Anderson runs over Knights

By JEREMY BEHNKE

Journal Sports Writer

SLEEPY EYE -- It was a fitting end to Mitch Anderson's night.

The Sleepy Eye back, who gave his fans and himself a scare when he injured his knee midway through the fourth quarter, came back for the Indians' final drive on a crucial fourth-and-nine play from the Sleepy Eye St. Mary's nine.

Anderson was met around the line of scrimmage by a would-be tackler, then darted for the corner of the end zone and dove in for his third touchdown of the night, giving the Indians a 32-21 lead late in the game.

The Indians improved to 4-0 and set up a matchup with Wabasso (4-0) Friday in Sleepy Eye.

"Rob Peterson got a great block out on them and I was able to run around Dan [Petersen] and I was just able to cut across the pylon for the touchdown."

Anderson once again wreaked havoc on the opposing defense as his constant moving amounted to 207 yards and three touchdowns. He said he was pumped to face St. Mary's and knew it would be tough.

"We just had to come out strong this week with the crosstown rival," Anderson said. "We just had to step it up. It's a big game and a big win."

In a game that see-sawed back and forth, St. Mary's got on the board first when Adam Lux scored from two yards out to put the Knights up 6-0 after the PAT failed.

The Indians retaliated a couple of possessions later after Anderson took the ball on a reverse and sprinted 45 yards for the score, making it 7-6, where it stayed until the second quarter.

In the second quarter, Anderson again caused headaches as he took a pitch and ran right. Realizing he had nothing, he cut back and ran back 20 yards the other way, then found an opening and ran 40 yards.

"We definitely don't practice that in practice," Anderson said. "I was just finding a hole and I had nowhere to go. I was huffing and puffing just to get around them. I didn't get in to the end zone but it helped the team out on a crucial down."

However, the Indians failed to score after Tyler Jensen fumbled on the St. Mary's 2-yard line. The score remained 7-6 at halftime.

In the third quarter, quarterback Dan Petersen snuck into the end zone to give Sleepy Eye a 14-6 lead.

On St. Marys' next possession, quarterback Jake Bohnen scored on a 6-yard run. Then, he ran in the two-point conversion to tie it up.

On the ensuing kickoff, Peterson found a seam in the St. Mary's defense and took it to the Knight 41 yard line.

On the next play, Anderson took the handoff and escaped three tacklers, then busted loose for a 41-yard touchdown and gave the Indians a 20-14 lead.

"I had to break some tackles, but I had some blocks there that sprung me loose into the end zone," Anderson said. "The blocking was there all night pretty much. You gotta credit the offensive line."

"I don't think they put the ball in the air once," St. Mary's coach Ron Berdan said. "They did just a fine job getting into our defensive people. We told our kids what to expect and when it was coming and they still managed to execute.

Bohnen later found a wide-open Matt Mathiowetz for a 30-yard touchdown strike. The PAT, which was moved back because of a penalty, was successful, giving the Knights a 21-20 lead.

In the fourth quarter, Sleepy Eye went up 26-21 after Petersen kept the ball on the option play and scored from six yards out.

Andrew Rodrigues then broke up a key third-and-nine play forcing a punt, and Anderson scored the game's final touchdown.

For St. Mary's, Mathiowetz recorded 11 tackles and Jamie Pietig had 15. Lux finished with 53 yards rushing.

Tyler Jensen had 61 yards rushing for the Indians.

St. Mary's (2-2) is at Cedar Mountain/Comfrey Friday while Sleepy Eye squares off with Wabasso.