Sports Briefs: Blaine Football Rules Homecoming, Spring Lake Park Wins Brick Battle

A balanced attack and points in every quarter netted Blaine football a rain-soaked 24-6 homecoming win over St. Michael-Albertville Sept. 23. Michael Douglas rushed for 121 yards, Frank Daniels ran in two touchdowns and Tyler Terry rushed for a score for the Bengals, who picked up 183 yards on the ground and another 120 through the air. Kendall Stadden was 3-for-3 on extra points and added a field goal.

Also in area football Sept. 23-24:

It was domination from start to finish as Anoka overpowered Roseville 30-0. Eli Paulson caught seven passes for 116 yards and also scored a pair of touchdowns on the night, while Ethan Massmann rushed for 130 yards and a score. Trey Borchers also brought in a touchdown reception from Peyton Podany, who passed for 151 yards.

Five different players ran for at least 25 yards as Spring Lake Park topped rival Irondale 15-6 in the “Battle for the Brick.” Brayden Talso was the leading rusher with 121 yards and also completed a touchdown pass to Mikey Say. Lamari Brown rushed for a score as well. Defensively, Hunter Mlinarcik had six tackles and combined with Myles Thomsen on a sack.

A late touchdown lifted St. Francis over Andover 20-18, as the Saints remained undefeated at 4-0 on the season. Grady Brunn rushed for two touchdowns, and Jaxon Skogquist hit Alec Sandstrom with a go-ahead touchdown pass for the Saints.

Fridley improved to 3-1 on the year with a 33-14 win at North St. Paul. MJ Newton ran for 152 yards and two touchdowns and also threw a touchdown pass to Carieon Powell. Lex Korti rushed for 143 yards and two scores. Defensively, Kerome Thompson totaled 17 tackles, while Moses Farwenel and Mohamed Toure each intercepted passes.

Rogers defeated Coon Rapids 38-7, Minneapolis Henry defeated Columbia Heights 32-14, and Wayzata defeated Totino-Grace 45-7.

Runners take on Roy Griak field

Area runners took on some of the top teams from the state and beyond in the Roy Griak Invitational held at the University of Minnesota Sept. 24. Blaine boys cross-country’s River Santiago earned 77th overall in 17:05.9 in the Gold Division of 525 runners. The Bengals earned 34th as a team. Coon Rapids’ Payton Martinek earned 23rd in the Maroon Division in 17:36.6. Shalom Sulungaine led the Blaine girls, earning 43rd in the Maroon Division in 21:07.3, with Coon Rapids’ Ruby Demmer earning 80th in 21:46.0.

The Andover boys finished as the team runner-up and Anoka earned sixth at the Tom Watson Mustang Invitational held in Anoka Sept. 24. Andover placed four runners in the top 19, including Aidan Gomes, Jack Jendro, Brandon Board and John Downs. Anoka’s Danny Ness and Ethan Wellman finished in the top 25. Kaelyn Nelson won the girls race for Anoka, finishing in 18:45.6. Andover earned fourth as a team, led by the trio of Olivia Krafty, Isabel Grant and Julia Babineau in the top 13.

Huskies remain undefeated

Andover boys soccer preserved its undefeated record heading into the final stretch of the regular season, recording wins over Rogers and Spring Lake Park, and a tie with Park Center. The Huskies are 10-0-2 with three games to play. Baraka Tarleton and Jack Casassa both tallied hat tricks versus Rogers.

Spring Lake Park picked up a 5-0 win over Coon Rapids Sept. 27, led by Maid Medic with a pair of goals.

Legacy Christian Academy shut out United Christian 2-0 Sept. 26, improving to 11-1-1.

PACT played Eagle Ridge Academy to a 1-1 draw Sept. 26, moving to 7-2-3.

Blaine, Andover lead way in NWSC

Blaine and Andover girls soccer remained atop the Northwest Suburban Conference, each without a defeat and with a lone tie coming against one another earlier in the year. Blaine shut out Osseo and Rogers, then edged Elk River 2-1 Sept. 27. Kendall Stadden had all three goals in the shutout over Rogers. Andover earned shutouts over Rogers, Spring Lake Park and Anoka, the latter an 8-0 win Sept. 26 with Addie Dobratz scoring twice.

Spring Lake Park shut out Coon Rapids 9-0 Sept. 27.

Bengals 2nd at Maroon and Gold

Blaine girls swimming and diving finished as the runner-up out of 16 teams in the Bronze Division of the University of Minnesota’s Maroon and Gold Invitational Sept. 24. The Bengals picked up wins from the 200-yard medley relay (Sophia Leo, Madeline Schrank, Nevaeh Miller and Kalli Stark), Schrank in the 200 IM and the 200 freestyle relay team (Schrank, Miller, Leo, Stark).

Anoka earned ninth place in the Maroon Division at the meet, led by Kirsten Bailey’s runner-up finish in diving.

Andover earned ninth in the Gold Division.Cate Pawlaski won the 200 IM and the 100 breaststroke.

PACT rallies past West Lutheran

PACT Charter rallied from two sets down to win in five over West Lutheran Sept. 22, improving to 3-1 in Minnesota Classic play. Keshi Handapangoda had 16 kills and Sydney Zahler had 22 assists on the night.

Anoka earned a non-conference sweep over Chisago Lakes Sept. 26, as did Blaine over Cambridge-Isanti Sept. 27.

Andover came back from a set down to defeat Elk River in four sets Sept. 27.

Spring Lake Park earned a sweep over Coon Rapids Sept. 27.

Blaine overpowers Irondale

Three wins apiece in singles and doubles added up to a 6-1 win for Blaine girls tennis over Irondale Sept. 26, with singles wins by Molly Garber, Maria Guse and Katherine Vetsch, and doubles wins by the teams of Allison Halseth/Mara Holle, Andrea Shogren/Audrey Brown and Kaitlyn Way/Morgan Keller.

SOURCE: Hometown Source