Senior quarterback Brandon Lien threw a touchdown pass and dashed for three long runs, two for touch-downs, to spark Osseo to a 25-7 win over Maple Grove Friday, Sept. 12.

"Brandon Lien really broke the game open for Osseo," Crimson coach Craig Hansen said. "As I said before, he can do a lot of things with the football. He was close to breaking loose in the first two games and he broke loose against us."

The game, played in front of a near capacity crowd at Carl Tonn Field. pitted two 0-2 teams seeking their first victory of the season. For the second-year Crimson, they were seeking their first win in the program's history. Osseo coach Claud Allaire knew the Crimson would love to get that historical victory against Osseo.

BIG WIN

"This was a very important game for us in many ways," Allaire said. "Our players were very excited be-fore the game as I am sure theirs were. We talked all week about the fact that Maple Grove would be thrilled at the opportunity to win their first game ever and do so against Osseo."

Thanks to Lien and a standout effort by the defensive, the Orioles kept the Crimson winless.

Lien scored the game's first touchdown on a 44-yard run in the first quarter. Randy Larson kicked to give Osseo a 7-0 lead. "I really felt that if we came out, played well and got on top early on, that we would have a good game," Allaire said.

The Osseo defense certainly had a good night as it didn't allow a touch-down. However, the Oriole offense was inconsistent and Maple Grove's defense came up with a big play in the second quarter to tie the game.

After a pass interception by senior defensive back Nick Schroeder, Osseo was driving and faced third and seven on its own 35-yard line when Lien rolled out and pitched to junior running back Roger Hill. The ball bounced off Hill and straight to the hands of Maple Grove sophomore defensive back Michael Behr. Sprung open by a couple of big blocks from his teammates, Behr darted into the end zone untouched. Senior Kyle Olson's kick evened the score at 7-7.

"Mike Behr just made a great play," Hansen said. "He had never played high school football before, but he is having a great season."

Behr's touchdown made the score 7-7 at halftime and each team felt confident about the second half.

"Our defense was playing well but our offense was disorganized and out of sync." Allaire said. "We went in at the half feeling pretty good about our defense but concerned about our offense."

In the Crimson locker room. Hansen was hoping his offense would wake up in the second half. "Offensively we have been struggling, but we have always played better in the second half," Hansen said. "We had hoped to come out and gain momentum. But give Osseo credit. They came out fired up and intense and took it to us. We didn't move the ball and they came up with the big blocked punt."

OSSEO DOMINATES

The Crimson defense was equally stubborn but it could not handle Lien and the great field positions Osseo enjoyed in the second half. The Orioles capitalized in the third quarter and scored two touchdowns.

"Our defense was extremely greedy in the second half," Allaire said. "In fact, their performance al-lowed us to overcome several mistakes offensively."

The Crimson took the opening kickoff but could not pick up a first down and had to punt. Osseo applied pressure and junior defensive back Nathan Voight blocked the punt and senior linebacker Reid Swanson re-covered the ball on the Maple Grove 10.

On third and goal from the 9, Lien lobbed a pass to Schroeder. who leaped high to grab the ball deep in the left side of the end zone. The kick failed but Osseo had a 13-7 lead that it would not relinquish.

"The momentum really shifted after that," Hansen said of the blocked punt. "In these highly emotional rivalries, these swings of emotions really snowballed on you."

On Maple Grove's next possession, Osseo recovered a fumble at the Crimson 15. However, Maple Grove junior defensive back Jon Dubel kept the Orioles out of the end zone when he wrestled a Lien's pass from an Oriole at the 3-yard line.

Dubel's third interception of the season only postponed the Osseo onslaught. After another Maple Grove punt, Lien led the Orioles to their third score. Lien picked up a first down at the Maple Grove 35-yard line, and on the next play kept the ball, found a hole up the middle, veered right and out ran the Crimson defense to give Osseo a 19-7 lead.

"I am very impressed with how our players came out in the second half and took control of the game," Allaire said.

TOUGH PENALTY

The Crimson's comeback bid suffered a big blow when an apparent touchdown was called hack late in the third quarter. Facing third and long on his own 45-yard line with 37 seconds left in the quarter. Crimson junior quarterback C. J. Woodrow scrambled to his right to avoid a heavy Osseo rush and hit junior receiver Jeremy Oligmueller 10 yards down field.

Oligmueller eluded the Osseo defense and dashed into the end zone. However, the touchdown was called back because the referee ruled that Woodrow had crossed the line of scrimmage when he tossed the pass.

"On film, we felt he was right on the line, but not over it," Hansen said. "That was another big blow. It was close, too close to make that kind of a call. That would have been fun. It would have made the game close and boosted our spirit a lot."

With that nullified touchdown went Maple Grove's comeback hopes. Lien, who finished with 178 yards on 15 carries, put the nails in the coffin when he broke loose for a 55-yard run on a third-and-one play before he was stopped at the Maple Grove 1. Two plays later, senior fullback Randy Larson powered in for the clinching touchdown.

"It was a great victory for us because not only was it our first of the season, but it was also an opportunity for our players to show that despite going through a school split and playing second fiddle to Maple Grove in many respects. Osseo has maintained its enthusiasm, heart and competitiveness."

Senior nose guard Gabriel Bosquez, senior end Brad Jackson and senior linebacker Reid Swanson were the defensive standouts for the Orioles.

For Maple Grove, junior linebacker Brett Schendel had nine tack-les and one fumble recovery, junior linebacker Luke Craven had nine tackles, Dubel had eight tackles in addition to his interception, senior defensive end Peter Erickson had six tackles, sophomore linebacker Caleb Marx and one interception.

The 1-2 Orioles next visit Mounds View Friday, Sept. 19, while the Crimson will host Champlin Park for their first ever homecoming game.