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Rush City rushing overwhelms Grizzlies

North Woods showing progress as they adapt to eleven-man competition

Marshall Helmberger
Posted 9/12/19

FIELD TWP— They don’t call it Rush City for nothing. The Grizzlies, in the second game of their new season, struggled to contain junior halfback Zeth Hahn and the Rush City ground game as they …

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Rush City rushing overwhelms Grizzlies

North Woods showing progress as they adapt to eleven-man competition

Posted

FIELD TWP— They don’t call it Rush City for nothing. The Grizzlies, in the second game of their new season, struggled to contain junior halfback Zeth Hahn and the Rush City ground game as they fell 34-8 in 11-man competition. Hahn rushed for 224 yards and three touchdowns on 14 carries to lead his Class 2A Tigers to the win.

Rush City scored three times in the first half. They connected on a short pass play in the first quarter for six, then added 12 more in the second stanza off a pass play and on the first of Hahn’s three touchdowns. That left the Tigers up 18-0 at the break.

After a scoreless third, Grizzlies sophomore halfback TJ Chiabotti put North Woods on the scoreboard on a run from one yard out. He ran in the conversion moments later to close the gap to ten points. But Rush City wasn’t done yet, and Hahn racked up two more touchdowns and conversions before the clock ran out.

Chiabotti led the rushing attack for North Woods, with 71 tough yards on 16 carries, while catching the Grizzlies’ only two completed passes for 22 yards. At quarterback, junior Zach Cheney rushed for 24 yards on seven carries and completed the two passes to Chiabotti. Senior Nathan Crain rushed for 25 yards on six carries.

“I thought we played well overall,” said Grizzlies Head Coach John Jirik. “We need to improve our blocking schemes and learn more about game time situations on defense. We have come quite a distance in the first four weeks and are quickly catching on.”

The Grizzlies are set to face their first Class A squad this Friday when they take on the Warriors in Deer River. They’ll stay on the road the following Friday, taking on Barnum. Kickoff for both games is at 7 p.m.