Football: Section 1 9-Man Playoffs

The Section 1 9-Man Final is set. It will be Spring Grove (2-seed, 7-3) versus Lanesboro (1-seed, 8-2).

Third Quarter Fumbles Doom Knights, GM Rides Hubbard to Quarterfinal Win

In a first-round Section 1 9-Man matchup, 5-seed Kingsland (5-3) trailed 4-seed Grand Meadow (5-3) 8-6 at the half. But turnovers and a massive game from senior Blake Hubbard propelled the Larks. Kingsland fumbled its first three second-half possessions. GM senior Marshall Bleifus ripped out and recovered the first. Logan Gregerson recovered the second two. Josh Bain’s Larks turned the first two, both on short fields, into scores. Touchdown runs of two and 12 yards by Hubbard, plus a Hubbard conversion, made the score 22-6 GM. The Knights scored with 0:15 left in the third, but missed the conversion, to trail 22-12. Just 15 seconds later, Hubbard was in the end zone via a 68-yard TD run. With a Jackson Soltau to Cohen Craft conversion pass, GM went to the fourth up 30-12. A Soltau to Craft TD pass then made it 38-12. The Larks prevailed 38-20. Hubbard amassed his fourth straight 240-plus-yard effort on the ground (35-244, 4 TDs, three conversions rushing). Bleifus, Knut Johnson, Brayton DeCook, Logan Grafe and Graham Eastlee paved the way. Parker Armagost (14-56 rushing), Soltau (2-3, 26 yards, TD, conversion passing) and Craft (2-26, TD, conversion receiving) helped. DeCook forced a fumble and teamed with Grafe on a sack. Kingsland was led by Bently Wiersma (21-143, 2 TDs rushing, 3-25 receiving), Max Snikter (3-51, TD receiving) and Collin Stuart (12 of 22, 123 yards, TD passing). The Knights’ season ended at 5-4.

Hungerholt/Wollenburg and Cardinals Outlast Cougars in Quarters

Mabel-Canton (6-seed, 3-5) was looking for the upset bid at LeRoy-Ostrander/Lyle/Pacelli (3-seed, 5-3) in a Section 1 9-Man quarterfinal. The Cougars jumped out 14-0. And though L-O/L/P came back to tie it 20-20 at halftime, M-C scored with 3:39 left in the third to go ahead 26-20 and, on the ensuing kickoff, they pinned the Cards at their own seven yard line. But a few minutes later, L-O/L/P was in command. A 77-yard Reid Hungerholt to Banning Korfhage TD pass, plus Hungerholt conversion run, gave the Cards their first lead at 28-26. Jaxon Learn then intercepted a pass, leading to a 55-yard Hungerholt TD-run. Landen Ritter kicked the PAT to make it a two-possession game at 35-26 early in the fourth. M-C then had just one first down on its next two series. After a 12-play drive, L-O/L/P put it away via Hungerholt to Hunter Wollenburg 15-yard TD pass, on 4th and 10 (1:28 left). It was their fourth scoring hookup of the game. The Cardinals prevailed 41-26, scoring the final 21 points. Hungerholt was again massive (12 of 17, 258 yards, season-high 5 TDs passing; 32-244, TD rushing). Wollenburg (7-132, 4 TDs receiving) also did huge work. Kale Eiken (30-135, TD rushing; 3-98 receiving; 23-yard TD pass) led M-C. Nolan Garness (8 of 16, 157 yards, TD passing) and Josh Whitney (4-66, 2 TDs receiving) helped. Brevyn Tollefsrud (9-37 rushing) added a rushing TD. M-C’s season finishes at 3-6.

Burros Whip W-K and GM to Make Section Final

Lanesboro (1-seed, 6-2) powered through 8-seed Wabasha-Kellogg (0-8) and 4-seed Grand Meadow (6-3) by a collective 82-16 score to reach its first 9-Man section final since 2022. Versus the Falcons in quarters, the Burros built a 44-0 lead in a 44-8 win. Burro playmakers Preston Clarke (7-64, 3 TDs rushing), Henry Semmen (6-72 rushing, 17-yard reception), Teague Tessum (5 of 8, 88 yards, TD passing; 3-35, TD rushing), Teagen Reinhardt (2-43, TD receiving), Charles Guma (6-31, TD rushing) and Quadyn Kettner (2-32 rushing; 8-yard reception) led the way. Against the Larks in the semis, GM’s Jackson Soltau returned the opening kickoff 75-yards for a score. With a Blake Hubbard conversion, the Larks led 8-0. With it 8-6 GM, the Larks had 1st and goal at the two, but failed to score (following a Burro fumble). The Burros scored three times in the second quarter to go to half up 26-8, then twice in the third quarter to lead 38-8. Three of GM’s four possessions in that second and third quarter span were three-and-out. The Burros prevailed 38-8, piling up over 400 yards offense (176 passing, 233 rushing). GM had 199 yards (153 passing, 45 rushing). Sophomore Burro QB Tessum accounted for four scores (10 of 17, 176 yards, 2 TDs passing; 6-36, 2 TDs rushing). He threw TDs to Semmen (15-90, TD, conversion rushing; 2-28, TD receiving) and Cooper Holtegaard (2-60, TD receiving). Clarke (13-73, TD rushing), Kettner (4-28 rushing; 28-yard reception; interception) and Braylen Hanson (3-36 receiving) helped. Soltau (11 of 18, 119 yards, INT passing) was forced to throw way more than GM generally does. Cohen Craft (5-78 receiving) and Logan Grafe (3-45 receiving) were GM’s top receivers. Hubbard (10-26 rushing) was the Larks’ top rusher. He had topped 200 yards on the ground the previous four games. The Burros won the regular season meeting 28-22. Lanesboro (1-seed, 8-2) moves on to face Spring Grove (2-seed, 7-3) in the section final. GM finishes at 6-3. They were 2-7 last year.

