Perfection times three. That’s what the #1 (1A) Grundy Center football team achieved with Thursday’s 28-7 win over #2 (1A) Dike-New Hartford in the Class 1A Championship game, as aired on 99 The Wave. It capped off the program’s third straight undefeated championship season.
The Spartans took control early with a commanding drive on the game’s opening possession. Junior quarterback Judd Jirovsky started out a signature game with an impressive 33-yard touchdown run.
Jirovsky highlight:
The teams traded punts, and Jirovsky intercepted a Colin Meester pass to set up a short touchdown drive, where Jirovsky sneaked in a one-yard score. Late in the half, Grundy Center was forced to a turnover on downs, but the Wolverines were unable to capitalize before halftime.
In the third quarter, Jirovsky added another touchdown run from 10 yards to increase the lead to 21-0, making it difficult for the Wolverines to string together the needed possessions to come back. Dike-New Hartford got on the board with a one-yard run by Noah Borcherding, but Brody Zinkula scampered in from 20 yards out on the next drive to seal the win. Grundy Center coach Travis Zajac.
“As well as we played last Friday against Wilton, I think this performance was even more sound in all three phases,” Zajac says. “We just didn’t really give them any breathing room defensively. We got out fast with a score. I think they had maybe a five play drive. And then we move it. I think we punted it. And then Judd has a pick. And then we score again. All three phases, phenomenal execution of the game plan. Assistant coaches were on point in a short week, getting the kids ready to go. The kids played like their hair was on fire today.”
Jirovsky had 19 carries for 121 yards and three touchdowns, along with 8-14 passing for 92 yards. Jacob Hoy had two catches for 63 yards, and Ryker Thoren led with 8.5 tackles.
Dike-New Hartford coach Don Betts says the inability to run the ball and making mistakes cost his team.
“We weren’t able to get our running game going and that kind of killed us,” Betts says. “We shot ourselves in the foot a lot. Some of that had to do with us, some of that had to do with playing against a really good football team. But we just couldn’t get anything going offensively, and had a turnover to set them up for an early score to create a little distance. And we just couldn’t battle our way back into it.”
Borcherding was held to 12 carries for 32 yards. Meester was 15-30 passing for 222 yards and an interception. Devon Lotts had six catches for 107 yards, and Jack Severson led with seven tackles.
Dike-New Hartford has finished its season 11-2. Grundy Center finished 13-0. It was the program’s 39th consecutive victory, which has tied the 10th-longest win streak in IHSAA football history.
