Wildcats' offense pitches a perfect game

The Eagan Wildcats' offense started seven drives during their round of 32 6A playoff game against the White Bear Bears. The first six of those drives ended in touchdowns. The final drive ended with a kneel down by quarterback Carson Schwamb. It was about as perfect an offensive game as head coach Nick Johnson – or any coach, for that matter, could have asked for. The Wildcats advanced to the second round with a dominating 45-27 win.   It was the first playoff win for the Wildcats since 2015, when they beat Centennial 24-21. The Wildcats did it in with a dominating run game. By my count – if you take away the kneel-down to end the game - the Eagan offense only had two negative plays. Both of those one-yard losses were due to muffed quarterback/center exchanges.   While Schwamb's running and decision-making and running back Tate Gage's running will get the headlines, that kind of offensive dominance cannot happen without the play of the offensive line. [player_tooltip player_id='348749' first='Alex' last='Loes'], Aidan Hendler, Cole Meyer, Cole Will, and Jack Hansen – while not the biggest offensive line in the state – took control of the game from the first play and never let up.   After recovering a fumble to stop the Bears' first drive, Schwamb and the offensive line went to work. Using the read option, Schwamb kept the ball most of the drive – springing a forty-yard run to pick up the biggest chunk of the drive and finishing the drive with a short touchdown run.   "Carson is a senior and has been on varsity since his sophomore year," Gage said. "He has worked really hard to master our option offense."   White Bear Lake would answer right back. Despite intense pressure up the middle, quarterback Dominick Anderson was able to throw deep and hit Austin Gibson – who he would find repeatedly throughout the game – for a touchdown. Gibson was hit as he caught the ball and bobbled the ball, but maintained his concentration, completing the catch and sprinting into the end zone.   Most of Eagan's success came up the middle and to the right – behind Meyer, Will, and Hansen. Faced with a third and three, Schwamb easily picked up a first down to keep the drive alive. Later in the drive, Gage – working off basically a read option - would take the ball from Schwamb and score his first touchdown from six yards out.   "I love my offensive line. They do everything for me," Gage told Prepredzone. "I wouldn't be able to do anything without them. Jack Hanson and Cole Will on the right side – they had the best push I have ever had tonight."   The next two drives, Eagan's [player_tooltip player_id='348721' first='Madden' last='Ison'] took center stage. He made two plays against the run, on defense, to set up a third and long, which would lead to a three and out. Then, on offense, he took a pitch and found the corner for thirty yards behind tight end [player_tooltip player_id='1204486' first='Anthony' last='Hyvare'] and tackle Loes. Three plays later, the Wildcats faced a fourth and one, but Schwamb and the offensive line picked up more than enough to move the sticks. He would call his own number again – converting on a second short touchdown run with 46 seconds to play in the first half.   The decision to squib kick would end up costing the Wildcats. After a pair of nice runs by Kesean Lipscomb got the Bears' drive started, Anderson hit a few quick outs to his receivers to move into the red zone. As the first-half clock hit zero, Anderson fired a pass down the middle of the field to Vinny Villella for a fifteen-yard touchdown.   Any momentum the Bears might have had coming out of halftime was put to bed by the Eagan running game. The first play from scrimmage resulted in a twenty-yard run by Gage, and the Wildcats' offense was purring (sorry – had to do it) again.   "I am coming back from an ankle injury, so I was focused on running as hard as I can," Gage said, "and doing what I can so these seniors can get another game."   Ison would get to the outside for another 20-yard run. After their second negative offensive play of the game, Eagan faced a fourth and four from the six-yard line. Running the option, Schwamb pitched the ball to [player_tooltip player_id='1582446' first='Brooklyn' last='Evans'], who got the corner and not only picked up the first down but scored a touchdown.   After a touchdown pass from Anderson to Gibson for White Bear Lake cut the Eagan lead to 30-21, Gage put any thoughts of a comeback to rest. His 44-yard touchdown run bumped the lead back up to 38-21.   After the Wildcats' defense would force an incomplete pass – resulting in a turnover on downs – Gage would score again—this time from 41 yards out.   The Bears got the passing game going in the second half, cut the lead to 45-27, and then recovered an onsides kick with eight minutes to go. However, [player_tooltip player_id='348741' first='Jack' last='Kruger'] deflected a deep pass, and on fourth down, Ison came flying off the edge to hit the quarterback and force a fumble. A few plays later, Eagan was in victory formation, taking knees to finish off their first playoff victory in almost a decade.   "We have been preaching 'climb the ladder,'' Gage explained. "Every day, we try to get better and grow. Today was another step. We are just trying to keep taking steps."

The Eagan Wildcats' offense started seven drives during their round of 32 6A playoff game against the White Bear Bears. The first six of those drives ended in touchdowns. The final drive ended with a kneel down by quarterback Carson Schwamb. It was about as perfect an offensive game as head coach Nick Johnson – or any coach, for that matter, could have asked for. The Wildcats advanced to the second round with a dominating 45-27 win.