The Crusaders scored three times in the first quarter and added a fourth first half touchdown in the second as they built a 28-6 halftime advantage.

Their first score came with 9:11 left in the opening quarter when Ty Hoese hit Teigan Martin with a 33-yard TD pass and Connor Olsen added the extra point kick.  A 60 yard run by Dylan Nelson on their first offensive snap of the day brought the Crusaders from their own 7 yard line to the Mills 33 to setup the touchdown.

A blocked punt by Caden Robbins was recovered by Martin, who returned it 40 yards for the second Mayer Lutheran score with 7:39 left in the quarter.  Olsen made it 14-0 with his PAT kick.  New York Mills followed with an 11 play drive that covered 52 yards before they were stopped on downs at the Mayer Lutheran 23 yard line.  The Crusaders drive went 77 yards in 4 plays with Hoese connecting with Elijah Jopp from 40 yards out and Olsen making it 21-0 with his third extra point kick. 

Hoese hooked-up with Jopp again on a 62 yard touchdown pass on third and eighteen from their own 38 yard line with 10:12 left in quarter number two.  Olsen was successful again with the PAT kick and the Crusaders had a 28-0 advantage.

New York Mills had a drive stall early on their next possession but the Eagles recovered a fumble when Hoese was sacked by Braeden Peterson and Bode Roberts fell on the ball.  New York Mills drove the ball to the Mayer Lutheran 18 before being stopped on downs, but an interception by Jonah Johnson returned the ball to the Eagles at the Crusaders 25 yard line.  From there, the Eagles pushed the ball into the end zone on a fourth and thirteen pass from Bren Salo to Noah Noffsinger, covering 16 yards.  Their two-point try failed and it was 28-6 heading into halftime.

Hoese threw a 15 yard TD pass to Samuel Dennis with 5:07 left in the third quarter and Olsen made it 35-6.  Mills drove to the Crusaders 38 before being stopped on downs and Mayer Lutheran then went 62 yards in 4 plays with Hoese and Abram Jopp connecting on a 43 yard pass for the final score of the game.  The failed PAT kick put the score at 41-6.

Hoese had a huge day passing the football, completing 9-of-16 for 221 yards and 5 TD’s.  His leading receivers were Martin (3 catches, 47 yards, 1 TD), Elijah Jopp (2 receptions, 102 yards, 2 TD’s) and Abram Jopp (2 catches, 58 yards, 1 TD).  Nelson led the ground attack with 70 yards on 3 carries.  Defensive leaders were Elijah Jopp (9 tackles, 2 tackles for loss), Caden Robbins (8 tackles, 2 sacks, 4 tackles for loss, 1 fumble recovery, 1 blocked kick), Tyler Neitzel (6 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 1 fumble recovery), Hoese (6 tackles) and Isaac Hahn (4 tackles, 1 sack, 2 tackles for loss).

New York Mills was led by Dane Niemi (12 carries, 51 yards, 2 catches, 17 yards), Salo (5 completions, 16 attempts, 79 yards, 1 TD) and Johnson (2 receptions, 46 yards).  Eathan Ruther (5 tackles, 1 tackle for loss), Johnson (5 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 1 interception) and Braeden Peterson (4 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 forced fumble) were the leaders on the defensive side of the ball.

The Eagles finish their season with a 10-2 record, while Mayer Lutheran improves to 12-1 on the season.  The Crusaders will face Minneota for the Class A championship at 10:00am Friday, November 26 at US Bank Stadium.