For the most part for the five football local teams, the quarterfinal round yesterday went very well. Even the #7 seed Warriors kept it close against Holy Angels.
SECTION 4AAA:
#8 SPA/MPA 12 @ #1 St. Croix Lutheran 60
No surprise here. The Crusaders started the playoffs with a blowout. Coach Carl Lemke was able to call off the dogs after the first quarter when St. Croix had already built up a 32-0 lead. Jackson Goplen had touchdown runs of 12, 20, and 86 yards. Matt Olson added a hat trick of TD passes as the Crusaders scored over 50 points for the fourth straight game to advance.
SECTION 3AAAA:
#1 Saint Thomas Academy – Bye
#6 Chaska 6 @ #3 South St. Paul 62
The loss to Mahtomedi in Week 7 seems to have lit a fire under the Packers. After the controversial game that may have cost South St. Paul the #1 seed, the Packers have come out the past two weeks to score 60+ points. The Packers got four first quarter touchdowns from Sam Sura and led 55-0 at the half. They certainly aren’t making any friends with the Hawks who they also knocked out of the playoffs last year with a 54-6 win.
#5 St. Louis Park 13 @ #4 Simley 49
The Orioles struck first in this one but Simley responded by rattling off 49 unanswered points to win their third straight. I haven’t seen Simley since week 3 when they won a sloppy game against Henry Sibley, but the Spartans have definitely improved since then. The defense was hitting hard and the offensive moved the ball very well on the ground. Nick Wanzek threw one pass all night and it was good for a score. He added three more rushing TDs. The Spartans improved to 4-5 after going 3-15 over the past two seasons.
#7 Henry Sibley 7 @ #2 Holy Angels 21
The Warriors ended their season swinging as they gave Holy Angels a bit of a scare. The Stars got a 72 yard touchdown run from QB Sam Keis in the second quarter to cling to a 7-0 halftime lead over the 1-7 Warriors. Holy Angels added a score in the third and fourth quarter and the Warriors punched one in late to make it a 21-7 final. Henry Sibley ended the season with just one win.
Section Semifinal Preview:
4AAA:
#4 Minnehaha Academy (6-3) @ #1 St. Croix Lutheran (9-0)
This game should be the fifth straight 50+ point game for the Crusaders.
3AAAA:
#4 Simley (4-5) @ #1 Saint Thomas Academy (8-0)
The Spartans winning streak ends here as the Cadets see their first playoff action.
#3 South St. Paul (8-1) @ #2 Holy Angels (8-1)
One of two huge semifinal games in Class 4A this weekend. I originally picked the Stars since South St. Paul on field turf makes me nervous, but the Packers are rolling into this one with a head of steam. This will be covered for Game of the Week.
