Tigers run, run and run away from Trojans
A talented Farmington Tiger squad visited New Prague Friday, Oct. 14, and went home with a 27-6 Missota Conference win. The win clinched at least a tie for first place in the Missota Conference for Farmington, while it dropped the Trojan’s record to 4-3, 3-3 in the conference going into Wednesday evening’s finale at Red Wing. That game started after this edition of The New Prague Times went to press.
New Prague will host its first playoff game in the Section 6AAAA playoffs, but when and who the opponent will be hinge on the results of Wednesday’s games. The most likely scenario is for the Trojans to get a No. 2 seed, behind Orono, and draw a first-round bye. They would then play at home on Saturday, Oct. 29, against one of the first round winners.
If the Trojans were to lose Wednesday, there is a slight chance they could fall to the No. 3 seed and would play at home Tuesday, Oct. 25, against the No. 6 seed, most likely Mound-Westonka. The winner would play on the road Saturday against the No. 2 seed.
The Section 6AAAA championship is scheduled for Friday, Nov. 4, at the home of the highest remaining seed.
Tigers score first
New Prague got the ball first against the Tigers and moved the ball deep into Tiger territory. Ross Skluzacek completed a couple of big passes on the drive, to Tony Kbues for 17 yards and to Ryan Witty for 13 on a fourth-down play. But Skluzacek threw an interception in the end zone on a third down play, and the Tigers took over at their own 20.
Farmington kept the ball on the ground, putting together a long, productive drive covering 80 yards in 13 plays, with five different players carrying the ball. Tyler Jones got he score with a 15-yard run with 1:07 remaining in the first half, and it was 7-0 Farmington.
That’s the way it stayed the rest of the half. New Prague stopped Farmington on its second possession, forcing a punt, and the Trojans began moving downfield. However, the team stalled out late in the half, giving the ball up on downs.
Farmington took the second half kick and put together another long, impressive drive, aided by a pair of Trojan penalties. Mark Masso scored for Farmington with 6:30 left, making it 14-0.
New Prague punted after three plays and on its first play after the punt, the Tigers' Tim Masso scored on a 52-yard run, making it 21-0 with 4:43 left in the third quarter.
New Prague continued to move the ball at times, but couldn’t do it consistently enough, with penalties and mistakes hurting them just when they’d get a drive off the ground.
Farmington scored another touchdown midway through the third quarter, and New Prague answered that with a score at 4:02 of the final period, when Tony Kubes scored on a 24-yard run with 4:02 left.
New Prague finished the game with 259 yards offense, 123 rushing and 136 in the air. The Tigers had 342 yards of offense, with 343 rushing and a minus-1 yard passing.
Kubes was the Trojans’ leading ground gainer, with 10 carries for 77 yards. Mike Romig and Daren Geyen each had 22 yards.
Skluzacek was 17 of 29 passing for 136 yards and two interceptions. Brian O’Neill had six catches for 42 yards, Witty had five catches for 44 yards and Kubes had five catches for 40 yards. Kyle Smisek caught one ball for 10 yards.
