Second-half surge leads Cardinals to 36-20 win
by Bryan Zollman, Let’s Play Football
A second-half surge led by two touchdown runs from Isaiah Turner led Annandale over Minneapolis North 36-14 to advance to the Class 3A Prep Bowl Saturday at U.S. Bank Stadium.
The Cardinals improved to 12-0 on the season and in addition to their solid offensive effort turned in another strong defensive performance holding Mr. Football finalist Logan Lachermeier and Minneapolis North’s potent offense to just 20 points.
The Cardinal defense had allowed just eight touchdowns scored against them heading into Saturday’s 3A semifinal. The Cardinals got on board first when Braylon Fobbe connected with Colton Purcell on a 19-yard score and after an extra point by Hunter DeBoer, a 7-0 lead.
North responded when Lachermeier found Anthony Deline on a 29-yard touchdown and an extra point by Bravo Niyonkuru made it a 7-7 game after the first quarter.
Annandale took a 14-7 lead in the second quarter when Cam Ergen scored on a 1-yard TD run. It stayed that way until the half.
Annandale’s Rylan Horsch tries to plow through the Minneapolis North defense in the Cardinals’ 36-20 win to advance them to the Prep Bowl in Class 3A for the second time in three years. LPF PHOTO BY LIZ WESTERHAUSTyshone Jenkins scored early in the second half to tie the game for North 14-14 on a 1-yard TD run followed by the extra point. But it was short-lived as Mike Kovall found Purcell for his second TD catch of the game, this one from 21 yards out and after a DeBoer extra point a 21-14 lead.
The Cardinals then broke the game open in the fourth quarter when Turner capped off a pair of possessions with TD runs of 11 and 36 yards for a 36-14 lead.
Lachermeier connected with J’Marion Sanders late, but the lead was insurmountable as the Cardinals advanced to their second Prep Bowl in three years. They lost to Stewartville 43-13 in 2023.
Annandale’s Gabe Westman fights for possession against a MPLS North player in Saturday’s win for Annandale. LPF PHOTO BY LIZ WESTERHAUSErgen led the Cardinal rushing attack with 118 yards on 22 carries. Purcell had five catches for 125 yards and two touchdowns. Kovall was 5-for-6 for 76 yards passing while Fobbe was 3-for-7 for 67 yards in their dual air attack.
Lachermeier ended his career with a gutsy performance of 16 completions for 257 yards. Annandale was able to pick him off twice for key interceptions. He also threw for two scores and leads the state with 44 touchdown throws.
Annandale will play Waseca (12-0) next Saturday at 1 p.m. at U.S. Bank Stadoum for the 3A championship.
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