Football: Lions Overtaken in Final Half-Minute of State Title Game

Spring Grove (Section 1 champ, 13-0) scored early and often and never trailed Mountain Iron-Buhl (Section 7 champ, 13-0) until the final 25 seconds of the 9-man state championship football game. Ultimately, the 28-25 Ranger win was decided by extra points with the Lions going 1-4 and MIB 2-4. When #3 in 9-Man Spring Grove soared out to a 19-0 first quarter lead, it did not appear extra points would be a factor. MIB, ranked #4, overcame five turnovers. They rallied by scoring in the fading seconds of each half. Despite four early turnovers, MIB trailed only 19-14 after scoring on back-to-back possessions late in the second quarter, the latter a 20-yard TD pass just six seconds before intermission. Later, still down by five, 25-20, an interception gave the Rangers the ball with 3:20 remaining in the game, needing to go 58 yards to take the lead. It took eight plays, all rushing, with Damian Tapio scoring from the 11 yards out to make it 26-25 before adding the conversion with 0:25 on the clock. SG completed two of four passes before time expired. Each team operated out of a shotgun spread formation with a running and passing quarterback, each wearing a number two jersey. Each led his team in rushing. Lion QB Elijah Solum passed for 186 yards (17 for 35, 1 TD) and rushed for 80 yards (15 carries, 2 TD).

For MIB, Asher Zubich passed for 157 yards (11 for 22, 2 TD) and rushed for 129 (28 carries). On the game’s first possession, Solum completed five of seven passes before scoring on foot from the five yard-line. Four plays later, Solum forced a fumble recovered by Noah Blackburn. On the next play, Solum hit a wide-open Tysen Grinde (6 catches, 102 yards) with a 43-yard TD pass for a 13-0 lead. When MIB fumbled a punt return, Brandon Jahnke recovered at the Ranger 20. Two plays later, Hunter Holland (12 carries, 74 yards) broke several tackles while running 14 yards to the end zone making it 19-0. SG had added two touchdowns with only three offensive plays. But after scoring on three of their first four possessions, the Lions scored on only one of their final 10. Their fourth TD came with only two plays after recovering a fumble at the Ranger 24. Solum scored on a 12-yard run to create a little breathing room, 25-14. But SG’s next possession ended on downs at MIB 37. One play later, Zubich passed 63 yards to Riley Busch and suddenly, it was 25-20. Two late MIB threats were both foiled both by Jaxon Strinmoen, who first broke up a fourth-down pass, then ended the next threat with an interception at the goal line (6:25). But the Lion offense would not be able to run out the clock or stop the Rangers on their game-clinching drive. The Lions averaged 5.1 yards per play and the Rangers 4.6. Overall, MIB outgained SG by only 50 yards (378 to 328), but when the Rangers did not have turnovers, they converted on 9 of 13 third downs. SG was 3 for 11. The MIB pass defense, after giving up the early long TD toss, finished with two interceptions and 10 pass break-ups. Each team gave up only two big-yardage plays. The Lions “D” featured Solum (17 tackles), Jacob Olerud (12) and Grinde (8). Strinmoen and Caleb Griffin had interceptions. Tapio (18-97, 2 TDs rushing) joined Zubich in doing big damage for MIB. SG closed at 13-1, a drastic turn-around after going 3-5 a season ago. Lion seniors are Grinde, Griffin, Holland, Blackburn, Ty Cleven, Logan Brumm, and Cooper Olson. MIB (13-0) won their first state title since 1972.