MFL MarMac gets it done against Underwood in Class 1A state football semifinals

CEDAR FALLS — They say art imitates life. And sometimes last names imitate successful actions on the football field, too. At least they did Friday afternoon.

The most appropriately named Carver Blietz-Bentien turned this Class 1A state football playoff semifinal game on its ear and permanently toward his MFL MarMac team with a pair of timely blitzes (what else?) that produced a pair of huge second-half turnovers and touchdowns that created separation and helped give the fourth-ranked Bulldogs a 41-28 win over No. 2 Underwood at the UNI-Dome.

On the first series of the third quarter, linebacker Blietz-Bentien came free from the outside on a rush that forced sensational Underwood sophomore quarterback Garrett Luett to hurry an out pattern that MFL MarMac cornerback Bryce Radloff stepped in front of, intercepted and returned 34 yards for a touchdown that gave the Bulldogs a 28-13 edge.

Later in the quarter in a one-score game, he got home on an identical outside blitz, smashed Luett and forced a fumble that teammate Kade McElwaine recovered at the Underwood 30. Quinn McGeough eventually scored on a 4-yard run that made it a 34-21 game.

“That’s honestly our coach, man,” Blietz-Bentien said. “He throws a lot of different coverages and formations and blitzes at teams. It really keeps them on edge, not knowing what’s going to come at them. That’s the coaches. I had a really clean run there off the edge to get a shot on the quarterback.”

MFL MarMac (11-1) advanced to its first state championship football game, meeting top-ranked Grundy Center (12-0) next Friday at 4 p.m., thanks to the aforementioned timely defensive plays and a punishing ground attack offensively. You can put a huge emphasis on that word “AND.”

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The Bulldogs rushed for 408 yards, hogging the football and keeping Underwood’s high-flying aerial offensive attack on the sideline. Time of possession was 33 minutes and 58 seconds for MFL MarMac and just 14:02 for Underwood (10-2).

Luett completed 19 of 35 passes for 282 yards and three TDs.

“Underwood knew we were going to run the football, and they still couldn’t stop it,” MFL MarMac Coach Dan Anderson said. “That’s what we do well: misdirection. A lot of non-believers out there in the Wing-T, but maybe there are a few more believers today ... 408 yards rushing is a pretty solid day.”

To think most of those yards came after top senior Wyatt Powell had to leave the game toward the end of the first quarter with a right elbow injury. Anderson said he didn’t know the severity of the injury for Powell, the team’s leading rusher and one of its top tacklers.

He’s been playing the majority of this season with a broken right hand.

“Wyatt is obviously a phenomenal player,” said McGeough, who picked up the slack big time by rushing 26 times for 139 yards and five touchdowns. “It really sucked seeing him not be able to come out onto the field again. So I just knew that I had to do it for him. Suck it up, get it done for him.”

“At that point, it’s just next man up,” Blietz-Bentien said. “I was definitely shocked. I feel for the kid ... We’re just going to go out there and get the win for him.”

Of course so much credit needs to go to MFL MarMac’s offensive line, too. Those boys created the holes that Blietz-Bentien, McGeough and company ran through.

“To push those guys around? It feels pretty good,” said MFL MarMac tackle Bryce Diehl. “Sometimes it hurts, but it’s worth it for the win. We were fighting, giving it our all.”

Diehl’s fellow linemen were Brayden Gordon, Will Howes, Averey Thornton and Aiden Schoulte. McElwaine did a stellar job at tight end as well.

“That’s kind of our brand of football,” Blietz-Bentien said. “Hard, physical football. That’s what we do around here.”

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Photos: MFL MarMac vs. Underwood in Class 1A semifinals

And it has taken them to the finals. What an incredible story MFL MarMac truly is, considering the school didn’t have a winning season for 26 years until qualifying for the playoffs in 2019.

It lost in the quarterfinals the previous four years, broke through that barrier last week with a win over Iowa City Regina. Now this.

“That 2019 team went 10-1, really started it all,” Anderson said. “Every team since then has wanted to outdo them. This senior class is really talented, a lot of these guys have been playing and starting since they were sophomores and even a few as freshmen. They’ve been in a lot of big games.”

MFL MarMac 41, Underwood 28

(At UNI-Dome)

MFL MarMac 7 14 7 13-41

Underwood 6 7 8 7-28

Team Statistics

First Downs - MFLMM 23, Underwood 15. Rushes-Yards - MFLMM 63-408, Underwood 17-53. Completions-Attempts-Interceptions-Yards - MFLMM 2-6-0-14, Underwood 19-35-2-282. Total Yards - MFLMM 422, Underwood 335. Punts-Average - MFLMM 2-22.5, Underwood 0-0. Penalties-Yards - MFLMM 4-20, Underwood 3-15. Fumbles-Lost - MFLMM 1-0, Underwood 2-1.

Individual Statistics

Rushing - MFLMM: Carver Blietz-Bentien 16-158, Quinn McGeough 26-139, Bryce Radloff 16-69, Wyatt Powell 5-42. Underwood: Maddox Nelson 15-57, Graham Jensen 1-6, Garrett Luett 1-0.

Passing - MFLMM: Carver Blietz-Bentien 2-5-0-14, Team 0-1-0-0. Underwood: Garrett Luett 19-35-2-282.

Receiving - MFLMM: Brandon Christofferson 2-14. Underwood: Mason Boothby 5-183, Josh Ravlin 6-47, Jack Vanfossan 6-40, Easton Robertson 1-6.

Comments: (319)-398-8258, jeff.johnson@thegazette.com