Two Tigers sign on with Division II teams

Josh Patterson (photo by Jim Lindquist)

Two athletes from the Tiger class of 2014 have cast their collegiate lots with out-of-state NCAA Division II schools.

Josh Patterson, who anchored the offensive line for the Tigers last season while earning all-Missota Conference honors, will play football next fall for the South Dakota School of Mines located in Rapid City.

Maddie Kohlbeck, a fixture in goal for the Tiger lacrosse team her entire high school career, is headed to Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois where she will join that school's highly successful lacrosse program.

Maddie Kohlbeck (photo by Jim Lindquist)

Football: Two Tigers Academic All-State

Coach Mark Freohling with Nick Ruark (above) and Kade Kearney

Tigers Kade Kearney and Nick Ruark have been named to the Academic All-State Gold Football Team, a honor earned by only 19 Class 6A players in Minnesota. 

In addition, Farmington was one of eight programs to qualify for the All-State Academic Team Award. Both honors are presented annually by the Minnesota High School Coaches Association.

Players selected for Academic All-State distinction must carry a 3.0 grade-point average in core curriculum during their sophomore, junior and first quarter of their senior years as well as show outstanding football and leadership abilities. 

They must also be starters on offense or defense or be a kicker and have no Minnesota State High School League eligibility penalties or infractions during their high school career.

Football Awards, Stats

Mac Bassett All-Missota and Offensive MVP (photo by Jim Lindquist)

Tiger football coach Mark Froehling and his staff announced a long list of award winners at the team's post-season banquet held Thursday night.

All-Missota Conference: Mason Auge, Mac Bassett, Godfrey Mpetey and Josh Patterson

All-Missota Conference Honorable Mention: CJ Wynings, John LeBlond, Eli Rockett and Jordan DeCroock

Most Valuable Player (Offense): Mac Bassett

Most Valuable Player (Defense): Mason Auge

Most Valuable Player (Special Teams): Reid Taubenheim and Jordan DeCroock

Mason Auge All-Missota and Defensive MVP (photo by Jim Lindquist)

Coaches Award (offense): Noah Kary and Tyler VanWinkle

Coaches Award (Defense): Nick Meyer and Michael Thompson

Captains: Mason Auge, Tyler VanWinkle, Godfrey Mpetey and CJ Wynings

Squad Leaders:  John LeBlond, Mac Bassett, Reid Taubenheim, Mason Gaylord, Nick Ruark, Kevin Clifton and Johnny Dittman

Josh Patterson All-Missota (photo by J. Lindquist)

Scout Most Valuable Player (Defense): Alex Baumann and Joe Rucci

Scout Team Most Valuable Player: (Offense): Jake Hoffman and AJ Croucher

Academic All-State: Nick Ruark and Kade Kearney

Academic All-State (Team): Gold Distinction for grade point average of 3.75 or higher

In addition to the individual and team awards, Froehling also honored veteran assistant coaches Gary Burr and Pat Hudak, each of whom have been members of the Tiger staff for more than three decades.

Godfrey Mpetey All-Missota Conference (photo by Jim Lindquist)

 STATISTICAL LEADERS

Passing

Tyler VanWinkle 132 for 240 (55%) for 1460 yards, 14 touchdowns, 15 interceptions

Rushing

Noah Kary 441 yards on 106 attempts (4.2 yards per carry) and 1 touchdown

Derek Klotter 401 yards on 115 attempts (3.5 yards per carry) 

Jordan DeCroock 135 yards on 21 carries (6.4 yards per carry) and 1 touchdown

Receiving

Mac Bassett 33 catches for 566 yards (17.2 yards per catch) and 4 touchdowns

Jordan DeCroock 35 catches for 379 yards (10.8 yards per catch) and 5 touchdowns

CJ Wynings 21 catches for 163 yards (7.8 yards per catch) and 3 touchdowns

Johnny Dittman 13 catches for 154 yards (11.8 yards per catch) and 1 touchdown

Defense

Mason Auge 122 tackles, 1 interception, 1 sack

Eli Rockett 71 tackles. 4 pass break-ups

Kevin Clifton 65 tackles, 1 sack

Godfrey Mpetey 50 tackles, 1 sack, 1 fumble recovery

Michael Thompson 50 tackles, 2 fumble recoveries

John LeBlond 46 tackles, 3 fumble recoveries, 4 sacks

Mason Gaylord 43 tackles, 1 interception, 1 fumble recovery

Tanner Thode 39 tackles 1 fumble recovery, .5 sack

Nick Ruark 38 tackles, 1 sack

Nick Meyer 35 tackles, 3 sacks

Placekicking

Reid Taubenheim 13-17 extra points and 2-4 field goals

Mason Gaylord 4-4 extra points and 1-1 field goals

Punting

Reid Taubenheim 30 for 936 yards (31.2 average), 7 inside 20-yard line

Mason Gaylord 17 for 513 yards (30.2 average) 3 inside 20-yard line

Kickoff Returns

Jordan DeCroock 13 for 309 yards (23.8 yards average) and 1 touchdown

Derek Klotter 12 for 237 yards (19.8 average)

Punt Returns

Jordan DeCroock 9 for 51 yards (5.7 average)

Football: A tale of two seasons

Captain Mason Auge (photo by Jim Lindquist)

Captain CJ Wynings (photo by Jim Lindquist)

With apologies to Charles Dickens and his classic "A Tale of Two Cities", the 2013 Tiger season featured the best of times and the worst of times.

There were the season-opening four wins is which coach Mark Froehling's team outscored the opposition by a one-sided 107-44 total followed by an 0-5 finish in which the Tigers were outgunned by an even more lopsided 177-51 margin.

Farmington finished 3-4 in Missota Conference play and tied for fourth place in the final league standings.

"I still see the season as a success," Froehling said. "We didn't meet our goals in terms of wins, but we played good football. The players gave great effort and the team represented the school and community with class."

Froehling pointed to a 19-3 homecoming win over New Prague and several quality performances on both sides of the ball as highlights of the 2013 campaign.

"I thought our players played well in multiple types of game situations," he said. "Playing with a lead as well as having to play from behind."

