Behind the blocking of offensive linemen Kurohn Davis, Fergus Oulman, Fela McConnell, Alex Dreher and Paul Mealy, St. Paul Central erased a 0-13 first quarter deficit to lead the Minutemen to a 43-25 victory over city rival St. Paul Johnson on the Governors’ home turf last Friday.
Because of the protection provided by linemen most of the game, quarterback Allan Lankfard Jr. continued to demonstrate why he is considered one of the state’s top players. The junior, who stands 6’1” and 200 pounds, ran for two touchdowns and passed for two more in the win.
The touchdown passes were caught by senior receiver Kaiden Thiers, and another scoring run was added courtesy of running back Lavonte Cox.
The first quarter was all Johnson, with two touchdowns coming with passes of 18 and 64 yards from sophomore quarterback Ali Farfan to fellow classmate and receiver Justice Moody, giving the Governors a 13-0 lead.
In the second quarter, Lankfard, who is also the starting guard for the boys basketball team, responded with a 14-yard run, a 10-yard pass to Theirs, and a nine-yard run all for touchdowns.
Farfan struck back for the Governors with an 18-yard touchdown pass to senior receiver Michael Ojeda, while Lankard connected with Theirs from 15 yards out as time ran out, giving the Minutemen a 28-19 halftime lead.
They led 36-19 after the third quarter thanks to Thiers’ 11-yard reception from Lankfard. Johnson scored for the last time on Farfan’s seven-yard run in the final period, but Cox’s six-yard run put the game out of reach.
Richard Magembe, a 2004 Johnson graduate who also played football at the school, coaches the Governors. Scott Howell, a 1984 Central graduate who played football as well, leads the Minutemen. Both went on to outstanding collegiate careers at St. Cloud State University.
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