The still-unbeaten Gladbrook-Reinbeck Rebels storm the field at “The Pit” in Gladbrook on Thursday, Nov. 6, ahead of their 54-18 state quarterfinal victory over the Edgewood-Colesburg Vikings. With the win, the Rebels advanced to the 8-Player State Semifinals at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls on Wednesday, Nov. 12. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

GLADBROOK – The Gladbrook-Reinbeck Rebels (11-0) resoundingly defeated Edgewood-Colesburg (10-1) at home on Thursday, Nov. 6, capturing a 54-18 state quarterfinal victory over the Vikings to advance to the 8-Player State Semifinals set for this afternoon, Wednesday Nov. 12, at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls.

Under head coach John Olson, the G-R Rebels have advanced to the state semifinals six times including 2014, 2015, 2016, 2023, 2024, and 2025. G-R also made it to the semis in 2004 when Olson was an assistant coach.

G-R won back-to-back Class A state championship titles in 2015 (first in school history) and 2016 (first ‘perfect’ record in school history) before moving to 8-Player in 2018. In 2023, the Rebels lost by one point (31-30) to Bedford in the semifinals. Last season, the team lost the title match to Remsen St. Mary’s, 51-12.

In the first quarter of last Thursday’s game, the Rebels traded turns on touchdowns with Ed-Co beginning with a game opening rush by G-R running back Treyvon Herron. Some four minutes later, the Vikings converted their first drive into their own strike. Rebel quarterback Trevor Mathern ran in a short touchdown on G-R’s second possession of the game. Ed-Co answered back with another touchdown with under 20 seconds remaining in the first quarter.

Entering the second quarter, the Rebels held a slim lead, 14-12, but that tight game wouldn’t last for long: G-R took off in the second quarter, scoring 20 points — including a 68-yard rushing touchdown by Herron; another TD by Herron with under two minutes to go after coming back from fourth down with a successful pass to wide receiver Hudson Clark; and finally, after Herron blocked the punt on fourth down to put G-R at the VIkings’ 28, Clark scored again with seconds remaining.

G-R senior wide receiver Hudson Clark leaps into the air for the pass during the 8-Player state quarterfinal against Edgewood-Colesburg on Thursday, Nov. 6, in Gladbrook. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

“Our offense is built on taking advantage of what the other team gives us and so it takes a few drives to find those formation or play adjustments and that usually happens in the second quarter,” Coach Olson told the newspaper when asked about his team’s repeated second quarter explosions this season.

G-R went on to score twice more in the third quarter – once by Clark and once by Herron – and then a final time in the fourth quarter on a 29-yard passing touchdown to sophomore Chad Gutknecht. Ed-Co also scored once more in the final quarter.

As much as the Vikings tried Thursday night, their defense could not halt the Rebel charge – a prowess attributed to Mathern, Herron, and Clark but only made possible courtesy of G-R’s offensive line wall and also Mathern’s ability to think on the fly.

“Before the snap we have put a lot of responsibility into our QB, from play call, motion, shifts, pass protection, play call audibles,” Olson explained. “Trevor is very good at knowing what needs to be done and what everyone else is doing as he is walking to the line of scrimmage. Once the play starts things usually go well, but when it doesn’t. Trevor is also a great talent and can elude defenders.”

Mathern was 13-for-15 against Ed-Co, passing for 175 yards and three touchdowns – two to Clark and one to Gutknecht. Mathern also had 48 rushing yards and one touchdown. Herron carried the ball 13 times for 160 yards and four touchdowns to lead G-R’s rushing game.

Flanked by his running back Treyvon Herron (9), G-R senior quarterback Trevor Mathern (13) carries in his first touchdown on Nov. 6 against the Edgewood-Colesburg Vikings in Gladbrook. Mathern was 13-for-15 against Ed-Co, passing for 175 yards and three touchdowns. He also had 48 rushing yards and one touchdown. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

Defensively, the Rebels were also formidable Thursday night, racking up 50 total team tackles and five sacks against the Vikings, including 11 tackles by Clark. Most of the sacks (2 1/2) were courtesy senior Kael Blohm.

“We want the other team to have to earn things,” Olson told KMA Radio’s Trevor Maeder Tuesday afternoon. “We don’t typically give up a lot of big plays. Some offenses are three yards and a cloud of dust. We’re that way on defense. Saying you don’t want to give up a big play is easier than not giving up the big play, so we’ll work hard on that.”

Olson also told the newspaper, “Our defensive coordinator Brett Bengen does an amazing job with our defense and has everyone prepared.”

When asked if he or members of his coaching staff have any superstitions or routines this season as the Rebels rack up win after win, Olson said he does not, but that doesn’t mean he won’t play along with his staff.

“All of our coaches do the same things all the time, with the exception of me,” Olson explained. “I don’t believe in those things, but since they do I need to assist them in simple things like how we leave at exactly 4:59 to the exact second for home games. [F]or away games, coaches leave a gummy bear on the dashboard of the van. There is a certain song that we heard in 2004 and in 2014 in the Dome and we lost [so we don’t play that song]. I think it’s pretty silly, but they believe in them.”

Rebel Hudson Clark (3) tries to break free from Edgewood-Colesburg’s Carter Battin (2). PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

There has certainly been a whole lot of belief in the G-R Rebels this season as they work toward capturing their first 8-Player state championship – attendance at “The Pit” in Gladbrook has remained steady, even during the Halloween game.

And sometimes, believing is half the battle.

On Wednesday, the unbeaten No. 3 Rebels were set to face No. 2 Woodbine (10-0) in the second 8-player state semifinal match at the UNI-Dome. Kickoff was set for 1 p.m. following the Bishop Garrigan v. Audubon game. The last time Woodbine advanced to the semifinals was in 1997; the Tigers have never won a state title.

PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER