Viking offense destroys Dawson-Boyd

It was hailed as "the showdown" between two arch-rivals coming early in the season.

But when the dust cleared, Minneota's offense left the Blackjacks eating dust, 48-21,

"We did a lot of good things tonight," said Coach Chad Johnston.

From the start to the finish, the Vikings offense kept the Dawson-Boyd offense at bay.

Isaac Hennen opened the scoring with a 39-yard touchdown pass from Alex Pohlen, who would toss for 142 yards on 10 of 16 passes and Hennen would run for 147 yards as the Blackjacks couldn't contain the Vikings.

Hennen called this a "huge win" because it will have an affect on the section rankings at the end of the year. But he also believed what Coach Johnston told the team. "You will likely see this team again — and they will improve."

Hennen, who also caught four passes for 64 yards, ripped off a 65-yard run in the third quarter and scored his third touchdown on a four-yard run in the final frame.

Being used as a versatile performer, instead of just running him to death, has made Hennen a better player. "I like it. It makes it harder for the defense to know what we are going to do," said Hennen.

Minneota's Brant Buysse, caught a 33-yard bomb from Pohlen in the first quarter and the wide receiver scored his first touchdonw of th eyar.

At the time it was 13-0 and looked like Minneota may roll.

But the one-two running combination of Bentley Boike and Colton Husby had other ideas.

Boike scored on a seven-yard run to make it a 13-7 game — and that's when the Vikings got a HUGE break.

With 37 seconds left in the half, the Landons — Rolbiecki and Abraham broke through the line and blocked Boike's punt and Thomas Hennen fell on it in the end zone for a touchdown.

Suddenly the score was 20-7 at the half. "That blocked punt was crucial," said Coach Johnston.

Dawson-Boyd got close in the second half when Husby scampered 40 ayrds for a touchdown to narrow the lead to 20-13.

But Minneota, which seemed like it just had to have a two touchdown lead, came right back on Hennen's long 65-yard romp and the Blackjacks were down by two touchdowns again.

Hennen, Landon Ambraham on a six-yard pass from Pohlen and Tanner Sik on a breaqkaway 43-yard run all scored touchdowns to put the game away.

"This was one of the biggest games of the year," said Hennen. It gave Minneota a 2-0 record and dropped Dawson-Boyd to 1-1.