Pequot Lakes’ defense shut down Park Rapids’ running game as the Patriots advanced to the Section 8AAA football championship game with a 42-14 semifinal victory at Pequot Lakes Saturday night.
Park Rapids managed only 5 yards on 19 running plays while C.J. Borleis completed 9 of 14 passes for 189 yards in leading the No. 2-seeded Patriots past No. 3 Park Rapids. Of those nine completions, two went for touchdowns and five others produced first downs that kept scoring drives alive. Borleis was the Heart O’Lakes Conference’s leading passer by throwing for 1,153 yards and 15 TDs during the regular season.
The Patriots opened the game with a 14-play, 88-yard scoring drive. Sebastian Elsenpeter’s 2-yard run on fourth-and-1 at the Pequot Lakes 42 kept the drive alive before Borleis (who had a 46-yard completion on the third play of the game called back because of an illegal procedure penalty) threw an 11-yard completion and followed with a 15-yard completion on fourth-and-4 at the Park Rapids 39. After a personal-foul penalty led to a first-and-goal at the 3, Chad Christianson capped off the drive with a 2-yard TD run. Borleis’ kick gave Pequot Lakes a 7-0 lead with 3:28 to play in the first quarter. That drive consumed 9:42 off the clock.
After forcing the Panthers to punt, the Patriots put together a five-play, 51-yard scoring drive. A 19-yard catch by Alex Tangen set up a 21-yard TD catch by Jack Kreitz. That gave Pequot Lakes a 13-0 lead with 10:44 to play in the first half.
Park Rapids’ defense produced a break when Kenny David recovered a fumble at the Pequot Lakes 42. Jake Dickinson hit Connor Byer on a 15-yard route and Jordan McCollum for a 20-yard gain to set up a 1-yard TD run by McCollum. David Frorath’s kick cut the gap to 13-7 with 6:27 to go in the first half.
ADVERTISEMENT
Two touchdowns in the final 4:23 pushed the Patriots’ lead to 28-7 at the half.
A 51-yard catch by Tangen set up a 16-yard TD reception by Tangen on third-and-14 as the Patriots drove 63 yards in four plays. Elsenpeter ran in the conversion to give Pequot Lakes a 21-7 lead with 4:23 showing in the first half.
The Patriots took advantage of a 14-yard punt for a six-play, 36-yard scoring drive. Borleis scrambled for 10 yards on third-and-1 at the Park Rapids 27 before Elsenpeter’s 10-yard TD run capped the drive. Borleis’ kick made it 28-7 with 1:07 left in the first half.
An 8-yard reception by Derek Porozinski, a 2-yard run by McCollum on fourth-and-1 and a pass interference penalty led the Panthers to the Pequot Lakes 30 on the opening series of the second half. But an illegal procedure penalty and a sack ended that drive at the 35.
Pequot Lakes responded with a three-play, 65-yard scoring drive as a 29-yard run and 42-yard run by Elsenpeter set up a 4-yard TD catch by Tangen from Elsenpeter. Borleis’ kick gave the Patriots a 35-7 lead with 5:47 to play in the third quarter.
On their next three possessions, the Panthers had to punt, threw an interception and lost possession on downs.
Shae Zeidler concluded the scoring for the Patriots on a 40-yard run as Pequot Lakes led 42-7 with 4:11 to play.
The Panthers ended the scoring with a four-play, 65-yard drive. McCollum hit Byer on a 35-yard route before Dickinson found Porozinski on a 24-yard connection and a 5-yard TD play. Frorath’s kick made it 42-14 with 2:10 to go.
ADVERTISEMENT
Dickinson completed 11 of 20 passes for 117 yards with Porozinski making six receptions for 67 yards. Byer caught two passes for 50 yards as the Panthers ended the season with a 4-6 record.
Pequot Lakes, which defeated Park Rapids 41-25 during the regular season, improved to 7-2. The Patriots will play No. 1 Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton for the Section 8AAA title.
Park Rapids 0 7 6 7…14
Pequot Lakes 7 21 7 7…42
SCORING
PL–Christianson 2 run (Borleis kick)
ADVERTISEMENT
PL–Kreitz 21 pass from Borleis (run failed)
PR–McCollum 1 run (Frorath kick)
PL–Tangen 16 pass from Borleis (Elsenpeter run)
PL–Elsenpeter 10 run (Borleis kick)
PL–Tangen 4 pass from Elsenpeter (Borleis kick)
PL–Zeidler 40 run (Borleis kick)
PL–Porozinski 5 pass from Ja. Dickinson (Frorath kick)
ADVERTISEMENT
TEAM STATISTICS
PR PL
First downs 9 15
Rushes-yards 19-5 36-230
Passing 12-22-1 10-15-0
Passing yards 152 194
Total yards 157 426
Penalties-yards 4-17 8-63
ADVERTISEMENT
OFFENSIVE STATISTICS
RUSHING. Park Rapids: Bade 4-20, Burlingame 1-3, Porozinski 1-1, Yliniemi 1-0, Baumgartner 1-0, McCollum 8-(-5), Ja. Dickinson 3-(-14).
PASSING. Park Rapids: Ja. Dickinson 11-20-1 for 117 yards; McCollum 1-2-0 for 35 yards.
RECEIVING. Park Rapids: Porozinski 6-67, Byer 2-50, McCollum 2-22, Bade 2-13.