The veteran Farmington coach said one-touchdown losses to conference rivals Chanhassen and Shakopee late in the year had a major impact on how the season ended.

"We needed at least on of those wins," he said. "We either didn't make the big plays when we needed to or we gave up the big play. By winning one or both of those games we could have improved our seeding position for the section."

Captain Godfrey Mpetey (photo by Jim Lindquist)

Froehling said his large senior class made coaching the 2013 Tiger squad, led by captains Mason Auge, Godfery Mpetey, Tyler Van Winkle and Mason Auge, an enjoyable task.

"I am very proud of this year's senior class," he said. "They played together as a team for a long time and demonstrated great dedication in their preparation for this season. They were great young men to coach and they will certainly be missed."

This year's starting offensive and defensive lineups were dominated by seniors, meaning the 2014 edition of Tiger football will rely heavily on the contributions of players with limited varsity experience.

"We will need them to accept the challenges of filling important roles for us," Froehling said. "The development of each athlete between now and then will determine our ability to compete next year."

Captain Tyler VanWinkle (photo by Jim Lindquist)

The Tigers will also be stepping into unchartered territory next fall as they move to the South Suburban Conference.

"The South Suburban is a top-caliber conference," Froehling said. "We will need large numbers so we can compete with the other teams in the league. Our athletes will need to match the work and dedication of those from the other schools. It will be a challenge that we will need to meet."

The 2013 postseason awards banquet will be held in the next couple of weeks at which varsity letters and other individual awards, including all-Missota Conference selections, will be announced. Check this site later in the month for announcement of those awards.

Football: Irish take it to Tigers in section

Jordan DeCroock 7 catches (file photo by J. Lindquist)

Way back in 1969, several years before playoffs were a staple in Minnesota High School football, No. 1 ranked Farmington played the hammer in a memorable 70-0 rout of Missota Conference rival Rosemount.

Forty-four years later the Tigers assumed the role of the nail in a 49-0 blowout loss to the Irish in the Section 3AAAAAA quarterfinals played Friday night at Rosemount Stadium.

The contest couldn't have started any worse for the visitors who saw the state's third-rated team use a short field and a blocked punt turn into two touchdowns in the game's first six-and-a-half minutes.

The South Suburban Conference champions went on to score on their next four possessions of the opening half to build a lopsided 42-0 lead at intermission.

"They (Rosemount) are a very good football team," Tiger coach Mark Froehling said. "They have a lot of good athletes on both sides of the ball and they are deep. They are a lot like the Chaska team that won our conference."

Chaska downed the Tigers by an identical margin when the teams met in Chaska midway through the regular season.

Rosemount had four touchdown on the board before the visitors gained their second first down. The Tigers gained a net of just 12 in the first two quarters. It was that kind of night.

But the winners didn't win many friends among the fans in the east bleachers during the opening half. The Irish attempted a needless onside kick after their fourth score and twice called timeouts late in the half to try to tack on even more points long after the game's outcome had been decided.

"They have a lot more football to play and were probably approaching the situation like they were ahead by seven points," Tiger coach Mark Froehing said.

Rosemount called off the hounds after the break, using reserves in a second half where the Farmington offense picked up a few more yards but no points.

The only score after intermission came on a stunning 96-yard run from scrimmage by Rosemount's Lowell Green.

The Tigers finished with just 89 yards of offense for the night, 49 passing and 40 running. Rosemount amassed 264 rushing and 160 passing for a game total of 424 yards.

Tiger quarterback Tyler VanWinkle closed the books on his senior season with 12 completions in 21 tries for 89 yards with an interception. Jordan DeCroock caught seven of the passes for 43 yards.

Eli Rockett team-high 5.5 tackles file (photo by Jim Lindquist)

Eli Rockett topped the Tiger tackling charts with 5.5 stops. Mason Auge added five, Nick Workman 4.5 and Kevin Clifton four.

Despite the disappointing post-season outcome, Froehling said he was pleased with his team's effort.

"I am proud of my boys," he said. "They stayed together. They played hard to the end under some difficult conditions. We are a family and that's what families do. These boys have been a wonderful group to coach all season."

Farmington finished the season one game below .500 with a 4-5 record. Rosemount (8-1) advances to the section semifinals against district rival Eastview next Friday night.

Football: Failure to finish

Mason Gaylord set up the first Tiger TD on a fake punt (photo by Jim Lindquist)

Farmington's failure to turn long drives into points proved to be the difference in Wednesday night's 21-14 Missota Conference loss to Shakopee at Tiger Stadium.

The regular season-ending defeat was the fourth straight for the Tigers after a 4-0 start. Farmington finished 3-4 in the Missota. Shakopee was 5-3 overall and 5-2 in conference play.

The home team didn't lack for opportunities, especially in the second half. Three times after intermission the Tigers moved the ball deep into Sabers territory only to turn the ball over on downs. The final drive ended at the Shakopee 22-yard line with less than a minute to play.

"We played some good football tonight," Farmington coach Mark Froehling said. "I thought our defense did a pretty good job of containing an offense that is difficult to stop. Shakopee is tough team to play on a short week because of all of the different things they do.

"We were able to run a little better tonight and the offense put us in position to score. We didn't finish off our drives like we wanted to but I thought the effort and execution were much better than last week."

The teams traded touchdowns in the first half with the Sabers converting a Tiger interception on the first play of the night into a seven-play scoring drive and a quick 7-0 lead.

Derek Klotter 13-yard TD pass (photo by J. Lindquist)

The Tigers bounced right back with a score on their next possession on a grinding 15-play, 81-yard march capped by a 13-yard touchdown pass from Tyler VanWinkle to Derek Klotter. The key play was a 15-yard run out of punt formation by Mason Gaylord.

Not to be outdone, Shakopee took the ensuing kickoff and headed the other way on a 69-yard drive to re-take the lead.

Late in the second period, Gaylord stepped into the spotlight again, scooping up a Saber fumble and returning to the Shakopee five-yard line. Three plays later VanWinkle hit tight end CJ Wynings for the score and the teams hit the halftime break tied at 14-14.

Nick Meyer's fumble recovery gave Farmington a chance to take the lead early in the third period but the drive sputtered and stalled at the Shakopee 31.

