Morris and Metamora are well-known around the state for their power running games and strong defenses. They have met several times in the playoffs, and the games tend to be low-scoring affairs.

That was not the case Saturday, as Morris used a bruising running game in the second half to pull away from Metamora in a 64-50 win. Caeden Curran finished with 232 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 33 carries, picking up 181 yards and three scores after halftime.

“We ran a little more outside zone in the second half,” Curran said. “Mostly, though, the offensive line just blocked their [butts] off. The first half didn’t really go how we wanted, and we wanted to just run the ball down their throats.

“When we are running the ball well, it helps the defense and it wears the other team down. That’s what happened in the second half. The big thing is that we get to play another game and try to go 1-0 next week.”

Metamora (8-3) drew first blood immediately. On the opening kickoff, the Redbirds’ Brayden Bitner fielded it at the 15 and ran to his right. He handed off to teammate Jaiduan Cranford on a reverse, and Cranford sped 85 yards for a touchdown. Quarterback Stephen Petri ran in the two-point conversion and Metamora led 8-0 just 14 seconds into the game.

Morris (10-1) answered quickly, as Brady Varner hit RJ Kennedy for a 38-yard touchdown pass on 4th and 2. Varner ran in the conversion and the game was tied at 8.

Midway through the first quarter, Morris took over at the Metamora 47. Varner hit his brother, Bryce, for a 43-yard gain before Curran went over from two yards out. Grant Sparrow’s extra point kick put Morris ahead 15-8. Metamora, though, got a 72-yard TD run by Petri and Thiago Garcia’s kick tied it at 15.

The Redbirds took a 22-15 lead on a 50-yard pass from Petri to Bitner, but Morris tied it at 22 on a three-yard TD run by Keegan Kjellesvik. Metamora answered with a 57-yard TD run by Cranford with :21 left in the first half to make it 29-22. Morris’ Anthony Smith took the ensuing kickoff 75 yards for a touchdown to make it 29-29 at halftime.

“I thought one of the biggest plays of the night was Anthony Smith’s kickoff return,” Morris coach Alan Thorson said. “It took away their momentum and let us go into halftime tied and with momentum.

“We were able to reset, make some adjustments and come out and play better in the second half.”

Morris, which will play at Geneseo at 2 p.m. next Saturday in the quarterfinals, received the second-half kickoff and started at its own 35. Three runs by Curran netted 20 yards before Varner (8 for 11, 186 yards, 2 TDs) hit Logan Conroy for a 45-yard touchdown pass and a 36-29 lead. After Morris’ Keegan Lorenz recovered a Metamora fumble, Morris drove 49 yards on six plays, with Mick Smith scoring on a 14-yard run for a 43-29 lead.

Smith finished with 27 yards on six carries as Morris racked up 293 yards on the ground. Brogan Kjellesvik, a three-year starter as a junior, was a key figure on the offensive line.

“We knew we had to be more physical in the second half,” Kjellesvik said. “That’s just what we did. We love to run block, and we feed off of each other. We open up a hole, then our backs run hard, break tackles and get big runs. That makes us want to open up more holes so they can keep making big plays.”

Metamora used a flea-flicker to score on a 30-yard pass from Petri to Kylan McMillen and cut the Morris lead to 43-36. Morris got a 48-yard run from Curran to start the ensuing drive, and he eventually scored from eight yards out for a 50-36 Morris lead.

After forcing a Metamora punt, Morris got a 13-yard TD run from Curran to go ahead 57-36. The Redbirds answered quickly again, this time with Petri (7 of 11, 206 yards, 3 TDs) hitting Cranford for a 68-yard touchdown to cut it to 57-43. Curran iced it with a two-yard TD run with 6:00 left.

“Our offensive line was outstanding in the second half,” Thorson said. “One of the big things was that we were playing with more tempo in the second half. Not only were we blocking better, but we were running our offense fast and wearing them out that way. Caden Curran is one of the best backs around, and Brady Varner had a real good game.

“We knew we were going to have to play four quarters. It was a mix of attitude and scheme in the second half. We made some adjustments, but mostly it was our guys being more physical.”