Chaska runs hard in victory over rival Chanhassen

Chanhassen players struck an all too familiar pose after Friday's loss to rival Chaska. On bended knee, they were powerless to prevent Chaska's players from running away with the Spirit Jug traveling trophy.

The only difference? Chaska running back Kolby Seiffert did not get the carry.

He did everything else. Seiffert dominated the first half, having a hand in three of his team's four touchdown as the Hawks rolled to a 35-21 victory at Chanhassen. He scored twice on runs of more than 50 yards and threw a touchdown pass in the final second before halftime.

"I had not seen that jug," said Seiffert, whose Hawks lost the past three games to Chanhassen. "It was long overdue for us to get it."

Running wide left on Chaska's first play from scrimmage, Seiffert went 58 yards to the end zone as the Hawks took control before an overflow estimated crowd of 5,000 people.

After the Hawks' defense turned over Chanhassen on downs, Seiffert and the offense struck for another big play. Running wide right, he rushed 53 yards for a touchdown.

"We had good blocking in the middle and on the edge, and that's two years in a row that play has worked for us," Seiffert said.

Chanhassen cut the lead to 14-7 with a 3-yard touchdown run from Nathan Johnson. But Chaska answered on the ensuing drive, with a 33-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Justin Arnold to Garett Glieden.

Leading 21-7, Chaska got the ball back with 2:12 to play in the half and drove 72 yards to score. Seiffert capped the clutch drive with a 10-yard halfback pass to Calvin Buesgens with seven-tenths of a second remaining before halftime.

One play earlier, Chaska lined up for a field goal attempt. The Storm called timeout and Chaska came back to the field on a mission to score a touchdown.

"Coach [Lambert] Brown asked us if we could score or if we should kick a field goal and we all said that we could get it in," said Seiffert, who guessed the last time he threw a halfback pass was freshman year.

His defense already lagging against Chaska's hurry-up offense, Rosburg called the touchdown a "backbreaker."