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Rockets stun top-ranked Eagles

Prep football

Avery Bundgaard | Daily Press The Rapid River football team celebrates on the field after defeating Stephenson 16-14 Friday night at Rapid River.

RAPID RIVER — Rapid River and Stephenson met Friday night in the battle of the top two teams in eight-player football and they did not disappoint.

The No. 2 ranked Rockets pulled out the upset 16-14 in what was a defensive battle.

“We told our guys you have to believe every week and high school guys don’t always do that,” said Rapid River coach Steve Ostrenga. “This team is starting to believe and we’ll see if we can keep it going. It feels great and I’m proud of my guys.”

The Eagles got out to a fast start but were shut out the last three quarters and couldn’t quite get going offensively.

“I thought it was definitely No. 1 versus No. 2 in the state,” said Stephenson coach Logan Carlson. “Two excellent teams played right down to the wire. Both teams made mistakes but the ball seemed to bounce in their favor and it was obvious both teams wanted it. It just was a great game.”

Both teams were unable to score on their first possession turning the ball over on downs. On Stephenson’s next possession it scored on two plays capped off by a Montell Glover 48-yard touchdown run.

The Rockets came back on the next possession to take a 8-6 lead on a 1-yard touchdown run on a quarterback sneak by Brent Lundquist.

That lead didn’t last long as the Eagles scored in four plays on its next possession with a 36-yard touchdown run by Jesus Becerra to put them up 14-8.

Late in the second half Stephenson was driving into Rockets territory when Rapid River’s Tyler Sundling recovered a fumble in Eagles territory.

After an incomplete pass Lundquist hit a wide open Logan Hardwick on a 41-yard touchdown pass to take a 16-14 lead into halftime.

“We ran a play call and no one knew what it was,” said Hardwick. “So we just ran on our own and I ran a fade route. The kid bit on Brent running the ball and he saw me wide open and threw it to me for the touchdown.”

The second half was a defensive struggle as both teams failed to score. The Eagles had a chance to score in the third quarter as they had the ball within the 10-yard line but turned the ball over on downs as quarterback Trevor Topper’s pass to Glover fell incomplete in the endzone.

The Eagles again started to drive downfield within a minute to play in the fourth quarter but the Rocket defense held strong as they forced an incomplete pass on fourth down and were able to kneel the ball to end the game.

“I think our defense tackled great tonight and that’s what you have to have,” said Ostrenga. “We bent and we knew there were going to be some big plays but we tackled well and that’s all you can ask for.”

Becerra had 152 yards on 24 carries while Glover carried the ball 17 times for 114 yards for the Eagles.

Jarrett LaCasse led the Rockets with 77 yards on eight carries and Lucas Sundling had 23 yards on 12 carries.

Lundquist had 77 yards and a touchdown through the air and another touchdown on the ground.

Hardwick had 3 receptions for 57 yards and a touchdown.

“It’s a really big win,” said Hardwick.

“That team is very good and we just played a heck of a game.”

Rapid River will host North Central Friday for its homecoming game.

The summary:

Stephenson 14 0 0 0 — 14

Rapid River 8 8 0 0 — 16

First quarter:

S — Glover 48 run (conversion failed), 5:23

RR — Lundquist 1 run (Lundquist to Hardwick), 3:38

S — Becerra 36 run (Topper to Glover), 1:50

Second quarter:

RR — Hardwick 41 pass from Lundquist (Lundquist to Orth), :33

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