Devils break 16-game losing streak

IRONWOOD - They stood out on the wet grass of Longyear Field with smiles on their faces and savored what they had just done. They were the Ironwood Red Devils football players and what they were savoring was their first football victory since Sept. 7, 2012.

Ironwood broke a streak of 16 losses in a row with an 18-6 triumph over Washburn-Bayfield-South Shore in non-conference play on Friday night. It was a sweet win for the Red Devils.

"We waited way too long for this one," senior quarterback Denver Sharrow said.

An elated Jared Sobolewski felt much the same way.

"We needed that one," he said. "We finally got over the hump."

And Ironwood coach Dan Niemi said the game was a "nice way to snap out of an ugly streak."

"This should give us a boost a confidence and breathe some new life into our football program," Niemi said."This is the first time we bent but did not break. But it didn't come easy. This is a good steppingstone for us."

Castle Guard head coach Brandon Madison said earlier in the week that defense was what WBS "hung its hat on," but it was Ironwood's defense that shut down the Castle Guard offense and the Red Devils only allowed a long WBS kick-off return for a touchdown.

"Washburn's a good football team that can be explosive," Niemi said. "But defense wins ball games."

And all the game's scoring came in the first half.

In WBS's first drive, quarterback Zeke Neider lofted a long pass down the center of the field, but Ironwood's Zach Combs picked it off and made a nice run-back form mid-field to the WBS 22.

It took eight plays, but Sharrow hooked up with Soblewski on seam route for an 11-yard score with 4:13 left. It would be the first of three touchdown passes for Sharrow.

"I love playing quarterback," Sharrow said. "I wouldn't want to play any other position."

After Ironwood misfired on the extra point kick giving the Devils a 6-0 lead, Brody Stefonich boomed his kickoff down to the 12-yard line and Castle Guard senior Jordan Carlson took it straight up the middle, showed a burst of speed and went virtually untouched for a touchdown.

The 2-point conversion run failed and the game was tied at 6-6 with 3:59 remaining in the first quarter.

In the second quarter, Ironwood matriculated downfield on a seven-play, 74-yard drive. Stefonich did most of the damage with his battering-ram style of running up the middle and Sharrow ran the option play outside, sometimes keeping the ball and sometimes pitching it Shane Buckley.

With 6:37 left, Stefonich ran a wheel route down the left side and Sharrow hit him in stride on a 30-yard TD pass. The conversion pass was incomplete and Ironwood went up 12-6.

On the next series, WBS got the ball back and moved to Ironwood's 44-yard line, but Austin Backlund, who just got back from boot camp, snuffed out the drive by sacking Neider on a 3rd and 12 play.

On the next play, Sharrow tossed a swing pass to Stefonich who rumbled 33-yards to the WBS 29. Sharrow ran the option twice and threw in a quarterback draw for five-yards. From the 10-yard line, Sharrow found a big (6-5) target in Jake DiGiorgio in the south end zone for the final score with 1:03 left in the half. The conversion pass failed and Ironwood held a 18-6 advantage.

"I was disappointed in our first half," Madison said. "We came out playing flat."

In the second half, miscues on punts nearly led to points for the Castle Guards. After Ironwood was forced to punt on its first series of the second half, Stefonich had the ball snapped over his head and WBS took over at Ironwood's 34.

WBS moved to Ironwood's 5-yard line, but on fourth down, Nieder tried to sweep the right side and Buckley stopped him with a nice open-field tackle.

WBS's Phil Thompson blocked a Devil punt with three minutes left in the game, but on this night, Ironwood's defense was too tough to let WBS in the end zone.

Josiah Cook was WBS's leading rusher with 15 carries for 54 yards.

Sharrow led Ironwood's rushing attack with 53-yards in 16 attempts, while Jordan Giannunzio showed good quickness with 30-yards in six carries.

Neider was 5-10 in passing for 35-yards and one interception. Sharrow was sharp in his passing and was 6-11 for 108-yards. Stefonich caught three passes for 73-yards.

Jon Clemens led the defense with nine tackles and Stefonich had six from his linebacker position. Backlund and Ryan Broemer each had a sack.

The Red Devils (1-1) play their first road and West-PAC game on Friday as they travel to Houghton for a 6 p.m. (CDT) contest.

First Quarter

Iwd - Jared Sobolewski 11 pass from Denver Sharrow (kick failed), 4:13

WBS - Jordan Carlson 88 kickoff return (run failed), 3:59

Second Quarter

Iwd - Brody Stefonich 30 pass from Sharrow (pass failed), 6:37

Iwd - Jacob DiGiorgio 10 pass from Sharrow (pass failed), 1:03

Third Quarter

No scoring

Fourth Quarter

No scoring

WBS Iwd

First downs 7 11

Rushes-yards 39-66 35-119

Comp-Att-Int 5-11-1 6-11-0

Passing 35 108

Total yards 101 227

Penalties-yards 4-20 7-40

Fumbles-lost 2-0 4-0

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING -WBS, Josiah Cook 15-54, Jeff Krisik 2-17, Andrew Johnson 4-8, Alec Bouchard 7-6, Colten Vernon 5-minus 8, Zeke Neider 3-minus 11. Ironwood, Denver Sharrow 16-53, Jordan Giannunzio 6-30, Shane Buckley 3-20, Brody Stefonich 8-16, Zach Combs 2-0.

PASSING -WBS, Zeke Neider 5-10-1-35, Colten Vernon 0-1-0-0. Ironwood, Denver Sharrow 6-11-108-0.

RECEIVING -WBS, Jordan Carlson 2-11, Brant Schick 1-11, Josiah Cook 1-10, Colten Vernon 1-3. Ironwood, Brody Stefonich 3-73, Jacob DiGiorgio 2-24, Jared Sobolewski 1-11.