Class 3A championship: New London-Spicer rallies to defeat Glencoe-Silver Lake 28-21

Glencoe-Silver Lake’s defense has been phenomenal all season long, shutting out teams eight times while allowing just 36 points total coming into the Class 3A finals.  Late in the third quarter, however, New London-Spicer finally found a way to move the ball against the Panthers- through the air.  Quarterback Jayme Moten was 14 for 17 for 242 yards with three touchdowns, including the game-winner with 3:06 to go as the Wildcats used a 22-point fourth quarter to knock off the three-time defending champs 28-21.

Trailing 21-20, New London-Spicer’s defense stopped Glencoe-Silver Lake on 4th and 1 at the Wildcat 23 yard line with 7:03 to go.  Moten and the Wildcats then went to work, keeping the ball in the air against the Panthers and moving it 77 yards for the game-winning score.  Aaron Jenny, who had caught a 46 yard pass from Luke Peterson on a trick play earlier in the drive, hauled in a 4-yard pass from Moten to give New London-Spicer the lead.  Jenny then caught the two-point conversion to give the Wildcats a 28-21 lead.

Glencoe-Silver Lake still had 2:59 left on the clock to move the ball down the field for the tying touchdown.  After picking up two first downs, Sam Schmid was able to intercept a pass from Kyler Anderson, a pass that was rushed by the pressure of Kevin Soine.  The Wildcats then ran out most of the clock, giving the ball back to Glencoe-Silver Lake with just four seconds on the clock.  Anderson’s desperation pass was intercepted, clinching New London-Spicer's first state football championship.

At the start of the fourth quarter, the game was still a defensive struggle with Glencoe-Silver Lake holding a 14-6 lead.  On the first play of the fourth quarter, New London-Spicer quarterback Jayme Moten found Luke Peterson on a screen pass and Peterson did the rest, running 29 yards for the score.  Trailing by two, the Wildcats attempted to tie the game with a two-point conversion, but Glencoe-Silver Lake’s pressure forced Moten to throw it out of the back of the end zone.   Glencoe-Silver Lake answered immediately, as Kyler Anderson found Aaron Lueders for a 65-yard touchdown to make the score 21-12.  Not to be outdone, New London-Spicer quickly answered back, as Moten tossed a 54-yard bomb to Erik Tengwall.  The two-point conversion from Moten to Jenny was good, and New London-Spicer was within one.

The Glencoe-Silver Lake defense forced the Wildcats to punt on their first possession of the second half, and the Panther offense then went on a 12 play, 65 yard touchdown drive.  With two big third down conversions, Glencoe-Silver Lake kept the drive going against the Wildcat defense and finished it off when Aaron Lueders stuffed it into the end zone from 3 yards out.  Dummer made the extra point to make the score 14-6 in favor of Glencoe-Silver Lake.

Most of the first half was a field position battle as neither team could do much against the opposing defense.  Glencoe-Silver Lake slowly won the battle of field position, and after a New London-Spicer drive where they were whistled for two holding penalties, the Panthers got the football after a punt and the Wildcat 39.  One play later, Anderson found Lueders for a 39-yard touchdown strike, tying the score at 6-6.  The Kaine Dummer extra point was good, giving Glencoe-Silver Lake a 7-6 lead.  The defenses held for the rest of the half, keeping the score 7-6 at the break.

New London-Spicer rolled down the field against the tough Panthers defense the first time they had the ball.  Keeping the ball exclusively on the ground, the Wildcats put together an 8 play, 47 yard drive that culminated in Jake Essler pounding it in from the 1 yard line.  Kevin Soine’s extra point was missed, leaving the score 6-0.

GAME NOTES: Jenny finished with five catches for 100 yards, one touchdown and two two-point conversions…Glencoe-Silver Lake outscored their opponents 136-0 in the third quarter this season…New London-Spicer committed 11 penalties for 70 yards…New London-Spicer was appearing in their first state championship game…New London and Spicer are just under 100 miles west-northwest of Minneapolis…Glencoe and Silver Lake are about 55 miles west-southwest of Minneapolis.

The 2009 Prep Bowl results:

Class 5A: Cretin-Derham Hall 16, Eden Prairie 5
Class 4A: Totino-Grace 45, Sartell-St. Stephen 7
Class 3A: New London-Spicer 28, Glencoe-Sliver Lake 21
Class 2A: Waterville-Elysian-Morristown 33, Moose Lake-Willow River 22
Class A: Minneota 42, Adrian 21
9-Man: Stephen-Argyle 37, Nicollet 22

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