Week 4: Games to watch

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

The Breakdown takes its weekly look at the top games in each class throughout the state. We’re into week 4, meaning we’re already half-way home following tonight’s results.

Class AAAAA: No. 4 Apple Valley (3-0) at No. 1 Wayzata (3-0), 7 p.m.
Wayzata certainly has earned its top ranking so far this season, outscoring three opponents by a combined 129-14 score, including a 24-7 rout of highly-regarded Minnetonka two weeks ago. The Trojans are very well balanced, passing for 463 yards and rushing for 513 yards through three games. Quarterback John Ries is hitting 58 percent of his throws and has 7 touchdowns against a single interception. Cecil Doe (11 catches, 300 yards, 3 TDs) has been the recipient of many of his throws. Kevin Knight leads the rushing attack with 37 carries for 238 yards and four touchdowns. But five players have rushing touchdowns.
Apple Valley has had plenty of closer games, but have managed to win all three, including a 31-21 win over winless Bloomington Kennedy last Friday night.  Senior receiver Ray Watson caught two long touchdowns from quarterback Mark Hermes.
This one is Wayzata’s homecoming.

Class AAAA: No. 3 Totino-Grace (3-0) at No. 5 Becker (3-0), 7 p.m.
Totino-Grace has started off impressively in defense of its state title, including a 59-0 thrashing of Princeton last Friday night. It’s tough to know who to prepare for, as the Eagles are extremely balanced. Eight different players have scored rushing touchdowns already, led by three each from John Crockett and Joey Kinnan. But Pierce Lubinski (35-241-1) is the leading rusher. Brandon Meath has just three catches, but two have gone for touchdowns. He also returned an interception 95 yards for a score against the Tigers.
Becker’s defense has improved considerably since allowing 523 yards and 39 points to St. Michael-Albertville in the opener. In two subsequent games, they have allowed just 373 total yards and 14 points. They’ll be tested by Totino-Grace, though. Offensively, the Bulldogs have good balance with sophomore quarterback Johnny Benson (32-of-59, 462 yards, 6 TDs), the nephew of legendary St. John’s coach John Gagliardi, and running back Jake Gibbons (48-285-4 TDs) leading the way.

Class AAA: No. 6 New London-Spicer (3-0) at No. 2 Albany (3-0), 7 p.m.
New London-Spicer has jumped in the rankings behind a powerful offense that has averaged 42 points a game. Teams have been able to get to the defense the last two weeks, however, as they’ve given up 20 points in each contest. Admittedly, much of that has come late in blowout wins, though. The Wildcats are a strong running team, led by Shawn Halliday (311 yards, 4 TDs) and Taylor Dammermann (140 yards, 4 TDs). They’ve only thrown 26 passes in three games.
Despite a perfect record, Albany has been up-and-down this season. In the odd-numbered weeks, they’ve won by a combined 95-6 score. In Week 2, however, they only beat winless Sauk Centre, 20-17. We’re back in an even-numbered week…will the pattern hold? Some of that inconsistency could be because the Huskies lost 19 of 22 starters from last year’s state tournament team. But like the powerful program they are, Albany has kept on rolling.
Last year, Albany beat NL-S, 43-15.

Class AA: No. 5 Triton (3-0) at Zumbrota-Mazeppa (3-0), 7 p.m.
Triton has been cranking up its offense weekly, going from 20 to 35 to 55 points score. Last week, quarterbacks Dylan Bungum and Coleton Thiemann combined to throw 5 touchdown passes. Garrett Schaefer has 10 catches for 162 yards and 4 touchdowns through three games. The week before, Triton ran for four touchdowns in beating Goodhue. Pick your poison.
Zumbrota-Mazeppa is on the verge of hitting the top-10 rankings after beating previously unbeaten and ranked Kasson-Mantorville, 12-11, on the road. Trailing 11-6 in the fourth quarter, Cougars’ quarterback Drew Paukert sneaked in for a 1-yard game-winning touchdown. Z-M had a 100-yard rusher (Phil Putratz with 23 carries for 143 yards), 100-yard receiver (Justin Cole with 4 catches for 122 yards) and 100-yard passer (Paukert was 8-of-15 for 166 yards). Cole also ended the upset with an interception.

Class A: Upsala/Swanville (3-0) at No. 3 Royalton (3-0), 7 p.m.
Upsala/Swanville is also sneaking close to the top-10 rankings after their latest victory, a 24-6 win over visiting United North Central last Friday night.. The Patriots have allowed only 20 points in three games and have already surpassed last year’s victory total, when they went 2-7.
Royalton banged out a 47-6 win at Pillager, scoring 24 first-quarter points. Cole Jendro caught two scoring passes from Shawn Lanners, who finished with three touchdown passes. Zach Lanners and Ryan Wiener are a double-headed load in the backfield, as both rushed for more than 1,000 yards last fall and have picked it right back up.

9-man: No. 9 Grand Meadow (3-0) at No. 7 Houston (3-0), 7:00 p.m.
Grand Meadow hasn’t score fewer than 41 points in a game yet this year, including their latest victory, a 46-18 win over host Lyle/Austin Pacelli last Friday. The Superlarks’ Caleb Leichtnam returned from a two-game suspension to score five touchdowns in the game.
Houston took care of Spring Grove, 54-16 last Friday to also improve to 3-0. The Hurricanes have rushed for 966 yards in three games and average nearly 8 yards a carry. Kevin Lindh (29 carries, 364 yards, 4 TDs) and Trent Kerrigan (28 carries, 250 yards, 4 TDs) have carried the load.