Let's Play Football State Bound 2023 Edition

November 9, 2023

Volume 5 • Number 6 • Issue 27

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The field is set as 56 teams vie for Prep Bowl title

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INSIDE • The lows and highs of being a Minnesota football fan...Page 4 • Vikings and United Heroes League has impact on youth... page 5 • Joshua Dobbs makes immediate impact for Vikings... page 6

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November 9, 2023

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The highs and lows of being a Minnesota football fan

by MIKE SONNTAG

Let’s Play Football Co-Publisher

With the Texas Rangers winning the World Series, Minnesota has gained the dubious distinction of having the longest title drought among states/cities who house at least four of the major men’s sports with its last title coming when the Minnesota Twins won the World Series in 1991. It is important not to disrespect the Minnesota Lynx WNBA franchise who had a dynasty of four championships from 2011 through 2017.

Being a football publication, we will focus on the two teams that carry the most weight in the state; the Minnesota Vikings and the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers football teams.

Historically speaking, the University of Minnesota has a rich tradition if you consider they won seven National Championships with the last one coming in 1960. The Minnesota Vikings came on the scene in 1961 and in their first 16 years of existence won numerous division titles and made four Super Bowl appearances, only to lose all four, the last in 1977.

So, from strictly a Minnesota football perspective we are on year 63 without a college or professional championship.

Which leads me to the question, why do we keep coming back?

I would like to argue one needs not look any further than the recent weekend which saw the Golden Gophers’ heartbreaking loss to Illinois and the Minnesota Vikings emotional win against the Atlanta Falcons.

Personally speaking, I have been a season ticket holder for Minnesota Golden Gopher football for 25 years. I have personally witnessed some of the most gut-wrenching, disappointing, and inexcusable losses in those 25 years.

Glen Mason improved the Gophers competitiveness during his 10-year tenure, but every time you thought they were ready to turn the corner they blew leads against Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa, Texas Tech, etc. They built the new on-campus stadium and hope sprung eternal, but it took 10 years and three different head coaches before Gophers fans were finally given reason to storm the

field when they beat highly ranked Penn State on national TV in 2019. It seemed PJ Fleck was finally the answer only to see them turn around and lose to border rivals Iowa the next week and Wisconsin two weeks later.

Last week when the Golden Gophers and Fighting Illini kicked off, the teams that were tied for first place all had lost which meant the Gophers were suddenly in control of their own destiny to win the West Division. With 1:56 left in the game they led 26-21 and had just knocked out the starting QB. Witht he Illini facing 4th and 11 from their own 15-yard line and a backup quarterback, what could go wrong?

Suddenly three plays and 85 yards later the Gophers were going to lose 2726. We as collective fans left in an angry, stunned silence that I carried with me into sitting down to watch the Vikings at noon on Sunday. Frustrated by another year of what could have been with the Gophers now it was time to see what life was going to be like after Kirk Cousins for our beloved Vikings.

After a promising drive by rookie Ja-

Brandon Powell helped Minnesota football fans forget about the Gophers disappointing loss Saturday when he hauled in the game-winning score on Sunday for the Vikings. Like most football seasons, the 2023-24 campaign has definitely been full of highs and lows. Images Courtesy of the Minnesota Vikings

len Hall, he went out with a concussion.

In comes newly acquired Josh Dobbs and he is promptly sacked in the end zone for a safety. A few series later he shows very little pocket presence and fumbles the ball in our own red zone and the Vikings season once again appeared to be on life support.

By this time, I was doing some math in my head on what saving the money invested in Gophers and Vikings season tickets would mean to my bank account……then something crazy happened. The Vikings defense continually held the score close and Dobbs started

making some Houdini like plays ultimately throwing a touchdown pass with 20 seconds left to lead the Vikings to an improbable comeback victory. Quite frankly it was the feel-good story of the NFL weekend.

Suddenly the anger and despair of 24 hours earlier was changed to relief, respect, and dare I say HOPE? Whether you are a die hard fan, season ticket holder, or casual observer, if this weekend of football proved anything, it is that in Minnesota the thrill of victory is greater than the agony of defeat…..and we will keep coming back for more.

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Let’s Play Football is a newspaper devoted to covering all levels of football in the state of Minnesota. It is published nine times in the fall from August through November. All submitted stories and photos must be sent to editor@letsplayfootballmn.com. LPF reserves the right to edit submitted stories and letters to the editor for length, grammar, punctuation and clarity.

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November 9, 2023

Young RB Credits C.J. Ham and United Heroes League for Love of Football

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by LINDSEY YOUNG

www.vikings.com

Nate Adricula vividly remembers walking into the Vikings training facility at 8 years old.

“My heart was pounding, and I was super sweaty,” laughed Nate, now 14.

He had been arriving to participate in his first-ever football camp – a clinic hosted by the Vikings and United Heroes League, which supports children in military families through sports.

