Turnovers continued to plague Annandale in the Section 5-3A second-round high school playoff game at Mora. The Mustangs played error-free ball and capitalized on those four lost fumbles and two interceptions to end the Cardinals’ season 24-21 Saturday, Oct. 28.
Annandale, the No. 3 seed, outgained the second-seeded Mustangs 427 to 272 in total offensive yards. But those six turnovers were too much to overcome.
"I would never have envisioned that we would turn the ball over six times in the game," said Cardinals Head Coach Matt Walter.
Mora (7-2) will meet Pine City (5-5) for the section championship Friday, Nov. 3 at St. Cloud State University. The Pine City Dragons upset the No. 1-seeded Spectrum Sting 44-20.
Annandale, which won its first five games of the season, suffered its fourth loss in its final five games to finish with an overall record of 6-4.
When Annandale last met Mora in the section semifinals in 2015, the Cardinals scored an easy 40-9 win.
"We knew going into the season that Mora and us were the two best teams in the section," Walter said. "I figured we would meet up at some point in the playoffs."
Last season the Cards lost unexpectedly to Pine City and missed the opportunity to once again face Mora.
"I think our kids felt cheated that we didn’t get to play them last year," Walter said. "It has turned into a rival section game, with both teams physically matching up very well."
First half, a nightmare
On the very first play of the game, the Cardinals fumbled and the Mustangs recovered in excellent field position. The series ended with a failed field goal attempt.
"Our defense came up huge to start the game," Walter said.
But any momentum that had shifted back to Annandale did not last long. On the second play of the next Cardinal drive, a 30-yard run ended with a fumble. A Mora player scooped up the ball and ran down the sideline for a 70-yard touchdown.
The Mustangs’ two-point conversion failed. In fact the Cardinal defense stopped all four of Mora’s conversions in the game.
"We saw on film that they almost always go for two on the conversion," Walter said. "We told our defense all week that stops on the conversion would play a big part in the game."
Annandale’s game plan was to pound the Mustangs with its running game.
"We were going to use our senior offensive line and pound the ball at them with Reed Rasset and Jackson Helget," Walter said.
The Cardinals went right down the field, with Helget scoring on a 33-yard run. With Lauren Meidinger making the extra point, the Cards took a 7-6 lead.
"Lauren has been terrific in the playoffs kicking," Walter said.
Meidinger made all three of her point after touchdown attempts in the game and was 8 for 8 in the playoffs.
"At that point it felt like we had weathered the storm and were getting control of the game," Walter said.
The Cardinals forced a punt, giving them excellent field position at their own 40-yard line.
Unfortunately, the Cards fumbled on the first play and a Mora defender returned it to the 20-yard line. On the next play, Mora scored to take the lead 12-7.
The next three Cardinal possessions ended badly, as they were forced to punt once and threw two interceptions.
Mora was able to score again for an 18-7 halftime lead.
"I can’t explain the turnovers in the first half. Not only were we turning the ball over, but they were bouncing up right into the arms of the Mora defenders," Walter said. "We didn’t have a chance to recover any of them."
Nothing was going right for the Cardinals in the first half.
"It was frustrating. We felt that we were out-playing Mora, yet we were down 18-6," the coach said. "They hadn’t really stopped us, we were stopping ourselves. They couldn’t run the ball against us at all and that’s what they do best."
Mora did a good job of taking Rasset and senior receiver Nick Bieniek out of the game. Bieniek had only three receptions for 50 yards and no touchdowns. Rasset also did not score and managed only 40 yards on 14 carries. According to Walter, Bieniek and Rasset are about 90 percent of the Cardinal offense.
"Mora was able to do something no other team we’ve faced this season has done: slowing down Nick and Reed," Walter said. "We needed other players to step up on offense and they did."
Leo Healy, Helget, Walker Weege, Boyd Rassatt and Cam Howard all made plays for the team that gave the Cardinals a chance to escape with a win.
Changing momentum
"We came out in the second half and played like a championship team," Walter said. "I give our kids a lot of credit. Nothing went right in the first half and we were able to put that behind us and go to work in the second half."
Walter was pleased with the defensive unit against Mora, with the Cardinals holding the Mustangs to just 112 yards on 36 carries.
"Mora is a running team and they run the ball on everyone," Walter said. "Our defense tackles so well and we played physical up front."
Walter thought outside linebacker Kolbe Pastian played his best game of the year against Mora.
"It was the most aggressive Kolbe’s been and it really paid off for him," Walter said, pointing to the play from the defensive line of Gavin Gapinski, Thomas Johnson and Daniel Luna.
"Our linebackers did a great job of filling all night," Walter said."Helget, Jordan Picka, Wiley Hillestad and Jack McCoy did a great job of finishing tackles."
Walter was impressed with how aggressive Healy, Weege and Howard were in the run game.
The defense in the third quarter forced a three-and-out and Annandale went right down the field. With 5:53 remaining in the third quarter, Helget scored on a nine-yard run to cut Mora’s lead to 18-14.
"At this point, you could sense the momentum changing," Walter said. "Our kids were locked in and they were playing hard. We had Mora reeling and you could see it on their faces."
Later, Annandale stopped Mora on a fourth-and-1 from its own 30-yard line. Kolbe Pastian made an excellent play to stop their running back.
"We went right down the field to the 10-yard line in three plays and then we stubbed our toe again," Walter said.
On third and short, the Cardinals fumbled a hand-off, but recovered it for a loss. On fourth and nine yards to go, Healy was sacked, turning the ball over on downs.
"It was a huge play for Mora and they smelled blood," Walter said.
