Rebels withstand Wolverine comeback DIKE – The defending Class A state champions haven’t made it look easy, but their methods certainly have been effective. The fourth-ranked Gladbrook-Reinbeck football team defeated 2A No. 7 Dike-New Hartford here Friday night, taking a 17-0 lead through three quarters before clinging to a 17-14 victory. Erik Knaack had two touchdown catches and Walker Thede’s 35-yard field goal gave Gladbrook-Reinbeck (2-0) its 17-0 advantage with 45 seconds left in the third period. Dike-New Hartford answered in the fourth quarter, starting with Trent Johnson’s 21-yard touchdown run. The Wolverines made it a one-possession game on G-R’s ensuing drive, taking Hunter Lott’s fumble back 21 yards for the touchdown. Dike-New Hartford was unable to move the ball on its last two drives, falling to (0-2) with losses to two Final Four teams from Class A a year ago. Knaack finished with three receptions for 113 yards, snaring a 31-yard touchdown pass from Lott in the first quarter in and a 52-yard completion from Thede with 1 second left in the first half. Lott finished 6-for-12 for 89 yards passing, while Parker Bown ran for 110 yards on 29 carries. Thede ran for 59 yards on three attempts, and Lott added 41 yards on the ground. Thomas Mussig paced the G-R defense with nine solo and six assisted tackles, including three stops behind the line of scrimmage. Matt Johannsen added two solo and six assisted stops. Mussig, Gage Murty and Mason Skovgard each recorded a quarterback sack. Johnson carried 24 times for 129 yards to lead Dike-New Hartford.

GMG 20, North Butler 12 GARWIN – Garrett Groth scored on touchdown runs of 1 and 6 yards in the second half and GMG recovered a late squib kick to take down North Butler 20-12 in Friday’s non-district football contest. GMG (2-0) trailed 12-6 at the halftime break but outscored the visiting Bearcats 14-0 in the second half. Cade Bovenmyer accounted for the Wolverines’ only first-half points on his 2-yard touchdown run, but GMG responded to the halftime deficit. Groth tallied his first of two touchdowns in the third quarter, and Brayden Peterson’s two-point conversion run gave GMG the lead for good, 14-12. The Wolverines tacked on another Groth touchdown with 54 seconds remaining. Carson Wobeter beat North Butler’s return team to GMG’s ensuing kickoff, and his recovery iced the victory for the home team. Brock Baldazo led GMG with 116 yards rushing, and Owen Beach added 67 more. The Wolverines were 0-for-9 passing with a pair of interceptions. Wobeter also pulled down an interception for the GMG defense, and Beach recovered a fumble. Conner Stonewall amassed nine solo tackles and 11 assisted stops to lead the front line. Levi Duden and Bovenmyer both had four solo and three assisted tackles.