the 34-33 victory on the road.
Don Bosco continued to lean on Kyler Knaack as he rushed the ball 41 times for 193 yards and three touchdowns, he even recovered a fumble for a touchdown. Drew Eilers was the muse for the Rebels tossing for 189 yards and three touchdowns, while rushing for 112 yards and two touchdowns.
Gladbrook-Reinbeck had a chance to end the game in the first overtime, but the extra point attempt went wide, keeping the game tied at 27. Eilers would scramble for one of his two rushing touchdowns in the second overtime and the extra point would put the Rebels up 34 to 27.
Predictably, Knaack who pound his way in from two-yards out to set a two-point conversion; yet Eilers, the hero of the game, came up with the stop and sealed the win for the Rebels.
Don Bosco finished with a 10-1 record for the season.
Pod C
#2 Bishop Garrigan is looking to repeat as state champs after dispatching #10 Edgewood-Colesburg 51-36. Running the football was the game plan for the Golden Bears and they executed the plan to the tun of 399 rushing yards and seven touchdowns.
Trayton Cink kept the ball 21 times for 200 yards and three scores to lead the rushing attack for the defending champions. Pryce Rochford attempted to put the Vikings on his back with 299 total yards, four total touchdowns, and 17.5 tackles but it was not enough.
Edgewood-Colesburg finished the season with a 10-1 record.
Pod D
#4 Remsen St. Mary’s and #6 Audubon both entered the game undefeated, but it was clear by the end of the night who the better team was with the Hawks pummeling the Wheelers 61-20.
The game was over by halftime as St. Mary’s ran the score up to 46 points, while Audubon managed just six points in the same span. Landon Waldschmitt could do no wrong as the senior threw for four touchdowns and rushed for two more to go along with his 218 total yards.
The Hawks defense lived up to their name, snatching three interceptions in the victory. Aaron Olsen, senior, was the lone bright spot for Audubon as he collected 72 rushing yards and a touchdown.
Audubon amasses a 10-1 record for the season.
State Semifinal Matchups
#4 Remsen St. Mary’s will take on #2 Bishop Garrigan at 10 am, followed by #5 Gladbrook-Reinbeck versus #1 Lenox at 1 pm on Wednesday, November 13th, at the UNI-Dome.