Sports
Providence/Heritage Football Season Starts Rough
The Lions first Tri-Metro Conference game didn't end well, but head coach Nate Harrington knows wins are in the future. The Lions football team is a co-op team of students from Heritage Christian Academy in Maple Grove and Providence
Welcome to the new conference.
It was a tough debut for the Providence Academy/ football team, who fell 52-6 at St. Croix Lutheran in their season opener and first game as a member of the Tri-Metro Conference Friday night, Sept. 2.
“That’s a really, really good football team and they took it to us today,” said Head Coach Nate Harrington.
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The Crusaders marched three weapons down the field against Providence Academy/Heritage Christian Academy. Quarterback Matt Olson and running backs Wesley Tucker and Jackson Goplen provided much of the offense for St. Croix Lutheran.
Tucker ran for 71 yards and two touchdowns. Goplen added 105 yards and three touchdowns. Olson rushed for 84 yards, starting the game out with a 50-yard rushing touchdown on the very first drive. All of those stats were registered before the fourth quarter.
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There will be an adjustment period now that Harrington’s squad has left the Minnesota Christian Athletic Association, a conference the Lions have posted back-to-back undefeated marks in. Even after Friday night’s drubbing, there are no regrets for making the move.
“We’ll do fine,” Harrington said. “We’ll go 7-1 the rest of the year. We just got our butts handed to us today. We’ll be fine. We just need to tighten up.”
Sam Pellegrene injected life into the Lions by returning a kickoff 80 yards for a touchdown. A foiled extra-point attempt brought the Lions within seven points in the first quarter. That would end the scoring for Providence, who is sporting a youthful roster.
With a few players missing, Harrington had to switch defenses this week.
“That bit us in the butt,” he said.
St. Croix Lutheran Head Coach Carl Lemke boasts a squad that could make state tournament run this season. Like Providence Academy/Heritage Christian Academy, they have experienced success in recent years and continue to improve with experience and structured, well-executed football.
He saw a Lions team that wasn’t afraid of body contact.
“Hard hitting, hard hitting, very, very hard hitting kids,” Lemke said. “I was impressed with how physical they were.”
Regardless of the opening box score, Lemke’s confident Providence Academy made the right move by joining the Tri-Metro Conference.
“They’ll have a great program,” Lemke said. “We’re very happy to have them.”
The Lions did force a few turnovers. Kellen Carney recovered a fumble in the first quarter and Ryan Dart followed suit in the second quarter. Sean Mostrom intercepted a pass early in the second half.
“We saw the fight in those boys, but we need to be tough like this,” Harrington said, pointing across the field to the Crusaders.
They’ll have the rest of the season to get there. Providence Academy/Heritage Christian Academy travels to St. Agnes next Friday, Sept. 9.
