BELLE PLAINE – The Grundy Center football team has absorbed a range of emotional experiences in recent weeks.
A gut-wrenching, last-second defeat at the hands of undefeated North Tama.
Raucous, bowling-shoe-ugly wins against smash-mouth teams from Hudson and Wapsie Valley to ensure the Spartans proved they belonged in the playoff field.
The strength of Class A District 7 bore its fruit tonight.
When crunch time arrived in the state playoffs, the Spartans weren't going to blink in the face of Belle Plaine's punishing run attack when it mattered most.
Down a touchdown in the third quarter, the Spartans made a critical defensive stand to get the ball back, and a handful plays from scrimmage later, Grundy Center flipped the game on its head in an incredible 28-14 victory against the Plainsmen at Belle Plaine High School on Friday, Nov. 1.
The Spartans' (9-1) next challenge may be its mightiest yet: MFL MarMac (10-0) awaits Grundy Center's arrival in Monona on Nov. 8.
For now, the Spartans can take a moment to bask in another victory wrestled from the rain-slick, swampy grass at Belle Plaine High School. Grundy Center owns two wins against Belle Plaine this season after a 29-12 Week 1 victory.
"You're a high school football player in Iowa that plays a game to decide which team goes to the UNI-Dome. There's not much else that needs to be said," Grundy Center head coach Travis Zajac said. "We'll enjoy the heck out of this win for the next 24 hours and then we'll take the next week to get ready to get on the bus for the two-hour ride and be ready to go next Friday."
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