Edwin Adricula, Sgt. Maj. (Ret.), served 10 years active duty followed by 14 years of full time with the Minnesota National Guard. An avid football fan himself, Edwin jumped at the chance in 2017 to register Nate for the unique opportunity.

“We’ve always tried to keep our kids active in sports,” said Edwin of he and his wife Heidi, who served in the Army for four years. “Nate had played soccer and had tried karate … but it was the first time he’d ever tried football, so he was kind of scared.”

But Vikings fullback C.J. Ham helped put Nate’s mind at ease.

One of a few players volunteering at the event, Ham noticed Nate’s nerves and took the youngster under his wing.

“I didn’t know anybody else there.

C.J. definitely made me feel a lot more comfortable, and he was super friendly and welcoming,” Nate said. “I remember when I was out there on the field, I tried to deflect a pass and this kid’s elbow hit me right in the eye, and I had a giant goose egg right above my eye. C.J. came over and helped me up and was checking to make sure I was OK. “I also remember he threw me a pass and told me to spike it. C.J. teaching me about celebrating made it even more fun,” Nate added. “That experience started my love for football. It’s been my main sport ever since.”

Now an eighth grader at Hastings Middle School, Nate can’t imagine a world without football being a large part of it.

Nate shined this past season for the eighth-grade football team, racking up 12 touchdowns as the Raiders star running back.

His favorite football memory, though, remains learning from Ham at the United Heroes League clinic.

“Just playing on that field, and when C.J. taught me to spike the ball and everything, happiness just exploded for me,” said Nate.

Though he plays basketball and is on the Hastings track-and-field team, Nate – who also plays middle linebacker on defense – considers both mainly conditioning for the football season.

With his final middle school season behind him, he’s already excited to play at the high school level and hopefully beyond.

“I’m definitely going to keep playing football. My love for the sport and C.J.’s connection to it is just crazy,” Nate said.

“If it wasn’t for C.J., I don’t know where I’d be right now. I wouldn’t even be playing sports, I don’t think.”

Nate and Edwin, who retired from the military in 2018 and has since worked full time for United Heroes League, continue to be avid supporters of Ham and the rest of the Vikings.

Edwin recalled the weeks immediately following the football clinic, during which Nate would watch Vikings games with him and watch for No. 30 to enter the game.

“When C.J. would be out on the field, it was a treat for us. We’d root for him, seeing if he could get the ball or have a nice block, or in whatever capacity he was in on offense,” Edwin said. “It just always relates back to that opportunity the

The Vikings Salute to Service honors service members from Minnesota. Above, C.J. Ham runs out the tunnel carrying a U.S. Army flag. Images Courtesy of the Minnesota Vikings

Nate Adricula is now playing for Hastings after developing a love for football after visiting a Minnesota Vikings football camp co-hosted by the United Heroes League which helps give military families opportunities in sports and other endeavors.

“If it wasn’t for C.J., I don’t know where I’d be right now. I wouldn’t even be playing sports, I don’t think.”

- Nate Adricula Vikings gave us. So whenever we do see C.J., even now, we always think back to that clinic.

“We’ve rooted for him ever since, and he’s doing really well, so we’re really happy for him,” Edwin added.

The family continues to appreciate the Salute to Service enacted by the Vikings and other NFL teams this month.

“It’s very nice for me to see that the Vikings appreciate the military, especially in Minnesota. Not a lot of people know this, but there are 12,000 servicemembers in Minnesota,” Edwin said. “Whenever [the Vikings recognize military members] it affects a lot of communities – your neighbors and family members that have probably served at one time.

They appreciate it.

“We’re pretty humble when it comes to our service. We don’t go around bragging a lot about it, but it’s really nice when

they do [recognize it],” Edwin added.

“The Vikings do a really good job when it comes to the Salute to Service initiative.”

Vikings host ‘Purple Friday’ pep rally at Hamline Elementary Hamline Elementary got a big surprise from the Minnesota Vikings late last week.

The Vikings teamed up with Unilever to host a “Purple Friday” pep rally for students, teachers and staff members at the St. Paul elementary school. Minnesota Vikings Cheerleaders and the Vikings SKOL Line helped provide even more energy to a filled gymnasium, and students were treated to 500 ice cream treats courtesy of Unilever.

The day’s biggest surprise, though, occurred to cap off the pep rally, when Unilever presented the school with a $10,000 check.

Nate and Edwin, who retired from the military in 2018 and has since worked full time for United Heroes League, continue to be avid supporters of Ham and the rest of the Vikings.

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November 9, 2023

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Joshua Dobbs’ Feet & Fortitude Big for Vikings a Day After Fran Tarkenton Speech

by LINDSEY YOUNG

www.vikings.com

Five days, brainpower and a lot of heart is all Joshua Dobbs needed.

Oh, and his legs.

Dobbs showed fortitude, impressive transference and quick-thinking at Atlanta Sunday afternoon, evading pressure and scrambling for a first down four different times to keep drives alive. He racked up 66 total yards on the ground en route to Minnesota’s 31-28 win.

