Rebels will play for state championship Friday

• B.J. Young

Moose Lake-Willow River?s B.J. Young rushes the ball for one of his 10 carries against Jackson County Central during the Rebels? 27-20 win over the Huskies in a Class AA state semifinal football game Thursday afternoon at the Metrodome in Minneapolis. (Dave Harwig / news@pinejournal.com)

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MINNEAPOLIS — Running back B.J. Young played every down, including several key carries during the fourth quarter of Moose Lake-Willow River’s 27-20 victory over Jackson County Central in a Class AA state semifinal football game Thursday afternoon at the Metrodome in Minneapolis.

Young, a 5-foot-7, 160-pound Moose Lake senior, ran for 61 yards on 10 carries; none more important than his nine attempts in the second-ranked Rebels’ final three drives against the Huskies. Young, also a safety, led the team with seven solo tackles.

Teammate Michael Pender rushed for two touchdowns of 10 and 2 yards in the opening half, while Jake Disterhaupt followed with a 28-yard score in a game ML-WR trailed 7-0, but never looked back after their 20-13 advantage come halftime.

Mike Gassert had the Rebels’ only touchdown after the break on a 4-yard plunge in the fourth quarter. Jake Christopherson later stuffed Jackson County Central’s Darick Vancura on fourth-and-4, before ML-WR knelt away the final seconds.

Disterhaupt darted for 105 yards on 20 carries and Pender added 87 on 24 tries, as the Rebels ran for 252 yards. Vancura led all rushers with 182 yards on 23 attempts and two touchdowns of 5 and 30 yards. The unranked Huskies finished 10-3.

Unbeaten ML-WR (13-0) now moves to their third Prep Bowl in the past four seasons, as they’ll meet top-ranked Caledonia (13-0) Friday afternoon at 1 p.m. at the Metrodome in a rematch of last year’s final which the Warriors won 27-0.

The Rebels will seek their first-ever state championship, while defending winner Caledonia hasn’t lost since 2009 and has captured four of the last five state titles.

Class AA State Semifinals:

Moose Lake-WR; 7 – 13 – 0 – 7 — 27

Jackson County Central; 7 – 6 – 0 – 7 — 20

JCC — Spencer Johnson 2 run (Taylor Christopher kick).

ML-WR — Michael Pender 10 run (Ben Moonen kick).

ML-WR — Pender 2 run (Kick blocked).

JCC — Darick Vancura 5 run (Kick blocked).

ML-WR — Jake Disterhaupt 28 run (Moonen kick).

ML-WR — Mike Gassert 4 run (Moonen kick).

JCC — Vancura 30 run (Christopher kick).

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