Springfield rallies past Jayhawks

(Special to The Journal from The Sentinel of Fairmont)

TRUMAN -- Springfield special teams players Matt Hillesheim recovered back-to-back onside kicks as quarterback Andy Moritz engineered the Tigers' 18-point fourth-quarter comeback to upset Madelia/Truman 18-13 on Saturday night in Truman.

The seventh-seeded Tigers (5-5), who eliminated second-seeded Minnesota Valley Lutheran 21-7 in the Section 3AA quarterfinals Tuesday night, advance to face 2001 Class AA state runner-up Windom, this season's No. 5 seed, for the sectional championship Friday night at 7 p.m. in Windom,

The Eagles fended off No. 1-seeded and previously unbeaten United South Central, 14-13, during a Saturday afternoon semifinal tilt in Wells. The Rebels were the No. 4 team in the Class AA prep football poll.

The Jayhawks controlled the line of scrimmage for three entire quarters, building a 13-0 lead behind a time-consuming, 17-play drive in the first frame that was capped by fullback Geoff Gronewold's 1-yard plunge, and Mychal Johnson's 80-yard kickoff. return for a touchdown to open the second half.

But on the first play of the fourth quarter, Springfield's Mitch Fredin delivered the initial momentum-turning play by recovering Madelia /Truman's fumbled punt at the Tiger 37 after Gronewold, fellow linebacker Craig Brand and the Jayhawk defense had pinned the Tigers at their own 13.

Moritz, who completed 7 of 10 passes for 87 yards, unthawed his hands long enough to hit fullback Jesse Fox for a 14-yard screen on a third-and-7 before zipping home a 41-yard slant to split end Josh Roiger, who went the distance to trim the Tigers' gap to 13-6 with 9:37 remaining.

Hillesheim then recovered the ensuing onside kick at the Madelia/Truman 48.

Moritz fired a 14-yard slant pass to Cory Vaske before flipping a third-down toss to Matt Hauger to reach the Jayhawk 20. Moritz then rolled right on an apparent option play, but he kept the football, juked toward the middle and broke two tackles to reach the end zone from 20 yards out, to inch the Tigers within one at the 6:45 mark.

Matter then recovered the second straight Tigers' onside kick, this time at the Jayhawk 43.

Moritz later kept on another rollout, made the defense read a possible keep and pitched to halfback Brandon Wilhelmi for 17 of his 25 rushing yards on the game.

Fullback Jesse Fox later pounded out 10 of Springfield's final 14, yards, capped by a 1 yard TD run over the right side to give the Tigers their first lead of the game with 3:14 remaining.

Linebacker Bryan Reimers, who tallied a game-high 13 tackles, and linebacker Mitch Fredin combined to stop the Jayhawks' ground game to a foot short on fourth-and-3 with 1:32 showing on the scoreboard.

Madelia/Truman's defense held and got the football back via a punt with one minute left in regulation, but Springfield safety Dustin Dauer intercepted Mike Hintz's Hail Mary launch from the Jayhawk near midfield to seal the Tigers' victory .

Nicollet 28,

Westbrook-Walnut Grove 6

NICOLLET -- Nicollet reached the Section 2 Nine-man football championship finals Saturday with a 28-6 win over Westbrook-Walnut Grove.

The semi-final win puts the second-seeded Raiders in the finals against top-seeded Hills-Beaver Creek at 3 p.m. Saturday.

Jaime Wagner rushed 31 times for 203 yards, caught three passes for 79 yards and had 11 tackles for the 10-0 Raiders. Paul Nourie rushed 11 times for 55 yards and caught two passes for 50 yards. Quarterback Tony Hulke completed 8 of 15 passes for 156 yards. J. J. Hornung had four tackles, a sack and interception for a touchdown.

Nicollet picked up 486 total yards while holding WWG to 191 yards.

The Raiders play at Hills-Beaver Creek at 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 2 for the section championship.

First Quarter

N -- Jaime Wagner 59 pass from Tony Hulke. PAT -- Mattias Hellblom kick.

Secon Quarter

N -- Hulke 25 pass from Jeff Zimmerman. PAT -- Hellblom kick.

N -- Wagner 17 pass from Hulke. PAT -- Hellblom kick.

Third Quarter

WWG -- 44 pass. PAT failed.

N -- J. J. Hornung 15 interception return. PAT -- Hellblom kick.

Redwood Valley 26,

YME 12

REDWOOD FALLS -- Ben Dahmes rushed for 220 yards and scored three touchdowns as the Redwood Valley Cardinals dominated Yellow Medicine East in the Section 3AAA football semifinals Saturday.

Dahmes had 30 carries and Bo Hagert added 107 yards on nine carries as the Cardinals controlled the ball after taking the first quarter lead.

Dahmes opened the scoring with a nine-yard run at the 9:52 mark in the first quarter. The kick failed.

YME tied the game on an eight-yard pass from Darin Bergeson to Nate Fromm at 6:44.

Dahmes put the Cardinals ahead with 4:14 to play in the quarter with a one-yard plunge. The pass attempt failed.

In the second quarter, Dahmes had a 32 yard run for a score with 4:35 to play, and Nick Arnett kicked the extra point. Cardinal quarterback Mike Karsky connected with Tom Ellingsworth for a 47-yard touchdown pass. Arnett again kicked the point.

In the second half, Yellow Medicine East took to the air to try to catch up, but YME couldn't score until late in the fourth quarter, when Bergeson hit John Wilkening from 22 yards out.

Redwood Valley will travel to Olivia on Friday to face top seeded BOLD, who trounced Pipestone-Jasper 42-6 in the top half of the semifinals.

Other Area Scores

Section 3A

MLBO 42, Minneota 7

Adrian 21, Wabasso 14

(MLBO to host Adrian Friday, Nov. 1 in finals)

Section 2 AA

Triton 40, Blooming Prairie 21

Waterville-Elysian-Morristown/Cannon Valley 32, Sibley East 12