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Shakopee plows through Eastview to advance in Class 6A tournament

By Ryan WIlliamson, SportsEngine, 10/27/17, 8:00AM CDT

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Jack Casey ran for three touchdowns in the Sabers’ victory.



Shakopee quarterback Tony Monroe runs the ball outside in the first half against Eastview Friday night. Monroe was a dual threat with his arm and legs in the Sabers' 27-8 victory over the Lightning. Photo by Jeff Lawler, SportsEngine

In his fourth season as the coach of the Shakopee football team, Ray Betton has helped put the Sabers on a forward-moving path; but for most of the opening frame of Friday’s game against Eastview, Betton’s team looked like it has progressed backward in time.

Shakopee ran run play after run play. With three minutes, 34 seconds left in the first quarter, however, the Sabers finally ran a pass play. On a long fourth down at the Lightning 20-yard line, Shakopee senior quarter Tony Monroe connected with fellow senior Payden Vander Leest for the game’s opening touchdown.

The long strike was the first of four touchdowns scored by the Sabers as Shakopee defeated Eastview 27-8 in the first round of the Class 6A state tournament.

Aside from the outcome of Friday’s game, it was a historic moment for the Sabers. It was the first time Shakopee (5-4) hosted a postseason game under Betton.

Despite the occasion, mother nature did not cooperate, forcing the teams to play in conditions, including temperatures in the low 30s, high winds and sporadic snowfall.

Though many at Shakopee High School looked like the weather was making them uncomfortable, Betton saw the weather as a good sign for his team.

“It’s Minnesota football. You’re bound to get a game like this during the playoffs,” Betton said. “The farther you go, the more likely you’re going to play in weather like this.”

To prepare for the weather conditions, which had been predicted most of the week, the Sabers practiced outside and in the same gear they wore during the game. The defense also made life even more difficult for Shakopee ball-carriers during practice to help promote strong ball security.

“We wanted to make sure we were as comfortable as possible,” Monroe said. “The defense did a good job getting us ready to deal with these slippery conditions.”

The extra steps the Sabers took paid off during the game. Sophomore running back Jack Casey helped put the game away for the Shakopee, scoring three touchdowns on 61 rushing yards.

Casey was just a part of a Shakopee running attack that came from various players. The Sabers ran for more than 200 yards in the win.

“It’s fantastic to have so many threats,” Monroe said. “We have so many weapons we can line up, it makes it hard for the defense to key on someone.”

Along with running for 48 yards, Monroe continued to be a force through the air following his touchdown pass to Vander Leest. The senior threw for 117 yards and was 4-for-8 on the night.

Eastview (2-7) was also able to run in the tough conditions. The Lightning were led by multiple backs, including senior Kory Barnes, who scored the lone touchdown for Eastview in the fourth quarter. Quincy Suggs was also a force for the Lightning on the ground with 149 yards.

Eastview’s strong ground game didn’t turn into many points for the Lightning, however, as Eastview failed to score until late in the fourth quarter when the game was already in Shakopee’s favor. The late touchdown was the only time the Lightning notched points in two separate matchups with the Sabers, who defeated Eastview 17-0 during the regular season.

“After playing them earlier this year, our mindset was, if they’re not going to change, we’re not going to change,” Betton said.

After going 2-4 through its first six games, Shakopee has become a force to be reckoned with late in the season. The Sabers sent shockwaves through Class 6A in the final week of the regular season when they beat Rosemount, which had received votes in the most recent Class 6A Associated Press poll, 19-14.

The surprising win was enough to give Shakopee a No. 4 seed, giving the Sabers their first home playoff game in Betton’s tenure.

“It’s just an excellent feeling for us to be able to play at home in such an important game,” Betton said. “There was a lot of hype around here this week.”

After all the hysteria and wild weather, the Sabers face a tough test next week. Shakopee will hit the road and take on No. 6-6A Cretin-Derham Hall next Friday.

As Shakopee begins preparations for its matchup with the Raiders, the Sabers will look back at their tough experiences against ranked opponents this season, working to turn the corner. During the regular season, Shakopee took on and lost to No. 1-6A Eden Prairie, No. 5-6A Edina and No. 10-6A Prior Lake.

“We have to go into this game knowing we’ve played top teams like this,” Monroe said. “We just have to go at it.”


Shakopee sophomore Jack Casey heads down the near sideline against Eastview Friday night. Casey scored three touchdowns in the Sabers' 27-8 victory over the Lightning. Photo by Jeff Lawler, SportsEngine

First Report

After scoring 20 unanswered points in the first half, Shakopee made its way past Eastview in easy fashion as the Sabers defeated the Lightning 27-8 in the first round of the Class 6A state tournament at Shakopee High School on Friday.

Shakopee (5-4) got on the board with its second passing attempt of the game. Senior quarterback Tony Monroe connected on a 20-yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Payden Vander Leest to give the Sabers a 7-0 lead late in the first quarter.

Sophomore running back Jack Casey paced the Shakopee offense throughout the game. He ran for two touchdowns in the first half and finished with 61 yards and three touchdowns. Monroe also contributed in the running game, picking up 48 rushing yards in the win.

The Sabers defense held up the Eastview offense in the shutout win. The Lightning (2-7) found some success on the ground as sophomore running back Quincy Suggs ran for 149 yards in the loss. Senior Kory Barnes scored Eastview’s lone touchdown on a 5-yard run late in the fourth quarter.

With the win, Shakopee advances to the round of 16 in the Class 6A tournament. The Sabers will play again next Friday against Cretin-Derham Hall at the University of St. Thomas.  


Eastview quarterback Zach Selchow pitches the ball to wideout Larry Wright from deep in their own end of the field during the first half against Shakopee. The Lightning fell to the Sabers 27-8 Friday night in Shakopee. Photo by Jeff Lawler, SportsEngine

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