Trailing by 10 points with the ball near midfield and only 3:18 left in the game, Providence Academy quarterback Jackson Baird took a snap and dropped back to pass on a fourth-and-8.
The SMB defensive line pressured Baird, forcing him to leave the pocket. As he did, the senior was met immediately by blitzing cornerback Soren Birkeland.
Birkeland tackled Baird for the Wolfpack's third sack. SMB took over on downs and secured a 24-14 victory Wednesday to finish the regular season 8-0.
"It's the best call we have. I love it," Birkeland said of the designed blitz. "We wanted to put that play in and with the game on the line I had to get the quarterback."
SMB, a co-op of players from St. Paul Academy, Minnehaha Academy and Blake that competes in Class 5A, captured the Twin City District Gold subdistrict title for the second consecutive year. Providence Academy, a Class 3A program, fell to 6-2.
Offensive coordinator Hugh Brown filled in for Wolfpack coach Collin Quinn, who was at a hospital with his wife. Brown and SMB kept things as routine as possible in Quinn's absence.
"When you have a head coach as good as Collin, you miss that piece but from a logistical standpoint," Brown said. "We didn't change much."
Ellis L. Williams
