Zubich’s 6 TD leads Mountin Iron- Buhl to section title

9-Man Zubich’s 6 TDs help leads Mountain Iron-Buhl to fourth straight state

by BRYAN ZOLLMAN

Co-Publisher, Let’s Play Football

There may not be a bigger dual threat in small-town football than Mountain Iron-Buhl senior Asher Dubich.

Dubich has wreaked havoc on opponents with both his arm and his legs, leading the Rangers to a 10-0 season as they head into the state tournament after defeating Cherry 56-24 in Section 7.

The Rangers broke a 6-6 tie in the second quarter with four touchdowns and a 34-8 halftime lead.

Zubich, a 6’2” 185-pounder, had a part in six touchdowns, throwing for three and running for three to help lead the Rangers to their fourth consecutive state tournament. The Rangers lost in the quarterfinals last season to Fertile-Beltrami, 44-22. After going 5-0 in a shortened 2022 season, they advanced to the state semifinals in both 2019 and 2018, only to lose both games.

But this year they are ranked No. 1 according to Minnesota-Scores.com’s QRF rankings and have outscored opponents an astonishing 580-98. In fact, they have scored more points than any team in the state.

Zubich, junior running back Damian Tapio, and senior wide receivers Braylen Keith and Riley Busch have provided the Rangers with a juggernaut of an offense that has been near impossible to contain.

In last week’s win over Cherry, Zubich completed 13 of 15 passes for 185 yards and three touchdowns. He also ran the ball 22 times for 172 yards and three scores.

Tapio rushed 22 times for 228 yards and a touchdown and Keith was the main target for Zubich with eight catches for 135 yards and three touchdowns.

On the season, Zubich has completed 122 of 145 passes for an impressive 85 percent completion rate. He has thrown for 1,735 yards and 26 touchdowns. On the ground he has ran for 1,361 yards and averages 10.2 yards per carry.

Tapio has rushed for 1,321 yards and averages 10.0 yards per carry. Busch leads receivers with 48 catches for 679 yards and 13 touchdowns. Keith has 28 catches for 548 yards and seven touchdowns.

But it isn’t just the offensive side of the ball that is taking care of business. The Rangers have formed a formidable defense that has kept opponents at bay. Sophomore middle linebacker Derek Dahl leads the team with 81 total tackles, including 10 tackles for loss. He is joined by fellow sophomore Micaden Clines who has 62 total tackles. Busch and Tapio also play linebacker and have 57 and 63 total tackles, respectively.

Sophomore Evan Anderson and junior Jarron Alto lead a strong defensive line and Zubich and Keith help man a strong secondary.

After an early exit in the state quarterfinals last season, the Rangers will look to get back to the state semifinals for the third time in four years. But they will have to go through undefeated Kittson County Central, a team similar to Mountain Iron-Buhl in that they have multiple weapons on both sides of the football. Either of these two teams could potentially hoist the state championship trophy at the Prep Bowl, making this a must-see 9-man match up. Kickoff is 7 p.m. Thursday in Moorhead.

Section 1 - Spring Grove (11-0)

Spring Grove (11-0), ranked No. 2 in QRF, shut out Lanesboro 35-0 to advance to the state tournament.

Spring Grove is coming off a 3-5 season and are making their first state tournament appearance since 2018 when they won the 9-man Prep Bowl.

They will take on Section 2 winner Hancock (9-1) Thursday at Macalester College in St. Paul.

Section 2 - Hancock (9-1)

Speaking of Hancock, they defeated Renville County West 20-7 to advance to their third consecutive state quarterfinal. Last season the Owls entered state with an 8-1 record but were upset by Cedar Mountain. In 2019 they went 13-1 and advanced to the Prep Bowl where they came up short against champion Mountain Lake Area. The Owls enter this year’s state tourney going against Spring Grove, which should be a classic 9-man match up that is truly anybody’s game. Section 3 - Red Rock Central (8-3) Red Rock Central (8-3) emerged from a tough Section 3 to defeat Mountain Lake Area 36-28 to advance to the state quarterfinals.

A run-first offense and a stingy defense have been the hallmarks of the Falcons’ season. In their 11 games this season they have allowed more than one touchdown in just four of those games.