 

Lions Erase Deficits Versus Houston and L-O/L/P into Section Finals

Spring Grove (2-seed, 6-3) overcame second-half deficits in both 9-player section wins to qualify for the section finals for the 12th time in 16 years. Hosting a quarterfinal versus Houston (7-seed, 2-6), the 35-18 final score did not reflect how competitive it was. After an earlier 44-0 loss at SG, the Hurricanes led three times in the rematch, including an 18-14 advantage in the fourth quarter before the Lions tallied the final 21 points, including the final two TDs within a span of 22 seconds. Houston scored first as the teams traded TDs most of the night. Each time SG would even the TD count, the Lions would lead by extra points. Ethan Rask booted all five Lion extra-points, while Grove stopped all three Houston point-after runs. Caden Gerard (17 carries, 138 yards) scored three times with runs for 6, 6 and 12 yards. Dylan Halverson completed 3 of 5 passes (45 yards), including an 11-yard TD toss to Sam Klug. Halverson (8 carries, 98 yards) scored himself on a 10-yard scamper. The Lions out-gained the ‘Canes, 288 yards to 216. Quarterback Hector Steinfeldt accounted for most of Hurricane yardage, passing (11 for 17) for 159 yards, including TD tosses of 12 yards (Archer Semling) and 11 yards (Elliot Frauenkron). Lee Klunder scored a ‘Cane TD on a one-yard run. There were few big gainers, but there were three long drives for each team. Houston had scoring drives of 76, 80 and 66 yards. SG caught up with 70-, 70- and 69-yard marches to lead 21-18. But after a fourth-down stop and a kickoff fumble recovery, the Lions had to go only 36 and 19 yards for their final two insurance scores in the final four minutes. Houston closed at 2-7. Hosting LeRoy-Ostrander/Lyle/Pacelli (3-seed, 6-3) in a semifinal rematch, the Lions won 40-28 after rallying from a two-TD, first-half deficit. SG scored first, but then experienced three straight turnovers while the Cardinals scored three straight TDs with 60, 65 and 58-yard drives to lead, 22-7. SG marched 75 yards to make it 22-14 at halftime. After four first-half turnovers, the Lions lost possession once while scoring four times in the second half. L-O/L/P, after no turnovers in the first half, threw three interceptions and failed twice on fourth downs, while scoring only once during the second half. Three straight TDs gave the Lions a 32-22 lead, but the Cards battled back to 32-28 before SG drove 70 yards in nine plays to regain a two-score lead and final score, 40-28. Lion Caden Gerard had 249 yards of total offense, rushing for 68 yards (2 TDs), catching a 20-yard TD pass and throwing an 83-yard TD pass to Ezra Konkel. Halverson accounted for 245 yards while rushing for 70 yards (12-yard TD) and passing for 175 yards (10-15-2), including two TDs – 20 yards to Gerard and 51 yards to Alex Gleason. Konkel, Gerard and Ethan Rask had interceptions. Cardinal QB Reid Hungerholt had 368 yards of offense (24 of 38, 290 yards, 3 TDs, 3 INTs passing; 24-78, TD rushing), either running or passing on 62 of his team’s 66 offensive plays. Hunter Wollenburg (12 for 117 receiving) caught TD passes for 21 and 13 yards. Banning Korfhage (6 for 89) caught a 19-yard TD pass. Hungerholt’s 52-yard pass to Jaxon Learn (6-84 receiving) set up Hungerholt’s 2-yard TD run. Learn and Collin McMahon had interceptions. L-O/L/P closed at 6-4. Avenging a 28-7 season-opening loss to L-O/L/P, the Lions (2-seed, 7-3) face Lanesboro (1-seed, 8-2) in the finals.