D-G-F's improbable run continues with section title

This is a team which had two victories in the entire regular season.

This is a team, according to quarterback David Anderson, which "wanted to leave" after losing four consecutive games in September and October.

This is not the Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton juggernaut of the past, but this is a team that's going to the state tournament.

Continuing their improbable postseason renaissance, the Rebels turned two lengthy passes and defensive tenacity into a third consecutive upset, a 14-6 win over Hawley at the Fargodome Friday in the Minnesota Class 2A, Section 8 championship game.

"What does that say about high school football?" D-G-F coach Craig Anderson asked. "You never know. "I've had some great football teams ... but sometimes things change, and maybe this is our year."

So many times previously Anderson, voluntarily relegated to assistant coach the past two seasons, had thought that to be true.

But after winning the section title in 1993, the Rebels lost in the waning moments of the '94,'98 and '99 finals. And those squads were sure-things.

This one, seeded fifth, which lost four in a row to end the regular season, and played much of the year with a patchwork backfield, was anything but even after having won at Agassiz Valley and top-seeded Walker-Hackensack-Akeley.

Then, on the second play from scrimmage in the second half against the Nuggets, David Anderson, a third-year starter, hit a streaking Josh Hagen for a 64-yard touchdown strike and it became possible.

Just five minutes later, on the third snap of their next possession, the Rebels (5-6) sprung Tom Costello for a 68-yard touchdown on an innocent-looking screen pass and a 14-0 lead.

The play featured at least four crushing blocks, including one by tight end Jeremiah Enger on the corner to break Costello. It also exemplified D-G-F's approach to statistic-less necessities.

"Coach said just go out and play like we did in the first half," Enger explained. "We were just waiting for something big to happen."

Once behind by 14, the second-seeded Nuggets (7-4) were forced to abandon their vaunted running game. Yet, they mounted a stirring comeback.

Following an 18-play drive scoring drive, capped by Jesse Larson's 3-yard TD plunge, and a D-G-F fumble, Hawley marched inside the Rebels' 20-yard line with 2 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.

A fourth-down pass breakup, however, ended the drive and the Nuggets' season and their reign as section champs.

"I've got to say that the best team in Section 8, 2A won the ballgame today," Hawley coach Peder Naatz said.

The Rebels were potentially a good team all season, but injuries to David Anderson, Enger and fullback Matt Johnk prevented that from coming to fruition.

But as the fractured left leg of its senior signal caller, who missed the final four regular-season game, began to grow back together, so did D-G-F.

"This is more than that," Naatz said. "It shows a lot of grit, heart and determination. ... Come playoff time anything can happen, and they proved that today."

This team is not conventional, not dominant, not touted. Just memorable.

"They started to believe," said Craig Anderson, whose team will host a state quarterfinal game Friday. "We were doing the things we used to, and we kept doing it.

"This is as good as it gets. And it's not over. We get to play more."

Readers can reach Forum reporter Terry Vandrovec at (701) 241-5548