The defense is led by senior linebacker Vander Mathiowetz, who leads the team in tackles and is also the leading receiver with more than 450 yards.

In th secondary, cornerback Jayden Lang leads the team with seven interceptions.

Offensively, freshman running back Carter Therkilsen has ran for more than 1,300 yards on the season.

The Falcons will battle Section 4 winner Wheaton-Herman Norcross (11-0) in Buffalo in the state quarterfinal.

Section 4 -

Wheaton/Herman-Norcross (11-0)

There aren’t many unbeaten teams left, but the Warriors are one of them.

They defeated perennial power Verndale 40-14 to advance to their second straight state tournament. Last season they lost in the quarterfinals to eventual state champion Leroy-Ostrander. It was their first trip to state since the 2012 season.

Their offense has been virtually unstoppable, racking up 576 points in 11 games, averaging 52 points per game.

Meanwhile their defense has been stellar as well, allowing just 89 points per game, an average of one touchdown per game.

With an explosive offense and an impenetrable defense, the Warriors could very well find themselves playing at US Bank Stadium in early December for all the marbles.

First they will have to get past Red Rock Central (8-3) in the quarterfinals.

Section 5 - Ogilvie (7-2)

Ogilvie made a turnaround in the 2017 season when they improved from a 3-6 record to go 7-3. Since then they have compiled a record of 35-10. Last season they advanced to the state quarterfinals, but lost to Kittson County Central 27-20.

This year they are back and will look to advance to US Bank Stadium, but will have to go through undefeated Fertile-Beltrami (10-0) first.

Section 6 - Fertile-Beltrami (10-0)

The Falcons have dominated just about every time they have taken the field this season.

Asher Zubich had a hand in six touchdowns in Mountain Iron-Buhl’s 56-24 win over Cherry in the 9-man Section 7 final. The Rangers have scored 580 points on the season, which leads the entire state in scoring. PHOTOS BY MARK SAUER

Section Final Results

Section 1

Spring Grove 35, Lanesboro 0

Section 2

Hancock 20, Renville County West 7

Section 3

Red Rock Central 36, Mountain Lake Area 28

Section 4

Wheaton-Herman-Norcross 40, Verndale 14

Section 5

Ogilvie 50, South Ridge 8

Section 6

Fertile-Beltrami 40, Blackduck 14

Section 7

Mountain Iron-Buhl 56, Cherry 24

Section 8

Kittson County Central 35, Goodridge-Grygla 20

Damian Tapio has been a steady ball carrier for the Mountain Iron-Buhl Rangers who head into state play as the top scoring team in the state.

They have scored more than 40 points in nine of their 10 wins and have allowed just 12 touchdowns all season. Led by junior quarterback Caiden Swenby and senior running back Brayden Werpy, the Falcons are not just poised to get back to the 9-man finals, they are eager to win it. Their first task will be getting by Ogilvie (7-3). Section 8 - Kittson County Central Kittson County Central is a strong senior-laden team with two Division 1 players and a scrappy running back who has put up astronomical numbers this season. Kaden Vig and Isaac Folland (both heading to the University of North Dakota) are two athletic big men who play both sides of the ball and are dominant both ways. Chisum Schmiedeberg eclipsed 2,000 yards rushing on the season and also leads the team in tackles on defense. They will have their hands full with Mountain Iron-Buhl, which is the marquee state quarterfinal match up in 9-man.

In Minnesota we cherish our athletes. We want them to succeed at the highest level. When they do, we feel connected to them, as they are “one of us”.

Recently, we, as Minnesota sports fans, have been cursed by a French surgeon from the 1800s affecting our homegrown athletes. The surgeon is the famous Jacques Lisfranc de St Martin. The injury named after this surgeon has plagued two well known Minnesota sports icons. The first is stand out University of Minnesota and now Baltimore Ravens receiver, Rashod Bateman. The second is Minnehaha Academy star and Oklahoma City Thunder center Chet Holmgren. Both of these athletes have had season ending surgeries to correct a foot injury. In this article I will explain and shed some light on the dreaded Lisfranc injury.

