Armstrong was struggling to finish drives. The Falcons got exactly what they needed to help with that: overtime.
Thursday's football roundup: Armstrong tops school district rival Cooper in two OTs
Kevon Johnson scored twice in overtime, securing victory in a game pitting top-10 Class 5A teams.
September 15, 2023 at 3:29AM
Junior running back Kevon Johnson scored his second touchdown of overtime on a 2-yard run Thursday, giving the Falcons a 20-14, two-OT victory over visiting Cooper in a battle for Robbinsdale school district bragging rights that involved top-10 Class 5A teams.
Cooper had the opening possession of the second OT. Its 22-yard field-goal attempt was blocked.
Both teams scored in the first OT. Johnson scored on a 5-yard run for No. 5 Armstrong (3-0), and Cooper matched it with senior quarterback Kameron Fox's 10-yard touchdown pass to junior Emmanuel Karmo.
No. 8-ranked Cooper (2-1) had a go-ahead touchdown nullified early in the fourth quarter because of an offensive pass interference penalty. It turned the ball over on downs two plays later at the Armstrong 17.
The Falcons opened the scoring when junior quarterback Dawson Franke hit Johnson with a 20-yard scoring strike over the middle on third-and-13 with 3:27 remaining in the first half.
Armstrong started the rivalry with five consecutive possessions in Hawks territory. The Falcons were hurt by two turnovers, an interception and a fumble, and were stopped on downs on a fourth-and-goal call from the 2-yard line.
Junior Gideon Breker made sure the Falcons entered the locker room at halftime with a 7-0 lead when he intercepted a pass in the end zone on the final play of the second quarter.
Cooper tied it on the Falcons' first possession of the second half, thanks to another turnover. Karmo picked up a fumble and returned it 22 yards for a touchdown just over a minute into the third quarter.
The Hawks defense came up big again on Armstrong's ensuing possession, stopping the Falcons on another fourth-and-goal play from the 4-yard line.
Eden Prairie 28, Prior Lake 14: The Eagles took a patented Mike Grant victory — run, run, run and then run some more. Junior Jeremy Fredericks scored on runs of 1 and 3 yards in the fourth quarter, breaking a tie in a victory over Prior Lake (1-2). Class 6A, No. 1 Eden Prairie (3-0) also scored on junior Elijah Rumph's 14-yard run and senior Liam Berndt's 25-yard run. Junior Levi Eiter ran for both Lakers touchdowns.
Minnetonka 34, Edina 10: The Class 6A, No. 5 Skippers (3-0) and Hornets (1-2) were tied 10-10 until Minnetonka erupted for 24 fourth-quarter points. Senior quarterback Milos Spasojevic threw his second touchdown pass during the spurt. Senior running back Lucas Knox started it with an 8-yard run, and senior defensive back Samuel Williams capped it with a 20-yard interception return with 3:39 remaining.
Shakopee 21, Wayzata 17: Senior Bradley Hanson scored on a 1-yard run with 3:28 remaining, capping the Class 6A, No. 4 Sabers' comeback over the Trojans (0-3). Shakopee (3-0) trailed 17-7 when junior Jack Hove returned an interception 33 yards for a touchdown early in the fourth quarter. Shakopee also scored on junior Jacob Kasper's 50-yard interception return.
Rogers 52, Irondale 21: Junior Kalvin Eull ran for four touchdowns (3, 3, 13 and 65 yards), three in the second half, as the Class 5A, No. 3 Royals (3-0) pulled away from the Knights (0-3).
Six players plus head coach Garrett Raboin and assistant coach Ben Gordon are from Minnesota. The tournament’s games will be televised starting Monday.
