Last year SPA was the team that had their homecoming spoiled when the Minnehaha RedHawks came on to Historic Lang Field and put 77 points up on the scoreboard. This year, SPA, Minnehaha, and Blake are the ones clearing the stands early. They beat the Minneapolis South Gallant Tigers 42-6 in a battle for Twin Cities Gold District supremacy on South’s homecoming.

The win, and Providence Academy’s shocking loss to now 1-4 New Life Academy, gives the Wolfpack a chance to clinch at of the conference title with a win next week over St Paul Como Park and another Providence loss, and puts them three wins away from a perfect regular season. Senior Jake Richardson (MA) said of this, “We’re just taking it one game at a time, and if we win all our games we win all our games. We’re just trying to ride this out until the end,”.

The Wolfpack once again came out early and asserted their power at the line of scrimmage. The defense was able to get a quick Gallant Tiger three and out inside their five yard line, and forced a bad punt that was returned inside the Wolfpack red zone. Freshman running back Siegel Howard was able to capitalize, running in his third TD of the year. South was able to respond on the following drive with multiple third down conversions including the 30 yard TD pass that capped off the drive. The pass was from Payton Bowdry, usually a running back, to Elerson Smith, a 6’6” tall D-1 commit playing wide receiver and defensive end. This was the loudest moment from the huge crowd at the game for South’s homecoming.

After the South touchdown, the floodgates opened up and the Wolfpack offense put up 35 unanswered points. The defense also stepped up and dominated the Gallant Tiger offensive line which looked over matched and tired going up against Jake Richardson and the dominant Wolfpack front 7 with junior Mark Ademite plugging up the middle. “It was everybody doing their jobs,” said Richardson who had a big impact this week, getting a few sacks and being in the backfield on every play, after last week when he didn’t record a sack, “Everyone covered their assignments and we were all able to get into the backfield and blow plays up, not just me.”  

This season the Wolfpack have outscored their opponents 184-32, and have yet to allow a 100 yard rusher on the season. With the win the Wolfpack are now three wins away from a perfect regular season and have Saint Paul Como Park, The Breck School, and Providence Academy left on the schedule.

The next test for the Wolfpack is one win Como Park at Blake at 7:00 for Blake’s homecoming on Gary Aamoth Jr field this Friday.