The reason this injury is named after the French surgeon is that he famously performed many amputations at a particular joint in the foot in the 1800s during wartime. This joint and ligament that stabilizes it has become known as the Lisfranc joint and ligament. The joint is located in the midfoot region. Technically, the mid foot consists of cuneiform and metatarsal bones and there supporting ligaments. To find them, bend your big toe and feel the “knuckle” that it forms when bent, now, keep sliding your fingers up higher on the top of your foot until you reach the next “knuckle”, this is the end of the metatarsal and where it meets the cuneiform. Across this area between the bones and toward the middle of the foot is the Lisfranc joint. Now that we know where it is, we can start to learn more about how does it get injured. This injury most often occurs with the toes or forefoot planted or fixed on the ground and the body falling over the foot. This mechanism commonly includes a twisting component also. The result is a dislocation of the metatarsals, tearing of ligaments and fracture of the bones due to ligament attachments. When this occurs the bones of the foot dislocate and usually displace themselves on top of the cuneiform bones. The use of x ray radiographs and other imaging can confirm this. If the separation is greater than 2mm at the base of the metatarsals surgery is required to stabilize the joints again This is what has happened to our two great Minnesota athletes.

The recovery for both athletes will begin with a nonweight bearing boot or splint and gradually progress to weight bearing. A gradual progression out of the boot to a shoe and the start of the rehab process will ensue. This is where the hard work and fun begins as the rehab specialist must slowly load the joint and return it back to preinjury level. Remember this is a joint that must absorb forces, be stable to explode, cut, jump and demonstrate balance. It will take time but “our” Minnesota athletes will be back on the field and court making us proud again to call them “one of us”.

Eric is a Board Certified Orthopedic Clinical Specialist, Doctor of Physical Therapy and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist. He practices at St Cloud Orthopedics in Central Minnesota and is an adjunct professor at The College of St. Benedict/St John’s University. He can be reached at ekohn@stcloudorthopedics.com

Vikings to host Indigenous Bowl Dec. 11

The 7G Foundation, in partnership with the Minnesota Vikings, will host the 5th Indigenous Bowl at U.S. Bank Stadium on Sunday, December 11. The game began in 2017 and creates opportunities for Native American athletes to compete at a high level, instills the values needed for multi-generational change and develops the next generation of leaders in their communities.

High school football players are chosen to compete in the game through an application process open to members of federally recognized tribes across the United States. Players can submit applications at www.indigenousbowl.com.

“Over the years of our ownership of the Vikings, support and partnership with the Native American community in Minnesota and surrounding states has been important to us,” said Mark Wilf, Vikings Owner/President. “We’re proud to welcome the Indigenous Bowl back to U.S. Bank Stadium again this season to provide a memorable game and experience.”

“The 7G Foundation is proud to partner with the NFL for this year’s 5th Annual Indigenous Bowl, which will be hosted again by the Minnesota Vikings,” said Bennae Calac, 7G Foundation President and Founder. “This is a continuation of the exposure from earlier this year when the 7G Foundation and the NFL took their partnership to a new level. During the 2022 NFL Draft, Edward Onoo Po Hill presented Commissioner Roger Goodell with his 7G All Team Medallion. Commissioner Goodell made the promise to wear the 7G Medallion on stage and during the Vikings’ draft pick, he wore the gifted 7G Medallion in front of 80 million viewers and 200k attendees. That is true partnership.”

“The National Football League is pleased to join with the Minnesota Vikings for a second year in a row in supporting the 7G Foundation’s Indigenous Bowl,” said Troy Vincent, NFL Executive Vice President of Football Operations. “We’re heartened to promote and celebrate the nation’s top Native American high school football student-athletes as they further develop and showcase their skills on this world-class stage.”

The 7G Foundation’s vision is to focus on building a more modern education system for our Indian Country and our Indigenous Communities, fundamentally incorporating the power of technology to forge a brighter future. We will also promote an education that teaches the depth of our deep history, using that knowledge to create economic mobility, community development, and multi-generational change for all Indigenous people.

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Class A Class A will crown a new champion in 2022

by BRYAN ZOLLMAN

Co-Publisher, Let’s Play Football

With Mayer Lutheran being defeated by Lester Prairie 14-7 in the section 2A finals, a new champion will be crowned in Class A football.

