Mountain Iron-Buhl scores early and often in 32-12 rout
MOUNTAIN IRON — There will not be a third straight section title for Littlefork-Big Falls in 2009.
Mountain Iron-Buhl, victims of a 36-14 drubbing from the Vikings a week prior, came out blazing and posted a 32-12 victory in the opening round of the Section 7 9-Man tournament at Dolan Field.
“There’s no excuses,” Vikings head coach Derek Bilben said. “We got outplayed, we got outcoached and we just got beat.”
After deferring the coin toss, the Rangers forced a three-and-out and a punt on L-BF’s first possession.
The next play?
A 49-yard touchdown run by freshman Tyler Goodrie.
After another three-and-out by the Vikings, Rangers quarterback Rick Stevens ran in from 29 yards out to start erasing the bitter thoughts from the previous week.
Then it was 20-0 with 3:25 left in the first quarter after Jerry Kaivola plunged in from 1-yard out.
By this time, L-BF had as many three-and-outs as the Rangers had touchdowns.
“That definitely gave them the momentum they needed. The first quarter was the game,” Bilben said. “We played with them after that. We just didn’t get it going.”
The Rangers had 161 yards rushing in the first quarter alone, and Goodrie (73 yards) and Stevens (74) were well on their way to the century mark.
Kaivola made it 26-0 — following a second failed conversion — with 8:55 remaining in the first half on another touchdown run to extend the lead even further.
The Vikings avoided getting blanked in the first half when Tyler Lehman broke loose for a 54 yard run, but the damage was done.
Jesse Steele, one of eight Vikings seniors, pointed to intensity as an early downfall.
“They came out for revenge and I just didn’t see it in our eyes,” he said. “I don’t know ...”
It’s the first time since 2006 the Vikings (4-5) haven’t reached the state tournament, and first time in five years under Bilben they’ve finished under .500.
“Not a good way to go, but looking back at everything, it was fun,” said Steele, a three-year varsity player.
Goodrie capped MI-B’s scoring with his second 49-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. The freshman finished with 236 yards on the ground in 25 carries. Stevens had 86 yards on 12 carries and finished 2 of 9 through the air with 39 yards.
“It was a low point in my career. This feels a lot better,” MI-B head coach Wally Kostich said, comparing last Tuesday’s loss on homecoming to this section victory.
Tyler Fort, who wears No. 3, capped all of the L-BF seniors’ careers with a 57-yard touchdown run with 33.3 seconds to play. That was his only carry of the contest.
Bryce Ziemba led the Vikings in rushing with 65 yards on 17 carries. Lehman added 57 yards on 11 carries and Garrett Larson finished 5 of 7 passing for 51 yards.
The No. 3 Rangers (7-2) move on and will play at No. 2 Orr on Saturday at 7 p.m. Orr defeated No. 7 Cook 28-22 on Tuesday.
L-BF 0 6 0 6—12
MI-B 20 6 0 6—32
First Quarter
M — Tyler Goodrie 49 run (Goodrie kick), 2:18
M — Rick Stevens 29 run (Goodrie kick), 5:01
M — Jerry Kaivola 1 run (kick failed), 8:35
Second Quarter
M — Kaivola 5 run (pass failed), 3:05
L — Tyler Lehman 54 run (pass failed), 4:51
Fourth Quarter
M — Goodrie 49 run (pass failed), 9:50
L — Tyler Fort 57 run (pass failed), 11:27