Dobbs’ 66 yards on the ground were the third-most by a Vikings QB since 2010 and the most since Joe Webb recorded 109 yards on the ground in December 2011.

And he did it all having been a Viking for less than a week.

With Kirk Cousins on Injured Reserve due to a torn Achilles suffered last week at Green Bay, the Vikings traded Tuesday to acquire Dobbs from Arizona.

They started rookie Jaren Hall, but he left Sunday’s contest during the Vikings second offensive series after suffering a concussion.

Next man up.

“I’ve been in similar situations. First it was, ‘Jaren, get up. I hope he’s OK.’ But then it was, ‘Hey, if you’re playing, you’ve gotta go out there and play,’ “ Dobbs said of his thoughts when Hall went down.

“The team still expects you to go out and win — and play good football.

“In this league, man, there’s never an excuse for your circumstance,” he added.

“They just want to see you succeed given the circumstance you’re given.”

Dobbs did just that.

Broadcast cameras briefly captured Dobbs, who started last week’s game for the Cardinals against Baltimore, warming up on the sidelines during Atlanta’s possession, which ended in a punt.

Then it was up to Dobbs, with Vikings Head Coach Kevin O’Connell in his ear, to lead the offense.

“It’s like if you were taking [Advanced Placement] Spanish all year, and you showed up and someone told you Wednesday … you have an AP French exam on Sunday,” Dobbs laughed. “And you’ve gotta go execute. Someone’s gonna talk to you in Spanish and translate it to the French. That’s kind of like what was going on out there.

“There was a lot of communication, but I’m able to process a lot of information and be able to react on the fly,” said Dobbs, who majored in aerospace engineering at Tennessee.

He might not know all his teammates’ names yet – “That’s for this [next] week,” he quipped – but the 28-year-old confidently executed play calls from O’Connell and wasn’t afraid to ad-lib when needed.

Dobbs’ final scramble occurred at a critical point in the game, when the Vikings trailed by 4 and faced fourth down with just 52 seconds remaining.

After somehow just squeaking out of a sack by outside linebacker Bud Dupree, Dobbs then evaded Lorenzo Carter, kept sprinting just past the grasp of A.J. Terrell (who hit the turf trying to stop the QB) and finally was taken down at the Atlanta 12 after a 22-yard gain.

“They popped a 2-man on us. They had great coverage on the back end,” Dobbs said. “Obviously we saw it all day – I was able to use my feet as a weapon – so I really, for a second, thought I was going to score once I got the first down, but then I thought it was probably smart to step out of bounds and save a timeout and everything.

“That was a gotta-have-it situation,” he added. “Whatever it takes to get the first down – whether it’s throwing it short and a guy laying out, whether it’s

Joshua Dobbs had been a Viking for just five days when he was thrust into the spotlight and carried his team to a comeback 31-28 win over the Atlanta Flacons Sunday, Nov. 5. Images Courtesy of the Minnesota Vikings

a contested catch down the field or using your feet to make something happen.

That’s what you have to do in those situations to keep the chains moving and give the team a chance to win.”

Dobbs’ incredible run and wherewithal to get out of bounds and stop the clock set up Minnesota inside the red zone with 39 seconds to work with.

After an incomplete pass on first down, he connected with T.J. Hockenson for 6 yards and then from the 6 fired it off to Brandon Powell for the game-winning touchdown.

“There was a level of quarterback play there with his eyes, and understanding the intent of a pretty high-level football play there, to go out and execute it in that moment,” O’Connell said. “Just awesome.”

Dobbs acknowledged after the game the play had been one installed during the week – but one he’d only watched from the sideline as Hall executed it.

“That was my first time repping the play, but it was in the game plan,” Dobbs said with a chuckle. “The coaches asked me my comfort level with everything in the playbook and how I felt … if something were to happen, and I said, ‘Anything on this call sheet that we installed this week, I’ve got it. I can run it; I’ve got it.’ “ ‘You start pulling stuff from OTA 1 and 2, I might be a little handcuffed out there, but if you put it on the call sheet [this week], I’ve got it,’ “ he added.

Being that Dobbs had taken very few live reps in practice, he also had never taken a snap from center Garretty Bradbury and the rest of the first-team offensive line prior to Sunday’s game.

“We huddled up on the sideline real quick and were like, ‘All right, let’s go through our five-main cadences,’ “ right tackle Brian O’Neill said. “Honestly, being on the road, though, probably helped with the silent count in shotgun.

We were gonna do that no matter who was in there, on passing downs, shotgun stuff. That helped, for sure. And we were like, ‘All right, that’s his cadence. Let’s roll.’

“The other thing is, every quarterback usually stands next to the left tackle

Dobbs spent the first half of the season with the Arizona Cardinals. On Sunday with his first game for the Vikings

Dobbs finished 20-of-30 passing for 158 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions. His passer rating was 101.8.

