Adrian defeats Wabasso; H-BC/E falls to C-G-B

WABASSO — Jesse Brake didn’t waste any time setting the tone Saturday.

A senior running back on Adrian’s football team, Brake returned the opening kickoff 70 yards in 12 seconds for a touchdown, sparking the Dragons’ 29-21 victory over top-seeded Wabasso in the second round of the Section 3A playoffs.

Fourth-seeded Adrian will face second-seeded Springfield for the Section 3A championship at 2:30 p.m. Friday at Southwest Minnesota State University, in Marshall.

“It kind of set the stage for us,” Adrian coach Randy Strand said, referring to Brake’s return. “It gave us a little confidence and maybe took some wind out of their sales.”

Brake, who finished with 120 yards on 27 rushes, scored on a 9-yard run less than a minute into the second quarter, and Brett Nowotny passed to Justin Weidert for the two-point conversion, giving the Dragons an early 14-0 lead.

Wabasso scored 15 unanswered points to take a one-point lead going into the fourth quarter, but Nowotny scored on a 1-yard touchdown dive and a 41-yard scoring scamper in the final period to send Adrian to its second consecutive section championship game.

Nowotny, who had an interception on the defensive side of the ball, had 14 carries for 82 yards and was 3-of-12 passing for 80 yards. Adam Diekmann had two catches for 56 yards for the Dragons (6-4), who totaled 300 yards.

Weidert had 12 tackles and an interception, and Brock Bullerman had a team-high 17 tackles. Brake and Steve Loosbrock each had 11 tackles, and Shea Klooster and Tanner Loosbrock each added 10 stops.

Danny Parsley sacked Wabasso’s quarterback at Adrian’s 13-yard line on the final play of the first half.

Derek Riley had 32 carries for 152 yards to lead Wabasso (7-3), which totaled 412 yards.

Adrian 7 7 0 15 — 29

Wabasso 0 8 7 6 — 21

C-G-B 34, H-BC/E 0

GRACEVILLE — Hills-Beaver Creek/Ellsworth’s football team recorded just 73 total yards in its season-ending loss to top-seeded Clinton-Graceville-Beardsley in the second round of the Section 3 9-man playoffs.

Nate Vogt rushed for a 75-yard touchdown on the first play from scrimmage, and the Wolverines turned two fumble recoveries into touchdowns en route to a 28-0 lead at halftime.

The Patriots had 74 yards on 22 carries, and quarterback Chris Luze was 2-of-10 passing for 26 yards.

C-G-B rushed 69 times for 342 yards and went 7-for-14 passing for 109 yards in the victory.

“Their power game just took us,” H-BC/E coach Dan Ellingson said. “We played them pretty well; we just couldn’t slow them down. They’d get five or six yards per run.”

Tanner Leuthold had a season-high 24 tackles, and Kale Leuthold had 20 tackles and a fumble recovery for the Patriots (7-3).

Colton Bass added 15 tackles for H-BC/E, which played without four regular starters on defense who were out because of injuries.

H-BC/E 0 0 0 0 — 0

C-G-B 14 14 0 6 — 34

Tags: sports, adrian, hillsbeavercreekellsworth, football