Football: Coon Rapids ground up Osseo 28-14

By Tom Yelle
SportsPrepZone

Coon Rapids gave up opening touchdown drives to start the game and to start the second half, but made the most of the before, after and in-between minutes to collect four touchdowns and a 28-14 Northwest Suburban Conference Wednesday night win over Osseo.

It was Coon Rapids ' second win of the season, but by far the biggest. In fact, it might have been the biggest in the three-year coaching career of Jon Young, who said so much while talking with CTN sideline reporter Zach Nienaber during a post-game interview. At the very least Young was  astounded by the performance of his team.

Rightly so. Coon Rapids had come off a very poor defensive showing just five days before in a loss at Park Center. In this game against Osseo, the defense stood up when it needed to stand up and absolutely made the plays that were not made against Park Center.

Offensively, the team was not bad at Park Center and carried that momentum over to the game with Osseo, notably a fierce rushing attack led by Mo Ward and Jeremy Oakley, who combined for more than 200 yards on the ground. Oakley scored twice -- once in the third quarter from short distance, then in the fourth quarter to clinch the win.

Meantime, quarterback Brandon Flippen was on his game when Coon Rapids needed him most. He passed to Collin Eutenuer in the second quarter to give Coon Rapids its first touchdown and completed other key passes at key moments in the second half.

One was to Jerry Norris on a 2-point conversion play after Oakley's initial touchdown brought Coon Rapids back to within two points. Norris was on his back in the end zone when he plucked for the air Flippen's pass that had been slightly deflected. This enabled Coon Rapids to tie the game 14-14.

Perhaps the biggest pass play of the season and definitely of the game came less than four minutes into the fourth quarter. Faced with a fourth and long from the 24-yard line, Flippen lofted a ball to the left side of the end zone where his newest receiver Tom Hansen, who twisted from right to left, leaped and hauled in the ball before tumbling to the end zone turf for a touchdown.

With an extra point Coon Rapids had its first lead of the game 21-14, which Osseo threatened to close up three minutes later with a drive inside the 10-yard line. On first and goal, however, the ball came free and defensive back Dom Reff covered it at the 2-yard line.

Oakley then took over.

The senior running back literally pulled Coon Rapids out from beyond the shadow of the end zone, then past midfield and into Osseo territory. With time winding down on the fourth-quarter clock, Oakley kept going until he penetrated the end zone from the 5-yard line to cap a 9-play, 98-yard touchdown drive of which Oakley contributed 89 yards on seven of those plays.

And a 28-14 victory to remember.