It was not pretty as pretty football games go, but from Anoka’s perspective it was good game nonetheless.

Anoka won at Coon Rapids, coming back from a 9-0 first quarter deficit to post the six-point win in the closing moments of play. Anoka managed less than 200 yards in total offense, including a mere 66 yards passing, but made the most of its opportunities afforded by its host for a 15-9 win.

Four fumbles and a late pass interception.

“I feel good about it and, yeah, a little lucky, too,” said Anoka head coach Jeff Buerkle. “I feel good that we were able to win for a 2-0 start this season and also the fact we won and still have an opportunity to play even better.

“But how we won [this game], well...”

Anoka was fortunate, indeed.

Two of the fumbles occurred when Coon Rapids appeared headed to the end zone, including a fumble just inches from the goal line early in the game. Coon Rapids had previously sat first-and-goal from the three. This turnover, however, indirectly led to Coon Rapids’ first points of the game. Moments after the ball was turned over, Anoka was stopped on downs and a long snap from center carried over the punter’s head into the end zone where it was knocked over the end line for a safety.

Coon Rapids also came back after Anoka’s free kick to score a touchdown — a 30-yard Joe Novak scamper to the end zone. And with a Tyler Paulson extra point, it was a 9-0 game. Coon Rapids had a chance to extend its lead three more points during the second quarter, but Paulson was short on a 29-yard field goal attempt.

While Coon Rapids seemed to have command of the action and scoreboard at this point, Anoka was making its stand defensively. Figuring the defense had to put pressure on Townsend, the Coon Rapids quarterback, it kept all 11 of its players within five yards of the line of scrimmage and blitzed frequently.

Although it was risky, the ploy ultimately worked.

“No doubt this (having that many men so close to the line of scrimmage) was taking a big chance, especially if we could not get to Townsend,” said Buerkle. “But we had to do something, because he would have eaten us up if we had given him the time to set up and pass.”

Townsend was pushed and hurried, and though he broke out of the pocket and was able to scramble or keep on option plays for more than 60 yards, he passed for less 100 with most of his completions of the short variety.

The other two Coon Rapids fumbles set up Anoka with their touchdowns.

The first score came in the second quarter after Townsend lost the ball on the 14-yard line. On third-and-eight from the 12, Ryan Wilson took the ball and rolled around the left side to the end zone to help cut the deficit to 9-7.

This score stood through a disjointed second half that featured a series of penalties which killed any momentum the game owned. Anoka, in fact, was penalized 12 times, many of them of the 5-yard motion/illegal procedure variety.

But it got back to turnovers and Coon Rapids’ final fumble just beyond the 50-yard line. Seth Mathis, who had a big role defensively in keeping the pressure on Townsend as a linebacker, got the call and the ball, moving Anoka from midfield into Coon Rapids territory, then down to the 16-yard line as the game clock ticked under two minutes.

He then moved the ball to the eight, lost a yard on his next carry back to the nine and drove straight ahead to the 2-yard line. And with just over 100 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, Mathis got the ball again and walked into the end zone with 1:39 left to give Anoka a 13-9 lead.

An ensuing 2-point conversion keep by quarterback Casey Mosich gave Anoka a 6-point lead for its defense to protect. And though Coon Rapids quickly moved up the field to the 37 — thanks to a pair of runs and a pass reception by Evan Lowe — Anoka made the stop by collecting turnover No. 5.

A pass interception, a play executed by defensive back Dillon Carlson who eased his body and hands between the ball and receiver, snatched away Coon Rapids’ final hope inside the 15-yard line...