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After an upset loss last week in Grand Rapids, the Vikings had to go back up north – this time to Duluth – for another hard-hitting northeastern Minnesota football game. They took on the Duluth East Greyhounds on Friday, October 11 and got back to their winning ways, running for over 400 yards en route to a pretty clean 42-16 win.

North Branch kicked the game off with a bang, taking just six plays to score the first touchdown of the game. After a nice nine yard run by senior Tyler Minke to start the drive, quarterback Jacob Robillard took a keeper around the left side for a 40 yard touchdown to put NB up 7-0 after Chaz Johnson’s extra point was good.

The game looked like it might turn into a shootout when North Branch linebackers were fooled on a play action pass on the Hounds’ third play of their drive. After two short runs set up a third and seven, East quarterback Connor Gustafson faked a handoff to the right and then turned back to the left to find a wide open Virgil Brown strafing down the seam. Brown went untouched to the end zone for a 62 yard score. Despite East committing a false start penalty on the two point conversion attempt, they still made good on their shot from seven yards out and actually took the lead at 8-7.

North Branch’s offense, which didn’t quite break the big plays last week in their loss to Cloquet, got back to business ripping off bigger chunks on the ground against Duluth. They had six rushes of five or more yards on their next drive, which went 10 plays, and didn’t even face a third down until their touchdown scamper. They had runs of 23, 12, 11 and nine in the drive and it was much more in line with how the NB offense has operated for the last half decade. The big plays came from Robillard and senior Carter Drill. Robillard had the 23 yard run and the 12 yard touchdown run, but Drill had the 11 yard run and made a key block on the scoring play, sealing a linebacker to allow Robillard to get out wide and score easily. Johnson’s extra point was blocked and North Branch led 13-8.

The defense was much more disciplined on the next drive for North Branch. The Greyhounds were able to convert a third and 15 with a 22 yard pass, but it was well covered. Brown just made a nice shoestring catch on the play. But, as East crossed midfield, they ran an option play to the right and a botched pitch led to a fumble recovery by NB’s Austin Reynolds.

On the ensuing drive, North Branch faced a fourth and three early in the drive, but converted it with a four yard run from Drill, and then the Vikings opened the playbook up a bit. They faked everyone out with a play action pass on first down. Nathaniel Edwards-Gaona broke free almost 12 yards away from the closest defender, but an underthrown ball that he had to come back for limited the gain to 15 yards. 

But, on the next play North Branch did something they almost never do. They passed for the second time in a row. This time, two defenders followed Edwards-Gaona to the boundary, and that left a ton of space for Minke to streak up the seam and easily beat his defender on a route. Robillard delivered a strike to his fellow senior and Minke went the rest of the way for a 24 yard touchdown catch and run. Drill plowed his way into the endzone on the two point conversion and North Branch had a two score lead at 21-8.

North Branch’s defense then forced a three and out on East’s next drive, with Drill punctuating the stand with a six yard sack on third down.

London Olson took command on North Branch’s next drive, opening it with a 10 yard rush up the middle and then a 36 yard run down the left sideline. Two plays later, on third and one from the 17 yard line, Olson finished what he started with a nifty touchdown run off the right tackle. Johnson’s extra point was true and NB led 28-7 just before halftime.

East put together their best drive in a while, moving all the way down to North Branch’s 22 yard line, but on fourth and four, Gustafson skipped a pass to his receiver and the Viking defense turned the Greyhounds over on downs. And that’s when the floodgates opened.

East’s defense was already worn down, and the Vikings offense capitalized on that. Olson was stopped for no gain on first down, but then Robillard ripped off a 13 yard gain on a quarterback keeper, which was followed by a 26 yard run from Beaver, a 27 yard run from Robillard and a n eight yard run by olson before a seven yard down touchdown catch by Edwards-Gaona to stretch NB’s lead to 35-8 just before halftime.

East received the kick off to open the second half, but their last gasp attempt at getting back in the game fell short when they fumbled near midfield on fourth down and North Branch recovered. Two plays later, Beaver busted through the left side of the line for a 54 yard house call, as he was untouched on the scoring run. Johnson’s extra point was good and NB was in cruise control at 42-8.

Reynolds picked up another third down sack for the North Branch defense on East’ ensuing drive, forcing them to punt it away. The North Branch offense moved down the field at an intentionally slow pace, taking time off the clock but keeping possession of the ball. They eventually found themselves in a fourth and long situation from East’s 16 yard line and they attempted a Johnson field goal from 33 yards out. Something went awry in Johnson’s approach as he mis-hit the kick and it never cleared the offensive linemen. But, the Vikes’ kicking team is working the kinks out in case Johnson needs to come up in a big moment later in the season.

East did add a late touchdown to get to 16 points, but it was academic from there as the Vikings got the ball back and just took two kneel downs to end the game 42-16.

Robillard had a packed stat line, going three-of-four for 46 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for 141 yards and two touchdowns on eight carries. Olson had a score and 91 yards on 12 carries and Beaver had 90 yards and a touchdown on just seven attempts. As a team, the Vikings ran for 403 yards. 

Drill had three tackles and 2.5 sacks on defense while Reynolds had six tackles and 1.5 sacks.

The Vikings ended their regular season earlier this week because of the MEA shortened school schedule. They took on Cloquet on Wednesday, October 16 at home with section seeding on the line. Hermantown beat Esko last week, but Duluth Denfeld fell to Rock Ridge, leaving Hermantown as the remaining one loss team in the section. The Hunters and Hawks played each other on Wednesday, and that game has massive section seeding implications as well. 

Barring a disastrous loss to the 2-5 Lumberjacks, the Vikings should secure a first round bye, which actually two teams still get in the section. (The Press previously erroneously reported that there was only one first round bye in the section this year – we apologize for the error. - JN)

The second round of sections will be held at home sites on Saturday, October 26. As long as NB secures one of the top two seeds, the second round game would be played at North Branch. If they were to make it that far, the section championship game is slated for Friday, November 1 at Walt Hunting Stadium in Duluth.

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