Cooper vs. Armstrong: Recap & Top Performers

Another week, another great slate of games in Minnesota. In this action-packed Week 3 throughout the Land of 10,000 Lakes, our scouts were all around the state, and I was lucky enough to head to New Hope to watch one of the fiercest cross-town rivalries in the state as Robbinsdale Armstrong took on Robbinsdale Cooper. Separated by a little over three miles, the Falcons and Hawks are familiar foes that have seen particularly talented rosters the past half-decade or so. The results were unexpected, and in addition to watching the #1 player in the state in Cooper's [player_tooltip player_id='362273' first='Emmanuel' last='Karmo'], I saw familiar playmakers assert their talent, new names burst onto my radar, and one player, in particular, solidified himself as one of the best at his position in Minnesota. Check out the Robbinsdale Cooper vs. Robbinsdale Armstrong Recap and Top Performers below, only on PrepRedzoneMN.   --   Game Recap   The home team Hawks received the opening kickoff, and with my eyes firmly planted on Karmo, who was lined up as the upback on Cooper's kickoff receive unit, the #1 player in the state asserted himself physically and sent a would-be tackler flying onto his butt in a high-speed, dominant collision. However, Cooper got off to a rough start and fumbled on the opening series of the game, setting Armstrong up deep in their opponent's territory, where the Falcons' outstanding senior RB [player_tooltip player_id='743274' first='Kevon' last='Johnson'] found paydirt from 16 yards out to put the away squad up 7-0 a little more than a minute into the ball game. Cooper got right back to work however, using a big connection from sophomore QB Beckham VanVoorst to senior WR Christian Lloyd to get right up to Armstrong's red zone, but the Falcon's defense stood tall and forced a turnover on downs after some nice tackling by [player_tooltip player_id='1255131' first='Calan' last='Pilon'] & company. Armstrong kept the good times rolling, marching down the field after a couple of big gains by Johnson, where Falcons QB Dawson Franke scampered 40 yards to put the away squad up 14-0, which is how quarter one concluded.   Set up by a momentum-shifting INT by athletic 2026 WR/DB Semaj "Speedy" Young, the Hawks were set up deep into Armstrong territory to begin the 2nd, where Karmo scored on an easy carry into the endzone to get the Hawks into the ball game at 14-7. Cooper continued the success by forcing a fumble at the Armstrong 33 to get right back into scoring position. After a first down reception by senior RB [player_tooltip player_id='551409' first='Randy' last='Smythe'], VanVoorst found Speedy Young for six to knot things back up at 14, with 9:26 left in the 2nd. However, Armstrong responded, putting together a heckuva offensive drive aided by big plays from TE/WR [player_tooltip player_id='1489326' first='Eli' last='Kuempel'], Johnson, and Franke. Johnson finished the drive with another TD from close out to put Armstrong up 21-14 with 5:46 left in the half. This is where things got hairy. Cooper went back-to-back three-and-out, but a snap over Karmo's (the punter) head and one dropped off his hands put Armstrong, putting the Falcons deep in the Hawks territory, where they converted with Johnson's third score of the night and Franke's second, in that order. Halftime in New Hope: Armstrong 35, Cooper 14   The halftime deficit proved too much for the home team to overcome. Not only were three separate TDs needed, Cooper needed to find some confidence and energy, but their crosstown rivals continued to smother them with a dominant running attack and team defense, led by some sticky coverage on the perimeter by DBs Bram Hetteen and Noah Grogos. Armstrong's OL of [player_tooltip player_id='945344' first='Luke' last='Pappas'] - a Minnesota-Duluth commit - Lucas Nelson, Josiah Paige, Dillon Thurston, and Gavin Grzybowski had their way with the Hawks athletic front-seven and paved the way for a one-yard [player_tooltip player_id='1489326' first='Eli' last='Kuempel'] TD catch in the third, as well as an electric 84-yard TD run by [player_tooltip player_id='743274' first='Kevon' last='Johnson'], his fourth TD of the night. The kid was on fire! Cooper managed an exciting pitch-and-catch from VanVoorst to Young for their second TD connection of the night, and the Robbinsdale-only showdown ended with Armstrong winning 49-21 over Cooper.   