Images Courtesy of the Minnesota Vikings

in the huddle, and then Josh was standing next to both [on different plays] and I was like, ‘I’ve never been next to the quarterback in the huddle. I’m always looking at him from across the way,’ “ O’Neill said.

Another game-changing run by Dobbs resulted in a rushing touchdown in the third quarter. He and the offense capitalized on a turnover by the defense a few minutes earlier, and Dobbs scrambled 18 yards to the paint.

O’Connell was asked what he learned Sunday about his new quarterback.

“That he can change the game athletically, with his legs,” O’Connell said. “I gave him plenty of bad plays today, and he made it right. That’s something that, quite honestly, we knew bringing him here that was one of the real traits – in addition to his leadership qualities, his smarts, his toughness.”

It seemed fitting that Dobbs’ performance occurred just down the road from Hall of Fame Vikings QB Fran Tarkenton, who lives and works in the Atlanta metro.

“Scramblin’ Fran” addressed the Vikings at their hotel Saturday night, emphasizing the “next man up” mantra and the importance of rallying around whichever player steps in.

Tarkenton brought with him the game ball he received from the Vikings first-ever regular-season game in 1961.

That day, Tarkenton came off the bench to lead Minnesota to a come-from-behind victory, throwing four touchdown passes and running for another as the Vikings defeated the Bears 37–13.

Six decades later, the Hall of Famer’s message couldn’t have seemed more applicable as Dobbs rushed for one touchdown and threw for two more in his Vikings debut.

In addition to his final pass to Powell, he also completed a 2-yard touchdown pass to Alexander Mattison just before halftime. Dobbs finished his outing 20-of-30 passing for 158 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions. His passer rating was 101.8.

When all was said and done, he helped Minnesota win its fourth straight game and improve to 5-4 on the season.

Dobbs was able to win his first game in Purple just 30 minutes (he noted that depends on Atlanta traffic) from his hometown of Alpharetta and with family members – including his parents – in the stands.

“Being back home, being on this field – I grew up watching the Falcons play ball in the Mike Vick era and the Matt Ryan era,” Dobbs said. “So to be here on this field, man, and then have a game like that means a lot to me.

“I’ll enjoy it, but it’s on to the next one once Tuesday hits, and we’re right back to work,” he added.

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Let’s Play Football

November 9, 2023

7

Eyes on the Prize

The field is set as 56 teams vie for a shot at the Prep Bowl 9-Player

1 - Kingsland 44, Spring Grove 14 2 - Cedar Mountain 36, Red Rock Central 22 3 - Hills-Beaver Creek 30, Edgerton 8 4 - Ottertail Central 34, Border West 12 5 - Nevis 38, Ogilvie 0 6 - Fertile-Beltrami 52, Clearbrook-Gonvik 20 7 - Mountain Iron-Buhl 30, Cherry 14 8 - Goodridge/Grygla-Gatzke 34, Stephen-Argyle Central 6 State Match-ups Thursday, Nov. 9 Mountain Iron-Buhl (11-0) vs. Nevis (10-0) at Grand Rapids HS - 6 p.m.

Hill-Beaver Creek (10-0) vs. Kingsland (11-0) at Albert Lea HS - 7 p.m.

Goodridge/Grygla-Gatzke (9-1) vs. Fertile-Beltrami (11-0) at Moorhead HS - 7 p.m.

Ottertail Central (10-0) vs. Cedar Mountain (7-3) at Buffalo HS - 7 p.m.

Class A

1A - Fillmore Central 14, Kenyon-Wanamingo 0 2A - Mayer Lutheran 20, Lester Prairie 19 3A - Springfield 36, Sleepy Eye 18 4A - Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa 36, Upsala/Swanville 12 5A - Minneota 14, BOLD 6 6A - Parkers Prairie 26, New York Mills 6 7A - Braham 28, Deer River 8 8A - Mahnomen/Waubun 16, Ada-Borup West 14 State Match-ups Friday, Nov. 10 Springfield (10-1) vs. Fillmore Central (11-0) at Jordan HS - 5:30 p.m.

Mahnomen/Waubun (10-0) vs. Parkers Prairie (9-2) at Brainerd HS - 7 p.m.

Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa (10-0) vs. Mayer Lutheran (8-2) at St. Cloud Apollo HS - 7 p.m.

Braham (9-2) vs. Minneota (11-0) at St. Cloud Tech HS - 7 p.m.

Class AA

1AA - Caledonia 35, Dover-Eyota 20 2AA - Triton 21, Maple River 14 3AA - Jackson County Central 38, Redwood Valley 7 4AA - Cannon Falls 60, St. Agnes 34 5AA - Eden Valley-Watkins 44, Holdingford 14 6AA - Osakis 42, Staples-Motley 13 7AA - Moose Lake/Willow River 13, Barnum 0 8AA - Barnesville 44, Pelican Rapids 14 State Match-ups Thursday, Nov. 9 Jackson County Central (11-0) vs. Caledonia (10-0) at Mayo HS - 7 p.m.

