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WINTHROP - Even though both running backs for Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop have missed time this year due to injuries, one would hardly know it after their efforts against Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted in the Section 4AA playoffs.

Zak Neubarth, who has missed some time due to a shoulder injury, continued his power running attack with 86 yards rushing and two touchdowns. Not to be outdone, Jay Rogotzke, who has battled a high ankle sprain this year, ignored the pain and carried the ball 35 times for 251 yards and a touchdown.

The duo helped the Thunderbirds finish with 337 yards on the ground as they advanced to the Section 4AA title game with a 21-6 win Saturday afternoon. The Thunderbirds face Maple Lake at 5:45 p.m. Friday at St. Cloud State University. Maple Lake defeated Mayer Lutheran 14-7 on Saturday.

GFW coach Pat Hentges said it's just a matter of following the blockers, who paved the way for many big runs all afternoon.

"Outstanding," he said. "Our backs believe in this line, we just haven't been consistent and we marked off almost nine minutes in the fourth quarter. We were going to take it, and I was so proud, we weren't going to pass the ball in the fourth quarter. No matter what, we wanted to establish [the running game]."

"Those guys are great," Rogotzke said of his line. "They're always talking in the huddle about what can we do and what's open. They totally get it done every time."

As for Rogotzke, he was honored prior to the game for becoming GFW's all-time leading rusher earlier this year. The way he ran on Saturday, it doesn't look like anyone will be catching him anytime soon.

"He's a special back, any time we can get him the ball we're going to," Hentges said. "We had a lot of different ways we were going to get him the ball and he's been injured, but he's one of the toughest kids I've ever been around. People don't realize how much he's put in in the offseason and during the season. I'm very, very proud of Jay."

While Rogotzke picked up all the yards, it was his teammate that scored the first touchdown. Neubarth's 35-yard run on GFW's first drive in the first quarter put the Thunderbirds up 7-0 after the PAT.

The Lakers managed to score their only points of the game later in the first quarter when Jace Whitcomb found an open Jared Gailey for a 76-yard touchdown that made it 7-6 after the failed two-point conversion.

But the Thunderbirds answered right back on their next drive.

With 36.3 left in the first quarter and starting on their on 33, the Thunderbirds gave the ball to Rogotzke four times, and he eventually scored from 6-yards out to make 14-6, a lead they carried into halftime.

"Their defense just couldn't figure us out, and the playcalling was good, and everybody just bucked up and it ended with a touchdown," Rogotzke said.

Neither team scored in the third quarter, but the Thunderbirds put the game out of reach in the fourth quarter when they went on a drive that took 18 plays and 7 minutes and 35 seconds off the clock. The drive ended with Neubarth's second score, a 5-yard run, and GFW led 21-6 with 3:32 left in the game.

"We got the ball and we were really nervous because it was just a one-score game, and we realized it's now or never," Rogotzke said. "It didn't matter what the play call was, we were going to march all the way down no matter what."

The Lakers finished with 119 yards rushing and 158 yards passing.

Defensively for GFW, Josh Boyda had 11 tackles and Dylan Jackson had six tackles and an interception. Luk Neubarth had eight tackles and Geo Munoz also had an interception.

The Thunderbirds (7-3) now get to play on turf at St. Cloud State University.

"We're excited, this is where we wanna be and we're going to play on some turf so this will be even more fun," Rogotzke said. "I don't think we're going to practice up there, but as soon as we step on it we're going to go nuts."