USC football team tops GFW 28-13 in section opener

Published 12:00 am Wednesday, October 23, 2002

WELLS &045; It was apparent early on that the Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop Thunderbirds had upset on their minds and intent on giving the United South Central Rebels a tough game.

They did.

The Rebels won anyway.

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Top-seeded United South Central broke open a 13-13 halftime tie and went on to win 28-13 in a section quarterfinal game at Wells Tuesday night. The Rebels, rated No. 4 in the state in Class AA, improved to 9-0 and advanced to Saturday’s semifinal round at 4 p.m. against Windom at Wells.

Although the Rebels had trouble with turnovers, losing two fumbles in the first quarter alone, coach Brent Schimek said the visitors played well.

&uot;It was a good game,&uot; said Schimek. &uot;We didn’t necessarily play that bad, they came to play. It was a hard fought game.&uot;

The Thunderbirds took a 7-0 first-quarter lead on a 1-yard quarterback sneak by Jon Derock, who set up the score with a 26-yard pass.

The Rebels answered on the first play of the second quarter, when John Niebuhr broke off tackle for 63 yards and a touchdown.

A 36-yard scoring run by Derock and a 19-yard touchdown run by Trevor Haugh left it 13-13 at halftime.

Ben Wetzell ran 7 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter and, in the fourth, threw a 54-yard scoring pass to Jon Voigt.

Steven Wood led the defense with 12 tackles and an interception. Niebuhr had 10 tackles and an interception, Voigt six tackles and an interception.

If the Rebels win Saturday, they’ll host the section championship game the following Friday.

GFW

&045;

7

6

0

0

&045;

13

USC

&045;

0

13

7

8

&045;

28

First Quarter

GFW &045; Derock 1 run (Reid kick)

Second Quarter

USC &045; Niebuhr 63 run (Knutson kick)

GFW &045; Derock 36 run (kick blocked)

USC &045; Haugh 19 run (kick wide)

Third Quarter

USC &045; Wetzell 7 run (Knutson kick)

Fourth Quarter

USC &045; Voigt 54 pass from Wetzell (kick wide)

USC &045; Haugh safety

GFW, USC

Rushing yards: 189, 228

Passing yards: 80, 81

Total yards: 269, 309

Pen.-Yds.: 4-25, 3-15

Turnovers: 6, 3

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING&045;USC, Wetzell 14-83; Niebuhr 20-76; Haugh 15-59.

PASSING&045;USC, Wetzell 3-9-0, 81.

RECEIVING&045;USC, Voigt 2-76; Haugh 1-5.