Barnesville (11-0) vs. Osakis (9-1) at Alexandria Area HS - 7 p.m.

Cannon Falls (9-2) vs. Triton (6-5) at New Prague HS - 7 p.m.

Moose Lake/Willow River (10-1) vs. Eden Valley-Watkins (10-0) at Forest Lake HS - 7 p.m.

Class AAA

1AAA - Stewartville 34, Rochester Lourdes 7 2AAA - Dassel-Cokato 27, Litchfield 20 3AAA - Waseca 21, Fairmont 13 OT 4AAA - Minneapolis North 51, Holy Family 0 5AAA - Annandale 14, Foley 8 6AAA - Albany 24, New London-Spicer 23 7AAA - Esko 34, Pequot Lakes 14 8AAA - Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton 35, Morris Area/Chokio-Alberta 14

State Match-ups Friday, Nov. 10 Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton (9-1) vs. Albany (8-2) at Alexandria HS - 7 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 11 Esko (10-0) vs. Annandale (10-0) at Brainerd HS - 1 p.m.

Waseca (9-2) vs. Stewartville (11-0) at Hastings HS - 7 p.m.

Minneapolis North (9-2) vs. Dassel-Cokato (9-1) at Orono HS - 7 p.m.

Class AAAA

1AAAA - Byron 17, Kasson-Mantorville 14 2AAAA - Hutchinson 30, Marshall 14 3AAAA - Hill-Murray 42, Chisago Lakes 36 4AAAA - Totino Grace 49, St. Anthony 7 5AAAA - Benilde-St. Margaret’s 20, Academy of Holy Angels 15 6AAAA - Orono 35, Delano 14 7AAAA - North Branch 28, Hermantown 21 8AAAA - Rocori 30, Becker 21 State Match-ups Thursday, Nov. 9 Hill-Murray (8-2) vs. Byron (9-1) at Eastview High School - 6 p.m.

Rocori (8-2) vs. Orono (9-1) at Elk River HS - 7 p.m.

Totino-Grace (7-3) vs. Hutchinson (8-2) at Lakeville South HS - 7 p.m.

North Branch (9-1) vs. Benilde-St. Margaret’s (5-6) at Monticello HS - 7 p.m

Class AAAAA

1AAAAA - Owatonna 35, Northfield 6 2AAAAA - Chanhassen 37, Mankato West 36 3AAAAA - St. Thomas Academy 43, Bloomington Jefferson 14 4AAAAA - Mahtomedi 19, Cretin-Derham Hall 7 5AAAAA - Robbinsdale Armstrong 49, Robbinsdale Cooper 14 6AAAAA - Rogers 24, Monticello 20 7AAAAA - Andover 65, Elk River 32 8AAAAA - Alexandria 24, Brainerd 19 State Match-ups Saturday Nov. 11 St. Thomas Academy (8-2) vs. Owatonna (8-2) at Woodbury HS - 12 p.m.

Andover (9-1) vs. Robbinsdale Armstrong (8-2) at Osseo HS - 12 p.m.

Alexandria (10-0) vs. Rogers (9-1) at Maple Grove HS - 1 p.m.

Mahtomedi (6-4) vs. Chanhassen (10-0) at Apple Valley HS - 1 p.m.

Class AAAAAA

Centennial 26, Prior Lake 23 Rosemount 14, Woodbury 7 Lakeville South 30, Shakopee 13 East Ridge 13, Minnetonka 10 Edina 35, Maple Grove 24 Stillwater 49, Rochester Mayo 31 Lakeville North 42, Forest Lake 21 Eden Prairie 42, Eagan 14 State Match-ups Thursday, Nov. 9 Rosemount (6-4) vs. Centennial (9-1) at Stillwater Area HS - 7 p.m.

Edina (7-3) vs. Stillwater (8-2) at Park Center HS - 7 p.m.

Friday, Nov. 10 East Ridge (4-6) vs. Lakeville South (9-1) at St. Michael-Albertville HS - 7 p.m.

Lakeville North (9-1) vs. Eden Prairie (10-0) at Spring Lake Park HS - 7 p.m.

8

November 9, 2023

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9-Player

Nevis continues domination with powerful offense

Tigers seek first state championship in sixth trip to tourney

by JACKSON BOLINE

Let’s Play Football Contributor

The Nevis Tigers secured their place in state with a dominant 38-0 victory over Ogilvie on Nov. 3 in the Section 5, 9-player Championship, maintaining their perfect 10-0 record on the season.

The Tigers began the season by showcasing their powerful offense, notching an impressive 77-0 away win against Carlton/Wrenshall, setting the tone for the rest of the season. In the next five games (not including week two forfeited win against Laporte) The Tigers scored at least 34 points and never gave up more than 18 points on defense, showing they are a serious two-way threat in 9-player football.

Nevis preserved their dominant pace, wrapping up the regular season with a third-place ranking in the Star Tribune Power Rankings. The Tigers’ formidable offense and unyielding defense have remained true during the postseason. In the semi-final playoff game on Oct. 28, Nevis secured a convincing 53-8 victory at home over Verndale, setting the stage for a section-final clash against Ogilvie.

