Apple Valley Football Blanked 41-0 By Eagan

For the football team, the situation on Friday night was all too familiar.

The Eagles fell behind Eagan early, trailed big at the half and lost by a wide 41-0 margin. The Wildcats' Drew Bauer threw for two scores and ran for third, and Michael Busch scored twice for the Wildcats (1-3, 1-2 South Suburban Conference).

Things looked good early as the Eagles (0-4, 0-3) got a couple of first downs after receiving the opening kickoff, but a penalty negated a first down at the Eagan 34. Quarterback Tommy Singer was sacked for a 12-yard loss on third down and punter Dom McDew-Stauffer put his knee on the ground to handle a low snap ending a play and giving Eagan the ball at the Apple Valley 24.

On Eagan’s first play, Busch took a handoff, started up the middle, cut left and dashed to the end zone for six points.

“We’ve gotten ourselves in so much trouble in the first quarter in almost every game,” said Apple Valley coach Mike Fritze.

The next Eagles possession ended in three plays when Eagan safety Grant Matthews grabbed a pass from Singer and went 16 yards for a score.

“That start set up the confidence huge for both our offense and defense,” Eagan's Bauer said.

Of the next four Eagles possessions, three were three-and-outs and another ended with Matthews getting his second interception.

The Eagles defense offered little resistance as Bauer scored on a 1-yard run and threw a 21-yard score to Mack Nelson over the middle, and a 23-yard pass to Aaron Roundtree in the back of the end zone for a 34-0 halftime lead.

It was the third-straight game the Eagles allowed at least 31 first half points.

“Defensively, we didn’t tackle well," Fritze said. "We just didn’t wrap up."

Apple Valley had a chance to get points late in the first when Singer and Mitch Hechsel connected for a 43-yard gain to the Eagan 35, but three straight incompletions were followed by a sack. Hechsel had six catches for 65 yards.

With starting quarterback Matt Thomas out after sustaining a concussion last week, Singer, a sophomore, led the Eagles offense.

His numbers weren’t fantastic (9 of 17 for 78 yards and two interceptions) but Fritze said Singer “handled and managed the game well.” Apple Valley only had 93 yards of offense and ran just 10
offensive plays in the second half.

Apple Valley has been outscored 178-34 in its four games.

The Eagles also lost one of their top defenders late in the game when linebacker James Horton went down with a right ankle injury. He entered the locker room on crutches with the ankle heavily wrapped.

Apple Valley looks to get its first win of the season next week as it travels east on 140th Street to face . The Lightning (1-3, 1-3) lost at home Friday to previously winless Bloomington Kennedy, 31-24.

“It can’t matter who we play; we’ve got to play well,” Fritze said.