Vikings end 8-0 season with 55-10 win
On a night when the Minneota coaching staff suddenly found themselves with a lot of options, the Vikings rolled up a 55-10 victory over Lac qui Parle Valley to complete a perfect 8-0 regular season.
It was a night when senior quarterback Thomas Hennen threw the ball for touchdowns, pitched it out to his wingback for a score, ran it long distance — then turned the ball over to sophomore brother Jacob and went out and caught passes.
“It’s nice to have options,” said Coach Chad Johnston after inserting Jacob Hennen into the quarterback spot for the first time since he broke his wrist in the season-opening game against Sleepy Eye.
“I definitely had to adjust,” said Thomas Hennen, who found himself on the receiving end of the ball after spending the season throwing it.
He found it difficult to make the transition. “I dropped a couple of passes,” he lamented. But he said, “It’s nice to have Jacob back.”
When asked which he liked better, quarterback or receiver, he said, “It’s hard to decide which I like best.”
This game was not just a matter of “meshing” wounded players back into the lineup — although Tanner Sterzinger and LaShad Smith played a big part in the victory.
It was more a matter of breaking long runs for touchdowns, recovering fumbles and taking advantages of the Eagles inability to hang onto the ball.
Blake Reiss broke off a 35-yard run just seven plays into the game to give Minneota a 6-0 lead.
Kicker Sebastiano Beraldo missed the extra point — but the Italian soccer-style kicker wouldn’t miss again.
The Vikings took advantage of a Carson Buer fumble recovered by Reiss, and marched 37 yards in five plays to take a 13-0 lead when Thomas Hennen pitched the ball to Cole Sanow and he rambled 47 yards to pay dirt.
“We took advantage of a couple of fumbles,” said Coach Johnston.
The biggest Viking breakdown of the game came after they committed a 15-yard roughing the passer penalty. Lac qui Parle Valley responded with a 36-yard reverse by Jacob Ransom that ended in the end zone. Strong-legged Neto Clovis put the ball through the uprights and the Eagles were within six at 13-7.
“We made adjustments,” the coach said after the breakdown.
The Vikings came back in the second quarter with Jacob Hennen running the show. His first pass back at the helm was a 10-yard completion to Landon Rolbiecki, who eventually scored on a two-yard toss from Jacob Hennen.
With a 20-7 lead, the Vikings again pounced on an Eagle fumble by Buer, with Sanow recovering the ball.
Thomas Hennen returned to the quarterback spot, spied Rolbiecki open in the flat and he caught the 32-yard reception. Two plays later, at 10:31 of the second quarter, Sanow scored and Minneota was up, 27-7. They had the Viking ship sailing again after the initial breakdown.
Before the half Jacob Hennen would complete a 14-yard pass to brother Thomas. The two would hook up again on a 33-yard pass that eventually led to a seven-yard touchdown run by Sanow for a 34-7 lead.
Insuring the lead at halftime was Shawn Buysse, who destroyed an Eagle drive by stopping passer Colton Mortenson. Ty Lipinski burst through to sack Mortenson and a 29-yard field goal attempt by Clovis fell short for the Eagles.
Coach Johnston felt his Vikings had some breakdowns to correct, then came out the second have and “Played really good.”
Taking the ball back at the quarterback spot, Thomas Hennen broke three tackles and rambled 64 yards for a touchdown at 8:14 of the third period.
In the line defensive line, Beau Banish, Cole VanOverbeke and Lipinski were creating havoc in the Eagle backfield. When Austin Sorensen broke in and sacked Mortenson for a 10-yard loss the Eagles were deflated.
Sanow added insult to injury when he rambled 35 yards for a touchdown. It was 48-7 and much too late for Lac qui Parle Valley to respond.
VanOverbeke sacked Mortenson, Sterzinger ripped off a 29-yard run and Minneota scored again on a 42-yard pass to Tate Walerius. With a 55-7 lead, the Minneota reserves rushed in, the game went into running time on the clock and the Eagles got one final chance to score.
Clovis used his strong right leg to slam home a 30-yard field goal to salvage a little dignity and end the game at 55-10.
Once it was over, Coach Johnston said, “You play well or be done with it. And I’m no ready to be done with it,” the coach chuckled.
