Brian’s Best: Farmington vs. Coon Rapids
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The football gods saved the best for last. My last regular season game of the year ended with the best finish of the year. When Coon Rapids decided to go for two after scoring in the first overtime of the…
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Continue ReadingThe football gods saved the best for last. My last regular season game of the year ended with the best finish of the year. When Coon Rapids decided to go for two after scoring in the first overtime of the game against Farmington, either way, fans were in for an exciting finish. Here are some individual performances that were almost as good as the game’s finish.
Branson was the most consistent offensive threat. Running off the right-hand side, he cut to the outside for 15 yards. Then, he made a series of moves between the tackles to pick up ten yards. Jayden Gournaris Jayden Gournaris 6’2″ | 270 lbs | OL Farmington | 2025 State MN , Lars Anderson, and Killian Kuegah-Chouchouda opened a huge hole right up the middle, and Branson made a man miss on the second level for a 12-yard gain. Behind those same three guys in the middle, Branson picked up 20 yards up the middle. On the first play of overtime, Gournaris, Anderson, and Kuegah-Chouchouda opened up one more big hole, and Branson trucked a defender at the five-yard line for a ten-yard touchdown.
The best athlete on the field, Cummings-Coleman, started the game with a deep post for 40 yards. As a runner, he took an end-a-round for 15 yards and then a straight handoff for good yardage. He made a tough over-the-shoulder catch in the end zone, just getting his feet inbounds sidelines for a twenty-eight-yard touchdown. On defense, he flattened a ball carrier with a big hit. Late in the game, he almost won the game on the last play of the game. He took a pitch around the corner and cut across the field for thirty yards. He was one block away from scoring a walk-off touchdown.
Highlights
Ask made a nice throw on the move on a deep-out route early in the game. Then, he made a similar throw on the move. Where he hurt the Cardinals’ defense most was with his legs. On a quarterback draw, he picked up a first down. Later, on third and seventeen, behind Gournaris, Anderson, and Kuegah-Chouchouda, he showed his speed with a 61-yard touchdown run. A scramble for six yards proceeded a 41-yard touchdown pass on third and ten. Finally, Ask ran in a late two-point conversion to tie the game.
Lofton O’Groske
Lofton O’Groske
Cummings-Coleman might have a bigger football future, but the most impressive player on Friday night – even though they lost the game – was O’Groske. Early, he caught a pass that was too high with a defender right on him, trying to rip away the ball for a short gain. O’Groske was a huge assist as a blocker. Three or four times, he would lock up a defender on the outside, helping his teammates pick up extra yards. With more traditional receiver skills, the senior tapped his toes on the sidelines for a catch to pick up a first down on third and twenty. On the same drive, he caught a touchdown, leaping in the air and getting his feet inbounds.
Kingsley Obikwelu
Kingsley Obikwelu
Starting at the end of the game and moving backward, Obikwelu made the play of the game on the last play of the game. On the Cardinals’ two-point conversion try in overtime, he was not covering the receiver about to get the ball, but he read the play and came off his assigned man. Obikwelu came out of nowhere, closing on the two-point conversion throw, to break up the pass and secure the win. Earlier in the game, he showed good coverage on a deep ball late. Throughout the game, he often drew the assignment of covering Cummings-Coleman. The DI recruit made his share of plays, but Obikwelu held his own against one of the best in the state.
Jacob Mattick
Jacob Mattick
Mattick looked like a quarterback who belongs on a college roster next season. He threw a nice deep ball for a completion on the Cardinals’ first offensive play. He made a solid throw on the move to pick up a first down on third and twenty. It took a great catch, too, but he completed a pass on what needed to be a perfect throw on a deep post against nearly perfect coverage. He then made a throw on the run for 15 yards, followed by using his legs for a fifteen-yard scramble for a touchdown. He showed some strength when the senior shook off a tackle in the backfield for a short gain. He was on the move again for a completion on the sidelines. Late in the game, another perfect pass led to a 28-yard touchdown.
Wyandt started the game with a kickoff return to the 40-yard line. Then, behind Lars Anderson and Isaac Henry, he walked into the end zone for ten yards. He showed versatility with a halfback pass that set the offense up on the one-yard line. Later, he caught a 41-yard touchdown on third and ten.
Highlights
Samson Leclaire
Samson Leclaire
For most of the game, Leclarie was a problem for the Tigers’ offense. When there was a big play to be made between the tackles, Leclarie was in the middle of it. At least three times, he made plays at the line of scrimmage. He is a solid tackler who brought the heat – especially on a tackle late in the game.
Johnson was a great compliment to Branson. Johnson has a low center of gravity and was effective between the tackles. He showed great patience, often picking his way through the traffic to the second level.
Highlights
Scheller caught a short pass out of the backfield early. After he scored on a short touchdown run, he spun off a tackle in the hole to pick up seven yards. Later in the game, he showed good speed to the outside for eleven yards and a first down.
Highlights
Max Speratos
Max Speratos
Speratos made running the ball against the Tigers a tough ordeal. The defensive lineman showed enough speed and agility to make plays from hashmark to hashmark. A few plays that stood out was when he tracked down the quarterback from behind on the outside. Then, he held the edge on a sweep and made a tackle for loss.
Fearing made a catch for a first down early in the game. Like O’Groske, he was an effective blocker on the outside. Later, he caught a short pass, put his foot in the ground, and got upfield for a big gain.
Josh Berreth
Josh Berreth
Berreth showed off multiple defensive back skills during the game. He came up hard in run support to make a tackle in the open field. Then, his tight coverage in single coverage led to an incompletion. He showed his speed and ball skills when he knocked away a pass down the sidelines.
Tyler Carlson
Tyler Carlson
Carlson made two huge plays on the defensive side of the ball. He made a tackle on the inside on a fourth and short, preventing a first down. Then, he made a tackle, preventing a touchdown on the goal line.