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Sports

Packers Knock Out No. 2 St. Thomas Academy

South St. Paul rallies from 24-10 down in the fourth quarter to oust the Cadets from the playoffs in a 32-31 overtime decision in Section 3AAA final.

After years of beating the Packers like a drum, the music died for St. Thomas Academy football Friday night.

s Cadets had won nine straight against South St. Paul, hadn’t lost to the Packers since 2004 and had knocked them out of the playoffs each of the last three seasons.

But rallying from a 24-10 deficit to start the third quarter, South St. Paul rode the considerable talents of senior all-state running back Samuel Sura and topped host St. Thomas Academy 32-31 in Friday's overtime thriller.

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With the win, the Packers (10-1) claimed the Section 3AAAA title and advance to play Mankato West (10-0) at Chanhassen Friday in the Class 4A state football quarterfinals.

“They’ve got a great team,” St. Thomas Academy head coach Dave Ziebarth said of the Packers. “They did a great job. I thought it was really a good game and I’m not ashamed of our kids. I’m really proud of our kids. I’m sorry we lost but I hope they (the Packers) pull it together and I hope they win the whole thing.”

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The Cadets had their chances, including a shot at victory in the final seconds of regulation when kicker Wyatt Schmidt’s 27-yard field goal attempt was no good.

The ninth-ranked Packers then won the toss and elected to play defense to start the overtime. St. Thomas Academy scored two plays later on a 6-yard run by Hootie Hubbell. Schmidt kicked the extra point to give the Cadets a 31-24 lead.

South St. Paul scored quickly on its possession on a 10-yard run by Harrison Rund. The Packers then gave the ball to the player everybody thought would get the carry and Sura delivered the game winner as he plowed into the end zone, dragging STA standout linebacker Mitch Mountain with him.

It capped an amazing game for Sura, who had 178 yards on 30 carries. Sura was just the headliner in the story, however, as the Packers rushed for 257 yards.

Second-ranked St. Thomas Academy’s season ends at 9-1.

“It’s painful, I feel bad for the kids,” said Ziebarth. “South St. Paul deserved it. They earned it. We kept giving them chances to come back and they did it. Hats off to them, they played a hell of a game.”

The Cadets led throughout—14-0 after one quarter, 17-10 at the half and 24-10 starting the third period. But St. Thomas Academy couldn’t get that one extra score that would have changed the complexion of the game.

South St. Paul had 24 first downs to just 11 for the Cadets.

St. Thomas Academy took a 14-0 lead and were close to making it 21-0 late in the first quarter after an interception by Paddy Clancy set the Cadets up deep in Packers’ territory. But the Cadets couldn’t punch it in and settled for a Schmidt field goal.

Then early in the fourth quarter, leading 24-10, the Cadets missed an opportunity to put the game away. The Cadets recovered a muffed punt and gained possession with a first-and-10 at the South St. Paul 15-yard line. But South St. Paul’s defense rose up to again to deny the Cadets and then went on a scoring dive sparked by a long run by Sura.

The Packers then recovered an onside kick and went on a 53-yard drive in the final minutes to tie the game and send it into overtime.

St. Thomas Academy senior quarterback John Gould was 10 of 17 for 119 yards, one touchdown and one interception and added eight carries for 27 yards rushing.

Billy Mork had 11 tackles, including four tackles for losses and a sack, to lead the Cadets defense. Paddy Clancy and Doug Vanasek had 10 tackles each.

                                   1          2          3          4          OT                   Final

South St. Paul             0          10        0          14        8          --          32

St. Thomas Academy   14        3          7          0          7          --          31

STA – Hubbel 3 run (Schmidt kick)

STA – Grat 3 run (Schmidt kick)

STA – Schmidt 23 field goal

SSP – Ward 30 field goal

SSP – Rund 6 run (Ward kick)

STA – Johnson 16 pass from Gould (Schmidt kick)

SSP – Rund 1 run (kick failed)

SSP – Sura 2 run (Sura run)

STA – Hubbell 6 run (Schmidt kick)

SSP – Rund 10 run (Sura run)

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