Seven-plays later the Sabers scored the winning points on a 41-yard bootleg that caught the Tiger defense completely by surprise.

In the fourth quarter, Farmington would end up twice turning the ball over on downs in the shadow of the Shakopee goal posts, once at the 14-yard line and the other at the 22 as the clock wound down.

"We didn't make the big play when we had the chance," Froehling said. "That was the difference."

The Sabers had 281 yards of total offense to 230 for the Tigers. 257 of the Shakopee total came on the ground. Farmington rushed for 85 yards and threw for 145.

Klotter led the Farmington rushers with 49 yards on 18 carries; Noah Kary picked up 29 on 11 tries.

VanWinkle was 17 of 25 through the air for 145 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. Mac Bassett had five receptions for 55 yards and Wynings five for 25. Jordan DeCroock made three catches for 20 yards. Klotter and Tyler Johnson had two catches apiece.

Kevin Clifton was in on 12 tackles (photo by Jim Lindquist)

On the defensive side of the ball, Kevin Clifton was in on a dozen tackles, Mason Auge and Kade Kearney six apiece, and Michael Thompson five.

The Tigers drew the short straw for the Section 3AAAAAA tournament. They were seeded No. 8 in the section dominated by South Suburban Conference schools and will play at top-seeded Rosemount next Friday night.

Kickoff is 7:00 p.m. at Rosemount Stadium.

Football: Bad start and then some

John LeBlond 8 tackles, 2.5 sacks (file photo by Jim Lindquist)

Things started poorly and then got progressively worse over the next two-plus periods in Farmington's 30-17 Missota Conference loss at Holy Angels Friday night.

Four plays into the game kicker/safety Reid Taubenheim suffered an undetermined lower body injury after punting and had to be taken off the field on a cart.

On the the very next play, the Stars' first from scrimmage, junior quarterback Anthony Eckholm connected with Adam Hoffman for a 39-yard touchdown.

One minute and 14 seconds after the opening kickoff the visitors were already in arrears by a touchdown. Unfortunately, it was a sign of things to come.

The Stars made it 10-0 with a 31-yard field goal near the end of the opening period and then tacked on another score in the second on a 66-yard run by the elusive Eckholm to forge a 17-3 halftime lead.

The Tigers, meanwhile had to settle for a 22-yard field goal by Mason Gaylord after a 69-yard drive stalled at the Star's five-yard line.

Two other sustained Tiger drives in the opening half had unhappy endings, one on an interception and the other on a failed fourth down conversion at the Holy Angels' 12-yard line.

"We didn't make any big plays in the first half and they did," Farmington coach Mark Froehling said. "We played better in the second half when we showed some fire and passion and executed better but you have to have to play like that the entire game. That first half really hurt us."

To add insult to injury, the Stars scored on two of their first three possessions of the third period to build an insurmountable 30-3 lead.

The first came on another long run by Eckholm (55 yards) and the second on a 21-yard pass from Eckholm to Hoffman.

Mac Bassett 5 catches, 131 yards (photo by J. Lindquist)

Despite the 27-point deficit, the Tigers battled back, scoring twice, once on a nine-yard scramble by Tyler VanWinkle and another on a 62-yard throw and run from VanWinkle to Mac Bassett.

The game lasted five minutes short of three hours and was marred by injuries, a hold-on-to-your-hat wind, non-stop penalties and numerous conferences by the officiating crew.

"We got one 15-yard penalty penalty for 'excessive blocking,'" veteran assistant coach Gary Burr said. "I've never heard of such a thing in football."

The final game stats were surprisingly close with the Stars holding a 330-269 edge in total offense. The difference was the big plays put up by Eckholm his speedy friends.

"We have good team speed but they have a couple of players that are faster than anyone we have," Froehling said.

Farmington continued to struggle running the ball, finishing with a net of just 56 yards. The rest of the Tiger offense came through the air with VanWinkle finishing 16 of 38 for 213 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions.

Bassett led the receiving corps with five catches for 131 yards. Johnny Dittman caught three for 28 and tight end CJ Wynings had six receptions for 20 yards.

Kevin Clifton and John LeBlond topped the Tiger tackling charts with 8.5 and eight tackles respectively. LeBlond's numbers included 2.5 sacks and 3.5 tackles for a loss. Nick Workman had sevens stops and Nick Meyer totaled 5.5.

Friday's loss was the third straight for Farmington and dropped the Tigers' season record to 4-3, 3-3 in conference play. 

Froehling said the best thing his team can do between now and next Wednesday night's regular season and home finale is to develop a short memory.

"We always say the most important game is the one in front of us," he said. "We can't change history....Football is all about execution and that's what we'll need to do against Shakopee. Execute and come out and play with passion."

Football: Pain and gain in the rain

Mason Auge makes one of his team-high 15 tackles (photo by Jim Lindquist)

Farmington scored first and last but in between Chanhassen put up three touchdowns to post a 21-13 Missota Conference win over the Tigers Friday night at a rainy and windy Tiger Stadium.

The victory left the Storm (4-1) in sole possession of second place in the conference and dropped the Tigers (3-2) into a third place tie with Shakopee.

The soggy weather conditions didn't do any favors for the home team whose offense relies heavily on its short passing game.

"The wind was a factor for sure," Tiger coach Mark Froehling said, "especially on the side of the field by our bench. The ball was really sailing...But we threw the ball pretty well and our running backs found some holes.

"We knew going in they were big and strong up front. They split their offensive linemen and come right at you but I thought our defense really stepped up. They were on the field a long time."

Perhaps the biggest positive for Froehling to take away from the loss was his team's resilience after suffering a one-sided loss at Chaska last week.

"We talked all week about coming out with passion and effort," he said. "Those are the things you have to bring every night and I thought we did that tonight. That's what good football teams do."

The Tigers got on the board first late in the opening period when a 37-yard pass play from Tyler VanWinkle to Johnny Dittman set up VanWinkle's one-yard scoring run.

Godfrey Mpetey (52), Nick Workman (18) and Michael Thompson (37) get their man (photo by Jim Lindquist)

Chanhassen countered early in the second period with a grinding 74-yard drive to send the teams to the halftime break tied at 7-7.

