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Anoka rallies to beat Centennial

By David La Vaque, Star Tribune, 09/30/11, 10:30PM CDT

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Trailing 20-7 after a rough first quarter, the Tornadoes revved up to take a lead for good


Ben LaMere of Centennial dived for a first-half touchdown. Along with the rushing touchdown, LaMere caught touchdown passes of 21 and 19 yards, but the Cougars fell to Anoka 34-27. /Kathy M. Helgeson

Neither Anoka nor Centennial was favored to be in contention for a fourth victory by October.

By virtue of a 34-27 come-from- behind victory at Centennial on Friday, Anoka moved to 4-1 overall and 4-0 in the Northwest Suburban Conference. Trailing 20-7 after the first quarter, the Tornadoes scored 27 consecutive points before allowing a late Centennial (3-2) touchdown.
 
Now in great position to challenge for a conference title, the Tornadoes' players are trying to remain on task. "It's exciting but we want to take it one game at a time," said running back Ryan Rand.
 
Rand scored the game's first points on a 44-yard touchdown catch and run. Centennial running back Ben LaMere took over from there, scoring on passes of 21 and 19 yards from Evan Ostergren and adding a 35-yard rushing touchdown. LaMere's efforts staked Centennial to a 20-7 lead after 12 minutes.
 
"We were discouraged because we knew we could play better," Rand said.
 
Rand burst around the corner for a 41-yard touchdown dash mid-way through the second quarter to cut Centennial's lead to 20-14.
 
A key moment occurred late in the second quarter as the Cougars failed to complete a pass attempt on fourth down. Anoka got the ball at its own 38-yard line with 1 minute, 17 seconds remaining before halftime.
 
Quarterback Cole Boughner and Rand sparked the late drive with a 33-yard hookup to bring the ball down to Centennial's 29-yard line. With 3.5 seconds remaining before halftime, Boughner found Rand for the go-ahead score from four yards out. Anoka now led 21-20 and never trailed again.
 
"It was the right call," Centennial coach Mike Diggins said. "We just didn't make the play."
 
In the third quarter, the Tornadoes' offense faced a similar 4th-and-4 scenario at the Centennial 17-yard line. Anoka's Josh Werness got loose for the touchdown run and opened up the lead to 28-20.
 
As Anoka's offense surged, the transmission fell out of what had been Centennial's Big Red Machine. A late touchdown pass from Ostergren to Josh DeWitt brought the Cougars within reach at 34-27 but Anoka recovered the ensuing onside kick.
 
"Give Anoka credit, they made adjustments after the first quarter and we didn't make good enough adjustments, I guess," Diggins said.

Rand dashes, Werness bashes, Tornadoes win

 Two-thirds of Anoka’s terrific running back trifecta, Ryan Rand and Josh Werness, played key roles in the team’s 34-27 comeback victory against Centennial.

 
Playing to their strengths and playing well off each other, Rand and Werness kept the Cougars in pursuit or on their backs throughout the game.
 
Rand put Anoka (4-1) ahead 7-0 in a manner befitting his breakaway ability. He caught two passes from Cole Boughner on the opening drive. The first went for 28 yards into Centennial’s side of the field. The second was a 44-yard touchdown.
 
Rand 7, Centennial 0.
 
Then Centennial’s offense got rolling, scoring 20 consecutive points within the game’s first 12 minutes.
 
Rand, a 5-10, 165-pound bottle rocket, struck next. Taking an inside handoff, he ran left down the line of scrimmage as if it were a balance beam. And then he was gone. A burst of speed carried Rand 41 yards to the end zone and cut Centennial’s lead to 20-14.
 
After Centennial’s failed fourth-down pass attempt late in the first half, Boughner and Rand got creative in jump-starting the drive. Rolling to his right, Boughner looped back toward the middle of the field, saw Rand on the far side and fired. Rand scooted 33 yards to the Cougars’ 29-yard line.
 
“I was supposed to be blocking but then I saw Cole run back across the field,” Rand said. “He and I have really good chemistry. We’ve been playing together as quarterback and running back for about eight years now.”
 
The duo executed a precision curl pattern in the end zone and Anoka led 21-20 at halftime.
 
The Tornadoes extended their lead in the third quarter as Werness battered his way through the Cougars’ defense and turned a 4th-and-4 into a 17-yard touchdown.
 
Werness, a 205-pound fullback, helped close out the game by gaining 22 yards on a 3rd-and-5 in the fourth quarter. Boughner later scored from close range to give Anoka a 34-20 lead.
 
“The whole first half they were just trying to shut down Josh,” Rand said. “That’s what opened up things for me on the edges. We knew they weren’t going shut him down the whole game, though.”
 
Centennial coach Mike Diggins concurred.
 
“Our defense played tough but when you’re on the field the whole time you wear down,” Diggins said. “And No. 32 is tough to bring down.”

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