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In 1980, Pipestone powered past Montevideo in state football

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Robert Winter of Pipestone High School is congratulated by teammates after scoring a touchdown against Montevideo in the 1980 Minnesota state Class A football semifinal. The Arrows won 13-10. (file photo)

EDITOR’S NOTE: In 1980, the Pipestone Arrows high school football team played for the Minnesota state Class A football championship following a thrilling 13-10 victory over Montevideo in the semifinals. Spring sports are canceled, so The Globe is reprinting selected articles from great sports moments of the past. Today’s story (condensed) celebrates the Arrows’ 1980 semifinal win.

BY SCOTT MANSCH

Staff Writer

PIPESTONE (Special) -- Pipestone’s Arrows got two fourth quarter touchdowns from halfback Robert Winter to turn back the Montevideo Mohawks 13-10 here Friday night in Class A semifinal high school football action.

The Arrows will play for the state Class A championship next Friday night against the winner of the Rochester Lourdes-Crookston game today at Rochester.

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Pipestone’s victory was an exciting one, and one which looked improbable at best after the first two quarters of play.

On the Arrows’ first possession of the game, midway through the first period, a fumble was recovered by the Mohawks at the Pipestone 15. Six plays later Paul Wellman took a handoff and punched it into the end zone from three yards out to put Montevideo on top. Jim Melbrandt added the extra point.

Thus with about six minutes gone in the game, Pipestone was behind in a football game for the first time all season.

The Arrows got a break early in the second quarter when Scotty Dahl made the hit and recovered a Mohawk fumble deep in Montevideo territory. Pipestone took over at the enemy’s 21 and looked to be in great shape to knot the score. But three running plays netted just six yards and a fourth-down pass was incomplete.

Montevideo, led by some hard running by Mike O’Malley and Brad Borg, took over and promptly moved the football. The Mohawks had it first-and-goal from the Pipestone seven-yard line before the Arrows got stingy. But Milbrandt booted a 20-yard field goal with 19 seconds left in the half to put his team up by 10.

The Arrows were limited to just one first down and 28 yards in the opening 24 minutes of play while Montevideo was rolling up 133 yards -- 102 on the ground -- and eight first downs. A quick, hard-hitting Montevideo defense led by Eric Brust and Jeff Edwards was to blame for the skimpy Pipestone statistics.

But if the first half belonged to Montevideo, the game’s final 24 minutes was owned lock-stock-and-barrel by Pipestone’s Arrows.

Winter returned the second half kickoff 23 yards to put the Arrows in good field position and quarterback Scott Dahl and company took over. Bruce and Brian Kofoed contributed sizable gains for first downs before Winter scooted 30 yards to the Mohawks’ seven-yard line. But after a Pipestone penalty put the football on the 12, another Arrows’ fumble killed the scoring opportunity.

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Three Montevideo plays and a punt later, the Arrows had the ball back in Mohawk territory -- at the 37 -- and again looked ready to strike. But this time, after one first down, an interception put an end to the drive. …

But the Arrows’ defense had found a spark and refused to allow Montevideo any running room. The Mohawks punted for the second time in the quarter and Pipestone took over on the team’s own 41 with about two minutes left in the third stanza.

This time the Arrows wouldn’t take no for an answer. Displaying the awesome rushing attack that had gotten the team nine previous victories, Coach Dick Fortier’s club moved 59 yards in 14 plays to score a touchdown. … Winter scampered the final 10 yards after taking a pitch to get Pipestone on the scoreboard with about nine minutes left in the game.

But the extra point attempt failed.

Again, however, Pipestone’s defense came up with the necessary big play. On third-and-one from the Montevideo 45, an ill-advised pitchout resulted in a fumble and the Arrows recovered.

Scott Dahl got 13 on a keeper and brother Mark added 15 on a dive play as Pipestone quickly busted into scoring range. Winter then raced eight yards for a first down-and-goal at the Montevideo six, and on the next play slashed in for the go-ahead touchdown. Tom Roscoe added the extra point and, with just five and one-half minutes left to be played, the Arrows were on top. ...

After the game, Arrows’ Coach Fortier couldn’t say enough about the performance of his team.

“We didn’t change anything at halftime,” he said. “But I don’t think Montevideo was as fired-up in that third quarter. They looked a bit tired as the second half wore down. Our kids are great. They’re strong kids, well-conditioned. I just can’t say enough about their guts.”

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Winter, with 77 yards on 12 carries, led the game’s rushers. The junior 150-pounder also returned two kicks for 28 yards and intercepted a pass from his defensive safety position.

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