Coon Rapids put a cap on one of its best regular seasons in 10 years by defeating Osseo 45-20 in Week 7, then Centennial 47-14 in Week 8.

The back-to-back decisive wins gave Coon Rapids the No. 2 seed for the Section 7AAAAA playoff and a first-round game next Tuesday (Oct. 21) against St. Francis. They also enabled Coon Rapids to close out the regular season with four consecutive wins in which 40 or more points were produced. Prior to games with Osseo and Centennial, the Coon Rapids team defeated Elk River 57-0 and Park Center 42-8.

Of the two final regular-season wins, the 45-20 victory over Osseo stood out as very impressive. At the time, last Friday night (Oct. 10), Osseo was tied with Blaine and Champlin Park for first place in the conference and had won five straight since a season-opening loss at Blaine.

But Coon Rapids made quick work of the home team with a 24-point second quarter, then three consecutive touchdown runs by quarterback Blair Townsend in the second half from 15, 14 and 3 yards.

The 24-point second quarter, however, was eye opening as Townsend connected with Joe Novak and Jerrad Zimmel on 17- and 59-yard touchdown pass plays, while Novak scored a third from the one. A field goal was also added to the mix.

Of the four second-quarter scores, the Townsend-to-Zimmel touchdown play was the back-breaker as it came in the closing moments before half time on a screen pass. Zimmel simply took the short ball from Townsend behind a wall of blockers, picked up momentum and jaunted off to the end zone.

The second back-breaker occurred early in the second half when Townsend scored his first of three touchdowns. Coon Rapids had the ball first, drove into the red zone and from the 15-yard line Townsend kept the ball, burst through the line and found the end zone.

“We have not peaked yet — we can still play better,” said an adamant head coach Jon Young. “I don’t know if we will, but I do know that even though improvements are needed, we are still playing some pretty exciting football.”

Such was the case again in the Wednesday night game against Centennial when Coon Rapids rolled up another big score along with more than 500 yards total offense.

Coon Rapids took the early lead when Townsend drove the offense 80 yards up the field in 16 plays for a score — a six-inch hop over the pile and goal line. Centennial tied the game shortly after, but in the second quarter Townsend went to work through the air and connected with Michael Jacob on 24-yard touchdown play, then to Novak on play-action, roll right for three yards.

Leading 20-7 going into the second half, Townsend hit Jacobs again, this time for 25 yards, for another touchdown, then flipped a short pass to Evan Lowe running a look-in route from the left behind a screen. Once catching the pass, Lowe kicked it down and turned this play into a 54-yard touchdown play and 33-7 lead.

Townsend completed his night by hitting Zimmel for 12 yards and his fifth touchdown through the air during this game early in the fourth quarter. Later in the quarter, back-up running back Antonio Ford scored to give Coon Rapids its final touchdown and a 47-13 victory...