While the offense played a pivotal role in the Tigers’ outstanding season, it was the defense that truly showed up in the section final game. Nevis suffocated Ogilvie’s offense, allowing only one play of more than 30 yards throughout the entire game. Not only did the Tigers’ defense stifle the opponent’s offense, but they also seized control of the game, forcing seven turnovers, including two interceptions, and a fumble recovery in the second half, leading to three touchdowns for the Tigers.

Both teams’ defenses displayed strong performances early in the game, limiting each offense to just one possession in the first quarter. Following a failed fake punt attempt by the Tigers at the 40-yard line, Ogilvie’s offense embarked on a 12-play drive, which ended at the 20-yard line.

Nevis’ offense woke up in the second quarter starting with a 49-yard touchdown reception from Joe Houchin, propelling Nevis to an 8-0 lead halfway through the second quarter, coupled with a successful two-point conversion.

Capitalizing on a short Ogilvie punt, Nevis swiftly scored and converted a two-point conversion, entering halftime with a 16-0 advantage. The momentum drastically shifted in the second half as the Nevis defense seized control of the game, intercepting two passes, blocking a couple of punts, and recovering four fumbles. By the end of the third quarter, the higher-seeded Nevis held a commanding 24-0 lead.

Following an interception leading to another score and a fumble recovery resulting in the same, Nevis secured yet another fumble on Ogilvie’s 8-yard line. A subsequent passing touchdown, this time to Bessler, extended the Tigers’ lead to 38-0 with just over eight minutes left to play. The Tigers totaled 277 total yards on offense, with Ayomide Ogundeji leading the team in rushing with 54 yards, and Joe Houchin leading the team in receiving yards with 77 through the air.

Running back and linebacker Eli Klimik led the team with 12 total tackles, while quarterback and defensive back Eli Lewis showcased his versatility with 187 passing yards and two interceptions.

Additionally, Devan Lindow contributed with an interception, and Bennett Mitchell excelled in special teams, blocking two

Junior running back Ayomide Ogundeji finds a hole thanks to a strong block from junior fullback Eli Klimek. Nevis won the section championship with a 38-0 win over Ogilvie. PHOTOS BY AMY KLIMEK

Above, the team celebrates with their parents and fans after winning the section title and advancing to state for the sixth time in school history. Right, quarterback Eli Lewis rolls out looking for a receiver.

Nevis is 10-0 heading into the state quarterfinals.

punts.

Despite the offense’s dominance this season, averaging over 50 points per game, the defense has also put on an impressive display in the first half of each game. Heading into the section championship game, Nevis had outscored its opponents by an impressive 356-14 margin in the first two quarters. With a wealth of offensive talent and a consistently suffocating defense, this Tigers team has proven to be a force to not be reckoned in 9-player football.

This upcoming trip to the state will mark the Tigers’ sixth appearance, the first since 2017 when they fell in the state championship game against SpringGrove. Nevis previously competed at state in 1981, 1990, 1993, 2012, 2017, and 2023, though the Tigers are now aiming for their first-ever state title in the program’s history.

9-Player continued pn page 17

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Class A

November 9, 2023

9

Thunderbirds kick their way back to state

MahnomenWaubun has sights set on making it to The Bank

by BRYAN ZOLLMAN

Let’s Play Football Co-Publisher

Trailing Ada-Borup West 14-13 with 10 seconds left and facing a 4th and 2 from the 3-yard line, Mahnomen-Waubun Head Coach John Clark had a decision to make.

Go for it or call on kicker Tanner Stech to kick the team into the state tournament.

“I don’t remember ever thinking about not going for it, but Tanner has been clutch for us and we were tired,” said Coach Clark.

“We went with the kick.”

It turned out to be the right decision.

Stech split the uprights, giving the Thunderbirds a 16-14 win in Section 8A. Coming into the game, Clark knew that Ada-Borup had a speed advantage so time of possession and winning battles in the trenches were going to be big components to their success. Fortunately, they got off to a good start on both fronts. Their first drive of the game resulted in 16 plays and eight minutes.

“That gave us a lot of confidence,” he said. “We also needed to prevent the big play and make them drive the field. Our defense did an excellent job of that.”

The first drive resulted in a 2-yard touchdown run by quarterback Blake McMullen. A missed two-point try gave the Thudnerbirds an early 6-0 lead.

After trading several possessions, the Thunderbirds were able to score with a big defensive play when Brady Lhotka returned an interception for a touchdown. A Stech extra point made it a 13-0 game.

But Ada-Borup West turned the tables in the second half.

After a scoreless third quarter, they scored on back-to-back possessions on a touchdown run by Austin McCraven and a pass form McCraven to Wyatt Larson from nine yards out. Extra points by Tate Jacobson and Mason Larson made for 14-13 lead with just under four minutes to play.

