Skippers run for 386 yards to quiet Tornadoes

Anoka hung with Minnetonka for a half, but the Skippers turned on their jets in the second half to coast to a 48-27 win over the Tornadoes and advance to the Class 6A title game.

Caleb Francois finished with five touchdowns and 283 yards rushing to lead the Skippers to the win.

Both team scored in the first quarter and were deadlocked 7-7. Anoka QB Peyton Podany connected with Any Ibekwe early in the second quarter on a 17-yard pass for a touchdown and a 14-7 lead. But Francois scored back-to-back touchdowns on runs of two and 29 yards for a 21-14 Skipper lead. Not to be outdone before halftime, Podany found Charlie Hendrickson on a 29-yard score to tie the game 21-21 heading into the locker room.

But the second half was all Skippers.

Chase Conrad, who finished with 102 yards rushing, scored on a 4-yard run and Francois followed with his third TD of the game on a 10-yard jaunt. Francois added a pair of 4-yard TD runs in the fourth quarter to separate the Skippers from the Tornadoes. A late TD pass form Podany to Ibekwe wasn’t enough as the Skippers advanced to the final where they will face the winner of Maple Grove and Shakopee.

Minnetonka finished with 386 yards rushing. Podany threw for 222 yards and three touchdowns and Trey Borchers had six catches for 94 yards for the Tornadoes who finished their stellar season 8-4.