The turning point in the contest came three plays into the second half when the Storm's Ryan Licau found a seam and raced 66 yards for the go-ahead touchdown.

Chanhassen dominated the third period, scoring again on their next possession for what looked to be a commanding 21-7 lead. The Storm, behind a big offensive line anchored by 300-pound Division I recruit Frank Ragnow ran for 156 yards in the third quarter.

Jordan DeCroock 7-yard TD pass (photo by J. Lindquist)

John LeBlond's fumble recovery set up the second Farmington score with 8:54 remaining, a seven-yard throw from VanWinkle to Jordan DeCroock.

A gritty goal line stand in the closing minutes gave the Tigers one last shot and VanWinkle made the most of it, moving his team from its own four-yard line to the Storm 32 on a 43-yard pass completion to Mac Bassett before a fumble ended the threat.

Considering the conditions, VanWinkle had a good night throwing the ball, completing 16 of 31 passes for 210 yards, a touchdown and one interception .DeCroock had four catches for 50 yards and Dittman four for 61. Noah Kary added three for 29 yards.

The Tiger running game continued to struggle with the trio of Derek Klotter, Kary and VanWinkle accounting for a net of just 74 yards.

Senior linebacker Mason Auge led a defense that spent a lot of time on the field with a season-high 15 tackles. Godfrey Mpetey, Eli Rockett and Kevin Clifton each had 6.5 stops. LeBlond finished with 5.5 with a quarterback sack and a fumble recovery.

Senior linebacker Nick Ruark suffered an knee injury late in the first half and watched the second half from the sidelines on crutches.

The Tigers travel to Richfield next Friday before closing out the regular season the following Wednesday at home against Shakopee.

"Those will be two more games against good teams," Froehling said. "It will give us a chance to show what kind of football team we are. Like every game, it will all come down to effort and execution."


Free downloadable, high resolution image files from this game compliments of photographers Jim and Ruth Lindquist are available at http://sidekick.smugmug.com

Football: High-Flying Hawks tame Tigers

Eli Rockett (21) team-high 12.5 tackles vs. Chaska (photo by Jim Lindquist)

Friday night's match-up between Farmington and Chaska figured to be battle between a Tiger defense that had surrendered just 44 points in four games and a big-play Hawk offense that had averaged 45 points a night.

The tone for the Hawks' 56-7 runaway win in their homecoming game was set on the game's first possession when after two short gains Chaska quarterback Justin Arnold broke loose on a 77-yard touchdown run. The game was 1:06 old.

That was just the beginning of long night for the Farmington defense that gave up an eye-popping 561 yards (333 rushing and 238 passing) to the high-flying Hawks.

"By itself that kind of start isn't what hurt us so much," Farmington coach Mark Froehling said. "We had faced adversity in other games and bounced back to win games.

Mac Bassett TD catch (photo by Jim Lindquist)

"Tonight was simply a matter of a good football team playing very good football combined with us not performing well. This can serve as a good lesson for us. We'll see what kind of character we have and how we respond to this."

"This" was a beatdown of major proportions. The sixth-rated Hawks (Class 5A) executed to perfection what  Froehling and his staff had spent all week preparing to stop, the big play. Five of Chaska's touchdowns covered 30 or more yards; four were longer than 50.

"They have some very talented athletes and they can score in a hurry," Froehling said.

The two biggest pains in the Tigers' backside were slippery junior quarterback Justin Arnold and hard-running tailback Caleb Seiffert. Each gained more than 100 yards on the ground and Arnold burned the Farmington secondary for four scores through the air.

Chaska led 35-0 at intermission and dominated defensively as well, holding the visitors to just three first downs in the opening half, one of those by penalty.

Twenty-one more points points in the third period, the last on a 60-yard punt return on the final play of the quarter, sent the game into running time mode.

Tyler VanWinkle 18 of 28, 141 yards, TD (photo by Jim Lindquist)

The Tigers scored their only points on the night on a 74-yard drive late in the fourth quarter capped by a four-yard pass from Tyler VanWinkle to Mac Bassett.

VanWinkle bounced back from a rough outing last week in the win over New Prague to complete 18 of 28 passes for 141 yards.  Bassett had sis catches for 65 yards and Jordan DeCroock for 40.

The running game, however, was almost non-existent. The Tigers finished with just 40 yards on the ground.

Safety Eli Rockett had a busy night on defense, finishing with a team-high 12.5 tackles. Linebackers Mason Auge and Nick Ruark had seven and four respectively.

Froehling said the best thing for his team is to put the loss to the Hawks in its rear view mirror.

"We can't control games that have already been played," he said, "only the ones in front of us. We are a 4-1 football team now and there are a lot of teams who would like to be able to say that.

"We have a lot of football ahead of us. We need to get back to work and start preparing for next week."

Chanhassen, a 55-0 winner over New Prague Friday night, pays a visit to Tiger Stadium Friday night.

Defense dominates in homecoming win

Now hear this. Now hear this...Farmington 19 New Prague 3 (photo by Jim Lindquist)

A swarming Tiger defense held New Prague to 133 yards of total offense, including an eye-catching -51 yards on the ground in a 19-3 Missota Conference win Friday night in the  2013 homecoming game.

The victory was the fourth straight for the unbeaten Tigers who are a perfect 3-0 in Missota Conference play, good enough for a first place tie with state-ranked Chaska in the league standings.

As for the homecoming win, well it had a wart or two. The Tiger offensive machine purred at times but sputtered and stalled at others. The winless Trojans forced seven Farmington turnovers and led 3-0 at halftime. The winners had an extra point kick blocked and had a two-point try end with an errant snap. It was one of those nights.

Winning coach Mark Froehling said he and his staff will have no shortage of things to work on in practice this week but focused on the positives of his team's now routine second half rally.

"Things don't always go the way you want them to," he said. "But we hung together through the adversity and got better in the second half. I give my assistant coaches a lot of credit for making the adjustments and for the players for executing them."

Noah Kary 134 yards rushing (photo by Jim Lindquist)

In the first four games of the 2013 season the Tigers have outscored the opposition in the second half by a lopsided count of 76-14. The defense hasn't allowed a second half point in the past three games.

