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Class 5A semifinal: Mahtomedi topples Cooper 34-7 to advance to Prep Bowl

By David La Vaque, Star Tribune, 11/19/21, 1:45PM CST

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The Zephyrs scored on three consecutive first-half possessions as the Hawks struggled to keep pace.

Mahtomedi football coach Dave Muetzel noticed a Cooper quarterback not named Joseph Russell taking pregame snaps.

Muetzel insisted his gameplan did not change. The complexion of game sure did.

Without Russell, a dynamic senior quarterback, the Hawks offense never achieved liftoff. Mahtomedi, meanwhile, scored three first-half touchdowns on its way to a 34-7 victory Friday in the Class 5A football state tournament semifinals.

The Zephyrs (10-2) advanced to the Prep Bowl taking place at 4 p.m. on Nov. 27 at U.S. Bank Stadium. They face the winner of Saturday’s semifinal victor, either top-ranked Mankato West or No. 5 Rogers.

Russell suffered a lower leg injury in Cooper’s quarterfinal victory last week. Hawks coach Willie Howard said Russell needed emergency surgery earlier this week. He watched the game from the sideline on crutches. Without Russell, who threw for 2,036 yards and 28 touchdowns, No. 10 Cooper (9-3) couldn’t keep pace.

“When you find out your starting quarterback, who I tell everybody is the best quarterback in the state, can’t play, it adds a little more adversity,” Howard said. “At the same time, we make no excuses. The expectation is to go out there and win.”

No Russell caused a ripple effect. Howard’s son Jaxon, one of the nation’s top college recruits in the Class of 2023, replaced Russell at quarterback, a loss at tight end and on the defensive line.

“I haven’t played much [at quarterback] since maybe my eighth-grade year,” said Howard who finished 8-for-18 for 86 yards and two interceptions.

Cooper finally crossed midfield on its final possession of the first half. By that time, Mahtomedi led 21-0.

The Zephyrs shined in all aspects of the game. Each of the first three scoring drives started in Cooper territory thanks to strong punt returns. After each touchdown, senior Joseph Heinsch booted his kickoffs into the end zone, forcing Cooper’s offense to go a long way.

“Our special teams have been very good all season,” Muetzel said. “It’s a huge advantage when we can start up there after a punt or kick return. And having a kicker who can kick it into the end zone is pretty special.”

Injured on a punt return in the first game of season, senior receiver Ethan Loss made a welcome return to the lineup. He made key plays with red zone catches on the Zephyrs’ first two scoring drives. And his fumble recovery preserved the third touchdown drive.

“We knew once he comes back, we’re going to be hard to play against,” senior running back Jordan Hull said. Loss and Hull helped Mahtomedi win the Class 3A baseball state title in June.

“You can’t ask for a better teammate than Ethan Loss,” senior lineman Jason Lynch said.

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