Grantsburg Towers Over Hurley: Nate’s Recap

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>GRANTSBURG, WI</strong>-- After a hiking trip in the Upper Peninsula, I traveled my way back to Minnesota, by stopping in Northwest Wisconsin to watch one of Wisconsin's Division 6 powerhouse programs in the Grantsburg Pirates as they took on their conference rival in the Hurley Northstars. Although it was a lopsided game, I got to watch some of the state of Wisconsin's hidden gems that are vastly under recruited in my eyes at the next-level. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>1st Quarter</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>HURLEY</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Northstars opened up hot as Mercer 2024 running back <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='216352' first='Carter' last='Hall'] </strong>took it the distance to the outside edges for a long rushing touchdown. The Northstars were victorious on the two point conversion for their first and only lead of the game, which put some quickly-lived shockwaves into this Grantsburg Pirates squad very quickly. <strong>Hurley 8, Grantsburg 0, 10:50 left in the 1st quarter.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>GRANTSBURG</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Pirates got some fluid long runs from under-recruited 2024 prospect <strong>Gavin Rossow</strong> but in the end of this Pirates drive, it was one of the most intriguing 2025 prospects in this game, in<strong> [player_tooltip player_id='1209384' first='Ian' last='Burkman'] </strong>who got Grantsburg in from a few yards out to get the Pirates on the scoreboard, but the Northstars held the lead as Grantsburg went for the early extra point. <strong>Hurley 8, Grantsburg 7. 7:40 left in the 1st quarter.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>GRANTSBURG</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong> </strong>After a game-changing fumble recovery by 2024 athlete <strong>Trenton Johnson</strong>, it was Pirates 2025 running back <strong>Dane Lozier</strong> who showed off right in front of me his well-versed instincts for a 17-yard rushing touchdown along the edge to get Grantsburg their lead for good, cause it was all Pirates from there on out. <strong>Grantsburg 14, Hurley 8, 6:48 left in the 1st quarter</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>GRANTSBURG</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>After the last Grantsburg touchdown, they had the momentum with the peddle to the floor like a hand-me down Ford as Trenton Johnson showed off his contribution to the offensive side of the ball, as he dodged into the end zone with his agility on the outside for a 22-yard rushing touchdown. <strong>Grantsburg 21, Hurley 8, 2 minutes left in the 1st quarter.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>GRANTSBURG</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Trenton Johnson showed off that two-level athleticism yet again, as his next touchdown (2nd of the night) got to the right outside edge for a 45-yard rushing touchdown. <strong>Grantsburg 27, Hurley 8. 13 seconds left in the 1st quarter.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>2nd Quarter</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>GRANTSBURG</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The bright spot for the Northstars? Pinning the Pirates deep inside their own 3-yard line. with their special teams unit The even brighter spot for the Grantsburg Pirates? 2024 running back <strong>Gavin Rossow</strong> treated the 97 yards he had to gain like clockwork, as he took the Northstars rush defense on a long trip,with just a one play, 97 yard drive for another Pirates touchdown. <strong>Grantsburg 34, Hurley 8, Halftime.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>3rd Quarter</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>GRANTSBURG</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>To start the second half, we saw the growth of the Grantsburg Pirates passing game take shape, as 2026 quarterback <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1220684' first='Brock' last='Matheny'] </strong>found<strong> Trenton Johnson</strong> for Trenton's third total and Brock's first passing touchdown of the night to put the Pirates up 33 to start the second half. <strong>Grantsburg 41, Hurley 8, 10:26 left in the 3rd quarter</strong>.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>GRANTSBURG</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>If you thought 2024 running back <strong>Trenton Johnson</strong> was done getting in the end zone by the middle of the 3rd quarter, you would be mistaken, as he got touchdown number four with 7:21 left in the 3rd quarter. This young man is a hidden gem from Northwest Wisconsin that needs to be on more small school radars. <strong>Grantsburg 47, Hurley 8, 7:21 left in the 3rd quarter.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>GRANTSBURG</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>To close out their ls lopsided victory over the Northstars, the Pirates brought out their prospects of the future as 2027 running back <strong>Curtis Fenton </strong>scored from the outside edge from 4 yards out to put the icing on the cake for the Pirates to get their tenth win of the season with seconds left. <strong>Grantsburg 53, Hurley 8. Final</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Next Up: </strong>Who were my Big Dogs of the Game? Find out in my next article who stood out to me from the loaded Grantsburg Pirates and the Hurley Northstars.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p> </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->