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Totino-Grace edges Prior Lake

By DAVID LA VAQUE, Star Tribune, 11/11/11, 11:30PM CST

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A collection of big plays propelled the Eagles into the Class 5A semifinals.


Totino-Grace quarterback Bob McDaniel tries to elude two Prior Lake defenders during Friday's Class 5A quarterfinal game at the Metrodome. Star Tribune photo by Tom Wallace.


Prior Lake's Matt Arends (7) came down with the ball for a touchdown just before halftime Friday of Lakers' game against Totino-Grace at the Metrodome. Star Tribune photo by Tom Wallace.

Assistant coach’s son. Ball-boy since second grade. Senior difference-maker.

Motivation for Totino-Grace standout Andy Moritko is easy to find. He’s been ingrained in the Eagles’ culture of success, even helping them win a state title last season.

On Friday, he made key plays from a variety of positions to help the Eagles beat Prior Lake 21-17 in the second Class 5A state football tournament quarterfinal game at the Metrodome.

“As a senior, you feel you help carry the team,” said Moritko, whose father, Jeff, is a longtime member of the staff. “It feels great to finally be at the top.”

In the second half alone, Moritko intercepted a Prior Lake pass, hauled in a touchdown pass to tie the score and anchored a defensive stand that forced a late Prior Lake field goal.

“A couple of those plays make the difference in the game,” Eagles coach Jeff Ferguson said.

Totino-Grace, a private school in Fridley that won six of the past eight Class 4A titles, opted up for this season to Class 5A to play among the schools with the largest enrollments. The Eagles did so with a team of players with big dreams and bigger hearts.

“Our kids have a great deal of pride and confidence,” Ferguson said. “I’ve never seen them with a look or a feeling of doubt at any point this year.”

Winning Friday called on Totino-Grace’s state tournament experience. The Eagles scored first on a 28-yard touchdown pass from Bob McDaniel to Charlie Miller. Prior Lake’s Matt Arends tied it with a 27-yard touchdown catch with 40 seconds left in the first half.

Early in the second half, the Lakers threw to Arends again deep in Totino-Grace territory. Moritko answered with a diving interception to kill the drive.

On their next drive, the Lakers’ Jack Kaiser broke free for a 25-yard run to the Eagles’ 2-yard line. On the next play, Jack Johnson barreled into the end zone, giving Prior Lake a 14-7 lead with 3:32 left in the third quarter.

The Eagles took control with two touchdown passes just two minutes and 12 seconds apart in the fourth quarter. Moritko scored first on a 5-yard fade route to tie the game 14-14. And Sam Meyer got under a 34-yard touchdown pass to make it 21-14.

Prior Lake attempted to answer, but a 19-yard field goal by Kirk Lair was as close as state tournament newcomers came to an upset.

“They’ve got a great tradition of winning, but I don’t think our guys thought about that too much,” Lakers coach Matt Gegenheimer said. “They knew they were coming to play a football game, and they played well. To Totino’s credit, they made the plays when they had to, and we didn’t always do that.”  

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