Tanner Weiss hauls in a pass.
St. Mary’s knew going into their state playoff semi-final round Friday at the Mall of Amercia Field at the Hubert H. Humphery Metrodome they would need to put a target on Mahnomen’s running back and quarterback. The Indians are a predominately running team and those would be the two the Knights would need to stop. That target somehow got lost in the pre-game. Mahnomen ran all over St. Mary’s en route to a 32-12 win.
Mahnomen Quarterback Jacob Pavek rushed for 173 yards while back Avery Fairbanks added 129 more as the Indians overpowered the Knights. The loss put an end to the local boys miracle season.
Mahnomen bullied their way up the field on the game’s first possession to take an 8-0 lead.
St. Mary’s went four-and-out on their first drive. The Indians continued to move the markers with their ground game. Pavek then split the linebackers and raced 25 yards for his second touchdown of the contest. With 2:50 to play in the first quarter, the Knights trailed 16-0.
Mahnomen tried to get cute on the ensuing kick off. St. Mary’s was ready, covering the bouncing ball at their own 47-yard line. Anderson then hit Adam Sellner on a slant, Sellner did the rest, racing the final 62-yards for a 72-yard scoring play. Scott Salfer was stopped short on the two-point conversion.
The Indians struck right back with a 12-play, 76-yard drive. Pavek scored on a 12-yard option keeper to put the Knights deficit at 24-6 with 7:38 to play in the half.
St. Mary’s offense started clicking on their next possession. They averted disaster when quarterback Jordan Anderson coughed up the ball but Zach Miller emerged from a big pile with the pigskin. The Knights continued to march but the Indians defense came up with a tipped ball on a 4th-and-7 play at the 29-yard line to stall the drive.
The half ended with Mahnomen rushing 33 times for 233 yards while passing for 30. The Knights had 91-yards in the air and 26 on the ground.
The Indians looked to strike again on their first possession of the second half with a long touchdown pass. An offensive pass interference called it back.
The Knights then assembled a 91-yard drive to cut their deficit to 24-12. A 30-yard pass play to Sean Mathiowetz set up an 11-yard strike again to Mathiowetz in the corner of the end zone as time expired in the third quarter.
Mahnomen had an answer once again. A 37-yard run up the middle by Pavek for his fourth touchdown of the game put the game on ice.
St. Mary’s offense put together one more drive into the red zone but an interception on a 4th-and-10 play at the 17 yard line with three minutes play knocked the wind completely out of their sails.
The Knights finished the contest with just 55-yards on the ground.
They fared better with the passing game. Anderson went 19-34 in the air for 257 yards. Mathiowetz led the way with nine receptions for 102 yards. Sellner grabbed five for 102 yards. Joe Meyer made three catches for 38-yards while Tanner Weiss added two for 15-yards.
St. Mary’s season came to an end with a 12-4 mark.
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