No. 5 seed Pine City upset top seed Spectrum 44-20 in the semifinals of the Section 5AAA high school football playoffs Saturday. The Sting ended its season on a two-game losing streak.
Nick Hansman scored two rushing touchdowns for Pine City, including a 43-yard run.
The Dragons (4-5) took a 14-point lead before Spectrum (7-2) scored its first touchdown with 4 seconds remaining in the first half. Spectrum tied the score in the third quarter, but the Dragons took control after that.
Brandon Haskovec closed out the Dragons' scoring with two long touchdown runs.
Waconia 20, Chaska 10: The Wildcats (3-5) upset the previously undefeated Hawks, ranked No. 1 in Class 5A, avenging a previous meeting in which Chaska won 44-30.
Waconia first scored on a touchdown connection between twins Nolan and Jaden Vanderhoff. With less than a minute left in the first half, the Wildcats defense scored on a 21-yard fumble return.
St. Louis Park 21, Park Center 18: Unsuccessful extra points proved to be the difference in the Pirates' loss to the Orioles in the Class 5A, Section 5 semifinals. Entering this year, St. Louis Park had won only two regular-season games during 2015 and 2016.
Park Center had an opportunity to win on the last play of the game. But Pirates quarterback Jemal Brown's Hail Mary into the end zone was knocked down. Jonny Sorensen led St. Louis Park with two touchdowns.
