ANOKA-- It was never easier to turn in back to back games yesterday for PrepRedzone.com. After watching a pounding in Andover, I checked the Hub and found Totino-Grace and Anoka playing at 5:00 PM for the Pumpkin Bowl perfect timing to grab some quick dinner (Smashburger) and take the 10-minute drive to historic Goodrich Field.
Check out my game recap on how the Eagles were able to click early and close it out in the third quarter, although Anoka just kept playing their butt off to the final seconds of the fourth quarter.
FIRST QUARTER
This one started with momentum going to Totino-Grace as the Tornadoes fumbled on the kickoff, leaving the Eagles in Anoka territory. The Eagles utilized the ground and pound method all night with Hunter KarlsonHunterKarlson
5'11" | 200 lbs | RB Totino Grace | 2022StateMNin which he got his first score with still over 10 minutes on the clock in the first with a 15-yard run for six. Totino-Grace 7, Anoka 0. After a three and out, the Eagles kept pounding it with Karlson, and Deezwin CooperDeezwinCooper
ATH Totino-Grace | 2021StateMN gathered a significant gain to set up a Kristoff KowalkowskiKristoffKowalkowski
6'2" | QB Totino-Grace | 2021StateMN
12 yard pass to RJ SpencerRJSpencer
6'3" | WR Totino-Grace | 2022StateMN
for the Eagles score; the extra point was blocked. Totino-Grace 13, Anoka 0. After two straight scores, the Tornadoes started swirling for Anoka as they drove down the field, and Jacob DeutschmanJacobDeutschman
6'0" | 195 lbs | QB Anoka | 2022StateMNfound Keenan Rodriguez for a Tornadoes receiving touchdown from 25 yards out. Anoka went for two and got it. Totino-Grace 13, Anoka 8. End of the 1st quarter.SECOND QUARTER
After a slight break and some three and outs, Kristoff Kowalkowkski found WR Max Hofschute-Beck for his second passing touchdown of the day from 10 yards out. Kowalkowski certainly made the most of his limited pass attempts on an overly windy night in Anoka. Totino-Grace 21, Anoka 8. After some back forth drives, Totino-Grace RB Hunter KarlsonHunterKarlson
5'11" | 200 lbs | RB Totino Grace | 2022StateMN
, too, added his second touchdown of the evening burst out for a 59-yard rushing touchdown to make a three score difference the Tornadoes would have to catch. Totino-Grace 28, Anoka 8. That score would take us into halftime at Goodrich Field.
THIRD QUARTER
There was no player more ready for the third quarter than Hunter KarlsonHunterKarlson
5'11" | 200 lbs | RB Totino Grace | 2022StateMN
, who added a big near 50 yard run on one of the quarter’s first plays. Karlson then got touchdown #3 on another quality run from 19 yards out. XP blocked. Totino-Grace 34, Anoka 8. On the next drive, Anoka would punch their big gain as RB Ethan Kelley hit a big one for 69 yards to the house. 2021 ranked prospect David AyeniDavidAyeni
6'2" | LB Anoka | 2021StateMN
tried to beat it for two but was short. Totino-Grace 34, Anoka 14. Eagles RB Hunter KarlsonHunterKarlson
5'11" | 200 lbs | RB Totino Grace | 2022StateMNhad one more in him touchdown wise, punching in his fourth of the day from 10 yards out. Karlson had so much room to run with the Eagles offensive line of Notre Dame commit Joe AltJoeAlt
6'7" | OL Totino-Grace | 2021StateMN, Luke RookerLukeRooker
6'2" | 275 lbs | OL Totino-Grace | 2021StateMN, and others were putting in on the Eagles offensive line. Totino-Grace 41, Anoka 14. Anoka struggled in the game with trying to overstretch getting the yards they needed for the first downs.
An example of this was on fourth down, Deutschman tried to overstretch the offense, and the pass was broken up by Deezwin CooperDeezwinCooper
ATH Totino-Grace | 2021StateMN
, causing a turnover on downs. The Eagles would then start to put in their second team vs. Anoka’s first team in which they scored late in the third quarter, where backup RB Emerick Mathis got in for 11 yards to the endzone. End of 3rd quarter, Totino-Grace 47, Anoka 14.FOURTH QUARTER
It was a little too late and not too surprising, but the Anoka first-teams held the Eagles second-team offense scoreless in quarter number four in which they capitalized nicely. After a nice drive, Anoka QB Jacob DeutschmanJacobDeutschman
6'0" | 195 lbs | QB Anoka | 2022StateMNran the option and scored 18 yards out for the Tornadoes first touchdown of the quarter. 2 points good. Totino-Grace 47, Anoka 22. The Tornadoes then depended on the efficient leg of Carson CyrCarsonCyr
6'0" | 175 lbs | K Andover | 2022StateMN, who pinned the ball nicely for Brennan Brockel, who scooped it up to give the Tornadoes more chances at making this one closer game, which it turned out to be. This would set up nicely for the Tornadoes first-team offense as Jacob DeutschmanJacobDeutschman
6'0" | 195 lbs | QB Anoka | 2022StateMNfound Tommy Barrett for a 36-yard passing touchdown, his third total touchdown of the day. Two points were good again. Totino-Grace 47, Anoka 30. When I thought the score was locked for the night, I was dead wrong as the Tornadoes had other plans as they put so much effort in that fourth quarter and scored as time winded out by the 51-yard connection from Deutschman to Barrett.
The Pumpkin Bowl on Halloween in Anoka was taken very seriously by the Tornadoes groundskeepers.Final from Anoka in this Pumpkin Bowl shootout on Halloween night.
