Football: Opportunistic Silverstreaks defeat WCA-Ashby 28-19 in the Section 6AA semifinals – Alexandria Echo Press

OSAKIS — Similar to their common-season win over the West Central Area-Ashby Knights on Oct. 14, the Osakis soccer group picked up some turnovers at dwelling in their 28-19 Section 6AA semifinals win on Saturday.

“This win feels really good, especially since they finished our season last year,” mentioned junior Kyle Mages.

Senior Tyson Hagedon’s phrases mirrored these of Mages.

“It feels good to get our last home win here too,” he mentioned.

Mages bought away with three interceptions on protection and was liable for three of the Silverstreaks’ 4 touchdowns on offense.

“I think that’s the most interceptions by a player here at Osakis in a while,” mentioned Osakis head coach Bill Infanger. “It’s great for him to field three in his first playoff game. Kyle had an injury last week, he wasn’t playing and that’s when we really felt like we needed him the most. He’s a great quarterback, but we needed him on defense because we knew the West Central Area would throw the ball deep.”

Sam Stuve/Alexandria Echo Press

Mages has made 9 passes this yr.

The Knights and Silverstreaks met at the 2021 Section 6AA Championship, which went the approach of the Knights 19-14.

Osakis (8-1, 4-0, Section 6AA), the No. 1 in the part, performs No. 2 Sauk Center (6-3, 1-0, Section 6AA) in the Sauk Center part Friday, November 4 at 3:30 p.m. in Fargo, North Dakota.

In Saturday’s win, Mages bought away with two interceptions on WCA-Ashby’s first two drives in the second quarter, which helped Osakis construct a two-landing lead.

“Every time you make sales, there’s a huge opportunity,” Infanger mentioned. “Our offense was able to take advantage of that and score some points early in the game.”

Mages credit the teaching employees for his efficiency on Saturday.

“I saw the ball well out there and the coaches put me in the right position to make a play,” Mages mentioned.

The Mages spent most of the recreation with WCA-A’s Cole Anderson, who has a slew of WCA-A information.

“Cole Anderson is a hell of a receiver,” Infanger mentioned. “It was good for Kyle to do these video games and it was large for us. Both boys are nice ball gamers.”

Mages’ first landing of the quarter was a 3-yard move to fullback Drew Imdieke that gave Osakis a 14-7 lead. Imdieke scored Osakis’ first landing on a 2-yard run late in the first quarter, leveling the recreation at seven.

Sam Stuve/Alexandria Echo Press

Imdieke and Mages have been each again in the beginning lineup for the Silverstreaks after lacking the Silverstreaks common season finale towards Pillager on October 19.

“Having those two guys back in this game has boosted morale,” mentioned Infanger. “Drew started the game well. He was physical; He’s had some hard downhill runs like bowling balls like he usually does. Drew and Gaven [Cimbura] are kind of like our third or fourth defenders back there, and they do a lot more than blockers. They’re almost like linemen who are allowed to touch the ball every now and then. They run hard when they get their chances. It’s nice to have guys like that on the outside who can be physical but are also good ball carriers.”

Osakis took a 21-7 lead late in the first half after Mages hit a six-yard run at 1-12 in the second quarter.

But WCA-Ashby (6-3), the No. 4 in the section, went into the dressing room with some momentum after Anthony Sykora threw a 35-yard touchdown pass to Cole Anderson that put WCA-Ashby down to eight shortened.

“It would have been easy to just wrap it up and look to next season, but we didn’t do that; we fought,” mentioned WCA Ashby head coach Nate Wood.

WCA-Ashby had an opportunity to stage the recreation after Brady Lindquist holed the ball in the finish zone with a quarterback sneak in fourth and one lower than a minute into the fourth quarter. On the ensuing two-level conversion, Imdieke made an ankle sort out on Lindquist simply earlier than the finish zone, and Osakis retained a 21-19 lead.

Osakis ended the recreation with a 15-yard landing move from Kyle Mages to Grant Mages with 5:06 in the recreation and a defensive cease on WCA-Ashby’s offensive assault that adopted.

