Tyde Brecke is making the most of his only season of high school football.
The Ely senior, who hadn’t played high school football before this season, was a one-man force to be reckoned with Wednesday, scoring four touchdowns as the Timberwolves dominated East Central 50-7 in what was dubbed “The Babbitt Bowl.”
It was the first high school football game at Babbitt’s Joe Boffa Field in six years, but it wasn’t much of a contest - thanks in large part to Brecke.
The speedy senior ran for 12 and 60 yards in the first half, then hauled in a pass from Owen Marolt for a touchdown just before halftime.
To top it off, Brecke broke free on a 42-yard scoring run in the third quarter, and the Wolves sent the game into running time in the final stanza.
It was a matchup of two 0-6 teams, but the Wolves quickly served notice that they would be the team breaking into the win column.
On Ely’s first play from scrimmage, after an unsuccessful East Central onside kick, Wolves quarterback DJ Johnson hooked up with senior Sean Merriman on a 40-yard completion.
Two plays later, Gunnar Skager plowed in from 10 yards out and Ely was on the board.
Merriman added to Ely’s lead with a 55-yard scoring scamper of his own in the first quarter, and the outcome seemed all but decided.
Ely grabbed a 34-0 lead by halftime and tacked on two more scores in the second half.
East Central finally got on the board in the final quarter to avert a shutout.
The Wolves amassed 283 yards on the ground with senior Leo McKrahl getting in on the scoring in the second half.
Brecke finished with 121 yards on the ground, with Merriman collecting 69 and Skager finishing with 57.
Johnson passed for 90 yards on five completions, with Merriman coming up with 67 yards receiving.
Kooper Dostert had two catches while Marolt and Brecke each had one.
The Wolves close out the regular season this Wednesday at Braham, and they will be on the road for the Section 7AA playoffs, which start at home sites on Tuesday, Oct. 27.
• The Wolves put up a gallant effort Oct. 9 but fell 14-6 at Chisholm.
A Marolt-to-Brecke touchdown pass got the Wolves on the board in the third quarter, pulling Ely to within two at 8-6.
But Ely would never pull even or ahead, despite two chances in Chisholm territory in the second half.
Skager ran for 112 yards for the Wolves and Brecke chalked up another 72, while Marolt came up with 35 yards on the ground.
Merriman, Brecke and Dostert all had two receptions.
On defense, Marolt recorded a team-high 10 stops, with Sawyer Hegman finishing with five.
McKrahl and Kasen Dostert both had four tackles each.