Top Performers   Cooper vs. Armstrong Game MVP: [player_tooltip player_id='743274' first='Kevon' last='Johnson'] (Robbinsdale Armstrong) 2025. RB.   An outstanding performance by Armstrong senior RB [player_tooltip player_id='743274' first='Kevon' last='Johnson'], who has been one of the most consistent and productive RBs in MN Big School football the past two years. Johnson's patience and vision open up a ton of space and opportunities for the senior, which he's happy to capitalize on, and his weaving, slashing running style helps him remain elusive in the open field. There's an exciting blend of quickness and power in his game, and Johnson also possesses the speed to finish big runs and out-pace pursuit angles on the sideline and up the gut when he breaks through. Johnson is one of the most underrated RBs in the state and looks and played like a scholarship-worthy back on Friday night.   Robbinsdale Armstrong   [player_tooltip player_id='1255131' first='Calan' last='Pilon'] - 2026. 6'2, 205 lbs.   LB1 in the 2026 class did not disappoint and was a constant and physical presence in Cooper's face all night long. His get-off and pass-rushing ability, as well as his success at tackling in space, all stood out on the night, and he lined up at a variety of spots and was used in a variety of different ways by the Armstrong staff. Passes the eye test as well.   [player_tooltip player_id='1489326' first='Eli' last='Kuempel'] - 2026. TE/HB. 6'1, 200 lbs.   A thick and powerful 200 lber., Kuempel found success in clutch moments for his Armstrong offense and was a consistent target on third down and in key conversion moments. Had a knack for slipping into space and getting open, soft hands that could finish catches through contact, and was physical and tough, both after the catch and as a blocker. Good showing on Friday night.   Noah Gorgos - 2025. DB.   A senior captain and cornerback for the Falcons, Gorgos had a tough matchup assignment and was 1v1 on explosive Cooper WR Young all night long in New Hope. A strong route runner and speedy pass catcher, Young got some wins, but I was impressed by Grogos competitiveness, technique, and stickiness as a coverage corner against Cooper's WR1. Loose hips, good footwork, and was also an excellent tackler in space. Someone hit this kid up.   [player_tooltip player_id='945344' first='Luke' last='Pappas'] - 2025. OL/DL. 6'3, 255 lbs.   Loved watching Pappas put in work on Friday night. The UMD commit, who earned a North Dakota offer in-person and in camp during the summer, went both ways and barely took a play off. A relentless pass rusher who was productive behind the LOS and found home on a variety of TFLs and sacks throughout the night, Pappas was also vital in the Falcon's rushing attack, leading the way and pulling and lead blocking out in the second and third level to open up big holes for [player_tooltip player_id='743274' first='Kevon' last='Johnson']. The mobility, strength, physicality, and motor all stood out on the evening. This kid is going to be a mauler in the NSIC.   Dawson Franke - 2025. QB.   A good game manager at the helm of the Falcon's offense, Franke was a weapon as a ball carrier, owning some serious get-up and quickness once he tucked and ran. Didn't make mistakes and kept his team chugging along all Friday night.   Everett Daly - 2026. DL.   #28 for the Falcons was a thick, powerful DL who had a heckuva motor and was pressuring the Hawks QB contigent all night long. Good technique, strong at the contact point, and uses his hands well. Daly had a good showing on Friday night.   [player_tooltip player_id='743272' first='Josiah' last='Paige'] - 2025. OL. 6'1, 240 lbs.   There was a Cooper defender I was very excited about seeing, and after the dust settled, finally got some eyes on him early into the ball game. Well, I watched senior OL Paige drive the kid 5 yards back and flat onto his back for a physically dominant pancake, so guess who is coming out on top of that impression? MIAC schools need to get on this kid.   Robbinsdale Cooper   [player_tooltip player_id='362273' first='Emmanuel' last='Karmo'] - 2025. LB/WR. 6'3, 225 lbs.   