Rebels win 10th Straight Section Title

Kerry Rodd – NSO

Photos BY: Jennifer Szczyrbak

For the first time in the last decade it appeared as if another team had a legitimate shot at winning the Section 7AA football title instead of the steady Moose Lake-Willow River Rebels. Going into last nights sectional championship game the Eveleth-Gilbert Golden Bears were 8-1 and the #1 seeded team. Meanwhile, the Rebels came in with three losses on their record and the #2 seed. The Rebels proved experience, depth, coaching, the ability to overcome adversity and stability win championships and that is exactly what happened when Moose Lake-Willow River pulled away to 22-6 win over E-G giving them their 10th straight sectional title.

Opening the game the Rebels were unable to move the ball on their first possession and punted to the Golden Bears. E-G promptly pushed forward and scored when Max Roberts, the Golden Bears star running back, fumbled near the goal line only to have the ball recovered in the end zone by his teammate Cooper Dosan giving Eveleth-Gilbert an early 6-0 lead. That would be the last time E-G would sniff the end zone.

Before the first quarter ended the Rebels marched right back down the field and score on a Thomas Hansen one-yard run, but that drive also tested the Rebels who appeared to have scored twice prior to that one yard run only to have both touchdowns called back for penalties. Once Hansen scored he followed that up with a two-yard conversion run giving the Rebels the lead for good at 8-6 and that’s how things stood till halftime.

The Rebels added a Hansen 10-yard touchdown run in the third quarter and he also tacked on the conversion points making it 16-6 after three quarters, and then Bryceton Butkiewicz dashed 48 yards to pay dirt in the fourth quarter making the final 22-6.

Roberts was impressive for the Golden Bears in finishing with 198 rushing yards, but he also paid the price as the game wore on and appeared to be worn down near the latter stages of the fourth quarter. Butkiewicz finished with 157 yards on the ground and Hansen was steady and strong behind the tenacious line work of the Rebels stout offensive line.

The Rebels will move on to the state tournament and will face the winner of United North Central and Barnesville in Brainerd on Halloween night.