Aitkin Gobblers end 44-year drought with 15-0 sectional shutout
A late-game interception by Parker Fulton and a 15-0 final score secured the school's first state tournament berth since 1982.
By Luis Medina ·
The Aitkin Gobblers defeated the Moose Lake-Willow River Rebels 15 to 0 on Thursday, Oct. 5, to end a 44-year wait for a spot in the Class 2A state tournament. The top-seeded Gobblers won the Section 7-2A Final, snapping a streak that had lasted since their last state appearance in 1982.
Parker Fulton changed the momentum of the game on the Rebels' first possession of the second half. On third and six, Fulton jumped a screen pass for an interception. The play set the Gobblers up at the Rebels' 45-yard line. Aitkin then ran the ball on the next 10 plays. Fulton, who carried the ball on seven of those plays, scored on a 5-yard run to give Aitkin an 8-0 lead with 3:46 left in the third quarter.
Moose Lake-Willow River head coach Dave Louzek acknowledged the turning point. "We talked at halftime that one of the two teams was going to make a mistake that is going to turn the tide. It was a battle and unfortunately, we made the mistake and they jumped all over it, so hats off to them," Louzek said.
Aitkin head coach Alan Hills said the Rebels' use of a diamond formation with four backs split wide surprised his defensive front. "I'll be honest, we didn't know that was coming. We hadn't seen diamond out of them at all. That was just Parker being an athlete and having a great IQ and understanding of football. He just read the play and jumped it," Hills said.
The Gobblers extended their lead in the fourth quarter after forcing a muffed punt. Aitkin tackled punter Mathias Garrido for a 12-yard loss and started their drive at the Rebel 24-yard line. After a 13-yard run by Fulton, quarterback Bo Sanford threw a pass to Eli McNevin. McNevin sprinted to the end zone for a 15-0 score.
McNevin, who has appeared in two previous state tournaments, credited his teammates for the final score. "They were crashing hard on the outside, so I was really making sure I had enough time so my left tackle could set the block. I followed Parker all the way home. He pushed them outside and I cut up and all I saw was the end zone from there," McNevin said.
Fulton finished with 92 rushing yards on 21 carries. Jack Johnson led the team with 97 yards on 13 carries. The Gobblers recorded 199 total offensive yards, with 108 of those coming in the second half. The defense held the sixth-ranked Rebels to 119 yards on 44 plays.
Aitkin will play in the Class 2A state quarterfinals on Thursday, Nov. 12. The matchup will be determined by the results of the other section finals. The Rebels finished the season with a 9-2 record, while the Gobblers went 9-0.
