The road to the 2021 State Football Tournament will likely go through the Robbinsdale school district as the Cooper Hawks and the Armstrong Falcons are the top two seeds in Section 5AAAAA. Here's a preview of the five team section.
Two Minneapolis City Conference rivals will battle in the lone game on Tuesday, October 26 as the fifth seeded Minneapolis Washburn Millers travel to Southwest to take on the fourth seeded Lakers. It will be a rematch of the September 23 game where the Lakers routed the Millers 41-7. Preston Engen threw three touchdown passes, two to Cam Holter and Declan Maida declared victory with two rushing touchdowns. Southwest overcame a three game losing streak in the season finale with a 19-2 win over the Minneapolis South Tigers. As for Washburn, it has been a rough road for this long-time Minneapolis football power house that ended a five game run of giving up 40 points or more with a 28-14 win over the Minneapolis Roosevelt Teddies. Could there be an upset in the making?
The winner will face the top seeded Cooper Hawks, entering section play with a 6-2 record. They are on a four game winning streak since losing to the Holy Angels Stars 56-34 on September 24. The Hawks have an experienced quarterback in Joe Russell, who has thrown 21 touchdown passes, 10 of them to David Connors. In the backfield, Camden Royal has been the King of the Cooper End Zone, making 14 trips this season and rushing for 1255 yards. The only game where he has been held under 100 yards was the September 10 game against the Waconia Wildcats, rushing for only 73 yards. Could there be a celebration in New Hope November 5?
Concluding the Section 5AAAAA bracket is the third seeded St. Louis Park Orioles and the second seeded Armstrong Falcons. In the regular season finale against the unbeaten Chaska Hawks, the Orioles came close and fell to the Hawks 21-14. The combination of quarterback Will Dvorak and wide receiver Stefano Giovannelli have helped St. Louis Park has a successful second season under head coach Jason Foster with a record of 5-3. Ten of Dvorak's 13 touchdown passes have gone to Giovannelli, including the eventual game winner against the Waconia Wildcats October 14. The second seeded Falcons enter section play with an identical 5-3 record. After a three game winning streak where they put 40 points or more on their end of the scoreboard, Armstrong has lost two straight games. They lost to Chaska and Spring Lake Park. Jamen Malone has anchored the Falcon offense, passing for 17 touchdowns. Seven of them were to Peyton Newbern, son of former Gopher men's basketball player Melvin Newburn. Jordan McClorn has been a bright spot in the Falcon defense, recording four interceptions. It should be an interesting matchup to find out who will play in the November 5 section final.
There's plenty of outstanding section football coming up and it all begins this coming Tuesday.
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