Down 21, Bears roar back to tip North Cedar

STANWOOD -- West Branch's fortunes went from beyond bleak to beyond belief.The third-ranked Bears rallied from a 21-point halftime deficit to defeat No. 6 North Cedar, 28-21, to win the Class 1A District 6 football championship in front of 1,800 Friday night at Doug Jackson Field."It was a big comeback," said Bears Coach Butch Pedersen. "It looked pretty dismal there at halftime, didn't it?"The Bears (8-0 overall, 6-0 district) tied it on Eli Elliott's 3-yard run with 9:42 left, then took the lead for good when Cade Jones skipped into the end zone from 23 yards out with 4:07 to play.West Branch extended its regular-season winning streak to 25 games. Surely, none of the previous 24 were as dramatic as this one.The Knights (8-1, 5-1) looked like world-beaters in the first half, outgaining the Bears by a 242-70 margin and marching to a 21-0 lead.But the tide turned shortly after intermission. Big time."We never gave up," said quarterback Brandon Young. "We knew we had to pick it up."Travis Maher's 15-yard run capped the Bears' second drive of the second half to make it 21-7. Then came the first of two special-teams plays that cost the Knights dearly.North Cedar failed to cover the ensuing kickoff and the Bears won the scrum for the ball at the North Cedar 15. Two plays later, Young got loose for a 20-yard scoring run. It was 21-14, and the Bears' momentum was building."We made some big plays on special teams," Pedersen said. "There are three phases of the game -- offense, defense and special teams."The Knights made a first down, then were forced to punt before Jones made the next special-teams gem.He blocked the punt and recovered it at the North Cedar 12.Three plays later, Elliott scored and the game was tied."I knew I had to go get that block," Jones said. "And once you get the block, you have to recover it, right?"Sid Thompson's interception set up the Bears at the West Branch 43, then the Bears drove for the game-winner. Jones capped it with a 23-yard run.North Cedar had given up one touchdown in its first 8 1/2 games. The Bears scored four in the final 15 minutes Friday.In defense of the Knights' defense, they were without linebacker Mitch Schroeder and defensive back Jordan Hay in the second half. Hay did finish the game at quarterback.Hay rushed for a touchdown and threw for two -- both to Donny Wachendorf -- in the first half. He finished with 169 passing yards.Both teams will host 1A playoff first-rounders Wednesday. West Branch will face Clayton Ridge; North Cedar will meet Turkey Valley.