SPRING GROVE &045; It wasn’t the first or even second time this season the Glenville-Emmons Wolverines faced an undefeated football team and, like the others, they managed to keep it surprisingly close.

Unfortunately for the Wolverines, the outcome was the same.

With a roster that numbered only 20 active players because of injuries, the fourth-seeded Wolverines saw their season end with a 22-14 loss to top-seeded Spring Grove in a section semifinal game at Spring Grove Saturday.

&uot;We couldn’t have been prouder of our players as they played gallantly to reach the section semifinals,&uot; said co-head coach Al Christensen.

The Wolverines finished 5-5. Their other four losses were to teams rated among the top 10 in the state at the time. Spring Grove improved to 10-0 and will host Grand Meadow for the section championship and state tournament berth.

After a scoreless first quarter Saturday, Spring Grove took an 8-0 lead on a 26-yard pass from Patrick Morken to Jeff Longmeyer and a conversion pass by Morken.

The Wolverines answered quickly, scoring on a spectacular 52-yard pass play from Mike Yocom to Alex Hansen. Yocom ran for the conversion to knot it 8-8 at halftime.

Tony Walk returned the opening second-half kickoff to Spring Grove’s 48-yard line, and the Wolverines engineered a scoring drive culminated with a touchdown run by senior fullback Kris Knutson. The PAT failed and the Wolverines led 14-8.

It remained 14-8 until the fourth quarter, when Sam Goeden scored on a 2-yard run for Spring Grove. The conversion made it 16-14.

Five minutes later, Morken hit Gorken with another touchdown pass.

Knutson led the Wolverines with 65 yards rushing. Walk had 47. Wade Flattum caught a 43-yard pass from Yocom.

The defense was led by Knutson, Derek Lau, Josh Semrau and Flattum.

The defensive and offensive lines played well, according to Christensen.

Seniors graduating for the Wolverines will be Yocom, Wes Kosuge, Walk, Knutson, Tommy Burns, Eli Riggle, Erik Nelson, Lau, K.C. Long and Wade Johnson.

(Contact Jim Lutgens at sports@albertleatribune.com or 379-3437.)