Quantcast
skip navigation

Champlin Park trudges through Mounds View in shutout

By Adam Holt, SportsEngine, 10/27/17, 8:00AM CDT

Share

Quarterback Joey Faulds ran for three touchdowns and threw another in the Rebels' win.



Champlin Park quarterback Joey Faulds leaps into the end zone for the Rebels' second touchdown in the first quarter. Faulds ran for three TDs and threw a fourth in the Rebels' 28-0 win over Mounds View on Friday. Photo by Cheryl Myers, SportsEngine

Playoff high school football in Minnesota often means dealing with unpredictable weather — that might mean rain, wind, or snow. Friday, it was the latter two, and the Rebels handled it better than the Mustangs.

Champlin Park left Mounds View with a 28-0 win in the first round of the Class 6A state football tournament. It was a game that featured nine combined turnovers, seven by the Mustangs alone. It was also a matchup the Rebels felt could have been even more lopsided, and one where they had to make plenty of adjustments due to the weather.

Rebel quarterback Joey Faulds ran for three touchdowns, including two in the first eight minutes of the game. The game plan changed for Champlin Park (5-4) when it became apparent the slick conditions were going to make passing and even just snapping the ball an issue.

“When we threw that one pick, I was like, ‘OK, now we’re just going to try to run, run, run.’ Then we fumbled the ball too, just like they did,” Rebels coach Mike Korton said. “They fumbled the ball how many times? It was a fumble fest out here. The ball was slick, you just know that’s going to happen. We tried to keep it simple.”

The Rebels ran the ball 51 times versus five passes. Faulds threw a 24-yard touchdown pass on a fourth-down play, the only completion of the game by either team. He also had an interception and a fumble lost in the second quarter.

“The kid just plays with heart, though,” Korton said. “He just plays hard all the time. You can’t fault him for that.”

Although Mounds View (3-6) lost five fumbles and threw two interceptions, the Mustang defense held a few times and was helped out by some Champlin Park mistakes, including a bad snap on a field goal attempt near the end of the first half.

Champlin Park had plenty of ups and downs in the run game, thanks to a Mounds View defense that knew what was coming.

“They just decided they were going to come after us, and come down the line and come and pinch us,” Korton said. “And you know what? That was a good plan. You can’t put your foot in to throw it.”

The Rebels capitalized on more mistakes than the Mustangs, but Korton still would have liked more points on the board off turnovers.

“But then later on, we had how many other opportunities and we just didn’t do it,” he said. “We got down inside the 10 two different times and we come away with zero points.”

The Rebels had to adapt to the conditions and flow of the game, and there will be a much smaller margin for error with a matchup against top-ranked Eden Prairie next week in the round of 16. The Rebels lost to the Eagles in the state semifinals a year ago.


Junior running back Trevor Redmond (23) runs the ball upfield and is caught by a Champlin Park defender late in the fourth quarter. Redmond led the Mustangs in rushing yards during the regular season. Photo by Cheryl Myers, SportsEngine

First report

It wasn't a pretty night for anything, let alone football. But winning a playoff game helped make dealing with the cold and snow worth it for the Rebels. Champlin Park, the No. 5 seed in Section 5, went on the road and won 28-0 over Mounds View, the No. 4 seed in Section 4, Friday to open the Class 6A state tournament.

The wet, cold conditions led to nine turnovers between the teams, including six in the first half. Mounds View lost four fumbles in the first half, and finished with five lost and two interceptions. The Rebels lost a fumble and threw an interception.

Champlin Park quarterback Joey Faulds scored three rushing touchdowns in the game and threw for another to Trey Carlson in the fourth quarter. Faulds ran for 121 yards.

The Rebels scored two touchdowns in the first quarter, both on runs by Faulds, leading to a 14-0 halftime lead.

Louis Powell and Kiernan Lundgren had interceptions for Champlin Park (5-4).

Matt Meloch had an interception on defense for the Mustangs. Mounds View did not complete a pass in the game. Alex Relling ran for 18 yards and Trevor Redmond ran for 29.

Champlin Park advances to face the No. 1 seed from Section 6, Eden Prairie, in the next round of the state tournament. Mounds View finished its season 3-6.

Photo Gallery

The MN Football Hub polls are for entertainment purposes only. 


Kiernan Lundgren (24) lies in wait behind Mounds View receiver Joel Smith (30) and comes up with the interception for Champlin Park. Photo by Cheryl Myers, SportsEngine

Spotlight Games

most popular