For the second week in a row, the new kid on the block took a pounding as Mounds View flexed its muscles in a 54-0 football win over visiting Maple Grove Friday, Sept. 6.
"Mounds View is a really good team, one of the best teams they've had in a while," Crimson coach Craig Hansen said. "They are big, strong, fast and experienced. Defensively, they have big, mature, strong kids. They might be the most physical team we will meet this season." The Mustangs moved the ball at will and intercepted four times to keep the Crimson out of the end zone.
Hansen added that his players realized that losing games by big scores to powerful teams will be part of the growing pain this season.
"The lop-sided score is no fun and it hurts," Hansen said. "You don't like not scoring and not stopping them, but that's only one part of the game. We needed to see and experience that. You can talk about intensity and being physical but until you go through the fire, you won't learn what it's like. I am proud of our kids. They responded well, didn't quit and hung in there. And they are improving. You just have to go through it to learn it."
The Crimson moved the ball and had 210 yards in total offense, but turnovers halted their drives.
"We did have possession for a considerable amount of time in the first half. We got down into scoring position and didn't quite convert," Hansen said.
Sophomore quarterback C. J. Woodrow completed 18 of 39 passes for 159 yards with four interceptions. Sophomore wide out Jeff Hess had six receptions for 78 yards and junior tight end Jason Amundson had three catches for 44 yards. Sophomore running back Justin Lehman carried 27 times for 51 yards and sophomore back Ray Flint added 22 yards on seven runs. Defensively, junior defensive tackle Justin Kehner had four unassisted tackles and three assisted tackles and sophomore tackle Chris Dykhoff had four unassisted tackles, two assisted tackles and one blocked kick.
The learning process continues for the Crimson this Friday, Sept. 13, when they face Osseo at 8 p.m. at Carl Tonn Field.