Farmington moved the ball well in the first half but stumbled near the end zone. Senior Tyler VanWinkle had a nightmare of an opening half. He threw for 132 yards but suffered four interceptions, all on the New Prague side of midfield.

"They were doing some things defensively that made it hard to run our passing game," Froehling said, "so we took what they gave us and ran more in the second half. But Tyler came back and played with confidence and poise in the second half, too."

Noah Kary provided most of the yardage on an 80-yard scoring drive that put the home team on the board with 5:44 remaining in the third quarter. He scored the touchdown on what may have been the longest 2-yard run in school history.

Sweeping to his right, Kary shook off a couple of tacklers, reversed course and went most of the width of the field back to the left for the score.

Less than two minutes later Godfrey Mpetey forced a Trojan fumble that John LeBlond pounced on at the New Prague eight-yard line. Three plays later VanWinkle hit CJ Wynings from five yards out for a touchdown.

Nick Buhta spelled Kary much of the fourth quarter and his running along with a 34-yard pass play from VanWinkle to Mac Bassett led to the final score of the night, a two-yard plunge by linebacker-turned-fullback Nick Ruark.

The Tigers were knocking on the end zone door again later in the final period before they lost their second fumble of the night, this one recovered in the end zone by the Trojans for a touchback.

Center Josh Patterson (photo by Jim Lindquist)

The Tiger offense finished the night with  a robust 444 total yards but was hamstrung by the five picks and two fumbles.

Kary went over the century mark in rushing for the second straight game, picking up 134 yards on 33 carries. Buhta added 80 on a dozen tries.

VanWinkle completed 12 of 26 throws for 195 yards and a score. Kary had four catches for 32 yards, Bassett three for 73 and Jordan DeCroock three for 63.

Eli Rockett led the Tiger defense with seven tackles. Ruark had 6.5, Mason Auge four and LeBlond 3.5 (and two fumble recoveries).

Those numbers don't nearly tell the story, however. LeBlond, Mpetey, Auge, Ruark and company were all over the New Prague quarterback and the defense suffocated the Trojan running game.

"I think the defense has played well in every game this year," Froehling said.

Both the defense and the offense will need to bring their A game to Chaska next week when the Tigers play the role of homecoming guests for the Hawks.

"Chaska has some great athletes who are playing very good football right now," Froehling said. "We'll have to be ready to play if we are going to be competitive with them."

Chaska pounded Red Wing 67-13 Friday night.

Big second half carries Tigers

Godfrey Mpetey 4.5 tackles, fumble recovery (photo by Jim Lindquist)

In what has become an early season trend the Tigers followed up a sluggish first half with a dominating second and a sold victory, this one a 37-7 Missota Conference win Friday night at Red Wing.

The victory was the third straight for unbeaten Farmington now tied for the league lead with Chaska with a perfect 2-0 mark.

The one-sided final score was anything but after the first two periods which saw the upstart Wingers total more yards and more first downs than their guests. The Tigers led just 14-7 at the break.

"It's not that we aren't aware of our getting off to a slow start," Tiger coach Mark Froehling said. "Coming out with better energy and better execution was our focus all week in practice.

Reid Taubenheim, FG, 4 PAT's (photo by J. Lindquist)

"It wasn't that we were terrible or anything. We did some great things in the first half but we didn't do them with any consistency....That's really where we are after three games. Doing a lot of good things but not on a consistent basis. We have to do that for a complete game, especially with the good teams we will be playing down the road."

Tyler VanWinkle threw touchdown passes to Jordan DeCroock for six yards and Mac Bassett for 15 to account for the Farmington first half scoring.

The Tiger team that took the field the second half played with a different resolve, using the bruising offensive line play of center Josh Patterson, guards Ryan Gowen and Edwin Martinez, tackles Alex Robinson and Jake Roepke and tight end CJ Wynings to pave the way for the slashing runs of Noah Kary.

Kevin Clifton 6.5 tackles (photo by J. Lindquist)

Kary got the call the first five plays of the second half, gaining 47 yards and setting up a 12-yard touchdown dash by Nick Buhta who scored on his first varsity carry.

Reid Taubenhein's booming 32-yard field goal ended the next Tiger drive late in the third period and VanWinkle's 15-yard touchdown toss to Wynings on the first play of the final period upped the visitors' lead to 30-7.

While the offense was hitting on all cylinders the Tiger defense was shutting down the Winger no-huddle offense and gaining good field position. Farmington allowed the Wingers fewer than 100 yards of total offense in the second half.

The Farmington reserves saw much of the playing time in the final period and the second offensive unit made its mark with quarterback AJ Croucher engineering a scoring drive set up by Godfrey Mpetey's fumble recovery. Senior tailback Spencer Kabran did most of the legwork on the drive and scored the touchdown on a three-yard run.

Kary had a career night running the ball, picking up 155 yards on 28 carries. The Tigers finished with a season-high 259 yards rushing.

VanWinkle connected on 14 of 26 passes for 121 yards and three touchdowns. Bassett had five catches for 41 yards, DeCroock five for 41 and Wynings four for 44.

Mason Auge topped the Tiger tackling charts with nine. Kevin Clifton totaled 6.5, John LeBlond five and Mpetey had 4.5 to go with his fumble recovery.

Next week the Tigers entertain New Prague for homecoming as Froehling and his team continue to work on bringing more energy and focus for an entire game.

"We as coaches and our players are never satisfied," Froehling said, "and that's the way it should be. We'll be doing everything we can to improve every game. I think we are on the right road to do that."

Friday Night Lights Photos

For free downloadable high resolution image files from the Farmington vs. Northfield football game Friday night, visit Jim Lindquist's website at http://sidekick.smugmug.com

Football: Tractor Trophy staying put

Mason Auge (photo by J. Lindquist)

Mason Auge's 65-yard interception for a touchdown with 5:20 to play capped an uphill climb for the Tigers in a 21-14 Missota Conference victory over Northfield Friday night at Tiger Stadium..

The win raised Farmington's season record to a perfect 2-0 and insured the Tigers will keep the Tractor Trophy for the foreseeable future. Time will tell when the the two old rivals will meet again on the football field.

