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North Branch kept their perfect record intact with a lightening-shortened 44-6 clobbering of Rock Ridge on Friday, September 19, the last of three straight home games for the Vikings football squad.

Quarterback Ethan Thorsen has had moments of great play in the first three games of the year, but the contest against the Wolverines was his true breakout game. The senior went a perfect seven-of-seven through the air for 104 yards and a touchdown, and ran for 201 yards and two touchdowns on just seven carries, propelling NB to an easy win.

Logan Hammel joined the breakout party as well, piling up 120 yards combined on the ground and through the air, and scoring two touchdowns and grabbing an interception on defense.

The game started with North Branch of offense during the rain soaked first half, and NB running back Logan Raine drew first blood with a big play of 27 yards on second and eight. A few plays later, Raine gashed the Wolverine defense for another 13 yards on a third and one, setting the Vikings up in the redzone.

Three plays later, Thorsen connected with Hammel on a post down the middle seam for a wide open 13 yard touchdown. The Rock Ridge defense, which had been hammered by the run the whole drive, all took the play fake, and that led to Hammel being left uncovered. North Branch’s two point conversion was good when Thorsen rolled out to the right and found Jacob Knoespel wide open in the corner of the endzone on another beautiful playfake.

North Branch’s defense forced a punt from the Rock Ridge offense on their first drive, and it didn’t take long for the Vikings potent offense to capitalize. On the second play, Thorsen called his own number around the right side and scampered for 35 yards. Four plays later, Hammel scored his second touchdown of the game on a 16 yard rush. He then punched in the two point conversion as well, and the Vikes led 16-0.

Rock Ridge opened their second drive with back-to-back 16 yard completions as they moved to the air, but a fumbled snap from the Wolverines followed by pressure from Nolan Bahr pushed Rock Ridge back 12 yards and put them in a third and 22 scenario, which they couldn’t convert and were forced to punt. Senior Bo Pederson fielded the punt on his own 13 yard line and then weaved and dashed through the Rock Ridge punt team for what looked like an 87 yard punt return touchdown. But, an illegal blindside block that was inconsequential to the play was called and brought the ball all the way back out to midfield at the 50 yard line.

Pederson’s misfortune, though, was Thorsen’s gain. Just two plays later, Thorsen ran a keeper to the left side and the Rock Ridge defense was completely fooled on the play fake, which allowed the senior signal caller to gallop in with no one ever getting within 10-15 yards of him. The two point attempt was good, and NB led 22-0.

Rock Ridge put together one of their better drives of the night to try and stay with NB, but facing a third and 13 on NB’s 15 yard line, they went to the air and Hammel made them pay, grabbing an interception on an overthrown ball.

Again, Thorsen went to work after the quick change. On the second play of the ensuing drive, from his own eight yard line, Thorsen sprinted to the left side again and followed a great lead block from Ayden Anderson to race for 65 yards and flip the field. On the next play, Hammel went for 25 yards and then senior running back Brody Mitchell, returning from injury, scored his first touchdown of the year from seven yards out. Hammel’s two point conversion run was good and the Vikings led 30-0.

Rock Ridge did finally get on the scoreboard as the rain intensified, scoring with just 30 seconds left in the half to trim NB’s lead to 30-6. But, the Vikings received the second half kickoff, and they answered back immediately. Thorsen started the drive with a 14 yard run, then hit Bahr for a wide open pass down to the one yard line. Thorsen made a nice shoulder shimmy in the backfield to avoid a sack and allow the play to develop. On the next play, Bahr got to finish the drive with a one yard touchdown plunge. Thorsen hit Knoespel for another two point conversion, stretching the lead to 38-8 early in the third quarter.

Rock Ridge threatened on their next drive, moving down to NB’s seven yard line, but on a fourth and goal Pederson knocked down a fade attempt in the corner of the endzone to turn the Wolverines over.

Despite the heavy rain pouring down, the Vikings went to the air on their next drive. Thorsen connected with Knoespel on the second play, only for the ball to be jarred loose by a hit on a defenseless receiver, which drew a flag. A few plays later, Thorsen hit Pederson down the seam for a 16 yard gain, and then on the next play, he hit an out to Knoespel for another 16 yards. The drive was eventually finished off when Thorsen took the ball in from 11 yards out, and plowed the last three into the endzone, dragging two Rock Ridge defenders with him.

The Vikings tried an extra point with senior kicker/soccer player Jacob Edmunds, but a poor snap led to the attempt sailing wide.

With the game out of reach, Rock Ridge tried to go to the air again, but pressure led to an easy interception for junior Austin Schlor and that gave NB the ball back with just under six minutes to go in the game. Right as they were starting their drive with all the back ups in, a lightning strike hit close enough to the field for the refs to whistle for a delay. After a brief discussion, the game was called with 5:50 left and North Branch got the official 44-6 victory.

After three straight weeks of home cooking, the Vikings will finally travel this week, going up north to Duluth East High School on Friday, September 26 to take on the 1-3 Greyhounds. The Hounds opened the season with a 34-29 win over Rock Ridge but have lost three straight to very tough opponents in Brainerd, Hermantown and Grand Rapids by a combined score of 129-34.

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