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Rockets Run for 398 Yards on Way to 44-18 Win Over Cowboys

By Craig Olson, 11/01/19, 10:30PM CDT

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The Underwood Rockets claimed the Section 6A Football Championship on Friday night with a 44-18 victory over the Breckenridge Cowboys.  Underwood ran for 398 yards in the game and recorded 27 first downs as they improved their record to 10-1 with the seventh straight win.  The Rockets ran 70 offensive plays to just 29 for Breckenridge.

 

“The coaches were extremely pleased with the way the guys came out focused and ready to play,” said Underwood Head Coach Chuck Ross.  “All week long we worked on not giving up big plays and winning the time of possession   We accomplished that.  Our offensive and defensive line play was crucial as we won the battle in the trenches and anytime you do that good things happen.  We earned another chance to play a very good Ada-Borup team. Hopefully we learned some things the first time we played them and can go out and execute like we did today.”

After the Underwood defense stopped the Cowboys on three plays to start the game, the Rockets went 77 yards in 12 plays with Zane Swanson scoring on a 30-yard touchdown run.  Quarterback Nik Gardin scored the two-point conversion and the Rockets took an 8-0 lead with 3:54 to play in the first quarter.

Following another three-and-out for the Cowboys, Underwood went 67 yards in eleven plays and Swanson scored on a 4-yard run.  Chase Janu added the two-point conversion giving the Rockets a 16-0 lead at the 7:04 mark of the second quarter.  Breckenridge responded with a 36-yard TD run by Chris Nieto at 5:19, however, Underwood closed out the half on another Swanson touchdown run, this one from two yards out with just 52 seconds remaining.  Swanson also scored the two-point conversion and it was 24-6 Rockets at the half.

Underwood received the kickoff to start the second half and proceeded to go 56 yards in eight plays with Janu scoring on a one yard run and Winston Heifort adding the extra point kick for a 31-6 advantage.  Breckenridge quarterback Coooper Yaggie then connected with Jack Aigner on a 35-yard touchdown pass with 7:24 left in the third, cutting the Underwood lead to 31-12.  The Rockets then went 55 yards in eight plays with Janu once again scoring, this time on a two-yard run.  Heifort’s extra point kick made it 38-12 with 3:03 left in the third quarter.

Wyatt Thorson recovered a Breckenridge fumble and eleven plays later Swanson found the end zone for a fourth time, putting the lead at 44-12 with 7:31 left in the game.  Yaggie hit Jacob Vizenor on a 57-yard bomb over the middle with 6:46 remaining to end the scoring and putting the final at 44-18.

Swanson finished the night with 153 yards on 18 carries and Gardin ran for 149 yards on 24 attempts.  The Rockets had 405 yards of total offense.

For Breckenridge, Yaggie completed 4-of-6 passes for 108 yards and a pair of touchdowns.  Chris Nieto led the rushing attack with 51 yards on 5 attempts.

Underwood will face Ada-Borup in the Class A Quarterfinals at 3:00pm Saturday, November 9 at Moorhead High School.  Breckenridge finishes the season with a 7-4 record.