Nine-man prep football semifinals: Underdog Underwood tops Ely, 34-20

Recap: Underwood's Rockets (10-3) rode a three-touchdown performance by junior running back Noah Thompson to top previously undefeated Ely (12-1). Ely scored first on a 27-yard run by Mark Heiman about three minutes into the game. Thompson tied it on a 6-yard touchdown run in the second quarter. His second touchdown, on a 13-yard run, came shortly before halftime after the Timberwolves fumbled a kickoff at their 18-yard line. The last, a 25-yard run, gave Underwood a two-possession lead heading into the fourth quarter. Ely never came closer than a touchdown after that.

Key of the game: Thompson, who scored three touchdowns on 31 carries for 183 yards. He accounted for nearly half of his team's 372 rushing yards.

Quote: "It's almost indescribable. Just knowing that we're going [to the final] is amazing. … Our game was just to get in front of them, wear them down and keep going." — Noah Thompson, Underwood junior running back

One thing to know: Ely senior fullback Louis Gerzin led the Timberwolves with 157 rushing yard on 25 carries. His 75-yard touchdown run in the third quarter brought his team within one score of the Rockets.