Josh Throndson scored on a five-yard touchdown run in overtime and Dave Vlasin made a game-saving tackle at the one-foot line to lead Maple Grove to a dramatic 33-27 overtime win over Park Center in Twin Cities Suburban Conference West football last Friday.
The Crimson scored twice in the final five minutes of regulation to force overtime. Park Center won the toss and chose to defend. On second down with the ball on the five and Throndson, a junior full-back, swept right on an option run and powered into the end zone be-hind a key block by senior running back Caleb Marx. The two-point pass failed and the Crimson defense was called on to make the stop.
The Pirates gained five yards on the first play, a quarterback keeper, but the Crimson stopped PC for no gain on a run and broke up a pass play on third down. On the game's final play, the Pirate quarterback rolled out to pass but found no open receivers. He then scrambled, broke loose and appeared on his way to the end zone. But Vlasin, a senior defensive back, saved the day by putting on a crunching tackle that pushed the PC quarterback out of bound one foot from the end zone.
"That last play was just incredible," Maple Grove coach Craig Hansen said. "Their quarterback was a real threat David Vlasin came out of nowhere and put a big hit on him near the goal line. It was just a great defensive play."
While Vlasin game-saving tackle was amazing, so was the Crimson's comeback in the fourth quarter. The Pirates took a 27-13 lead into the fourth quarter but the Crimson came through with two touchdown drives. The first was a 14-play drive capped by a one-yard touchdown run by Marx but the extra point failed. The Crimson then lost a fumble but the defense held and gave the ball back to the offense. Quarterback Mike Klosterman then led the Crimson on a 10-play scoring drive that ended with a 23-yard touchdown pass from Klosterman to senior receiver Brent Lawson with 1:08 left. Klosterman and Lawson then hooked up for a two-point conversion to tie the score 27-27 and force overtime.
"It was an exciting game. I don't think anybody left early," Hansen said. "It was a big win because we needed something to jump start our season. It was huge for our kids because we have a new bunch. They had every opportunity to quit but they pulled together and by golly in the fourth quarter it started to click. That's the most exciting, to see things settled in."
Earlier in the game, the Crimson took a 7-0 lead on a 10-yard pass from Klosterman to Lawson. The score was set up by a 33-yard run by Marx. The Pirates then scored 19 unanswered points for a 19-7 lead early in the second half. Throndson scored on a four-yard TD run to make it 19-13 but the Pirates in-creased their lead to 27-13 before the Crimson staged their rally. "The defense did an outstanding job," Hansen said. " They have continued to improve each week.
They rose up and had a great effort. Offensively, we had players step-ping up to make big plays when they had to. The new players really matured and put it together." Vlasin intercepted a two-point conversion pass attempt in addition to his key tackle, and senior linebacker Ryan Sathre, senior defensive ends Reed Trafton and Jus-tin Davis, junior linebacker Andy Greeder and senior linebacker Mickey Baker all had outstanding games.
Klosterman completed 12 of 27 passes for 162 yards with two touchdowns and one interception.
Lawson caught five passes for 54 yards, Hamilton had four catches for 83 yards, junior receiver Brandt Sorbel had two receptions in the fourth quarter for 16 yards and junior receiver Jacob Johnson had one for nine.
Marx had 80 yards on 10 carries. "It was a big win and a big confidence builder," Hansen said.
The Crimson, 1-2 overall and 1-0 in the conference, next visit Forest Lake Friday, Sept. 24.