The Rebels seniors gather around the State qualifier banner the team captured after defeating Baxter 42-12 Friday. Pictured, from left, Keagan Giesking, Casey Knaack, Danny Gleissner, Auston Wittgreve, Cole Engel and Connor Engel. - Photo by Darvin Graham

GLADBROOK — Gladbrook-Reinbeck quarterback Keagan Giesking rushed for 269 yards and four touchdowns as the seventh-ranked Rebels rattled off a 42-12 victory over district foe Baxter in Friday’s second round of the 8-Man state football playoffs.

The Rebels (9-0), who trailed the Bolts 28-22 at halftime of their first meeting before outscoring them 40-0 in the second half, needed no such drama the second time around. Gladbrook-Reinbeck jumped out to a 36-6 halftime advantage and eased its way into the third round.

“We’re just keeping our minds in the game right now,” senior lineman Auston Wittgreve said. “This week was a big week for us. The four practices we had we practiced way hard. A big thanks to our scout team in just keeping us all hyped up and helping us to get better, more powerful as a team.”

Giesking had touchdown runs of 31, 39, 9 and 35 yards in the first half to help the Rebels to their 30-point margin. Luke Riffey added a 36-yard touchdown dash and a 5-yard TD catch to help Gladbrook-Reinbeck reach the third round with ease.

Giesking finished with 30 carries for 269 yards, an average of 9 yards per attempt, as the Rebels ran for 326 of their 331 total yards. Riffey’s touchdown catch was G-R’s only pass attempt of the night.

Auston Wittgreve goes airborne to try for an interception during Friday's second round playoff game against Baxter. - Photo by Darvin Graham

Riffey also had two interceptions to help the Gladbrook-Reinbeck defense resist a Baxter (4-5) squad that had piled up 333 yards of offense against the Rebels back in Week 5.

“We played this team once already and so we had some plays scouted,” head coach John Olson said. “Credit to James Weida our defensive backs coach and Brett Bengen our defensive coordinator this week. Those two guys spent a lot of time scouting this week and got a lot of things done. Two of those picks were because of them, straight up. And that’s awesome. We turn the field and get the ball more than they do and that’s why I think we scored every time we had the ball except for maybe the last two drives.”

Linebackers Drake Blakesley and Giesking both had eight tackles, Riffey had six and Cody Gebel five, including a quarterback sack, to lead the G-R defense.

Bolts sophomore quarterback Cody Damman was 16-for-28 passing for 108 yards with a touchdown, while Rory Heer was 3-for-3 for 28 yards in addition to being the Bolts’ leading rusher with 14 carries for 40 yards. Heer was also the team’s leading receiver, making six catches for 63 yards and Baxter’s final touchdown.

Gladbrook-Reinbeck will host eighth-ranked Easton Valley (8-1) on Oct. 30 for the third round of the 8-Player playoffs. The winner will advance to the quarterfinal round to face either BGM or fifth-ranked Montezuma.

Rebels quarterback Keagan Giesking stiff-arms Baxter’s Cael Shepley (16) in the second half of G-R’s playoff game Friday. The Rebels out-rushed the Bolts 326-to-57 yards in the blowout win. - Photo by Darvin Graham

“We might slip off a block here-or-there on the offensive line,” Olson said. “Our defense might not take the exact right angle. And guess what? As the competition gets better those blocks and angles are going to matter. We’re constantly playing a little bit too high on defense. We gotta stay lower and those things are going to matter and will probably come back and get us at some point in time. Of course we hope that’s later than sooner but we’ve got a tough road ahead. The kids are 9-0 and we’ve only had one other team be 9-0 before and I think that’s a pretty awesome thing here at G-R with twenty plus years and some pretty good teams. Our kids have a lot to be proud of no matter what happens from here on out.

Although the Rebels and the River Hawks have not faced each other this year or have had any common opponents, the two teams did meet last year in the opening round of the 2019 state playoffs. Easton Valley won that encounter 55-6 and would go on to be eliminated in the quarterfinal round against eventual state champion, Don Bosco Catholic.

This year, Easton Valley’s only loss came again at the hands of Don Bosco.

The matchup Friday will pit one of Class 8’s premier passing offenses against one of its top defensive secondary units.

Of the teams still alive in the 8-Player playoffs, Easton Valley ranks second in passing completions behind Montezuma. While, the Gladbrook-Reinbeck secondary led by Riffey and Ethan Gienger are tied for first among all 8-Player teams with 16 interceptions.

Gladbrook-Reinbeck vs. Easton Valley -- Friday, Oct. 30

Kickoff Friday is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. at “The Pit” in Gladbrook.

Drake Blakesley (15) turns the corner on the Baxter defense during Gladbrook-Reinbeck’s second round playoff game Friday. The Rebels advance to round three with a final score of 42-12. - Photo by Darvin Graham

Luke Riffey is off to the races for a 36-yard touchdown run during G-R’s 42-12 rout of Baxter in the 8-Player second round playoff game in Gladbrook Friday. - Photo by Darvin Graham

Gladbrook-Reinbeck’s 2000-yard rusher Keagan Giesking breaks through the Baxter defense en route to a touchdown in Friday’s 8-Player second round game. Giesking finished with 269 yards and four touchdowns. - Photo by Darvin Graham