No. 3 seed Red Rock Central rallied from 14-0 and 28-12 deficits Friday to post a 34-28 overtime win over top-seeded Mountain Lake Area in the Section 3 9-Man championship game at Southwest Minnesota State University.
Two fourth-quarter touchdowns, each followed by successful two-point conversions, got the Falcons even with the Wolverines. In overtime, Isaac Simonson’s 4-yard TD pass to Tyler Thirkelsen put Red Rock Central in front, and the Falcons then stopped Mountain Lake Area on the 1-yard line on fourth down to preserve the victory. RRC will next play Wheaton-Herman-Norcross in the state 9-man tournament at 7 p.m. Nov. 10 at Buffalo High School.
In Class A, it was second-seeded Springfield topping No. 1 Tracy-Milroy-Balaton 40-28 at SMSU to advance to the state tournament. Springfield will take on Kirkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg at 7 p.m. Friday at Crown College.
Also Friday at SMSU, it was top-seeded Jackson County Central remaining unbeaten with a 31-14 triumph over No. 2 Pipestone Area in the Section 3AA championship game. The Huskies now go to state and will meet Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted at 7 p.m. Thursday at St. Anthony Village High School.
It was Fairmont defeating Waseca 35-26 in New Ulm for the Section 3AAA title. The Cardinals will face St. Croix Lutheran Academy at noon Saturday in a state tourney game in Burnsville. In Section 2AAAA, Hutchinson earned a trip to state by topping Marshall 52-30.
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The Luverne Cardinals captured second place in the state Class A cross country meet in Northfield, and the Murray County Central/Fulda girls placed fourth as a team in Class A.
For Luverne, it was Owen Janiszeski coming in a team-best fifth place; Ryan Fick was 15th and Camden Janiszeski was 25th. For Murray County Central/Fulda, Amanda Overgaauw just missed winning her second consecutive state meet, as she finished second less than six seconds behind the winner. Her twin sister, Ashley, took third. Jenna DeBates of Luverne, meanwhile, was fifth.
Worthington High School’s duo of MikeleWalu and Fanuel Wolday, competing in the state Class AA boys race, took 12th and 16th, respectively. Walu completed the 5,000-meter course in a career-best 16:10.5, while Wolday turned in a time of 16:18.9.
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In Iowa state quarterfinal football game action Friday, Central Lyon/George-Little Rock moved on with a 42-7 win over West Lyon, Inwood on Friday night. It was Odebolt Arthur Battle Creek Ida Grove blanking Spirit Lake 19-0, which means Central Lyon/George-Little Rock will meet OABCIG at 1 p.m. Saturday at the UNI Done in the Class 2A semifinals. Also Friday, it was Woodbury Central edging Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn 27-24.
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The Minnesota West Bluejays had two players recently named to the 2022 All-MCAC Football Team. Earning honors were sophomore wide receiver and punter Ian Stamer and freshman linebacker JayVarion Peters-Johnson.
Bluejays recognized as second team all-conference were sophomore quarterback Brock Starley, sophomore linebacker Tate Gaul, sophomore offensive lineman Billy Trees, sophomore defensive end Duvaughn Williams and sophomore defensive end Izaya Atkinson. Players earning honorable mention recognition were freshman strong safety Darrick Baartman, freshman offensive tackle Brandon Montgomery and sophomore defensive back Larrey Williams III. Sophomore offensive tackle Isaiah Trago was named to the All-Offensive Line Team.
