Eden Valley-Watkins And ROCORI Post State Football Tournament Wins Thursday

The Eden Valley-Watkins Eagles pummeled Moose Lake/Willow River 60-0 at the Class AA state football tournament Thursday night in Forest Lake.

Eden Valley-Watkins led 24-0 after the first quarter. Nolan Geislinger started the scoring with a 68 yard touchdown run just under three minutes into the game, then added a 56 yard touchdown pass to Parker Schultz and a 55 yard touchdown toss to Wyatt Moehrle before the end of the opening quarter.

Junior Max Geislinger's nine yard touchdown run gave the Eagles a 32-0 lead late in the second quarter. Nolan Geislinger continued the onslaught with a 75 yard touchdown run before throwing a 25 yard touchdown pass to Landon Neiman to give Eden Valley-Watkins a 48-0 halftime lead.

Neiman would add a third quarter touchdown reception to make the score 54-0 and the Eagles capped the scoring early in the fourth quarter with a Blake Glenz touchdown run.

Eden Valley-Watkins improves to 11-0 with the win and will play against Cannon Falls in the state semifinals on Friday, November 17th. Kickoff is set for 11 a.m..

ROCORI SNEAKS PAST ORONO IN THRILLER 

The ROCORI Spartans topped the Orono Spartans 28-27 in a Class AAAA quarterfinal in Elk River.

The teams each scored a touchdown in the first quarter. Christian Rodriguez gave ROCORI a 7-0 lead with an 11 yard touchdown run, but Orono answered with a Liam Rodgers run to tie the game at seven.

Orono took a 14-7 lead when senior Brady McPherson took an interception to the house in the second quarter and a Rodgers 4 yard touchdown run made the score 21-7 in favor of Orono at the half.

ROCORI pulled within eight on a 38 yard, third quarter touchdown run from quarterback Will Steil that made the score 21-13.

In the fourth quarter the ROCORI Spartans were able to tie the game with a 26 yard touchdown pass from Steil to Grant Tylutki and a Tylutki run for the two point conversion.

Orono answered with a Charlie Cordes touchdown for a 27-21 lead, but a two point conversion attempt was unsuccessful.

Tylutki scored again to tie the game for ROCORI before punching in the extra point himself for the 28-27 win.

The Spartans (10-2) will play against Byron on Thursday, November 16th at 4 p.m. in Minneapolis.