With the Class A No. 1 ranking in their back pocket and an 8-0 season behind them, the next step was to watch for the Section pairings, expected to be released on Thursday (today).
Lac qui Parle Valley 7 0 0 3 — 10
Minneota 13 21 21 0 — 55
First Quarter
Minneota-Blake Reiss 35 run. PAT-Sebastiano Beraldo kick failed.
Minneota-Cole Sanow 47 run. PAT-Beraldo kick.
LqPV-Jacob Ranson 36 run. PAT-Neto Clovis kick.
Second Quarter
Minneota-Landon Rolbiecki 2 pass from Jacob Hennen. PAT-Beraldo kick.
Minneota-Sanow 1 run. PAT-Beraldo kick.
Minneota-Sanow 6 run. PAT-Beraldo kick.
Third Quarter
Minneota-Thomas Hennen 64 run. PAT-Beraldo kick.
Minneota-Sanow 35 run. PAT-Beraldo kick.
Minneota-Tate Walerius 42 pass from Jacob Hennen. PAT-Beraldo kick.
Fourth Quarter
LqPV-Clovis 30 yard field goal.
Team Statistics
Minneota LqPV
18 First Downs 15
8-27 Penalties/Yards 2-20
0-0 Fumbles Lost 5-3
21-289 Rushes/Yards 32-93
180 Passing yards 122
469 Total Yards 215
Individual Statistics
RUSHING (No., yds.) Minneot-Cole Sanow 9-113; Thomas Hennen 1-64; Blake Reiss 3-57; Tanner Sterzinger 2-35; Landon Rolbiecki 2-7; LaShad Smith 2-5; AJ Josephson 1-4; James Gednalske 1-4. LqPV-Jacob Ransom 6-55; Wyatt Halverson 7-16; Carter Amland 5-15; Carson Buer 4-14; Dain Mortenson 2-0; Coltn Mortenson 4-minus 6; other 4-minus 1.
PASSING: (No., comp., int. yds.) Minneota-Jacob Hennen 16-8-0-137; Thomas Hennen 8-4-0-43. LqPV-Halvorson 16-8-0-70; Mortenson 15-5-0-52.
RECEIVING: (No., yds.) Minneota-Thomas Hennen 3-62; Walerius 1-42; Reiss 1-31; Rolbiecki 5-30. Sanow 1-12; LoganSussner 1-3. LqPV-Caden Bjornjelt 2-30; Landon Schirm 2-30; Clark 1-27; Ranson 3-26; Austin Bonn 1-11; Brandon Rios 1-minus 9.
KICKOFFS: (No., yds., avg.) Minneota-Rolbiecki 9-308-38.5; Beraldo 3-111-37.0. LqPV-Clovis 2-89-44.5.
KICKOFF RETURNS: (No., yds.) Minneota-Sanow 1-55. LqPV-Halvorson 2-28; Ranson 5-11; Rios 1-17; Amland 1-12; others 2-0.
PUNTS: (No., yds., avg.) Minneota-1-49-49.0; LqPV-Bjornjeld 4-136-34.0.
PUNT RETURNS: (No., yds.) Thomas Hennen 0-0; Others 2-9. LqPV-1-0.
TACKLES: (Solo-assists) Thomas Hennen 3-1; Sanow 3-2; Sterzinger 3-1; Joseph Rybinskii 3-1; Jacob Citterman 3-1; AJ Myhre 3-0; Rolbiecki 2-1; Lipinski 2-3; VanOverbeke 2-0; Reiss, Smith, Sussner 1-0 each; Banish 1-3; Josh Laleman 1-2; Justin Johnson, Shawn Buysse, Layne Lozinski, Grady Moorse 1-1; AJ Josephson, AustinSorenson, Bronson Lozinski 0-1; Mitchell Rost 0-3. LqPV-Buer 4-0; Clarkd 4-2; amland3-1; Tanner Buffington 3-09; Trinity Lindner 2-0thers 7-5.
SACKS: Minneota-Rybinski, VanOverbeke, Sorensen.
TACKLES FOR LOSS: Rybinski, Myhre 2 each; Lipinski.
FUMBLE RECOVERIES: Minneota-Reiss, Sanow.
INTERCEPTIONS: None.