SURGING — Martin County West’s Caleb Cook (2) drags an unidentified Redwood Valley tackler for extra yardage on a kickoff return during the two teams’ regular-season football finale Wednesday night in Sherburn. The Mavericks’ Carver Rohman (7) and Tanner Sinn (34), along with the Cardinals’ Jason Lang (25) and Zach Reck-Paulsen (1), watch the special-teams action. (Photo by Greg Abel)

SHERBURN — Quarterback Alex Lang proved double-trouble on offense, fullback Carter Johnson engineered the ground game and safety/receiver Drew Lundeen displayed his catching skills on both sides of the line of scrimmage to power Redwood Valley’s 41-14 victory over Martin County West during Wednesday night’s regular-season football finale in Sherburn.

Alex Lang generated 45 of his 100 rushing yards during the game’s opening series before Johnson capped the Cardinals’ five-play, 78-yard scoring march with an 11-yard touchdown rumble. Jahger Bill kicked the first of his five PATs to stake Redwood Valley to a 7-0 lead with 10:23 left in the first frame.

Lundeen then pocketed the first of his two interceptions on the game off quarterback Blake Jagodzinske’s first pass during the hometown Mavericks’ initial offensive possession.

MCW linebacker Connor Simmonds, who made a game-best 15 tackles, and lineman Max Olson, however, stiffened on defense to help stall out Redwood Valley’s ensuing march at the Mavericks’ 14. Caden Cook broke up Lang’s fourth-down pass to the end zone to keep the game scoreless until the 7:24 juncture of the second quarter.

Lundeen’s second pick — combined with back-to-back onside kick recoveries — then triggered the Cardinals’ 20-point scoring avalanche during a 2-minute span to build a 27-0 lead.

Alex Lang, who completed 10 of 12 passes for a game-best 163 yards, connected with Connor Josephson for a 16-yard strike to midfield on the heels of Lundeen’s defensive gem. Johnson then generated 24 of his game-high 111 rushing yards to cap the drive. Johnson crossed the goal line on an 8-yard run before Bill’s kick doubled the Cardinals’ lead to 14-0.

Andrew Stephens alertly scooped up Redwood Valley’s ensuing onside kick at his own 49, and Johnson needed just one handoff to rumble 51 yards to paydirt. Olson blocked the PAT kick to keep the score at 20-0.

Alex Lang then dove on the next Cardinal onside kick at the Mavericks’ 47 before the Lang-to-Lundeen spiral connection tacked on six more points. Lundeen grabbed a 43-yard toss from Lang for the TD before Bill’s kick made it 27-0.

After Lang zipped passes of 15 and 18 yards to Lundeen and Josephson, respectively, with time winding down in the second quarter, the junior quarterback sprinted around right end on an option keeper from 11 yards out. Bill’s kick staked the Cardinals to a 34-0 with 53 seconds left before halftime.

Lang fired a 12-yard TD pass to Carter Peterson to open the third quarter and a 41-0 margin to trigger running time in the fourth quarter.

Connor Simmonds, who topped MCW with 91 yards on 11 totes, opened the fourth frame with a 3-yard scoring run. Blake Jagodzinske’s 12-yard completion to Zach Anderson and Simmonds’ 22-yard run triggered the scoring sequence.

Caleb Cook’s fumble recovery later led to Blake Jagodzinske’s 2-yard keeper for six more points before Simmonds ran for the 2-point conversion with 6:27 left in the game.

Martin County West (0-4) awaits the results of Friday’s seedings for the seven-team Section 3A playoffs that kick off on Tuesday at the high seed’s home field.

Redwood Valley (4-2) waits for the results of Friday’s seeding meeting to determine when and where it opens the six-team Section 3AA playoffs next week.

RV 7-27-7-0–41

MCW 0-0-0-14–14

Scoring Plays

1st Quarter

RV–Carter Johnson 11 run (Jahger Bill kick), 10:23.

2nd Quarter

RV–Carter Johnson 8 run (Bill kick), 7:24.

RV–Carter Johnson 51 run (kick blocked), 7:14.

RV–Drew Lundeen 43 pass from Alex Lang (Bill kick), 5:14.

RV–Alex Lang 11 run (Bill kick), 0:53.

3rd Quarter

RV–Carter Peterson 12 pass from Alex Lang (Bill kick), 4:51.

4th Quarter

MCW–Connor Simmonds 3 run (pass failed), 10:30.

MCW–Blake Jagodzinske 2 run (Connor Simmonds run), 6:27.

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Individual Statistics

Offense: Rushing: Carter Johnson (RV) 14-111, Alex Lang (RV) 7-100; Connor Simmonds (MCW) 11-91, Joseph Forsberg (MCW) 15-44. Passing: Alex Lang (RV) 10-12-0-163; Blake Jagodzinske (MCW) 3-10-3-32. Receiving: Drew Lundeen (RV) 3-79, Connor Josephson (RV) 3-42, Carter Peterson (RV) 2-23; Zach Anderson (MCW) 2-21, Tanner Sinn (MCW) 1-11.

Defense: Interceptions: Drew Lundeen (RV) 2, Jahger Bill (RV) 1. Fumble recoveries: Andrew Stephens (RV), Alex Lang (RV), Caleb Cook (MCW), Aiden Robish (RV).