Minnesota commit Karmo was as-advertised on Friday night. A gigantic and filled-out 6'3, 225 lb. LB/EDGE/WR, I came away most impressed by Karmo's versatility and physical dominance in pads. The future Golden Gopher lined up all over the field and wore a variety of hats on Friday night, including as the punter, where he absolutely boomed a 45-ish-yard punt in the second half. He also found work as a WR, TE, HB, LB, EDGE, and RB, and was a brick wall in physical, 1v1 situations throughout the night. I saw the senior dominate at the contact point and put some of Armstrong's best and biggest players on flat on their butts as a blocker throughout the night. He also had an eye-catching reception in the second half that saw him float through the air and beautifully time out a reception high-pointing over three Armstrong DBs and reeling in through contested coverage. Had to be accounted for and was disrupting the Armstrong front-seven all game long defensively as well. Gopher fans should be stoked about this one. Homegrown kid, big-time size and athleticism, and a well-rounded, focused, competitive football player.   Sema'J Young - 2026. WR. 5'9, 155 lbs.   I was a lucky witness to Young and his 1v1 route-running and overall WR ability this summer, so I knew he was a name to watch coming into the rivalry matchup. Young did not disappoint, totaling 2 TDs and an INT on defense while posting nearly 100 yards of receiving yardage on the night. Deep play and vertical ability, soft hands, and dangerous at the top of the route, Young is an outstanding route runner possessing ball skills and play speed that is too much to handle for defenders. He's a must-know WR in the 2026 class.   [player_tooltip player_id='234778' first='Tony' last='Kollie'] - 2025. LB. 6', 210 lbs.   First off, Kollie's energy, communication ability, and focused, competitive, all-in playstyle did not go unnoticed. Kollie was fighting tooth and nail to stay on top of his Robbinsdale rival and wasn't giving up an inch in run support all Friday night. His ability to shoot gaps, read his keys and trigger on ball carriers quickly and effectively, and tackle-in-space skillset all helped him remain a constant presence in Armstrong's face during the ball game. Aggressive, fast, and fired up, I liked watching Kollie play on Friday.   Tavorian Thompson - 2026. QB/DL/TE/ATH. 6', 230 lbs.   Talk about a football player. Thompson was QB2 for the Hawks but also saw reps at TE and DL. Owning a thick, powerful build with a noticeably large lower body, Thompson is versatile and dynamic, with the size and physicality to move some bodies when needed, and was obviously athletic despite not playing a huge role in the Hawks offense. Big sleep on their roster, in my opinion.   [player_tooltip player_id='1516207' first='Jordan' last='Dalton'] - 2026. DB. 6'1, 160 lbs.   My favorite new name of the ball game came out of the Cooper secondary. Junior safety Dalton had a great game in coverage from his SS spot, enforcing his will physically, reading and reacting with urgency, and absolutely shutting down the MOF as an option for the Armstrong offense and passing attack. Dalton put a huge stick on a Falcon's WR early in the game to knock loose a PBU and had another well-timed and aggressive break-up later in the ball game in a clutch situation. Love his ball skills, pace out of his breaks, physicality, and instincts. Lots of length as well. He'll be added to the 2026 rankings in the coming update.

Another week, another great slate of games in Minnesota. In this action-packed Week 3 throughout the Land of 10,000 Lakes, our scouts were all around the state, and I was lucky enough to head to New Hope to watch one of the fiercest cross-town rivalries in the state as Robbinsdale Armstrong took on Robbinsdale Cooper. Separated by a little over three miles, the Falcons and Hawks are familiar foes that have seen particularly talented rosters the past half-decade or so. The results were unexpected, and in addition to watching the #1 player in the state in Cooper's Emmanuel Karmo Emmanuel Karmo 6'3" | 225 lbs | LB Robbinsdale Cooper | 2025 State MN , I saw familiar playmakers assert their talent, new names burst onto my radar, and one player, in particular, solidified himself as one of the best at his position in Minnesota. Check out the Robbinsdale Cooper vs. Robbinsdale Armstrong Recap and Top Performers below, only on PrepRedzoneMN.