4A: Spring Lake Park 22, Orono 21

A game that was all about one-sided ball control early came down to a nail-biter of a finish in the Class 4A, Section 6 football quarterfinals Tuesday night.

Spring Lake Park senior Steve Bailey's leaping score from the goal line with 29 seconds remaining pulled the fifth-seeded Panthers to within one of host and fourth-seeded Orono, 21-20.

On the two-point conversion try, quarterback Spencer Krischuk rolled right and tossed to an open Andrwe Tortora a yard deep in the end zone for an improbable 22-21 lead.

Spring Lake Park then made the lead hold up through a tense final series.

After Joey Falde ran the ball back 66 yards to the Panthers 29 on the ensuing kickoff, Orono had time for two plays -- a run and a pass -- before Colton Gleason's 37-yard field-goal attempt into the wind sailed wide left as time expired.

What a difference a half can make; the Panthers (4-5) were down 7-0 at halftime after having the ball only twice in the first 24 minutes.

"It was like, 'If we could keep the ball awhile, who knows what could happen?'" Spring Lake Park coach Jeff Schlieff said. "Then it was just 'zoom, zoom, zoom' all down the field."

Orono (6-3) led 21-7 with 3:29 to play in the third quarter before the Panthers went to work on their comeback. "I knew we could do it," Krischuk said. "We wanted to come here and prove who we are and show our true potential."

Orono's 80-yard game-opening drive, capped by a 2-yard touchdown run from Chase Gottschalk, took the first 7:12 off the clock. The 15-play drive included as many snaps as Spring Lake Park took the entire first half.