When the Missota Conference disbands next spring The Tigers move to the South Suburban Conference while the Raiders take up residence in the Big Nine Conference.

The last match-up, at least for awhile, between the two old foes was a game of two halves in which the home team had to dig its way out of a 14-0 first quarter deficit.

The Raiders scored their first touchdown on the game's first possession, an 80-yard drive that took just 3:16 off the game clock. The second came in the waning seconds of the opening period and had the large partisan crowd in the west bleachers scratching its collective head.

The visitors looked like they were going to go up by three scores when a wide open receiver couldn't hold on to a sure touchdown throw early in the second quarter.

Things were looking bleak for the Tigers as the half approached when Mason Gaylord's interception with 1:46 before the break seemed to light a fire under the sluggish Farmington offense.

Quarterback Tyler VanWinkle completed all four of his passes in the ensuing 75-yard scoring drive that ended with an 11-yard touchdown throw of 21-yards to Jordan DeCroock with 43 seconds to play until intermission. A 26-yard pass and run from VanWinkle to Mac Bassett set up the score.

Tractor Trophy staying at FHS

From there to the exciting finish when Gaylord and Max Aldana combined to break up a fourth down pass in the final minute of play, The Tigers took on a different look.

The defense dominated and the offense mixed in the run just enough to give VanWinkle time enough to dissect the Raider secondary. The senior signal caller finished his second career start with 16 completions in 21 throws for 237 yards and two touchdowns.

The second came in the third period on a critical fourth and 15 from the Northfield 35 where he found Bassett behind the Raider defense for a 35-yard score to knot the count at 14-14.

Neither team could move the ball in the final period. Midway through the quarter VanWinkle threw an interception to give the Raiders life. Five plays later Auge returned the favor and used his sprinter's speed to find the south end zone for the game-winning points.

Tyler VanWinkle 16-21, 237 yards, 2TD's (photo by Jim Lindquist)

"We showed a lot of tenacity in the second half," Tiger coach Mark Froehling said. "Sometimes it isn't easy. We stayed together and played together to the end. This game wasn't given to us. We earned it tonight."

Froehling also pointed to his team's depth as an important factor in keeping the Tractor Trophy in the home barn.

"We had some injuries to key people so we had to have other guys step in and do the job," he said.

Two-way starter Johnny Dittman missed much of the game with what appeared to a be a sprained ankle and starting running back Derek Klotter didn't return after suffering a shoulder injury.

Northfield had 19 first downs to just 10 for the Tigers but for the second week in a row the winners proved to be capable of making the big play.

Mac Bassett 3 catches, 108 yards, TD (photo by Jim Lindquist)

Bassett who was shutout in the season opener, grabbed three balls for 108 yards and the tying touchdown. DeCroock scored his fourth touchdown in two games and VanWinkle threw his fourth and fifth TD passes of the young season.

In addition to his late game heroics Auge led the team in tackles with nine. Eli Rockett totaled 7.5 from his safety position. Reid Taubenheim and Nick Ruark each chipped in with six.

Next week the Tigers hit the road for  Missota Conference game at Red Wing. The Wingers have started the season 0-2.

NOTE: For free downloadable high resolution image files from this game visit Jim Lindquist's website at http://sidekick.smugmug.com

Tigers down River Falls 30-20 with small ball

Derek Klotter led Farmington rushers with 114 yards (photo by Jim Lindquist)

It's a widely accepted theory that size plays a big role in the outcome of most football games. After all, how many coaches enter their new season saying  their team is bigger and stronger than the previous year

The Tigers stood that notion on its ear Friday night when a handful of economy-sized players produced most of the offensive punch in their season-opening 30-20 win at River Falls, Wisconsin.

Senior speedster Jordan DeCroock stood out, scoring three touchdowns, two on passes of 77 and 11 yards from Tyler VanWinkle and a third on an 80-yard kickoff return. According to the official roster, DeCroock weighs in at 160 lbs and VanWinkle tips the scales at 170.

"Jordan catches the ball well as both a receiver and returner," coach Mark Froehling said. "His elusiveness and instincts make him a great weapon for us."

Then there was starting tailback Derek Klotter who threw his 155 lbs. frame at the River Falls defense all night, finishing with 121 rushing yards on 14 carries. His back-up, 155-pound Noah Kary, was the team's second leading ball-carrier with 82 yards on 13 tries.

The other Farmington score came on a 16-yard pass from VanWinkle to 160-pound wideout Johnny Dittman.

Three extra points and a 41-yard field goal came off the foot of veritable giant Reid Taubenheim (185 lbs.) who also booted five of six kickoffs into the end zone for touchbacks.

 "I don't think I've written 150 or 160 lbs. behind a player's name on a roster so much for a long time," Froehling said. "We have a lot of smaller players around here who can play football."

Johnny Dittman 3rd period TD pass (photo by J. Lindquist)

The teams played through a sluggish first half that saw the Tigers draw first blood on a VanWinkle-to-DeCroock bomb only to have the Wildcats return the favor with a return of an interception by Sebastian Larson. Taubenheim's long field goal gave the visitors a 10-6 halftime lead.

"They (River Falls) dictated the play in the first half," Froehling said. "We were flat and didn't play with any emotion. We can't play like that and expect to win."

Whatever message Froehling and his staff imparted at the break sunk in quickly. DeCroock picked up the bouncing second half kickoff, burst up the middle and outran everyone to stretch the lead to 16-6.

Minutes later a John LeBlond fumble recovery set up the touchdown throw from VanWinkle to Dittman and late in the 20-point period Klotter and Kary ran the ball exclusively from the Tiger 39-yard line to the River Falls 11 where VanWinkle connected with  DeCroock for the final Farmington points of the night.

The Wildcats scored a touchdown on another return of an interception and added a meaningless score against the Farmington reserves in the game's final seconds.

Offensive coordinator Lew Miskowicz said his team made its share of mistakes (4 turnovers) but all in all, he liked what he saw.

"We like to play fast," he said. "We have a lot of speed and athleticism and we want to use it. Tyler had a couple of mis-reads and those caused the interceptions. But he has a lot of poise in the pocket and this was his first varsity start. I'm sure he will keep improving."

