No. 7, 5A Irondale defeats Forest Lake 34-18

It's not going to supplant Montana to Rice, but Irondale's passing combination of quarterback Brendan White and receiver Aden Price proved every bit as electrifying as the 49ers duo was 30 years ago.

White and Price hooked up six times for 181 yards and two touchdowns, including an 85-yard bomb in the third quarter that was textbook-pretty, in guiding Irondale to a 34-18 victory over Forest Lake.

"Those two have chemistry," Irondale coach Ben Fuller said. "They work really well together."

The Class 5A, No. 7 Knights, playing at home, improved to 3-0 for the first time in more than a decade.

They spotted Forest Lake a 7-0 lead — the first time this year Irondale had trailed in a game — but responded with 21 consecutive points and took a 21-10 lead into halftime.

"That was huge," Fuller said. "We talk about it lot, try to visualize it, but to actually have it happen is different. And they responded. The air went out a little bit, but they worked themselves back into it. We haven't really won one like this."

The Knights were facing third-and-15 from their own 15 on their opening drive of the second half when White and Price connected for the long score. It bumped their lead to 28-10 but just as important, it made a statement that this is a different Irondale team than those of years past.

It wasn't just White and Price. It was running back Parker Freiberg battling for 111 yards rushing and a game-clinching 19-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter. It was a defense that gave ground but also forced four turnovers.

But the lasting image of the victory was of White lofting long, arcing spirals and Price hauling them in.