“We won the turnover battle in the first half,” said Coach Clark. “But Ada turned the tables in the second half and made us pay for two costly fumbles. Otherwise it was a defensive battle.”

Three-plus minutes was plenty of time for the Thunderbirds to drive down the field and put themselves into position for a game-winning play.

Stech admits he was thinking about the possibility of being called upon for a game-winning kick. He had been the team’s kicker all season, but suffered a foot injury that kept him out of play for a period of time.

“I knew if we could get close enough we could attempt a kick,” he said.

Stech said he felt confident once his name was called.

“I felt pretty good about it and I was just focused on doing my part,” Stech said.

“I knew my line was going to block well and the snap and hold would be perfect.”

Stech said he feels comfortable kicking anything within 40 yards. His longest in a game is a 34-yarder he kicked last season. He said he has kicked a 45-yarder in practice before. He also serves as the team’s punter and plays on both offense and defense. In the win he had four receptions for 66 yards, two rushes for seven yards and two tackles on defense.

But it was the kick that mattered most.

“It was pretty wild watching the players and fans react when the ball went through,” said Coach Clark. “They had that place rocking.”

For Coach Clark the win took on a little bit more meaning. His son, Carter, is one of several seniors on the team.

“I have watched this senior group grow up for years,” he said. “This win had a little

Tanner Stech has been the kicker all season long for Mahnomen-Waubun and no kick was bigger than the one he made in the waning seconds of the section final 14-13 win over Ada-Borup West. Stech’s boot gave the Thunderbirds a win and trip to the coveted state tournament. PHOTO SUBMITTED more feeling...basically utter joy.”

This is the team’s third concesutive trip to the state tournament.

“It’s a feeling I wish every coach and player could feel,” Coach Clark said. “It feels amazing. I feel so much pride in all of our players from top to bottom.”

For Stech, it felt good to contribute the game-winning kick. But after losing in the quarterfinals the past two seasons, there is plenty of unfinished business ahead for the Thunderbirds.

“It feels good to help us make it to the state tournament,” Stech said. “Now we are just looking forward to working hard and hopefully making it to the Bank.”

Section 1A Fillmore Central 14, Kenyon-Wanamingo 0 Jayce Kiehne’s two touchdowns and 109 yards carried the Falcons to a low-scoring section title victory over Kenyon-Wanamingo.

Fillmore Central’s shutout 14-0 victory was their fourth of the season, and first of the playoffs. This was also the Falcons’ second win against Kenyon-Wanamingo this season after beating them 28-16 on Oct. 18.

Fillmore-Central (11-0) will play Springfield (10-1) on Friday at 5:30 p.m. at Jordan High School.

Section 2A Mayer Lutheran 20, Lester Prairie 19 Lester Prairie found a way to pull out a close game victory over Lester Prairie 2019, and advance to the state tournament, winning Section 2A. The Knights got their revenge after losing to Lester Prairie in the 2022 Section 2A championship 14-6.

Mayer Lutheran (8-2) will battle Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa (10-0) Friday at St. Cloud Apollo High School in the state quarterfinals and have a chance to play at US Bank Stadium.

Section 3A Springfield 36, Sleepy Eye 18 Springfield advanced to the state tournament in back-to-back years after Jakob Nachreiner’s three touchdown throws.

The Tigers took down Tracy-Milroy-Balaton in last year’s 3A final game, but this year a run-heavy approach and several big stops by the defense, helped the Tigers top Sleepy Eye 36-18.

Springfield (10-1) will play Fillmore-Central (11-0) on Friday at 5:30 p.m.

at Jordan High School.

Section 4A BBE 36, Upsala/Swanville 12 Senior quarterback Luke Dingmann threw for 220 yards and three touchdowns and ran for another 97 yards as the Jaguars punched their ticket to state with a 36-12 win over Upsala/Swanville.

The Jaguars rushed for 224 yards and also got touchdowns from Jack Lundberg and Owen Paulson.

Paulson also ran in two two-point conversions.

Luke Illies, Ryan Jensen and Hayden Sobiech each had touchdown catches for the Jaguars, who improved to 10-0 on the season and will battle Mayer Lutheran Friday at St. Cloud Apollo High School.

Section 5A Minneota 14, BOLD 6 The Vikings pulled away from a close, low-scoring section final to win a section title, and book themselves a trip to state.

Ryan Meagher’s 170 rushing yards and the game’s first score helped Minneota get a chance to play at US Bank Stadium. Meagher has 1,689 yards and 29 touchdowns so far this season, being a key contributor to the Vikings success.

Minneota (11-0) will face Braham (9-

2) on Friday at 7 p.m. at St. Cloud Tech High School.

Section 6A Parkers Prairie 26 New York Mills 6 Parkers Prairie faced New York Mills for the second time this season and for the second time, they came out on top, winning 26-6.

The Panthers improved immensely from a season ago when they fell to Browerville in the section quarterfinals, losing 24-7.

