GLADBROOK - Gladbrook-Reinbeck matched a program record with its eighth regular season victory, but a fast start fell to the wayside in the Rebels' 35-8 triumph over Woodward Academy in Friday's Class 1A District 4 football game.
Gladbrook-Reinbeck (8-1, 6-1) jumped in front with three touchdowns in just over 6 minutes to start the game, with Ryan Strohbehn and Colby Luethje both rushing for scores and Parker Bolt connecting with Brady Billerbeck for a TD pass.
The Rebel offense took advantage of short fields each time, but they could not put their guests away.
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T-R PHOTO BY ROSS THEDE
Gladbrook-Reinbeck running back Ryan Strohbehn rushes for a touchdown in front of Woodward Academy’s LuPo Lee (21) during the first quarter of Friday’s Class 1A District 4 football game in Gladbrook.
Woodward Academy (3-6, 1-6) did its best to hang around in Friday's regular season finale, even after falling behind 21-0. The Knights forced the Rebels deep into their own territory before a high punt snap sailed out of the end zone late in the first quarter.
G-R finished with four turnovers and 16 penalties on the night but still prevailed.
Austin Charley added a 7-yard touchdown run and Bolt hooked up with Cobren Bird for a 20-yard score as G-R finally took the game in hand.
Fact Box
CLASS 1A PLAYOFFS
South O'Brien at Lawton-Bronson
IKM-Manning at West Lyon
Prairie Valley at Emmetsburg
Sioux Central at Manson-NW Webster
Tri-Center at Panorama
Central Decatur at Logan-Magnolia
Mount Ayr at Council Bluffs St. Albert
Treynor at Des Moines Christian
Eagle Grove at Aplington-Parkersburg
Dike-New Hartford at Gladbrook-Reinbeck
Nashua-Plainfield at Woodward-Granger
Hudson at Saint Ansgar
North Cedar at Turkey Valley
Starmont at West Branch
Bellevue at Alburnett
Pekin at Wapsie Valley
Chase Clark led the Rebels with 59 yards rushing, while Bolt finished 9-for-21 passing for 116 yards with two TDs and two interceptions. Joe Zimmerman was the leading receiver with two grabs for 41 yards.
Billerbeck had a team-high 12 tackles, two for loss, and Andy Meyers had eight tackles and a fumble recovery. Charley made seven stops and had one of G-R's three interceptions.
The Rebels already had second place locked up in the district and they will return home on Wednesday night to face Dike-New Hartford (7-2) in the first round of the playoffs for the second year in a row.
The Wolverines won last year's opener, 33-14, on their way to the state finals.