Simley dominates in all three phases – moves to the section final
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Very little went wrong for the Simley Spartans’ football team Saturday afternoon in Inver Grove Heights. The Spartans scored early, often, and in about every way possible en route to a 61-18 victory over Academy Force to move to the Section 3AAA finals next weekend.
Simley forced a punt after giving up one first down, and the Spartans’ offense went to work. After a first down through the air, Simley running back Gavin Nelson Gavin Nelson 6'0" | 220 lbs | LB Simley | 2023 MN ran through a massive hole up the middle – opened by Hunter Collins, Jason Housewright, and Matt Kuefler Matt Kuefler 6'1" | 225 lbs | ATH Simley | 2022 MN – for a 49-yard touchdown run.
Academy Force would threaten on their next possession – getting into the red zone – but defensive lineman Lano Oduwaiye would make the first of many big plays for the Spartans’ defense, stopping a quarterback draw short of the line to gain on fourth and two.
A great block on the outside by Joe Stanton allowed Josh Painter to get the corner and sprint 65 yards down the sidelines to set up Painter’s one-yard touchdown run two plays later.
The Academy Force offense tried to throw an out route on its next possession, but defensive back Dom Levros jumped the route, and the junior turned it into a pick-six to give the Spartans a 20-0 lead.
Painter would then make a big play on special teams with a forty-yard punt return to set his offense up near the red zone. Then Simley’s Tay’vion McCoy got around the corner for a twenty-yard run. A great block on the outside by offensive lineman Koffi Medeko Koffi Medeko ATH MN sprung McCoy for the two-yard touchdown on the next play. With two minutes to go in the first quarter, Simley was in control 27-0.
Already with big plays on offense and special teams, Painter hit a football hat trick when – at cornerback – all in one sequence, he made a tackle on the outside, stripped the ball from the receiver, and then recovered the fumble.
Housewright and Hunter Collins then opened a huge hole to pick up a first down. Later in the drive, the Spartan’s offense was faced with a fourth and eight. Quarterback Caden Renslow was on the move and hit McCoy on an out route. McCoy not only picked up the first down, but he broke a pair of tackles before scoring from 19-yards out.
With Simley’s defense back on the field, Oduwaiye took over the possession with three quarterback sacks in the span of four plays. Behind the chains again, Academy Force would turn the ball over. McCoy picked off a rushed, overthrown ball and turned into a running back – making tacklers miss for a twenty-yard return.
“They had trouble pass blocking me when I lined up wide,” Oduwaiye said. “We stayed basic most of the game. We didn’t make many mistakes on defense.”
Almost immediately after the turnover, Renslow called his own number and, with more great blocking, ran untouched up the middle for a ten-yard touchdown.
“The o and d lines did great,” Nelson said. “We did all the basic things right.”
The defense quickly got the offense back on the field, and the Spartans went back to Nelson up the middle. He got to the second level, got a head of steam going, and bounced off two tacklers before he was brought down. That twenty-five-yard run would lead to his next carry – a twenty-four-yard touchdown in which he was barely touched.
In the first half, the only blemishes in the Spartans’ game were a pair of missed extra points and a fluke touchdown catch with less than ten seconds to play in the half. Academy Force threw a pass to the outside that a Simley defensive back tipped up into the air. Wide receiver Elijah Paulson brought it in and raced 70 yards for a touchdown.
With Simley leading 47-6 at the half, the Spartans’ first-string offense played one more possession – ending in a touchdown run for Renslow.
Spartans’ backups and running time closed out a dominating 61-18 victory for the host Spartans.
“The biggest thing was we got to get everybody in,” Nelson said. “That was great to see.”