Rebels Present Football Trophies to Moose Lake and Willow River Community

Wes Vork-NSO

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Dec 5, 2011

Wes Vork-NSO

The communities of Moose Lake and Willow River turned out in full force on Sunday evening to watch the football team present the State Class AA second place trophy to the city’s mayors and school officials.

The first ever event was created to highlight the amount of volunteers and community involvement that help make the football program a success. Tia Grutkoski, Willow River School Board Member and master of ceremonies pointed out that the words “football program,” rather than “football team” is most fitting because it consists of not only the team, but coaches and countless volunteers. “This program is a shining example of what can happen when communities join together in support of a common goal.” Grutkoski pointed out that it takes over 30 volunteers and over 350 hours of volunteer time to put on a home football game.

Team captains presented the 2011 Conference Championship trophy to Willow River mayor Troy Janke and Moose Lake mayor Ted Shaw. Superintendents Tim Caroline and Scott Anderson were presented the Section 7Aa trophy while School Board officials Roger Else and Chris Lyons from Willow River and Moose Lake respectively were presented the Class AA runners-up trophy.

Head Football Coach Dave Louzek also spoke to the crowd and also credited the numerous volunteers and community supporters, stating all were needed for the program to achieve success. “The records that we have are Rebel football records, they are the program records, the community, the parents…that’s not my coaches record, that’s not what I have accomplished, it’s what we’ve all accomplished. We couldn’t do what we have done without the players working hard, without the parents doing what they do, without the community support that we get, administrators and school board, it’s everybody doing their job”

With only a baker’s dozen of seniors graduating, the Rebels will return more starters than in the past several years. They return with most of their line intact, as well as quarterback Tony Adamczak and 2200 yard rusher Jake Disterhaupt; so look for the Rebels to make another deep run in 2012.

Moose Lake-Willow River Football by the numbers:

• Won-Loss record for the last 13 years under Coach Louzek: 125-25.

• Conference Champions: 2000, 2001, 2003, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011.

• Section Champions: 2000, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011

• State Quarter Finalists: 2007, 2010

• State Semi Finalists: 2000, 2006, 2008

• Prep Bowl: 2009, 2011

• Regular Season winning streak: 46 games dating back to 2006

• Away Game winning streak: 32 games dating back to 2004

• Class AA won-loss record in the state of MN over the last 6 seasons:

• Caledonia: 72-7 MLWR: 71-7 Eden Valley Watkins: 63-9.

• Seniors record over the last 4 seasons: 49-4, the best 4 year span of any seniors who have played Rebel Football and second in Class AA only to Caledonia who is 51-3 over that same time.

Wes Vork can be reached at wes@northlandsportsonline.com