It’s here, the playoffs have finally arrived. Everything ramps up this time of year, and the stakes are higher than ever. We’re fortunate to have earned the No. 1 seed, which meant hosting the No. 8 seed Eastview Lightning in front of our home crowd at Crimson Stadium.

I was extremely proud of how our guys came out ready to play from the opening whistle. The defense set the tone early and often, forcing two turnovers within the first six minutes of the game. Logan Albeck jumped a screen for an interception, and Gavin Elmquist made a great break on a throw to the outside for another takeaway. The defense continued to dominate all night, with Brayden Dozier grabbing his first interception of the season. Eastview managed only two first downs in the first half and constantly found themselves behind the sticks. Our guys flew around and made their presence felt on every snap.

Offensively, our varsity unit executed efficiently on every drive. The game plan was balanced with a stronger passing emphasis this week.  Quarterback Kaden Harney made the most of it by throwing four touchdown passes on just 10 completions. That fourth touchdown moved Kaden past a couple of elite Crimson quarterbacks in the record books, Brad Davison and Mitch Brecke. Congratulations to Kaden on that accomplishment.

We even opened up the playbook with a creative play that saw Matthew Perusse find the end zone. The offense clicked in rhythm, and for one of the first times this year, we went into halftime with a comfortable lead.

Our junior varsity group got over a quarter of playing time and held their own against Eastview’s varsity. Defensively, they made the opponent work through a 13-play drive to score, and offensively they moved the ball well before a penalty and turnover stalled their progress. It’s always a great feeling when everyone gets the chance to play, especially this time of year when every opportunity is precious.

Looking ahead, we’ll be back at Crimson Stadium on Friday night to take on the East Ridge Raptors. They’re a well-coached team that always seems to elevate their play in the postseason. It’ll be a great challenge and our final home game of the year. From here on out, the playoffs move to Eastview High School and then to U.S. Bank Stadium.

Here’s to a tremendous week of focus, preparation, and execution under the Friday night lights in Minnesota.

GO CRIMSON.

Fear The Leaf! Leave No Doubt! Find A Way!

Coach Spurrell