2024 Football State Tournament Quarterfinals: Day 3 Recap

Alexandria Area senior kicker Daniel Jackson gave the boot to Robbinsdale Armstrong’s championship hopes on Saturday, Nov. 9 during the final day of the Minnesota State High School League’s Football State Tournament quarterfinals. 

Jackson, a University of Minnesota recruit, kicked a 32-yard field goal with 3 minutes, 1 second remaining in regulation time to give the Cardinals 17-14 victory over Robbinsdale Armstrong in the Class AAAAA quarterfinals at Monticello High School. Robbinsdale Armstrong, poised to answer, was thwarted when senior defensive back Evan Kludt intercepted a pass by Falcons senior quarterback Dawson Franke with 1:36 remaining. 

Earlier this season, Jackson made a 54-yarder, the third longest field goal in Minnesota prep football history. 

In other quarterfinal games on Saturday: 

• Junior quarterback Nathan Ramler threw four touchdown passes to send Chanhassen to a 38-21 victory over St. Thomas Academy at Osseo in Class AAAAA. 
• Senior Nolan Ginskey scored on a two-point conversion in overtime to lift Owatonna to a 22-21 victory over Cretin-Derham Hall at Eastview High School in Apple Valley. Senior fullback Blake Fitcher set the stage for the thrilling conclusion with a 1-yard touchdown run. On its overtime possession, Cretin-Derham Hall junior running back Ja’Dale Thompson scored on a 1-yard run and junior kicker Dawit Chimedesa tacked on the extra point. 
• Thirty-eight points combined between Monticello and Elk River in their Class AAAAA quarterfinal at Forest Lake High. Twenty-two went to Monticello and the 16 other were earned by Elk River. None were more important, though, than Elk River’s final score, a 61-yard touchdown by junior quarterback Levis Harris with 4:24 left in regulation followed by his two-point conversion run, both of which paved the way for a 36-29 victory. His score at the time was crucial because it gave the Elks a 36-22 lead. 
• Stewartville, the defending Class AAA champion, opened defense of its crown with a 40-14 victory over Holy Family Catholic in the quarterfinals at Totino-Grace High School in Fridley. The Tigers started fast with 23 points in the first quarter. Quarterback Vincent Wellik completed 9 of 14 passes for 114 yards and two touchdowns, both to Parker Wangen, who finished with seven receptions. 
• Senior running back Caleb Smock scored on a 10-yard touchdown run with 25 seconds remaining in regulation time and that was followed by a two-point conversion run from senior running back Kobee Thielen, both of which paved the way for Dassel-Cokato to rally past Fairmont for a 29-28 victory in a Class AAA quarterfinal at Minneapolis Washburn.