The Wolfpack knew it was going to be an uphill battle against a very talented Shakopee team Friday.

It was that. The host Sabers dominated play in a 50-21 victory over Park in a Class 6A first round playoff game Friday at Shakopee. Shakopee jumped out to a 35-0 lead at the half and led 44-0 early in the third quarter.

Shakopee came into the contest with a 6-2 record, losing only to No. 2 Eden Prairie and No. 1 Lakeville South and with wins over good Prior Lake and Lakeville North teams.

The Sabers, now 7-2, advance to the second round of the playoffs and another home date against Totino Grace.

Park ends the 2021 campaign with a 4-5 record.

Park had big wins this season. The 30-27 thriller over Anoka and the 45-7 domination of Hopkins come to mind. But rather than recall a single play or a game, the thing that stuck in the minds of the Wolfpack after the game was just how much being on the Park football team meant to them.

• — “It’s bittersweet, said senior lineman will Smoot. “I grew up playing with this same group of guys. They’re like brothers.”

• — “I will miss these guys more than anything,” said senior linebacker/running back Micah Runion.

• — “Reflecting on the whole year and moving from 5A o 6A will be what I remember,” said head coach Rick Fryklund. “To go 4-4 in the regular season was No. 1. To get four wins against 6A competition was something. And the way the team came together and competed. They didn’t back down to anybody.”

On Friday, the Wolfpack offense got stacked up regularly by Shakopee in the first half, while the Park defense struggled to stop Shakopee’s potent running game. The Sabers rang up 449 of their 511 total yards on the ground, most of them in a dominate first half Blanked in the first half, Park finally got the offense going in the second and outscored the hosts 21-15 over the final quarter and a half. It was a bit too little, too late for Park, but the Wolfpack went out in style.

Park got on the scoreboard midway in the third quarter on a four-yard run by senior quarterback Evan Bearth.

The Wolfpack scored again on an exotic hookand- ladder play that saw senior running back Blake Johnson scamper 53 yards with a reception for a touchdown.

Park added a final touchdown on another big play, a 49-yard run by senior Brady Perryman with just 21 seconds to play. Perryman had six receptions for 42 yards and rushed 14 times for 93 yeards.

Defensively, Alex Carr had eight tackles, Brandan Lee six and Juan Orozco-Sanchez five to lead Park.

Park will miss the leadership of some 14 seniors, but returns a host of players from the varsity roster next season, including 24 juniors and 33 sophomores. Replacing standouts such as Perryman, Bearth, Smoot, Johnson, Runion, Jack Theis, Treyton Bammert-Mueller, Logan Lucas and others won’t be easy, however.

NOTES: The Metro-Maroon South had a rough night in the first round of section football, going 1-6. East Ridge’s 31-17 win over Prior Lake was the only success for teams in the division.

Park senior running back Micah Runion looks for a little daylight against Shakopee in the second half of Friday’s section game.Photo by John Molene