Mountain Iron-Buhl Football Battles in Historic End to their Season

The Rangers capped off a perfect 13-0 season being named the Minnesota 9-man State Champions. 

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn.- The Mountain Iron-Buhl football team battled Spring Grove for the 9-man State Championship title at U.S. Bank Stadium, Saturday morning, in their first state title appearance in 50 years.

The Rangers fell behind 19-0 after the first quarter, but would respond with two touchdowns in the second by Damian Tapio and Nik Jesch.

The Lions found the end zone once more in the third quarter, pulling away with a ten point lead. MIB storms back with two fourth quarter touchdowns, the first by Riley Busch, the game winning TD ran in by Tapio.

Quarterback Asher Zubich led the team rushing for 136 yards with 168 yards through the air on the way to a 28-25 win.

“My mind and my heart took over my body and I said to myself, ‘You’re not coming out of this game until we win” says Zubich, “I sat out a few plays on defense, because I was just moving my shoulder around, trying to get it to feel a little better at least, but I said, ‘I’m not letting anyone down, I’m not letting myself down, I’m not letting these coaches down, I’m not letting all these fans down that came here to watch us and that’s it. I just said, ‘You’re not coming out of this game until we win.”

Head Coach Dan Zubich had a message for anyone that ever counted them out.

“They have a ref on the sideline. I don’t know if he’s a coach or not, but they’re there watching the championship and they’re going, ‘Oh Mountain-Iron’s pretty good’, my assistants are listening and they hear them say, ‘They’re not very good, they play in section seven anybody can beat Silver Bay and Cook County, I’d like to see them come over here and play. Well, last time I checked we’re state champs right?”

The Rangers capped off a perfect 13-0 season being named the Minnesota 9-man State Champions.