Mountain Iron-Buhl handed the Cook County Vikings a 56-18 loss in the Section 7A 9-man playoffs.
The game was played on Saturday, October 26, at Mountain Iron.
With three minutes left in the first quarter, Adam Dorr blocked a MIB punt that resulted in a safety. The Vikings took a two-point lead and got the ball back on the ensuing kick.
The Vikings took the ball to the MIB 36-yard line on the kick return. After a one-yard gain Viking running back Aram Falter found a seam in the MIB defense and raced 35 yards for a touchdown. Falter also ran in the two-point conversion to make it 10-0.
MIB took the ensuing kickoff to their 44-yard line, and on the first play, their quarterback Asher Zubich ran the ball to the Vikings’ 12-yard line. With 1:36 to play in the first quarter, Hunter Weigel ran two yards for a TD. MIB’s two-point conversion try failed, and the Vikings led 10-6 at the end of the first quarter.
The Vikings’ next drive stalled after they gained 27 yards and turned the ball over on downs at the Rangers’ 20-yard line.
MIB wasted little time taking the ball down the field. A long run by Damien Tapio took the ball to the Viking 9-yard line. Staying with their ground game, MIB ran the ball to the 2-yard line where Asher Zubich took it in for a TD. MIB converted the two-point conversion to lead 14-10.
The Vikings fumbled the ball on their next series, and MIB recovered at the Vikings’ 47-yard line. Wasting no time MIB quarterback Zubich threw to Aidian Bussoutte for a 53-yard TD, and Zubich rushed for the two-point conversion.
Down 22-10, the Vikings did little with their next possession, punting the ball to the MIB 42-yard line. MIB took the ball to the Vikings’ 28-yard line before turning the ball back to the Vikings on downs. The Vikings couldn’t muster a run for the end zone and went into the half trailing 22-10.
The Vikings received the kickoff to start the second half but were stopped after running seven plays and gaining 19 yards.
MIB started at its 38-yard line and ran its way down the field with MIB’s Damien Tapio plowing over the end zone line from nine yards out to score with nine minutes to go in the third period. Zubich ran in the two-point conversion, and the Vikings were down 30-10.
The Vikings ran three plays for eight yards and had their punt blocked. MIB started deep in Viking territory, and Zubich hit his wide receiver for a 34-yard touchdown and ran for the two-point conversion to pad the Ranger lead 38-10.
Still, in the third quarter, MIB would score another touchdown on a 49-yard run by Tapio. Zubich completed a pass for the two-point conversion to Hunter Weigel to put the Rangers up 46-10.
With 1:57 to play in the third quarter, the Vikings got back on the scoreboard after a 50-yard throw from Dorr to Vaughn Swindlehurst resulted in a touchdown. Falter ran in the two-point conversion, and the Vikings trailed 46-18.
The Vikings wouldn’t score any more, and MIB tacked on one more touchdown in the fourth quarter on a short run by Tapio with Zubich running for the two-point conversion.
Aram Falter led the Vikings with 110 yards rushing on 19 carries. Aram scored one touchdown while averaging 5.8 yards per carry.
Viking quarterback Adam Dorr was 16-6 for 70 yards and two touchdowns and one interception. He also rushed for six yards on four carries.
Vaughn Swindlehurst had two catches, one a 50-yard touchdown catch. Masen McKeever caught three balls and Jordan Porter one pass.
Keenan Hingos led the team on defense with nine assisted and five unassisted tackles (14). Masen McKeever finished with eight assisted and five unassisted tackles (13). Adam Dorr had two assisted, and six unassisted tackles, Isaiah Deschampe, Vaughn Swindlehurst, and Aram Falter, all ended with seven tackles. Devon Premo finished with five tackles, Patrick Pierre three, Anthony Weigle three, Jordan Porter two, and Kole Anderson had one tackle.
Mountain Iron totaled 397 yards on the ground, with the Ranger ball carriers averaging nine yards per carry. Mountain Iron quarterback Zubich completed seven of 18 passing attempts for 127 yards.
The Vikings had four first downs to 16 first downs for MIB.
The Vikings ended with three penalties for a loss of 25 yards while MIB finished with 10 penalties for a loss of 80 yards.
MIB now faces Silver Bay to see who will represent the region at state. The Vikings’ season ended with four wins and seven losses.
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