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Ely advances to championship game

Timberwolves steamroll Rangers 57-6

by PATRICK SLACK
Posted 10/20/15

ELY – A fumbled snap followed by a quick flip from a foreign-exchange student kicker to the placeholder. Followed by, of course, a completed throw to an open receiver for a successful two-point …

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Ely advances to championship game

Timberwolves steamroll Rangers 57-6

Posted

ELY – A fumbled snap followed by a quick flip from a foreign-exchange student kicker to the placeholder. Followed by, of course, a completed throw to an open receiver for a successful two-point completion.

It was that kind of day, and really, it has been that kind of season for undefeated Ely. And now, the Wolves are a win away from the state tournament.

Ely flattened visiting Mountain Iron-Buhl 57-6 on Saturday to gain a spot in the Nine Man-Section 7 championship game.

The Wolves will now square off against Cook County on Friday in Esko. Ely’s closest game of the season, albeit hardly a nail-biter, came against the Vikings on Sept. 11, a 50-21 spread.

Friday's section semifinal started in picture-perfect fashion, as Ely made sure it wouldn’t have to sweat out any dramatic upset bids.

Trea Schreffler recovered a fumble on the opening kickoff, then Josh Heiman carried in a score from 25 yards out on the very next play.

It was Heiman scoring again on a 76-yard scamper on the first play of Ely’s next possession as the Wolves were off to the races.

Carter Gaulke snuck it in from a yard out and Spencer Gaulke broke free from midfield to make it 29-0 by the end of the first quarter.

Heiman’s third score came next, preceding the signature play of the day.

Kicker Jacopo Mercanti picked up a fumbled snap, immediately handed it off to Evan Omerza, who calmly rolled right and found Spencer Gaulke for the conversion.

Not encountering any resistance from its opponent, Ely had to manufacture some for itself in the closing minutes of the half as it practiced its two-minute drill. The Wolves quickly marched down the field yet again and punched it in with two seconds left in the half on a 1-yard plunge by Wyatt Conaway, extending their lead to 44-0.

In the second half, Gaulke tallied another touchdown and Blaise Lah ran in the closing score to punctuate another Ely victory.

football, Timberwolves, Ely