Minneapolis North and St. Paul Johnson earned important football victories last weekend.
North is quietly picking up where it left off last year — finishing runner-up in Class 1A —sitting at 5-0 after a 36-29 victory over St. Paul Central. Johnson defeated Harding 16-7 for bragging rights on St. Paul’s Eastside in what is traditionally known as the “Hatchet Game.”
Senior quarterback Ahzerick Rodgers accounted for three touchdown passes — two to Corleon Powell and one to Taylor Johnson — while running for another to lead the Polars.
Senior running back Xavier Davis scored three rushing touchdowns to lead Central.
The host Polars trailed 29-28 in the fourth quarter before Rodgers connected with Powell for a 32-yard touchdown and Johnson for the two-point conversion.
Central was playing in its 1,000th game while celebrating Head Coach Scott Howell’s recent induction into the St. Paul Central High School Athletic Hall of Fame.
Across the river the following day, junior running back Keylan Jackson and senior quarterback Dan Foster each had touchdown runs, leading Johnson to a homecoming victory over arch rival Harding as the Governors keep the hatchet for another year.
Senior quarterback Shad Kebaso scored the Knights only touchdown in the first quarter.
Mitchell Palmer McDonald welcomes reader responses to mmcdonald@spokesman-recorder.com.
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