VanWinkle completed seven of 14 throws for 125 yards, three touchdowns and three picks. DeCroock was the leading receiver with two grabs for 115 yards. Dittman had two for 21 and tight end CJ Wynings two for 13.

Linebacker Nick Ruark (left) had six tackles

The starting Tiger defense pitched a shutout with linebackers Mason Auge and Godfrey Mpetey leading the way in tackles with 7.5 and seven respectively. Mason Gaylord added 6.5, Nick Ruark six and Nick Meyer five, including a sack. 

"I thought we played a solid defensive game, especially in the second half," defensive coach Glenn Mogensen said. "We did what we were supposed to do and played with a lot more fire than we did in the first half."

"This is high school football and the first game of the season," Froehling said. "So you don't expect everything to be perfect.

"But we did a lot of things well. We know areas where we need to improve and that's what we will be working on next week."

The Tigers kickoff their final Missota Conference season next Friday night when they battle Northfield for possession of Tractor Trophy at Tiger Stadium. The Raiders defeated Irondale 21-14 in their season opener.

Tractor Trophy on the line Friday night

Football: A title to defend

Mark Froehling 78-52 record at FHS

Farmington enters the final year in the life of the Missota Conference as defending football champion, a title it wants to keep.

The Tigers finished 7-3 overall last season, losing to northern neighbor Apple Valley in the finals of the section tournament.

"As defending co-conference champions with several returning starters we expect to be a competitive team in the Missota again," coach Mark Froehling said. "There are some top quality teams in our new section and our position there remains to be seen."

Farmington has been bumped up to Class 6A for the post-season, a distinction that goes with bring one of the largest 32 schools in the state (by Minnesota High School League rules).

With 15 of 22 starters returning Froehling has reason to be optimistic. Eight veterans return on offense and seven more are back on other side of the ball. An eighth defensive starter, cornerback Jack Erickson, has been lost for the season to injury.

"The  development of new starters on offense who are replacing players at quarterback, running back and the offensive line will be important," Froehling said, "and like most teams, staying healthy is important because of a lack of depth at several positions."

Offensive starters returning include linemen Josh Patterson and Ryan Gowen; tight end CJ Wynings, wide receivers Mac Bassett, Johnny Dittman, Jordan DeCroock and Tyler VanWinkle and running back Derek Klotter. Noah Kary should see action out of the backfield and Alex Robinson is a leading candidate for one of the offensive lineman positions.

WR Mac Bassett led the team in receptions in 2012 (photo by Jim Lindquist)

Bassett and Dittman each received all-conference honorable mention last season.

VanWinkle will be making the biggest adjustment, going from catching the ball to handing it off and throwing it.

"This should allow for some big play potential," Froehling said  of the heir apparent to all-conference quarterback Darren Beenken spot under center.

Froehling said his 14th team at Farmington will be athletic and possess good team speed as witnessed by the depth in the talented receiving corps. With placekicker Reid Taubenheim, the school record holder for field goals, back in the mix after suffering a hip injury late last season, special teams play should also be a plus.

"We will be young on the offensive line so we'll need to see improvement as the season progresses," he said. "At several of those positions our size could also cause some match-up problems."

All-Missota LB Mason Auge (photo by J. Lindquist)

Leading the defensive returnees are a pair of all-Missota performers, linebacker Mason Auge and lineman John LeBlond. Other returning starters include linebackers Nick Ruark and Godfrey Mpetey and defensive backs Mason Gaylord, Kevin Clifton and Eli Rockett

Linemen Nick Meyer and Tanner Thode and linebacker Michael Thompson should also see defensive playing time for the Tigers.

Froehling returns all of his veteran coaching staff: Gary Burr, Pat Hudak, Glenn Mogensen, Shane Wyandt, Lew Miskowicz, Jon Lund,  Jon Malin nad Mike Winters.

Brent Grengs, Brent Mahlstedt, Chad Olson and Tharen Johnson man the ninth grade coaching positions with Paul Ahrenholz, Jeff Stulz, Lance Walsten, Michael Schommer, Shawn Anderson, Mark Pickar, Nick Davis, Jacob Bauer, Bryan Buesgens and Shane Trego handling the middle school coaching chores.

The Tigers kick off their 2013 season Friday, August 30, with a non-conference road contest at River Falls (Wisconsin). Their first conference game is the following week against Northfield for the Tractor Trophy.

John LeBlond had team-leading 4 sacks in 2012 (photo by Jim Lindquist)

Correction on school passing records

In a post earlier this week regarding Darren Beenken's passing achievements during the 2012 season, mention was made of David Fransen (1998) and Preston St. John (2003) being tied for the school record for touchdowns in a season with 16.

A further review of the record books showed that honor belongs to Brent Beenken who threw for 17 touchdowns in 2008.

We apologize for the error.

Football: Back on top

Athen Ashton and Darren Beenken All-Missota Conference (photo by Jim Lindquist)

After a couple of sub-par seasons the Tigers were back on their game in 2012.

Coach Mark Froehling's team went 4-14 over the previous two seasons but little of that was evident in their 7-3 run that included a five-game winning streak to open the season that propelled it to the No. 4  spot in the Associated Press rankings.

The Tigers won a share of the Missota Conference title for the first time since 2008 and advanced to the section championship game for the first time in six years.


"This was a fun and exciting season," Froehling said. "The athletes worked hard and earned their successes. They were very coachable and great teammates. There are always things to improve on, but I thought we played very good football most of the time.

"I also thought we had a great following from students, families and fans both at home and away. The team really appreciates the great support from the community."

Froehling ticked off a list of memorable moments from the season just completed, starting with Reid Taubenheim's record-setting four field goals in the opener against Rochester Mayo.

Also on the list were the hair-raising 27-23 Homecoming win over Chaska; the first-ever playoff win at Tiger Stadium; the conference championship; the return to the section championship game and the team's Gold Medal rating for academics.

Defensive MVP Mason Auge (photo by Jim Lindquist)

Froehling also pointed to the large number of individual accomplishments, including big statistical numbers put up by quarterback Darren Beenken (four school records), Athen Ashton (804 yards in six games) and Mason Auge (103 tackles).

