“We had three guys who were at the top of our district in receiving in [Cullen] McKay, [Tommy] Barrett and [Keenan] Rodriguez,” Anoka coach Bo Wasurick said. “Eli was the odd man out, but by no means the least talented. He got after it tonight.”

Playing its first home playoff game in more than a decade, Anoka scored on its first drive, a 2-yard run by captain Logan LaChance, to take a 6-0 lead.

Things bogged down for the Tornadoes after that. Mounds View, which was seeded No. 6 and had lost to Anoka on Oct. 1 on a walk-off touchdown, moved the ball well, getting into Anoka territory but was not able to score.

Anoka got a jump start when Sawyer Chell intercepted a pass in the end zone. Four plays later, Paulsen took a short pass from quarterback Jacob Deutschman and outraced the entire Mounds View defense for a 66-yard touchdown. The big play not only added to Anoka’s lead, it unlocked the gates for the Tornadoes.

“We’ve been doing that in practice a lot, but not in a game,” Paulson said. “It finally happened tonight. I just had to make one cut and it was off to the races.”

Paulson didn’t know ahead of time his would be a key figure in the game plan — Wasurick did, however — but was happy to have the chance to make his mark.

“I’ve been waiting all season. It had to happen sometime ” he laughed. “They just kept calling the plays and I was like, ‘Okay, I’ve got to do something, I guess.’ ”

Deutschman threw for more than 300 yards for the fourth time this season, completing 26 of 37 passes for 303 yards and three touchdowns. He also ran for two scores on a pair of sneaks.

In a season of big games, the senior quarterback said this was one of his best.

“This game was just different,” he said, adding that his connection with what Wasurick wanted to do was more acute than usual. “We just knew what we wanted to do and it showed.”

Mounds View junior Owen Wark had a fine passing game in the loss, throwing for more than 250 yards, but also throwing three interceptions, all of which led to Anoka touchdowns.

“He had a phenomenal season,” Mustangs coach Aaron Moberg said. “[Anoka] got after him a little bit tonight, but he still hung in there tough. We’re excited about next year.”

Anoka improved to 6-3 with the victory. Mounds View ended its season 3-6.