Let’s Play Football game of the Week:

Cougars Running Attack Explodes for 31-point effort

by Robert Brent, Let’s Play Football

Champlin Park hosted Centennial High School on Friday Night in a matchup of two top-ten ranked 6A powerhouses. 

The matchup was also an exceptional opportunity to shine a light on the Play for Max Foundation. The foundation is a charitable organization dedicated to honoring the life and legacy of Max Akerson. Akerson, a former Champlin Park hockey player, passed last year after a battle with liver cancer. 

Learn more about Play for Max.

While the game was a fantastic occasion for reflection and charity, the matchup also held massive implications in the Minnesota high school football hierarchy. 

Team Previews

Champlin Park came into the game Friday night with two straight victories to start their season. The team’s week two victory was imposing, with the Rebels scoring a comeback win over highly-ranked Andover. 

The 28-24 win was highlighted by a last-minute touchdown pass from junior quarterback Miles Felton to tight end Isaac Axness. The connection was their second scoring play of the night. 

Felton and Axness put the final nail in the Andover coffin, but the team features a balanced attack that also includes a great running attack. Preston Nelson, another junior, ran for 118 yards and punched in two touchdowns of his own. 

The Centennial Cougars also entered the game with a 2-0 record after wins over Rosemount and Osseo. The Cougars appear to be back to being contenders after a 4-6 record in 2024. The 2025 team looks much more like their 2023 6A state-title team.

Centennial is built on an old school ground-and-pound philosophy where they almost exclusively run the ball out of motion-heavy formations. The Cougars used 16 different ball carriers in their win against Osseo, with a combined 325-yard rushing attack.

The Cougars feature several exciting players, but one of the most interesting is senior Calvin Coppersmith. Coppersmith is a running back and outside linebacker who is a key part of Centennial’s offense and defense. The two-way star is a great gadget player for the team, as he’s also a significant threat the rare times when Centennial chooses to pass the ball.

Game Recap

The first quarter provided the tightly-contested action expected out of two highly-ranked programs. Champlin Park and Centennial traded scoreless drives to start the game, with both teams struggling to make significant headway. Just as the Cougars looked to be driving, the Rebels caused and recovered a fumble to take over.

The Rebels couldn’t capitalize on the turnover, and possession went back to the Cougars towards the end of the first quarter. Centennial once again drove down the field and got to Champlin Park’s one-yard line before the quarter ended in a 0-0 tie.

The Cougars put points on the board first on the first play of the second quarter when Isaac Belinske-Strauss scored on a quarterback keeper up the middle. 

Centennial earned the next score of the game after an impressive 50-yard field goal from senior Justin Driver. 

Facing a 10-0 deficit, Champlin Park needed points on their next drive to prevent the game from getting away from it. The Rebels marched down the field behind a running attack from quarterback Miles Felton and runner Preston Nelson. 

The Rebel drive made it all the way to within the Cougars’ five-yard line before Centennial came up with a goal-line stand. The Rebels had to settle for a field goal to bring the score to 10-3 with 3:02 remaining in the half. 

The Cougars went right back on the attack before halftime and would extend their lead once again. This time, Centennial found the end zone on a 22-yard connection from Belinske-Strauss to Calvin Coppersmith. The scoring play was the last of the half, as Centennial took a 17-3 lead over the Rebels into halftime.

The second half started with more of the same, as Champlin Park struggled to get their passing attack going. The Rebels realized success on the ground, with Preston Nelson rushing for 93 yards in the first half, but the Cougar pass rush made life difficult for Felton in the passing game. 

Centennial once again found the end zone after Belinske-Strauss logged another one-yard touchdown run on a keeper up the middle. 

Belinske-Strauss scored his third rushing touchdown of the night early in the fourth quarter, again on a one-yard play up the middle. Centennial took the 31-3 lead with 10:48 left to play in the game.

Champlin Park finally found the end zone about a minute later when Preston Nelson scampered to a 22-yard scoring play. 

The 31-10 score held as the final score of the night with the Cougars emerging victorious in the battle of two highly-ranked teams. 

Looking Forward

The Champlin Park Rebels will go on the road for the next two weeks as they take on Rogers and Blaine. Rogers is 1-2 after losses to Moorhead and Osseo. Rogers will host the Rebels for the first time since the team’s move to 6A. Champlin Park will look to get back to their winning ways and get their contending season back on track. 

The Cougars will return home next week to take on the Andover Huskies. The Huskies are 2-1 after bouncing back from their loss against Champlin Park. Andover defeated Coon Rapids 55-14 on Friday night. If Centennial can score another victory against Andover, they’ll be well on their way to a contending season.

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