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Crimson opens football postseason with familiar face

By admin, 10/27/16, 10:15AM CDT

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by Matthew Davis

Maple Grove gets to revisit a big moment in program history when the Class 6A playoffs begin on Friday.

In 2013, the Crimson ended an 11-year state tournament drought when they face Roseville at TFC Bank Stadium. Roseville won 24-21 but fell in the semifinals to Rosemount the next week at the Metrodome.

Only Crimson senior quarterback Brad Davison remains from that 2013 squad as the Roseville Raiders (3-5) visit on Friday at 7 p.m. in the big school playoff opening round. Maple Grove (6-2) and the Raiders haven’t met since that 2013 state tournament game.

“We’ve got to be well prepared and have good intensity,” Crimson coach Matt Lombardi said. “When the playoffs come, you’ve got to really enjoy the moment and take advantage of it.”

Looking for a fourth-consecutive state tourney appearance, the Crimson can’t look past a Raiders squad that has one notable win. The Raiders beat an NCAA Division I-prospect heavy Woodbury on Sept. 16. Moreover, Roseville stuck close with two top-10 teams before losing by two scores or less.

“They’re at least very deep [and] they’re probably the best seventh seed in our tournament,” Lombardi said.

Earning a No. 2 seed, the Crimson get to defend their home field on Friday and again the following week with a victory. Davison led the Crimson in a big performance on Oct. 19 to lock up a top-2 seed.

“It’s nice to have a quarterback who can do just about anything,” Crimson senior receiver Teddy Raasch said.

Davison threw four touchdown passes and rushed for another in a 48-17 win over Shakopee. A Wisconsin basketball recruit, Davison distributed the ball to three different wide receivers on his TD throws.

Senior receiver Jack Dugan caught a 4-yard TD early in the game as the Crimson took the lead and hardly looked back. Fellow senior Ky Carlson took home a 64-yard TD pass, and Davison added a 6-yard TD run for a 21-3 lead in the first quarter.

Gabe Hanson, a senior defensive back, extended the Crimson lead on a 56-yard interception return for a TD. Hasnon grabbed his first pick of the season on the play.

“It’s kind of cool in his last regular season game for getting a pick six [and] that was his first one ever,” Lombardi said.

Junior linebacker Jake Hanson, no relation, led the Crimson defense with 10 tackles and a sack. It looked like the defense had a comfortable lead to work with going into the second quarter, up 28-3.

Davison even cushioned it with a 25-yard TD pass to Carlson for a 35-3 lead at the 8:44 mark of the second. Shakopee suddenly responded to the onslaught though with 14 unanswered points in the final 3:46 of the half, which cut the lead to 35-17.

“We didn’t pursue as well, and they made us miss a little bit,” Lombardi said.

Maple Grove’s defense woke up again and pitched a shutout in the second half. Swarming to the ball made the difference.

“When we start doing that, we’re usually pretty good,” Lombardi said.

Linebackers Zion Allen, a senior, and Ben Paschke, a junior, each tallied nine tackles. Junior defensive back Curtis Haugen had eight tackles and an interception. Senior defensive lineman Tony Jokismovic posted eight tackles, and Matt Slough sacked the Sabers quarterback once.

Overall, the Crimson limited the Sabers to 1.9 yards per attempt rushing. Maple Grove’s running attack did damage on the other end with 6.2 yards per carry.

Crimson senior running back Ryan Hanscome led the ground game with 84 yards rushing and a TD on 12 attempts. Junior receiver Jake Kampsula chipped in 27 yards on three carries.

Carlson led all receivers in the passing game with 90 yards on three receptions. Dugan caught four passes for 69 yards. Hanscome similarly had 64 yards receiving on three catches.

Maple Grove will both the running and passing game to click against Roseville, a team that allowed 3.9 yards rushing and 4.9 yards passing per play.

“Defensively, they do a nice job,” Lombardi said.

The Crimson defense will need to slow down the Raiders’ skill players. The Raiders average 5.1 yards rushing per attempt and 4.9 yards per pass.

“They’ve got a lot of good skill kids [and] do a good job of getting the ball to many people,” Lombardi said.


Senior quarterback for Maple Grove Brad Davison passed for four touchdowns and rushed for another during Wednesday night’s 48 to 17 victory over Shakopee Senior High. (Photo by Tim McBride)