On Friday October 29th, the #2 Farmington Tigers hosted the #7 Forest Lake Rangers in the first round of the Minnesota State HighSchool League Class 6A Playoffs. In a win or go home game, the emotions were running high while the temperatures were running low. The Tiger's were winners in 3 of their last 4, losing in their final game to Wayzata by a score of 20-8. The Rangers are coming off a blowout loss to Lakeville North, 63-0. The Tigers fans were loud, packing the house to cheer the team on.
To start the game, the Tigers kicked off to the Rangers. The Rangers earned a 1st down on their opening drive after converting on 4th down. The following drive, Forest Lake took one out of their bags of tricks and attempted a fake punt with a run that was just short of the line to gain, turning the ball over to Farmington.
The Tigers took over, however, were forced to punt. A Ranger penalty on the punt gave Farmington a 1st down and the ball back. The Tiger's drove all the way down inside the 20 yard line before a fumbled hand-off was recovered by the Rangers' Payton Rindels. The Rangers could not capitalize off the fumble and were forced to punt. Jonathan Shrum made the play of the night blocking the punt, giving Farmington the ball at the 15 yard line. The Tigers capitalized on the field position, scoring on a direct snap to RB Rod Finley who walked into the endzone for a touchdown. The Tigers ran a similar play to go for 2 with a direct snap to RB Rod Finley that was no good. The Tigers kicked off to the Rangers and backup quarterback Brian Olson came in to start the drive. The Rangers answered back with a screen pass to the senior RB Cole Brisbois that went 83 yards to the house, silencing the crowd. They oped to go for just 1, but miss the kick tying the game 6-6.
Starting the second quarter, the Tigers got the ball and drove down the field. Ben Buesgens broke off a huge run to get the Tigers into the redzone. Rod Finley finished off the drive with a 26 yard touchdown run, his second touchdown of the game.
On the following drive, the Rangers' center snapped the ball too low for the quarterback to grab and the Tigers pushed it through the back of the endzone for a safety, making the score 15-6 for the Tigers.
The Tigers got the ball back after the free kick and WR Brenden Ebel made a huge carry to keep the drive alive on 4th down. RB Rod Finley finished off the drive with an 11 TD run. His 3rd of the night.
On the following Ranger drive, SS Jonathan Shrum earned an interception, to give the ball back to the Tigers. The Tigers capitalize off the turnover. Connor Weed hit Brody Hanley for a 44 yard bomb for a touchdown. The Tigers opted to go for 1 and missed it, putting the home team up 28-6.
Forest Lake got the ball back with a lot of ground to make up. On the Tigers 45 yard line, the Rangers had to go for it on 4th down but were stopped by the Tigers. With just a little over 3 minutes left in the half, the Tigers took their time slowly running it down the field. Rod Finley picking up chunk play after chunk play. On the 1 yard line Rod Finley took a direct snap and walked into the endzone nearly untouched. Marking his 4th rushing touchdown in the half. With a little over 20 seconds in the first half, the Tigers kicked to the Rangers, on the first play of the drive the Rangers fumbled the snap and it was recovered by Vince VonBank. On the first play of the drive, Connor Weed took the ball and ran it 15 yards to the endzone for a touchdown. This was Connor Weed's 16th rushing touchdown of the season. The Tigers kicked off to the Rangers which ended the half, 42-6.
The Tigers received the ball going into the 3rd quarter. Rod Finley returned the kickoff to the Tigers' 48 yardline. On 3rd down, still on the 48, WR Austin Eldeen made a 38 yard catch, to put the Tigers into the redzone. Then on an end around, Ben Buesgens hit the pylon to make the score 49-6.
The Rangers answered back, making the score 49-14.
Farmington would get the ball back and begin to play many of the underclassmen. Freshman Jonah Ask came in at QB and sophomore Jeffery Branson at RB. The Tigers played conservative with the backups in, and were forced to punt. Even with the Tigers having most of their key players out, they still locked down the Rangers making them punt. The Tigers took over with 3 minutes left in the 3rd quarter. Starting off the drive, RB Jeffery Branson ran 27 yards that brought them into the redzone. Then Jonah Ask put his body on the line, ended the drive with his own rushing TD. The Tigers with the PAT went up, 56-14.
With the start of the 4th Quarter the Rangers got the ball with a look of defeat in their eyes. Forest Lake drove all the way down into the redzone. RB Cole Brisbois, had made a touchdown run but was called back due to a holding call. With another 2 minutes off the clock the Rangers scored a 1 yard touchdown pass to Leo Kressin, but with a missed PAT the score was 56-20.
Starting off the drive for the Tigers, WR Richie Frimpong received the ball on a jet sweep, rushing to the 48 yard line. WR Cole Willek caught a pass to take the Tigers into the redzone. RB Evan Gore, finished off with a few runs to put the game away and a rushing TD. With a PAT, it put the Tigers up 63-20.
Tigers move on in the playoffs hosting #3 Minnetonka on Friday, November 5 at Tiger Stadium.
