Riding a regular season 23 game winning streak and going against our crosstown rival, the stadium was buzzing as we took the field.  Unfortunately, in a hard fought battle where both teams played their hearts out, and high and lows were too many to count, we came up on the short end 27-26. 

Defensively, we went against a team with a ton of speed that is explosive and has scored a ton of points, and showed both good things and bad.   We came out in the first two series and completely shut them down, played with enthusiasm and were flying around.    Then, after a 4th and 7 completion that set up a score for Osseo that brought them back to seven points, we played more on our heels and became a battling defense, not a thriving one.   This was a great lesson for our kids because we will now be way better at handling the ebbs and flows of a game when two good opponents are going at each other and there is a turn of momentum.   Isaac Collins and Adam Brant both had big games with nine tackles a piece, Chris Fondakowski added 8 tackles, and Jack Dahl-Maglone added six tackles with two tackles for loss as a defensive end.   Also, Sam Franta had an important interception that stopped a drive in the first half in our own endzone.

Offensively, we also did a ton of great things, controlled the line of scrimmage and were able to move the ball throughout.   However, mistakes such as penalties and turnovers as we were going into score hurt us as we left valuable points on the board.   Our running game was flourishing as both of our tailbacks combined for over 320 yards, and our total offense was over 400.   Clark Wieneke and Isaac Collins both carried the ball 22 times during the game for 183 and 144 yards respectively.   Clark scored one touchdown, Isaac scored two and Kyle Anderson poured in another one from his fullback position.  Our offensive line did a great job paving the way for the backs and we ran hard on every down.  

However, the lesson learned on Friday night was how important special teams are to the success of a game when it comes down to the wire.   Osseo clearly won the kicking game and that proved to be the difference, and here is where we will improve a great deal as we enter the playoffs.    Everybody will focus on the final play of the game, but one of the biggest momentum changers in the game was the kickoff return allowed at the beginning of the 2nd half that gave them an easy score to tie it.  Jebah Doe again did a great job punting it averaging over 40 yards on his two punts, but the rest of our teams that night were out-classed.   I will always have faith in Tyler Knutson as our kicker and to help him, we have to protect better up front.  However,  I will always know he will make a kick inside of 25 yards from the center of the field any day of the week and he is going to win us that game come playoff time that truly will have significant meaning.

I have always been a believer that the victories in life we remember the most are those accomplished when you had the greatest chance of losing or you had experienced loss at a previous time.  What happened last week is what makes being involved in sports truly impactful.  Sure, there was great disappointment, but we have no excuses as a program, and a team that battled hard on that night and also wanted to win a great deal made enough plays to end up on top.  However, what makes it great being knocked off that perch like we were last night is that it gives us a chance to evaluate and build the foundation underneath it even stronger, so we are truly ready when we truly need it.  I love this team.  We still are the same bunch of great kids that was going into Friday night, and after seeing them on Saturday after a little adversity was faced, they are going to come back at an even higher level.   Our goal this whole regular season was to be at our maximum potential as we enter the playoffs, and we have a huge opportunity on Wednesday night against a 5-2 Spring Lake Park team to get to that point.   It’s going to be quick week of work against a very good football team that provides a great challenge offensively with their running game, but what an opportunity it is!  Let’s close the chapter on this regular season the right way and go into the playoffs soaring!   Hope to see everybody out there on Wednesday night for our final test, I know every ounce of support given means a ton to our boys!   GO CRIMSON!