The veteran Tiger coach also highlighted the quarterback sacks of John LeBlond, the post-season touchdown catches of Mac Bassett and Johnny Dittman and Tyler VanWinkle's circus catch that earned media Play of the Week honors.

One of the few disappointments came in the lopsided 28-3 loss at Chanhassen.

"We didn't play very good football there," Froehling said. "I would like to play that one over again."

Froehling also received some post-season recognition of his own as he was named the Missota Conference Coach of the Year.

"I think officially the head coach is listed, but I see this as a coaching staff award," Froehling said. " I am very proud of my staff. They are outstanding, dedicated coaches and quality men."

Froehling and his staff honored the 2012 Missota Conference co-champions at an awards banquet earlier this week. Listed below are award winners announced at the banquet.

MVP Offense – Darren Beenken

MVP Defense – Mason Auge

MVP Special Teams – Reid Taubenheim

All-Missota Conference

Darren Beenken, Athen Ashton, Mason Auge, Alex Chadwick, Josh Boatwright and John LeBlond  

Honorable Mention All-Conference

Reid Taubenheim, Mac Bassett and Johnny Dittman

Scout Team MVP Offense

Alex Robinson  and Noah Kary 

Scout Team MVP Defense

Nick Schoening and Alex Khan 

Coaches Award  Offense – Alex Witkowski

Coaches Award Defense – Alex Khan

Team Academic All-State – Gold Medal Award

Individual Academic All-State – Darren Beenken

Beenken passes his way into record book

Senior quarterback set four school passing records this fall (photo by Jim Lindquist)

Tiger fans know the 2012 season was a success by any measure. A seven-win season, a tie for the Missota Conference championship and an appearance in the section championship game all supply more than adequate evidence of that fact.

Less noticeable but just as notable were the passing numbers put up by senior quarterback Darren Beenken.

The three-year starter capped his high school career by taking over the top spot in four of Farmington's all-time statistical categories.

Beenken's 1661 yards passing in 2012 eclipsed the single season mark of 1487 produced by David Fransen in 1998.

Beenken also moved past Fransen in career yardage with 3830 yards; Fransen compiled 2744 yards from 1996 through 1998.

The third statistical milestone came in completion percentage where Beenken finished 2012 with a .619 number. His .540 career percentage is also a school-best number.

Beenken and Fransen are tied atop the school record standings in touchdown passes thrown in a career with 26. Beenken's older brother, Brent Beenken, holds the school mark for scoring passes in a single season with 17 in 2008.

Valley turns back Tiger rally to win section

The Tigers take the field for Section 3AAAAA title game (photo by Jim Lindquist)

Apple Valley built a 28-7 halftime lead that Farmington chewed down to a touchdown with 11 minutes to play and then exploded for three scores in the game's final 4:35 to defeat the Tigers 49-21 in the Section 3AAAAA title game played Friday night in Apple Valley.

With the win the Eagles move on to the Class 5A state tournament where they will open against No. 1 ranked Totino-Grace. Farmington, who finished 3-6 in 2011, closed the books on its 7-3 season.

"I am very proud of how we came back in the second half," Tiger coach Mark Froehling said. "We came out and ran the football like we knew we could and we gave Darren (Beenken) much better protection. The defense made some key stops and we got back in the game."

Not much of that happened in the first two periods as Valley moved the ball at will against an under-sized and over-extended Tiger defensive unit.

"They controlled the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball in the first half," Froehling said. "They have some big, strong athletes and we aren't the biggest team in the world."

Johnny Dittman scored the first Tiger TD on a 55-yard pass (photo by Jim Lindquist)

Ironically, the Tigers got on the board first. After the Eagles drove deep into Farmington territory on their first possession, Joe Rucci pounced on a loose ball at the Tiger 20. Five plays later, Beenken hooked up with Johnny Dittman for a 55-yard touchdown and a quick 7-0 lead.

The Eagles pulled to within 7-6 late in the first period and then reeled off three unanswered scores in the second to build its 21-point halftime cushion.

The halftime stats were even more lopsided than the score. Apple Valley had 15 first downs to just two for the visitors. The Eagles rolled up 354 total yards in the half with 240 of them coming on the ground. The Tigers netted just 81 total yards in the first two periods.

"We knew we were better than that," Froehling said. "It was a matter of going out and doing it."

The Tigers got moving on their first possession of the second half, marching 69 yards in 11 plays behind the passing of Beenken (4-4 for 33 yards) and the running of Derek Klotter (36 yards on six carries). A 13-yard throw from Beenken to Mac Bassett scored the six and brought the mammoth Farmington crowd back into the contest.

John LeBlond's recovery set up the final TD (photo by Jim Lindquist)

Early in the fourth John LeBlond's fumble recovery set up a 21-yard scoring strike from Beenken to Bassett and all of a sudden the rout had turned into a game.

But Valley responded with an impressive 13-play, 74-yard scoring drive that ate up as much clock as it did yardage. With 4:35 to play in regulation the Tiger deficit had ballooned to 14 at 35-21.

Farmington's failure to convert on fourth down led to Valley's sixth touchdown and with 3:20 remaining. A long interception return set up the final score with just 34 seconds to play.

The Tigers held the Eagles to fewer than half their first half total after intermission but the winners still eclipsed the 500-yard mark in total offense. Farmington finished with 201.

"We never quit," Froehling said. "We played tough all the way to the end. That's what we try to do as a team....We win together together, we lose together. We celebrate together and we suffer together."

Most of the Tiger yardage came through the air where Beenken was 12 of 21 for 145 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions. Bassett, Dittman, and Jordan DeCroock each had three receptions.

Mason Auge, Kevin Clifton and Nick Ruark topped the Tiger tackling charts. LeBlond and Rucci each had fumble recoveries and Jack Erickson and Mason Gaylord recorded an interception apiece.

No team likes to see its season end, especially a game short of the state tournament, but Froehling said the 2012 campaign contained more than a few highlights.

"Winning a conference championship and getting to the section finals are always milestones on our list of goals," he said. "We had great senior leadership that saw us through some pretty exciting football. We had a lot of fun. It was a great year."