Mayer Lutheran defeated Minneota 2022 in the Prep Bowl. Minneota is back in the state tournament and will look to get back to the Prep Bowl to defend their 2021 defeat.

But they will have to survive a tough field full of teams that could emerge and be that next school to hoist the Prep Bowl trophy come early December.

There are currently three undefeated teams heading into the state quarterfinals: Fillmore Central (10-0), Lester Prairie (11-0) and Deer River (11-0). Mahnomen/Waubun also returns to the state tourney with just one loss at 9-1.

Here is a closer look at each team in a section-by-section breakdown:

Section 1 - Fillmore Central (10-0)

The Falcons enter the state tournament undefeated at 11-0 and have outscored opponents 413-113.

Led by a strong group of athletic offensive players, the Warriors will look extend their season this week against fellow undefeated Lester Prairie (11-0).

Led by senior quarterback Dillon O’Connor, the offense has averaged 41 points per game. O’Connor threw for three touchdowns and ran for another in the Falcons’ 34-6 section final win over Bethlehem Academy.

He connected with fellow senior running back Bryce Corson on three of those scores. Corson also ran in for a touchdown to help lead the offense.

O’Connor has thrown for 20 touchdowns on the season and Corson is closing in on 1,000 yards from scrimmage and has scored 15 times.

Juniors Jayce Kiehn and Kyle Daniels have also played integral roles in the offense.

Defensively the Falcons are led by senior linebacker Garrett Grossman.

The Falcons will look to get past Lester Prairie in a match up of unbeaten squads. One will go home and the other will get an opportunity to play at U.S. Bank Stadium.

Section 2 - Lester Prairie (11-0)

There’s a new sheriff in Section 2A as Lester Prairie knocked off defending state champion Mayer Lutheran 14-6 in the section final to advance to the state tournament.

The win came after a regular season 16-0 shutout over Mayer Lutheran.

Defense has been the hallmark of this Lester Prairie team as they have allowed just seven touchdowns this season.

Offensively they are averaging almost 38 points per game. Seniors Tanner Scheevel, Logan Lambrecht and Jace Cacka have led the offense. Cacka is also a spark plug for the team on defense.

They will have to get past undefeated Fillmore Central (10-0), however, to get to US Bank Stadium in the semifinals.

Section 3- Springfield (9-2)

After a mid season trouncing at the hands of Tracy-Milroy-Balaton 34-6 in Week 4, the Tigers clawed their way to a section final victory over their rival to punch a ticket to state.

Since that mid season loss the Tigers have won seven in a row and are playing their best football as they head into the state quarterfinals where they will take on Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg (8-2) Friday at Crown College.

The Tigers are led by QB Jakub Nachreiner who threw for 319 yards and five touchdowns in the 40-28 section final win over T-M-B. Three of those scores went to MaCoy Krick.

Krick has caught 33 passes on the season for 645 yards and 11 touchdowns.

The team’s top receiver has been Carter Olson, who has hauled in 68 catches for 840 yards and seven touchdowns.

Nachreiner has put up gaudy numbers through the air, passing for 2,259 yards and 30 touchdowns. He is averaging 21 throws a game and 14 completions.

Ashtin Johnson provides nice balance to the offense with 1,109 rushing yards and nine touchdowns.

Section 4 -

Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg (8-2)

The Fighting Saints eked by Upsala/Swanville in a defensive battle to win Section 4A, 7-6.

They head into the state quarterfinals with two losses, losing to Class A powerhouse BOLD and then to Class2A school Kimball.

The Fighting Saints have made quite the turnaround after going just 3-7 in 2021 and losing to Upsala Swanville in the section semifinals 40-16.

Section 5 - Minneota (9-2)

The Vikings are back and looking to get back to the finals after losing last season to Mayer Lutheran by a touchdown.

It wasn’t an easy road for Minneota who had to beat two teams, BOLD and Lakeview, who each had just one loss.

The Vikings have a balanced offense led by Isaac Pohlen who returns for his senior year after leading them to the Prep Bowl a year ago. He has thrown for 1,585 yards and 17 touchdowns.

But most of the damage has been done on the ground. As a team, the Vikings have rushed for 2,471 yards and 39 touchdowns. Zack Fier leads the way with 1,098 yards and 20 touchdowns.

