St. Croix Lutheran and Mound Westonka each believed it entered Friday’s showdown of unbeaten teams prepared by a week of strong practices.

Gameday proved otherwise. St. Croix Lutheran rolled to a 48-23 victory by running its veer offense to precision throughout a lopsided first half. The Crusaders (7-0), ranked No. 1 in Class 3A, got a combined six touchdowns from five players and led 41-0 at intermission.

“We feel we do a pretty good job with our scout team, but you can’t emulate their speed,” Mound Westonka coach Nick David said. “Hats off to them. They are the best I’ve ever seen at running the veer.”

Mound Westonka (6-1), ranked No. 10 in Class 4A, saw its 22-game unbeaten streak in regular-season games stopped cold.

A hot start propelled St. Croix Lutheran, the Class 3A Prep Bowl champion in 2011 and 2013 and runner-up last season. Rushing touchdowns on the Crusaders’ first three drives produced an early 21-0 lead.

Senior running back Dorrell Bratton started the St. Croix Lutheran surge with a 16-yard scoring run before the game was 2 minutes old. Fellow senior Mike Stern broke a 71-touchdown run on the first play of the Crusaders’ second drive.

Each team tried to convert on fourth down in the opening quarter, and the results were indicative of their fortunes.

The St. Croix Lutheran defense stopped the White Hawks at the Crusaders 40-yard line. His team facing fourth down on its ensuing drive, Crusaders senior running back James Chernohorsky scored a 35-yard touchdown.

“We had a great week of practice, and I think we did all the little things right,” Stern said.

Nehemiah Hammick (2-yard run), Chernohorsky (36-yard run) and Garett Maag (51-yard reception from quarterback Jonathan Liesener) all scored in the second quarter and St. Croix Lutheran, a private school located in West St. Paul, never looked back.

A showdown of unbeaten teams ended in surprising lopsided fashion as St. Croix Lutheran routed Mound Westonka 48-23.

The Crusaders (7-0), ranked No. 1 in Class 3A, made the first half a showcase of their depth at the skill positions. Five different players combined to score the team’s six touchdowns for a 41-0 lead at intermission at St. Croix Lutheran, a private school located in West St. Paul.

Mound Westonka (6-1), ranked No. 10 in Class 4A, could not muster a response. The White Hawks saw their 22-game unbeaten streak in regular-season games stopped cold.

St. Croix Lutheran, Class 3A Prep Bowl champions in 2011 and 2013 and runner-up last season, rushed for touchdowns on its first three drives. Senior running back Dorrell Bratton started the surge with a 16-yard scoring run before the game was two minutes old.

Fellow senior Mike Stern broke a 71-touchdown run on the first play of the Crusaders’ second drive.

Then St. Croix Lutheran’s defense shined, stopping Mound Westonka on a fourth-down try at the Crusaders’ 40-yard line. His team facing fourth down on its ensuing drive, senior running back James Chernohorsky got loose for a 35-yard run for a touchdown.

Ahead 21-0 after the first quarter, St. Croix Lutheran pulled away. Mound Westonka tried cutting the lead but an incomplete pass rendered a fake field goal attempt ineffective.

Nehemiah Hammick (2-yard run), Chernohorsky (36-yard run) and Garett Maag (51-yard reception from quarterback Jonathan Liesener) found the end zone in the second quarter.

While Friday proved discouraging for Mound Westonka, the program remains on an upswing. Before the 2015 season, the White Hawks had not won more than two games in a season in 15 years. The last time they had finished a season above .500 was in 1980.

Entering Friday’s game, Mound Westonka had last lost a regular season game in 2014.