Key of the game: South St. Paul senior quarterback Dan Pietruszewski, a 215-pound brute in the mold of Gophers' quarterback Mitch Leidner, ran for touchdowns of 26, 7 and 49 yards. He lowered his pads, moving piles and the chains in the process. His third touchdown run came in the fourth quarter and kept the Packers in control.

Quote: "Truthfully, this was a June and July game. They kept rooting out our linemen and linebackers. Their team is big, strong and physical and that starts in June and July." — Simley coach Rex King, referring to the importance of weight training

One thing to know: Simley's no-quit attitude showed with three touchdowns in the second half. Senior quarterback Michael Busch ran for one TD and threw for another.

David La Vaque