Defensively the Vikings have been solid, intercepting seven balls and returning two for touchdowns. They have also recorded 12 sacks on the season.

Sophomore linebacker Parker Bradley has been a force in the middle and leads the team in tackles.

Junior defensive end Sawyer DeSmet leads the team with four sacks.

The Vikings will try and get back to US Bank Stadium by getting past Breck-

Fillmore Central’s Bryce Corson runs past Rushford-Peterson defenders in a game last season. The Falcons head into state play as one of three undefeated Class A teams. PHOTO BY CRAIG JOHNSON

enridge (8-3) Friday in Alexandria.

Section 6 -

Breckenridge (8-3)

If there is a Cinderella team it is likely the Breckenridge Cowboys.

Coming into playoffs just 5-3, they shut out both Menagha and New York Mills before beating Ottertail Central 34-6 in the section final. It is their first trip to state since 2008.

They last won a state championship in 1988.

It appears the Cowboys are playing their best football, but will have to get through a strong Minneota team Friday in order to keep their dream season alive.

Section 7 - Deer River (11-0)

Deer River is no stranger to winning section titles. They defeated Barnum last week to earn their 15th Section 7A crown.

But it’s a different crown they are after.

The Warriors have advanced to state the past three seasons (there was no state tourney in 2020), but lost in the quarterfinals each time.

This time around they will look to not just get past the quarterfinals, but hopefully get to the coveted Prep Bowl with a chance to bring home the state championship trophy.

They have the team who can make some noise at state.

The Warriors have relied on a strong offense and stingy defense to win all 11 games this season. They have outscored opponents 421-80.

Offensively they are led by Tygh Gullickson. The running back ran for 103 yards in their win over Barnum and has averaged 7.1 yards per carry on the season. His 1,544 yards and 18 rushing touchdowns are a big part of the Warriors running attack that has accumulated 2,899 yards on the season, an average of 263 yards per game.

But they can also beat teams through the air. Sam Rahier has completed 57 passes on the season for 847 yards and 13 touchdowns. Rahier can also do it on the ground with 452 yards rushing and

11 touchdowns. Section Final Results Section 1 Fillmore Central 34, Bethlehem Academy 8 Rahier likes to spread the football around to a plethora of receivers. He has Section 2 Lester Prairie 14, Mayer Lutheran 6 Section 3 connected with Rhett Mundt 17 times for 303 yards and four touchdowns. Springfield 40, Tracy-Milroy-Balaton 28 Section 4 Ben Storlie and Ethan Williams have Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg 7, Upsala/Swanville 6 Section 5 both hauled in 12 catches. Williams is averaging 20 yards per catch and has a Minneota 28, Lakeview 6 Section 6 Breckenridge 34, Otter Tail Central 6 team-leading five receiving touchdowns. Defensively, the team has allowed Section 7 Deer River 26, Barnum 7 Section 8 just 12 touchdowns all season. Mudnt is a force on defense and leads the team Mahnomen/Waubun 32, Red Lake County 0 with 79 tackles. The defensive line is great at adding pressure and has 16 sacks on the season led by JoJo Thompson with 3.5. They also get it done on special teams. Punter Connor Vickerman averages 30 yards per punt and kicker Pita Tudonu has made all 11 extra points attempted. The Falcons enter the state quarterfinals undefeated at 11-0. The Warriors will look to get past the state quarterfinals for the first time in their last four tries. To do so they will have to get past Mahnomen/Waubun (91) Friday in Brainerd. Section 8 - Mahnomen/Waubun (9-1) The Thunderbirds are just five years removed from a state title and now find their way back into the state tournament with another shot at the title. In those five years they have compiled 44 wins and just five losses. They are led by quarterback Dennis Ashley, who leads the team in rushing. Curtin Mehr is the top back in the backfield and Tyson McArthur is the top receiver. Lex McDougall has been a force on defense and leads the team in sacks. They have outscored opponents 283-119, not a huge margin compared to other teams in Class A, but good enough for nine victories in 10 contests. The question is, can they outscore Deer River to advance to the state semifinals? That answer and many more will be answered this weekend as all eight teams go to battle, with just four surviving, and ultimately narrowing the field to two, and then one. What team will that be? Time will tell.