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North Branch 31

Milaca 28 (OT)

What's the sign of a good night? How about 254 yards rushing on 32 carries? How about three field goals, all three coming from more than 24 yards away?  How about 17 points,  all coming from one person? A back-up running back no less.  Although Adam Gades, who was filling in for an injured Marc Vanden Heuvel, didn't do it alone, he played a critical role in the Vikings 31-28 overtime win over Milaca last Friday.

The Wolves, who came into the game 1-0 on the season, kick started things off in the first quarter with a 45 yard touchdown run late in the quarter.  It was the only score of the period, giving Milaca a 7-0 lead.

As for the Vikings offense, things started slow.  North Branch was plagued by turnovers, losing the ball twice in the first 12 minutes. Still, they only found themselves down by seven.

That is until the second when Gades and company got on track.  The Vikings answered on their first drive of the second quarter, putting together a 14 play drive that stretched 89 yards, finally finishing with a Gades two yard run around the right side. During the drive, Gades accounted for 46 yards on the ground on seven carries while Erik Frich accounted for 17 yards on three carries.  North Branch was starting to move the ball.

Down 7-6 and looking to take the lead, the Vikings then converted on the two-point conversion thanks to a Ed Meier to Tony Watters scoring play, and North Branch had their first lead of the game, 8-7. 

Still leading by one late in the second, the Vikings finished the quarter the way they started, moving the ball to the Milaca 17 yard line where Gades legs came into play again.  The senior poked a 34-yard field goal through the uprights with less than 15 seconds left, pushing the North Branch lead to 11-7 at the half.

After taking the second quarter off, like in the first quarter, turnovers were once again the story in the third for the Vikings as Milaca fought right back.  The Vikings first possession of the second half led to an interception while their second possession was a little more harmful.  Driving deep into Milaca territory, the Wolves scooped up a North Branch fumble and rumbled 85 yards for the touchdown, proving to be the only points of the third quarter for either team.  The touchdown pushed Milaca in the lead 14-11 with one quarter left, or so they thought.

The game had already been entertaining through the first three quarters, but it was nothing compared to what was on the way in the fourth and beyond.

Down by three, North Branch started the fourth with the ball, marching the ball 59 yards to the Milaca seven yard line where Gades kicked his second field goal of the game, this time coming from 24 yards, putting the Vikings back in the drivers seat, evening the score 14-14.  North Branch then re-took the lead three minutes later.  After the Vikings defense forced the Wolves to punt, Tony Beaver's five yard touchdown run with 4:39 left in the fourth gave North Branch their first lead since the second quarter.

“Offensively, we were moving the ball pretty good,” remarked Joel Swanson, North Branch head football coach.  “We moved the ball very well on the ground.  We struggled throwing, but Tony (Beaver) did a great job of running in some passing situations.”

All they needed to do was hold. Unfortunately, all Milaca needed to do was score and score they did, driving 76 yards in three minutes and 23 seconds, tying the game 21-21, forcing overtime.  The tying score came on a 37-yard touchdown pass on fourth and 13. 

The Wolves got the ball first in overtime, using three plays to score.  Throw in the extra point and the score was 28-21 Milaca, leaving North Branch four downs to match it.  They did.  On the heels of two runs by Gades, Beaver broke free off right end for a four yard touchdown scamper.  A Gades extra point followed extending the game into a second OT.  This time the Vikings got the ball first, moving the ball to the six yard line before Gades' third field goal of the game, from 26 yards out, putting North Branch back into the lead, 31-28.  The game would last one more down.

Looking to answer, on their first play of the drive, Milaca fumbled the ball and Beaver recovered, finally putting an end to the game.  The final- North Branch 31, Milaca 28.

“There were a lot of emotional highs and lows for both teams.  I’m proud of the way the guys hung in there throughout,” said Swanson. “Defensively, we gave up a couple of big plays, otherwise, I thought we did pretty well and made good adjustments in the game.  Special teams came through with field goals, but we turned the ball and had a kick blocked.  We need to continue to get better in that area.”

They'll been working on getting better and they'll need to get better with Foley on the way this Friday.  Like the Vikings, the Falcons will bring a 2-0 record into the game.  It will be played at St. Cloud State University.

North Branch 31

Milaca 28

1 2 3 4 OT F

Milaca 7 0 7 7 7 28

North Branch 0 11 0 10 10 31

Scoring:

First Quarter-

M- 45 yrd. TD run

(Kick good) 0-7

Second Quarter-

NB- Gades 2 yrd. run

(2 pt. conversion good) 8-7

NB- Gades 34 yrd, FG 11-7

Third Quarter-

M- 85 yrd. fumble recovery

(Kick good) 11-14

Fourth Quarter-

NB- Gades 24 yrd. FG 14-14

NB- Beaver 5 yrd. TD run

(Kick good) 21-14

M- 37 yrd. TD pass

(Kick good) 21-21

Overtime-

M- 1 yrd. TD run

(Kick good) 21- 28

NB- Beaver 4 yrd. TD run

(Kick good) 28-28

NB- Gades 26 yrd. FG 31-28

North Branch statistics:

Passing-

Beaver- 4-10, 23 yrds., 2 INT

Meier- 1-1, 60 yrds., TD

Rushing-

Gades- 32 rush, 254 yrds., TD

Beaver- 15 rush, 47 yrds., 2 TD

Frich- 13 rush, 39 yrds.

Meier- 3 rush, 15 yrds.

Receiving-

Meier- 2 rec., 10 yrds.

Grandt- 2 rec., 13 yrds.

Tackles-

Beaver- 16

Mike Carlson- 8

Matt Carlson- 8

Zaffke- 8 tackles

Sacks-

Matt Carlson- 1

Gallmeier- 1

Novak- 1

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