With the season on the line, Anoka’s defense set up the Tornadoes’ offense.

And Peyton Podany delivered some late-game magic.

He hooked up with Afy Ibekwe on an improbable 8-yard touchdown pass with 3:27 left, and Anoka beat Lakeville North 14-10 Friday in a Class 6A quarterfinal at Farmington High School.

The Tornadoes (7-3) get Minnetonka in the semifinals at 7 p.m. Nov. 14 inside U.S. Bank Stadium. The 9-2 Skippers routed Blaine 28-0 in a Thursday quarterfinal.

On 4th-and-7 with 3:34 left, Podany dropped straight back, was wrapped up by a Panthers defender. A sack seemed imminent, but the senior signal caller made a spin move with a defender around his legs and was able to deliver a strike to Ibekwe in the end zone.

The series was set up by some good fortune.

Tony Johnson’s second interception — Podany’s fourth of the game — gave Lakeville North the ball at its 1 with just under eight minutes to play.

The Panthers went three and out. On the ensuing punt, Anoka was whistled for roughing the kicker; however, it was offset by a Lakeville North illegal formation call. The second kick was returned to the Panthers’ 28.

Luke DeChene intercepted a pass with 1:14 left to secure the win.

Drew Kolander made a 21-yard field goal to open the fourth quarter and give Lakeville North a 10-7 lead.

Twice earlier in the game, Lakeville North was stopped on fourth down just outside the Anoka 40. But inside the 5, coach Brian Vossen called for the three points.

Each team had one lengthy first-half scoring drive, and each team’s defense had a key stop.

Blake Krause’s 1-yard reception midway through the first quarter gave the Panthers a 7-0 lead, but Zach Welch evened the score late in the quarter on a 3-yard run that capped a 13-play, 77-yard drive.

Anoka forced a turnover on downs early in the second quarter near midfield, and Reece Hunt picked off a Tornadoe’ pass inside the Panthers’ 10 a couple of minutes before halftime.

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