MINNEAPOLIS (KVRR) – “We did it. Champions on three…one, two, three: CHAMPIONS!”

That’s right, Champions. For the first time in Red Lake County baseball history, the Red Lake County Rebels are the last team standing.

The road to become champions, the furthest thing from easy.

It took three upset wins in Sections. As a 5-seed in the State Tournament, the team upset the 4-seed to advance through the Quarterfinals. Thursday’s semifinal is where things really got crazy.

Against the 1-seed in the tournament, Parkers Prairie, Red Lake County held a one run lead in the bottom of the seventh. An RBI single with two outs from the Panthers forced extra innings. After rain persisted from about the second inning on, the game was suspend, tied at three, heading to the ninth inning.

After a delay, the decision was made to move the game 70 miles North of St. Cloud to Knute Nelson Memorial Park in Alexandria. The players hopped on the bus while fans got in the car and made the trek North.

The game then resumed. With two outs and nobody on, Kegan Schmitz doubled, Brock Seeger helped bring him in and Owen Chervestad ended the game with a 5-3 double play.

Adversity to a T, that this team overcame.

“On the bus, we didn’t say too much,” said head coach Mike Gullingsrud after the semifinal win. “It was pretty low key as we’re driving…What we did tell the guys once we got [to Alexandria] is that we got to make sure we understand we’re playing for one inning. The energy, the emotions, the crowd and everything else. You can’t wait around for your second at bat. It’s got to be from the very start. You don’t get margin for error. You don’t get a mulligan. And all those guys made the most of it.”

In Saturday’s Title game, one could think a slow start would be understood after such an emotional win. The Rebels did the exact opposite, scoring 13 runs through the first four innings. By game’s end, it was a 15-7 win over the two-seed in the tournament, New Ulm Cathedral, marking yet another upset on this incredible journey to the first championship in Red Lake County baseball history.

“In the dugout, in the top half of the inning, I didn’t want to say anything,” said junior Will Gieseke, who pitched 6.2 innings in the win. “I’m going to tell my catcher, Colin, that we’re about to win a state championship. And when he hits that ball [for the last out], I see [Ben Gullingsrud] got a read on it. I immediately turned. I didn’t see him catch it. I just, I blacked out. It was surreal.”

Red Lake County already feels like a family with it being such a small community, but the family aspect is enlarged as head coach Mike Gullingsrud wins the title with his son, Ben.

“Ben, for me, obviously I’m incredibly proud,” said Mike. “Ben, as well as 17 other players, they’re all my sons. I can’t be more proud of him as a dad, and ultimately he performed today. He’s one of many that did a great job.”

Ben added, “It’s super special because my mom always talks about how She went to a state tournament and won it twice in Ada for basketball. So for me and my dad, at least, to win it, it was super special. And now that it’s not just my mom, it’s even better.”

A day Red Lake County will never forget.

“Gully said it a couple times that we will be immortal, and I couldn’t be happier about that.”