Photo by Samantha Davis: Red Rock Central's Carter Therkilsen (24), Austin Imker (84), Jake Erickson (25) and Abe Stavnes (9) receive the Section 2 Nine-Player championship after a 26-21 comeback victory over Wabasso Friday night, clinching a return to the state tournament. The Rabbits finish their season 8-2 overall.

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COTTONWOOD — The top-seeded Red Rock Central football team overcame a 15-point fourth quarter deficit behind senior Carter Therkilsen’s game-winning touchdown with 13 seconds left for a 26-21 comeback win over No. 2 Wabasso in the Section 2 Nine-Player championship Friday night at Lakeview High School. The win returns the Falcons back to the state tournament after a two-year hiatus, and fourth time in program history.

The Rabbits finish their season 8-2 overall, a significant improvement from its 2-7 campaign last season.

Therkilsen scored all four touchdowns on the night, with three all coming in the fourth quarter to bring the Falcons back into the game before taking the lead to win.

RRC trailed the entire night, including a 21-6 deficit entering the final quarter.

The Falcons started the quarter on Wabasso’s 8-yard line after ending the third with a string of carries, with Therkilsen finishing the drive with a pair of carries onto the 1-yard and into the endzone with 10 minutes to go, down 21-12. RRC did not complete its 2-point attempt.

The Falcons took the ball back after forcing a turnover on downs on Wabasso, and carries by Therkilsen and quarterback Abe Stavnes put RRC back in the red zone on the 17-yard line.

Stavnes again put the ball in Therkilsen’s hands for the 17-yard rushing touchdown to cut into a 21-18 deficit with 6:19 to go.

Wabasso broke into RRC territory on its next drive with Drew Kemp passes to Joe Rohlik and Nolan Leopold, but the Falcons continued to hone in to their defense to force an incomplete pass on third down to again regain possession with 2:55 left.

Down from their own 14-yard line, a complete pass along with a Wabasso 15-yard face mask penalty put RRC on the Rabbits’ 49-yard line, with just under two minutes to go.

Carries by Therkilsen and Stavnes got the Falcons’ onto Wabasso’s 24-yard line, which Therkilsen gave RRC another first down on the 11-yard line with 22 seconds left.

On the next play, Therkilsen scored the go-ahead touchdown with the 11-yard rush, electrifying the team, coaching staff and crowd. RRC also completed the 2-point play, taking the 26-21 lead.

To put the dagger on the state-clinching win, Therkilsen finished the night off with an interception on Wabasso’s final drive with just one second left of the clock as the team and coaches crashed the field together.

Wabasso’s Kemp had a pair of touchdowns, along with a pick-6 from Rohlik for the Rabbits’ scores.

Wabasso initially created a 14-0 halftime lead behind a Kemp touchdown less than two minutes in, as the result of a Caden Frerick fumble recovery on the Falcons’ opening drive, followed with a Rohlik pick-6 in the second quarter.

Wabasso, who became a nine-player football team just this year for the first time in program history, and RRC faced each other on Oct. 10 in another competitive game where the Falcons got away with a 28-14 win, being the Rabbits only loss of the year until Friday.

RRC received to start the night, but on the Falcons’ first play following the punt, Frericks recovered the fumble to pick up the ball on RRC’s 9-yard line.

A Kemp pass to Leopold brought the Rabbits onto the 1-yard line as Kemp pushed in on the next play, followed with a good kick from Tavyn Larson, to give Wabasso an early 7-0 lead.

Although Wabasso forced a turnover on downs, the Falcons returned the favor with an assisted tackle by Jake Erickson and Jonah Skarupa to force fourth down to take possession back.

Neither team was able to cultivate another score in the first quarter.

RRC came close to tying the game up with a near-touchdown after getting the ball on Wabasso’s 1-yard line to open the second quarter. But, a pack of Rabbits tackled RRC attempting to push into the end zone on fourth down to take over.

The Falcons responded by not allowing Wabasso score with another turnover, yet Rohlik found an answer himself with his pick-6 from the Rabbit’s own 43-yard line with 53 seconds to go, giving Wabasso the two-touchdown lead heading into the half.

Therkilsen had his first touchdown in the third quarter, while Kemp had his second, both of which were rushing scores.

Both teams earned quarterfinals-byes heading into the section tournament with the top-two seeds. RRC topped No. 4 New Ulm Cathedral 32-0 in the semifinals, and Wabasso did the same to No. 3 Cedar Mountain, 32-29. Friday was also a battle between two top-10 state-ranked teams in nine-man, RRC being tabbed No. 1 and Wabasso No. 6.

The Falcons and Rabbits were both fighting for a chance to return back to the state tournament. RRC prior has been to state in 1996, 2001 and most recently in 2022. Wabasso has been seven times, most recently being in 2017 where it finished as Class A runners-up.

Both teams have had impressive turnarounds from a year prior. RRC went 4-6 overall in 2024, while Wabasso added six more wins this season after going 2-7 last year, with its young core showing fast-improving growth as the year progressed in the new league.

Wabasso graduates seniors Zachary Skoblik, Brayden Guetter, Ezekiel Olson, Larson, Christian Ricketts, Sam Zeug, Mason Kampsen and Gavin Marotzke.

RRC (10-0) will next prepare for the Nine-Player State Tournament, beginning with quarterfinals on Thursday. Location and time will be released along with seeding over the weekend.