Junior running back Mike Stern scored four rushing touchdowns to lead undefeated St. Croix Lutheran to a 32-21 victory over Belle Plaine on Saturday in the Class 3A quarterfinals at Lakeville North High School.

The tandem of Stern and senior running back Dan Rust combined for more than 230 yards on the ground in the second half.

“If we didn’t have the running game, we wouldn’t have won that game,” said Stern, who scored touchdowns on runs of 2, 7, 3 and 5 yards. Three of his touchdowns came in the second half.

The Crusaders (11-0) started the scoring in the second quarter with an 80-yard drive that took just over five minutes, capped by, with Stern scoring from 2 yards out, for a 7-0 lead. They took a 13-7 halftime lead when junior Stephen Kletscher ran 29 yards for a touchdown in the final minute.

Turnovers nearly cost the Crusaders. They drove down field to open the second half but fumbled in the red zone. On the next play, the Tigers (9-3) connected for an 82-yard touchdown on a pass from quarterback Carsen Ladd to Jon Schmidt and a 14-13 lead.

“You never try to fumble the ball, but you just have to keep trying your hardest,” Rust said.

But the Crusaders scored the next two touchdowns, regaining the lead 1:35 later thanks to a 68-yard Rust run and one of Stern’s scores. They went up for good 26-14 early in the fourth quarter.

HEATHER RULE

Junior running back Mike Stern scored four rushing touchdowns to lead St. Croix Lutheran (11-0) to a 32-21 victory over Belle Plaine (9-3) in the Class 3A quarterfinal Saturday at Lakeville North High School.

Turnovers nearly cost the Crusaders, however. They drove down field in a second-half opening drive but fumbled in the red zone. On the next play, the Tigers connected for an 82-yard touchdown and a 14-13 lead.

But the Crusaders scored the next two touchdowns.

In the first quarter the Crusaders fumbled the ball twice and muffed a couple punts but the game remained scoreless. After the Tigers missed a field goal, the Crusaders drove 80 yards in 5:08 for the game’s first touchdown and a 7-0 lead.

About a minute later, junior quarterback Carsen Ladd and senior receiver Jon Schmidt connected for a 79-yard touchdown pass to tie the game at 7-7.

The Crusaders went into halftime with a 13-7 lead after junior Stephen Kletscher ran 29 yards up the middle for a touchdown in the final minute. 

Check back later for more on the game.