IRONWOOD -- Hurley responded to an early Ironwood lead with a vengeance and beat the Red Devils for the third straight year, 38-14, at a packed Longyear Field Friday night.
The Midgets hadn't won three straight in the series since taking four in a row from 1948-51.
They won Friday by coming up big in the second quarter and late in the third quarter, despite not having eight players due to suspension, including six with starting experience.
"We overcame a bunch of adversity. I'm very proud of the way they played today," Hurley coach Scott Erickson said. "They gutted it out. We were shorthanded. Everybody had to play more than they should have been playing, but they stuck it out. They really performed well."
After Ironwood started off with a big drive and stalled in the first quarter, sophomore quarterback Casey Smith found Nick Erickson for a 21-yard touchdown pass with 8:55 to go in the second quarter.
It took just five plays before Hurley took the lead.
Sophomore running back Justin Rhenlund ran five yards for a TD 1:25 after the Devils scored. Cody Kivisto recovered a Rhenlund fumble in the end zone for the two-point conversion and the 8-7 lead.
Two plays later, Ironwood fumbled and Hurley junior Daulton Levra marched into the endzone. But two penalties on Hurley -- a hold and a block in the back -- and one on Ironwood -- an unsportsmanlike conduct -- put Hurley on the Ironwood 35.
Five plays into the drive, Midgets' senior Jared Reid rushed 21 yards up the middle for the score. Junior quarterback Josh Thiede hit Kivisto for the two-point conversion.
"Fumbles are always difficult," Ironwood coach Gordy Erickson said. "Good teams have to overcome fumbles like that and momentum shifts."
Hurley led 16-7 at halftime.
The Midgets put the dagger in quickly to start the second half.
A nearly four-minute drive ended with Rhenlund scoring his second touchdown of the day, a three-yard run with 8:02 left in the third. Reid's two-point conversion run made it 24-7 Hurley.
Getting the lead back so quickly and adding to it in the third quarter were big, Scott Erickson said.
"That was huge," he said. "That's what we talked about in the locker room. We responded plus one to get the lead back. It was a great answer from the kids. Hopefully this will continue."
Reid scored from six yards out after Hurley blocked a punt, giving the Midgets the ball seven yards from the endzone. Rhenlund's two-point conversion run made it 32-7.
Daulton Levra ran 43 yards for a score in the fourth quarter. The two points after failed after a penalty.
Ironwood running back Tyler Muzzy ran 10 yards for a touchdown. Erickson's kick made it 38-14.
The Devils showed signs of a good running attack and a good defense.
"We have the potential," Gordy Erickson said. "We just have to put it together for a whole game, not just a lead. Which felt good, but you want to feel better at the end of the game when you have the lead for good. It's an ongoing process, where they just have to learn, you have to play hard every second."
Three Hurley backs were solid. Levra and Reid both had more than 100 yards and Rhenlund shined. All scored at least once.
Hurley hosts tough Great Western Conference foe Lake Linden Friday at 6:30 p.m.
"Tough," Scott Erickson said of next week's opponent. "We've got more guys back, but they're going to be tough."
Northern Elite travels to Ironwood Friday at 7 p.m. The time changed from an earlier start.
