19 October 2023
When the high school football playoffs begin Tuesday, Simley will be playing; Two Rivers probably will.
Both the Class 4A Spartans and Class 5A Warriors are in the postseason, but will each get a No. 2 or No. 3 seed in its section when playoff brackets are announced later this week?
Two Rivers put forth a better final argument in beating Simley 38-21 Wednesday.
St. Thomas Academy is expected to get the top seed in Section 3 of Class 5A with Bloomington Jefferson and Two Rivers entering Wednesday’s action basically tied in the Quality Rating Formula generally used for seeding purposes. Not only does a second seed mean a first-round bye, it also guarantees a home game at noon Oct. 28 in round two.
The Jaguars, who beat Rochester John Marshall 30-6, and Warriors did not meet in the regular season.
“We want to play football. Every game we get to come out and play is grateful. We’re gonna do our thing no matter what seed,” said Warriors tight end/defensive lineman Max Mogelson.
Drew Altavilla threw for 166 yards and two touchdowns — all in the first half. Ramzi Rislove ran for two scores and Johnny Laugerman had two scoring receptions, including a 90-yarder that wasn’t the most exciting snap for the Warriors (6-2), averaging 42.2 points in winning six straight games.
The highlight-reel play came in the waning seconds of the opening half, a play running back Riley Pearce said has been run “probably less than 10 times” in practice yet knew it could work.
“We are very confident in all our playing and know we can execute it.” he added.
Facing fourth-and-17 at the Simley 28, Altavilla connected with Adam Suchy at about the 20. He quickly lateralled the ball to Laugerman on the hook-and-ladder, and the speedy sophomore dashed into the end zone for a 28-7 Two Rivers lead.
The Warriors have outscored their opponents 157-16 in the opening two quarters this season.
“We just knew we were going to have to come and give it to them,” said Pearce, who opened the scoring with a 2-yard run. After a Simley fumble, Rislove scored from the 15 for a 14-0 first quarter lead. Rislove also iced the game with a late 5-yard burst.
Pinned at its own 10 late in the frame, Altavilla found Laugerman alone behind the defense. Laugerman caught the ball at about his own 40 and pulled away from there for a 21-0 lead after 12 minutes.
Mason Boyken drilled a 39-yard field goal for a 31-14 lead late in the third quarter.
Odds are Hill-Murray (5-2), which won 14-7 at Simley on Sept. 22 and crushed Como Park 56-6 Wednesday, is the top seed in Class 4A, Section 3. Chisago Lakes (6-2), which routed North St. Paul 61-6, likely has the inside track to the No. 2 seed.
“We’ll go where we need to go” said Simley coach Chris Mensen.
Christian Urbina and Lucio Rivera connected for a 17-yard, fourth-down touchdown in the second quarter for the Spartans (5-3), who lost for the first time in four games. Jerrod Jones scored from the 15 in the third quarter, and Isaiah Wilson had a 35-yard reception to make it 31-21 midway through the fourth quarter.
In the postgame huddle, Mensen reminded his team that everyone is 0-0 when the playoffs begin.
“You got to use this game as a learning opportunity and make them better.”
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