On the very next play, the Mustangs threw a 77-yard touchdown pass to their wide receiver to take a 10-point lead.
With five minutes left in the game, behind the running and passing of Healy and big catches by Weege, Howard and Lucas Foster, the Cards went right down the field and scored on a fourth-down pass from Healy to Rassatt.
With 1:50 remaining, the score was now Mora 24, Annandale 21.
Healy executed a perfect on-side kick that nearly worked.
"We had our hands on the ball with four Cardinals in the area and the ball bounced off one of our arms into the hands of a Mora player lying on the ground," Walter said. "We didn’t get a bounce all night, not even in the end."
Proud of the team
"We could have folded in the first half, but we didn’t," Walter said. "Our kids played as hard as they could and left everything on the field."
Walter was sorry to see the season end, especially for the 15 seniors.
"They were hurting after the game," he said. "It’s been such a fun year with this team. "
He said the players have done everything the coaching staff has asked of them.
"They played their hearts out every week, smiling and laughing along the way," Walter said. "This was a special group that had to overcome some adversity and they did it with flying colors.
"This was a special season that provided great memories and life lessons for all of us."
Statistics
Mora 12 6 6 0 – 24
Annandale 7 0 7 7 – 21
First quarter
M – Foster 60 yard fumble return (conversion failed) 8:22
A – Helget 35 yard run (Meidinger kick) 5:31
Second quarter
M – Wright 15 yard pass from Schritz (pass failed) 3:36
Third quarter
A – Helget 9 yard run (Meidinger kick) 5:53
M – Wright 77 yard pass from Schritz (run failed) :47
Fourth quarter
A – Rassatt 5 yard pass from Healy (Meidinger kick) 1:32
Total offense
Annandale: Rushing: 45 carries for 210 yards. Passing: 216 yards. Total yards: 427.
Mora: Rushing: 36 carries for 112 yards. Passing 150 yards. Total yards: 272.
Cardinal individual offense statistics
Passing: Healy 16-27 for 217 yards, 1 TD, 2 interceptions.
Receiving: Weege 7 for 90 yards; Bieniek 3 for 50 yards; Bachel 1 for 29 yards; Howard 2 for 28 yards; Boyd Rassatt 3-20 yards, 1 TD.
Rushing: Helget 17 for 129 yards, 2 TD; Rasset 14 for 40 yards; Healy 14 for 41 yards.
Cardinal individual defense statistics
Tackles: Healy 9; Picka 9; Gapinski 8; Helget 8; Kolbe Pastian 8; Johnson 8; Weege 7; Howard 7; D. Luna 7; Hillestad 4; Magrum 1; Bowman 1; Jones 1; Harvey 1; Hermes 1.
Annandale 35. Milaca 12
Prior to the Mora game, the Cardinals faced the Milaca Wolves in the first round of the playoffs Tuesday, Oct. 24, at Cardinal Stadium.
Annandale dominated this game, putting up 392 yards offensively to just 140 for the Wolves.
Healy was efficient passing the ball, completing 15 of 19 passes for 198 yards.
"Leo had two perfect passes, a 44-yard strike to Nick Bieniek for a touchdown and a 26-yard touchdown strike to Boyd Rassatt," Walter said.
The Cardinals’ offensive line was able to open holes for the running backs. Wiley Hillestad scored the game’s first touchdown on a 16-yard run, and Rasset scored two touchdowns, on 17 carries for 109 yards.
Bieniek passed the 1,000-yard receiving mark for the season. His 72 catches ties Mike Starke for the single-season school record.
"The 1,000 yards in a season is the most by a receiver in the 20 years that I have been at Annandale," Walter said. "Nick had a remarkable season."
Statistics
Annandale 7 21 7 0 – 35
Milaca 0 0 6 6 – 12
First quarter
A – Hillestad 15 yard run (Meidinger kick) 2:28
Second quarter
A – Bieniek 44 yard pass from Healy (Meidinger kick) 9:55
A – Rasset 28 yard run (Meidinger kick) 4:48
A – B. Rassatt 27 yard pass from Healy (Meidinger kick) 1:08
Third quarter
A – Rasset 7 yard run (Meidinger kick) 3:18
M – Molacek interception return (n run failed)
Fourth quarter
M – Rudolf 8 yard run (run failed) 2:46
Total offense
Annandale: Rushing: 32 carries for 194 yards. Passing: 198 yards. 392 total yards.
Milaca: Rushing 42 carries for 112 yards. Passing 110 yards. 140 total yards.
Cardinal individual offense statistics
Passing: Healy 15-19 for 198 yards, 2 TD, 1 interception; Bowman 1-2 for 6 yards, 1 interception.
Receiving: Bieniek 6-90 yards 1 TD; Rassatt 3-54 yards 1 TD; Weege 2-29 yards; Howard 2-5 yards; McCoy 1-14 yards; Magrum 1-6 yards.
Rushing: Rasset 17-109 yards, 2 TD; Honsey 8-51 yards; Hillestad 2-31, 1 TD; Bowman 1-4 yards; Healy 3-4 yards; McCoy 1-(-1) yards.
Cardinal individual defense statistics
Tackles: Helget 7; Johnson 6; Hillestad 4; Weege 3; D. Luna 3; Magrum 2; Gapinski 2; Picka 2; Kolbe Pastian 2; Healy 1; Howard 1; Dagner 1; Bowman 1; Carlson 1; L. Jones 1; Jacobson 1; Meline 1; Hoffenkamp 1; Conte 1; Sykora 1.
Sacks: Gapinski 2; Johnson 1