Week 3: Games to watch

by Tim Kolehmainen
The BREAKDOWN
(posted 9/11/2008)

The Breakdown continues to take a look at the top game in each class this Friday night. It’s Week 3 of the season, time for the contenders to emerge and the pretenders to drop back a step.

Class AAAAA: No. 5 Minnetonka (1-1) at No. 4 Hopkins (2-0), 7 p.m.
For the second week in a row, Minnetonka makes it into our top Class AAAAA game of the week. But instead of a showdown for No. 1, the Skippers are hoping to rebound after a crushing 24-7 loss to Wayzata last week. Minnetonka was stymied by the Trojans’ tough defense all game long, amassing just 38 yards passing (4-of-16 completions) and 72 yards on the ground (on 27 carries).
Hopkins, meanwhile, has been an offensive juggernaut. Led by quarterback Sean Borman (33-of-48, 778 yards, 9 touchdowns, 1 interception), through two games the Royals have averaged 52 points. Last week, they served notice they’ll be a force by beating Edina, 56-42, despite four rushing touchdowns and two passing touchdowns from Hornets’ quarterback Anders Lee. Montez Wilkerson caught three touchdowns and Marcus Williams caught four of Borman’s seven touchdown passes. Wilkerson already has 423 yards receiving and six scores on the season.

Class AAAA: No. 4 Sartell-St. Stephen (2-0) at No. 10 Fergus Falls (2-0), 7 p.m.
Sartell stamped itself as a state contender with a very impressive 20-17 victory over top Class AAAAA team St. Cloud Tech last week. Rob Voshell caught a 16-yard winner from Cole Jenkins with just 30 seconds left to lift the Sabres to the come-from-behind victory. Sartell trailed 17-6 with less than six minutes remaining. Josh Kremer (12 carries, 90 yards) kicked off the rally with a 27-yard touchdown run.
Fergus Falls is also off to an unbeaten start, scoring more than 30 points in each of their first two victories. University of Minnesota-bound lineman Josh Campion bashes giant holes on the line for the Otters, setting up running backs Matt Mithaugen and Ike Carlson. In a 31-22 victory at Willmar last week, Mithaugen (24 carries, 144 yards) and Carlson (8 carries, 109 yards) both went over the century mark and combined for all five touchdowns.
As a side note, the Breakdown will be at this game.

Class AAA: No. 5 LeSueur-Henderson (2-0) at No. 7 Jordan (2-0), 7 p.m.
The Giants of L-H allowed just six points for the second straight week, routing Montgomery-Lonsdale, 25-6, behind two first-quarter touchdowns from Jared VanDorpe. They’re an expected top club in Class AAA, but their opponent this week, Jordan, has sneaked up on us.
We didn’t have the Hubmen ranked in the top-15 at the season’s start, but they’ve quickly jumped up after rolling past previous top-15 selection Rockford in the season opener, 50-19, then pushing past Belle Plaine, 41-34, last week. Tied at 34-all in the final minute, Tyler Glynn intercepted a Tigers’ pass and got Jordan into Belle Plaine territory. Three plays later, Todd Garnhardt squirmed in on a quarterback sneak to score the game-winner.

Class AA: No. 7 Eden Valley-Watkins (2-0) at No. 3 Pierz (2-0), 7 p.m.
This one seems to be an annual battle for supremacy in the Central Minnesota Conference and this year should be no different as both teams come in unbeaten. The Pioneers romped over Kimball, 55-12, last Friday while EV-W shut out Holdingford, 40-0.
The Eagles have yet to give up a point this season, recording back-to-back shutouts. They also had a big effort from quarterback Tyler Geislinger in the victory over the Huskers. He was nearly perfect (5-of-6 passing, 96 yards and three touchdowns). Jake Ruhland caught two of Geislinger’s touchdown tosses.
Pierz, meanwhile, scored 42 first-half points in beating Kimball. Chad Lanners caught just two passes, but they went for 120 yards and a touchdown. Cody Stangle led the way on the ground with eight carries for 95 yards and two touchdowns.

Class A: Minneota (2-0) at No. 3 Dawson-Boyd (2-0), 7 p.m.
I’m old enough to remember when Minneota was the big boy in the old Class C, humming along to three straight state titles in the late 80s behind record-setting quarterback Chris Meidt. The Vikings haven’t been back to the show since 1994, so it’s good to see them back off to a fast start with a powerful offense. Minneota is averaging 44.5 points per game and just shut out Russell-Tyler-Ruthton, 47-0, last Friday. Quarterback Sam Derynck threw for six touchdowns (9-of-19, 144 yards), three to Tony Noyes. Matt Anderson rushed 17 times for 101 yards.
Dawson-Boyd was expected to be here in the hunt for state and haven’t disappointed, outscoring their first two opponents 57-8, including a 39-0 whitewashing of Ortonville last Friday.

9-man: Cromwell (1-1) at No. 10 Floodwood (2-0), 7:00 p.m.
Cromwell has been in seven 9-man state championship games in the past 17 years, winning four straight in the late 90s. Floodwood has never made a state football tournament. And yet the Polar Bears are the favorite in this game based on their fast start.
Floodwood has yet to allow a point, shutting out Laporte (58-0) and Kelliher/Northome (36-0) in their first two games. Now comes a bigger test.
Cromwell was uncharacteristically shut out in their opener by Northland, 22-0, but rebounded to throttle Laporte last Friday, 53-0. The Cardinals should have some measure of revenge in mind, as Floodwood upset them in last year’s section semifinals, as well.