Braham runs wild in Ely

by Tom Coombe

After last Friday night’s action at Ely School Stadium, the Ely Timberwolves may have seen Jacob Tepley in their dreams.

Or perhaps their nightmares.

The Braham quarterback, who has Ely family ties, helped spoil the Timberwolves’ Homecoming game with a dominant performance.

Tepley ran for four touchdowns and also returned an interception for a score as the Bombers blasted the Timberwolves 55-8.

Braham, the favorite in Section 7A, controlled the game in every way and sent it into running time in the second half.

Tepley, the son of 1990 Ely High School graduate Jennifer Germek, scored on an eight-yard touchdown run three minutes into the game.

And other than a defensive stop later in the first quarter, the Wolves could do little to contain Tepley and the Bombers, who improved to 4-1.

Tepley’s 16-yard scamper gave Braham a 16-0 lead early in the second quarter, and two big plays turned the game into a rout by halftime.

First, Tepley picked off a pass and ran it back 45 yards for a 24-0 lead, and the Bombers had a long punt return late in the second quarter.

That set up a nine-yard run by the Braham quarterback and a 32-0 lead by halftime.

Tepley’s fifth touchdown came on a third-quarter run, and Braham reserves tacked on two more scores to pass the 50-point mark, easily a season-high against an otherwise stingy Wolves defense.

Ely mixed things up on offense late in the contest, with Chase Anderson, usually the Wolves’ starting center, running in from five yards out to break the shutout.

Anderson earlier had runs of 29 and 51 yards and accounted for nearly all of the Wolves’ offense.

Quarterback Deegan Richards completed one pass to fellow senior Matt Bock, and Richards and sophomore Jesse Oelke both ran for 15 yards.

Tepley had 113 yards rushing on just nine carries for the Bombers, who almost certainly will be the number-one seed when the section playoffs start at the end of the month.

Carson Landgren added 110 yards on the ground for Braham, and reserve back David Landgren picked up 100 yards on only seven carries.

Ely is in the midst of a brutal stretch that also includes road games with Deer River (Oct. 6) and Class AA contender Barnum on Oct. 13.

The Wolves, now 1-4, have been competitive in every game except for the Braham matchup, and they close the regular season Oct. 18, at home, against Mille Lacs.

The 7A playoffs begin Oct. 24, and Mille Lacs, and East Central loom as potential opponents.