“All you can ultimately ask for is to have a chance, and we have it,” Wood mentioned. “Osakis is a good group they usually’ve made some nice video games. That one-handed interception by Kyle Mages was unimaginable. They did what they needed to do to win and we fell behind a bit. But we requested our group after the recreation right here: ‘Are you guys drained? Did you do the whole lot to win this recreation? And in the event you do, there’s nothing to hold your head over.’”

Osakis and WCA-Ashby have received the final three of 4 Section 6AA titles, with Osakis’ final coming in 2019.

“I think the respect between these two programs is tremendous,” Wood mentioned. “I feel in phrases of the teaching employees we all know one another properly and are buddies. We respect what Bill and his employees are doing right here in Osakis. They do nice issues right here. As for our groups, it looks like a great rivalry is constructing right here. They received an in depth recreation final yr, however we caught them in the Fargodome. Then they lump us in earlier in the yr and now we’re popping out, making it an in depth recreation now. Anything can occur in these video games and it is enjoyable to see.”

Osakis faces a bout with a Sauk Center program that has not competed in the state tournament since 1983.

The last time Sauk Center and Osakis met was in 2018 when Osakis won 33-32. Sauk Center has transitioned from Class AA to Class AAA and back a few times over the past 11 seasons and was back in Section 6AA at the start of the 2021 season.

“We have not performed them in a few years, so we will get pleasure from this win for the day, however then hit the theater actually laborious,” Infanger mentioned.

Sauk Center defeated Wadena-Deer Creek (7-3, 2-1, Section 6AA) 47-13 in Saturday’s semifinals.

Throughout the season, the Knights have performed with heavy hearts after teammate Tyler Stone died in a automotive accident on September 11, 2022.

Since the Sept. 16 recreation towards Pillager, the Knights have performed in honor of their teammate and fought their approach via adversity.

“I’m incredibly proud of this entire program,” mentioned Wood. “After going through a tragedy like ours, it all felt like a huge weight. The way they reacted with poise and grace, always trying to get better and playing for each other was really impressive and inspiring for me as a coach.”

Infanger additionally shared some phrases about the season the Knights have had.

Sam Stuve/Alexandria Echo Press

“I have a lot of respect for this team and what they’ve been through,” mentioned Infanger. “I really feel like they fought so hard this year losing a teammate and I can’t imagine what they went through. With the resilience they’ve had to show this season and play football with their hearts, I take my hat off to them for the season they’ve had.”

Stone was a key a part of the Knights’ journey to the 2021 Class AA title recreation.

Anderson, Sykora, Beau Robinson, Blake Flint, Brett Amundson, Damon Sanstead, Isaac Kreft, Justin Blascyk, Parker Stach and Quinten Winter are all seniors in the WCA-Ashby program who will graduate in the spring.

“It’s really impressive what these guys have done,” mentioned Wood. “As a freshman in 2019, they had some really good leaders who set an example for them that year. And they then bought 100 percent, and they continued to build what we’re trying to build as a program. We’ve been through COVID together; We did a state championship game together. And now an absolutely indescribable season together this year. It really was a damn good ride.”

Wood is happy about what the future holds for the WCA Ashby program.

“I’m excited to see what these juniors who’ve really grown tremendously over the season will do as seniors,” Wood mentioned. “We have some sophomores who’ve given us actually significant minutes this yr. It’s at all times a lot enjoyable to see annually of development.”

WCA Ashby – 7 6 0 6 – 19

Osakis-7 14 0 7-28

VALUATION –

1st – Anthony Sykora, 4-yard run, 8:04, Sykora PAT (7-0 WCA-Ashby); Drew Imdieke, 2-yard run, 1:20, Duncan Tronicke PAT (Tied 7-7)

2nd- Kyle Mage’s 3-yard move to Drew Imdieke, 6:16, Tronicke PAT (14-7 Osakis); Kyle Mages 6-yard run, 1:12, Tronicke PAT (21-7 Osakis); Anthony Sykora 35-yard move to Cole Anderson, 1:12, PAT NO GOOD (21-13 Osakis)

4th- Brady Lindquist 1-yard run, 11:09, 2-level conversion NOT GOOD (21-19 Osakis); Kyle Mages 15-yard move to Grant Mages, Tronicke PAT good, 5:06 (28-19 Osakis)