It was more of the same on the scoreboard Friday in a rematch of last year’s Class 4A state title game and a battle of 10-0 teams. The Tigers extended their winning streak, now at 37 games, with the quarterfinal victory.

After a scoreless first quarter with no shortages of punts, Hutchinson scored 24 points in the second quarter alone, propelling them to a double-digit halftime lead.

It took a little while for the teams to get going. Holy Angels got three first downs on its opening drive but turned the ball over on downs at the Hutchinson 32-yard line.

Once the Tigers got the ball, they went three and out during their first series.

“Honestly right away it felt like we were losing,” Hutchinson senior Marcus Hahn said. “We’ve never been like this before, and it just didn’t feel good. We all were sitting there with our mouths open, and we didn’t really know what to do. But we overcame it, and it worked out well.

A big contribution to the Tigers’ turnaround in the game was blocking, according to Hahn. The offensive line met with coaches and figured out some blocking schemes.

Getting a couple of turnovers and 10 quick points near the end of the first half “gave us a little more breathing room,” Hutchinson coach Andy Rostberg said.

Key of the game: Hutchinson seemed to turn the momentum in its favor for good in the second quarter. With the Tigers up 7-0, Holy Angels fumbled a punt that turned out to be costly. Senior Riley Steenhoek recovered the ball, and Hahn threw a 26-yard touchdown pass to senior Grant Baumetz.

Quote: “I told our kids, it is the state tournament. They are 10-0. And you can’t just expect that you come out here and you roll over everybody and nobody’s ever going to make you punt.” -- Rostberg, on the slow first-quarter start before the Tigers jumped to a 24-7 halftime lead. “Our kids were kind of wandering around going, ‘What’s this? They made us punt?’ It happens. And we were able to regroup.”

Things to know:  The Tigers, who defeated Holy Angels 49-7 in last year’s Prep Bowl, are seeking their third consecutive state title. ... Though the game was out of reach, Holy Angels quarterback Anthony Ekholm raced to the end zone from 51 yards out with less than a minute left in the game.

HEATHER RULE