Rebels Stay Perfect at 12-0 Move On to the Metrodome

Wes Vork-NSO

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Nov 11, 2011

Dwight Cadwell-NSO

ST. CLOUD- Four Years ago it was the Pierz Pioneers that routed the Rebels in the state quarterfinals and advanced to the state semi-finals, but Friday it was the Rebels exacting some revenge as they came from behind to defeat the Pioneers by a score of 26-20 at Huskies Stadium in St. Cloud.

It was the Rebels who took the opening drive of the game and almost five minutes later Josh Cisar scored on a 1 yard touchdown run to give the Rebels a 6-0 lead. After the quick score and a stop of the Pierz offense some may have thought the Rebels would then just run away with it, but that wasn’t to be as Pierz would hold the Rebels and control the ball also in the first half.

“When you get here any team can win,” Head Coach Dave Louzek told Northland Sports Online. “Pierz is a great team and they showed why tonight. We haven’t faced a team like this all year to challenge us so you don’t know how the kids are going to respond. But to be down in the fourth quarter and get the ball back, score, get the lead and make a defensive stop; the kids didn’t blink or give into that adversity and that gives them a lot of confidence.”

The Pioneers tied the game right before halftime on a 27 yard touchdown pass from Preston Weber to Ben Boser which made the score 6-6 at halftime. The Pioneers got the ball first in the second half and made a sustained drive down the field and Josh Lanners scored from two yards out to give the Pioneers their first lead of the game at 12-6.

The Rebels responded right back with a nice drive of their own, capped off by a 2 yard Chris Gassert touchdown run. The extra point made it a 13-12 lead for the Rebels as the third quarter ended.

Pierz responded right back going on an almost seven minute drive and Weber scoring on a 1 yard run to put the Pioneers back in front. Lanners scored the two point conversion and it was Pierz leading 20-13 with 8:52 remaining.

The Rebels didn’t panic when they trailed late in the fourth quarter for the first time all season. Instead they marched down the field and it was Jake Disterhaupt who scored on a 13 yard touchdown run and the score was tied at 20-20 following a BJ Young extra point. The Rebels offensive line played a huge role as they have all season long opening holes for the Rebels running backs, and it showed again late in the fourth quarter.

“We knew coming in it was going to be a four quarter ball game, we made sure all week that we were going to be prepared. Coach told us no matter what happens don’t hang your head and stay focused because Pierz is a great team, they were going to be ready for us so we knew we had to be ready for them” explained Spencer Clough.

With Pierz taking back the football it was the Rebels defense stepping up and stopping the Pioneers and forcing them to punt for the first time all game. The Rebels took over and it was a three play scoring drive as the Rebels Disterhaupt exploded on a third down and nine carry for a 56 yard touchdown run off a double reverse and the score proving to be the difference in the game.

“It was Tony to Chris to me and the blocks were sooo perfect,” Disterhaupt said to NSO, “Chris has these great fakes and there was a flow and there was a lane and there was a touchdown.” Disterhaupt added.

One of the leaders of the Moose Lake Willow River Moving Company, Jake Christopherson talked about the work the group has put in to working together as a unit. “It’s really awesome playing with lineman like Spencer Clough, Zach Paul, Zach Kiser, and Mike Van Zee. We were having a little trouble meshing in the beginning of the year, but we have really come together. We talk about one heartbeat, being one unit and its come together very well.” Adding, “I love these guys; there is no one I would rather play with.”

Clough talked about it needing to be a team effort also, “We’re not the biggest line out there but we believe it’s all about your heart and we have put a lot of time in the weight room in the summers and throughout the years. We believe that our backs are the best in the state and if we block as one unit and give them just a little crease there going to take it and run with it.”

The fact that the line has come together is evident when you look at the Rebels stat book for the season. With his 214 yard performance on Friday, Disterhaupt sits just four yards short of a 2000 yard season at 1996 and has scored 36 touchdowns, 30 of which came on the ground. On any other team Chris Gassert or Josh Cisar would be the marquee back, with Gassert rushing for 1353 yards and running for 19 touchdowns, while Cisar sits just a stones throw from the 1000 yard mark at 983 with 17 rushing touchdowns.

The offensive line obviously makes the running backs job easier, but Christopherson talked about how the talented running backs make the job easier for the line also. “It makes it a lot easier having strong and quick backs, because with their speed we only have to block for so long, when open up the hole they hit it with such intensity they get through the hole faster.” What does make it a bit tougher are the cutbacks the Rebels run. “Those make it a lot harder because we have to hold our blocks longer, even on the backside we hold our block until you see the back running downfield,” Explained Christopherson.

Clough talked about the satisfaction of a job well done even though the group is not in the spotlight, “With the backs we have you never know, that one big block could spring them for a touchdown.” Christopherson agreed, “It just makes you ecstatic when you know it is your block like on a counter or something and the back goes for a big gain or a touchdown.”

The win improves the Rebels record to 12-0 on the season and they will face the winner of Blue Earth Area and Waterville-Elysian-Morristown next Friday night in the state semi-finals at the Metrodome in Minneapolis.

Dwight Cadwell can be reached at dwight@northlandsportsonline.com