Parkers Prairie (9-2) will battle Mahnomen/Waubun (10-0) Friday at 7 p.m. at Brainerd High School.

Section 7A Braham 28, Deer River 8 Braham is section 7A Champions after defeating Deer River, punching their ticket to the state tournament.

The Bombers got their revenge on Deer River who handed them a loss earlier in the season by a score of 28-0, but Braham got the best of Deer River when it mattered most, as they defeated their 7A rival 28-8.

This will be the Bombers seventh trip to state in the last eighteen seasons.

Braham (9-2) will face Minneota (110) on Friday at 7 p.m. at St. Cloud Tech High School.

Parkers Prairie’s swarming defense held New York Mills to a lone touchdown in their Section 6A win. PHOTO BY JACKSON BOLINE

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November 9, 2023

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Class AA

Barnesville earns 8th straight trip to state

Trojans seek third straight Prep Bowl final appearance

by JACKSON BOLINE

Let’s Play Football Contributor

Marking their eighth consecutive appearance, the Barnesville Trojans secured their spot in the state tournament, defeating Pelican Rapids with a resounding 44-14 victory in the Section 8AA championship game.

Showcasing a ground-and-pound strategy, the Trojans have maintained a perfect record, concluding the section playoffs with an impressive 11-0 tally, and clinching the top spot in the Star Tribune power rankings.

The opening game of Barnesville’s season saw them face a challenging 8AAA opponent, prevailing over Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton at home with a 14-7 victory. Their game against the Rebels proved to be their most difficult and close victory, as they conceded only 28 points throughout the rest of the season.

Not only did their offense amass over 50 points every game, highlighted by a stellar 66-point performance against Crookston, but they also effectively neutralized the opposing teams’ offenses. The Trojans’ stifling defense conceded just 48 points across all 11 games, including the section playoffs, with an impressive four-game stretch where no opposing team managed to score.

Heading into the playoffs, Barnesville emerged as the most formidable team in Section 8AA, a trend that continued as they dominated Crookston, securing a resounding 74-6 victory in the quarterfinals.

The semifinals against Frazee showcased the Trojans’ defensive prowess, culminating in a dominant 48-0 win, propelling them to the FargoDome to face Pelican Rapids.

Although the Vikings were one of the few teams to breach the Trojans’ defense multiple times in the regular season, they were still among the limited few who managed to stay within 14 points against Barnesville.

The game started with a long methodical drive by Pelican Rapids, quarterbacked by Timmy Guler who ended the drive with a powerful 2-yard rushing touchdown. With a failed two-point conversion, the Vikings had a 6-0 lead.

Barnesville’s initial possession yielded a familiar outcome, as they showcased their three-man backfield and RPO (Run-Pass-Option) offense, making strides down the field. The drive ended in an Ethan Larson 5-yard touchdown run, though an incomplete two-point conversion left the game tied at 6-6.

Regaining possession just before the end of the first quarter, the Trojans successfully executed their intricate RPO once more, resulting in Asher O’Brien finding the end zone with a 26-yard touchdown run. Securing a successful two-point conversion, the Trojans seized their first lead of the game, establishing a score of 14-6.

In the second quarter, Guler crossed the goal line for the second time in the game with a 5-yard touchdown run, subsequently securing a two-point conversion to equalize the game at 14 before halftime.

“Timmy Guler is one of those spe-

Even though it’s a common occurrence, Barnesville players were still jubilant as ever after winning their eighth straight section title with a 44-14 win over Pelican Rapids. PHOTOS BY JACKSON BOLINE

cial players that no matter how much you scheme for and prep we can only hope to slow him down a bit, he is truly an amazing young man. This senior class for Pelican Rapids is truly special as well, with many great athletes and dedicated players, it is too bad that these groups had to face off as both teams deserved to make the state tournament,” said Barnesville Head Coach Bryan Strand.

After another rushing touchdown

by Barnesville, this time from Gannon Bolgrean, the Trojans held a 22-14 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

The fourth quarter saw a significant shift in momentum. With just under 11 minutes remaining, Guler led the Vikings to the 2-yard line. However, following an unsuccessful QB sneak attempt, Guler appeared to sustain an injury and was subsequently ruled out by the on-field officials. On the next play, Pelican Rapids’ backup quarterback fumbled the sneak attempt, which was recovered by Barnesville’s Levi Eickenbrock.

Following the turnover, the Trojans seized control of the game, beginning with a 69-yard touchdown run from Bolgrean, followed by a Larson rushing touchdown, and concluding with a 52yard touchdown run by David Spillum, securing a 44-14 victory and clinching their eighth consecutive section title.

Barnesville’s leading rusher was Gannon Bolgrean, who carried the ball 12 times for 186 yards, two scores, and a fumble.

The Trojans amassed 530 yards of offense, with 438 rushing yards and 92 passing yards, showcasing their reliance on a run-heavy offensive strategy.

Their eyes are now set on defending their 2022 state championship title, which was the first in program history against Chatfield in the Class AA championship. Last year’s championship game marked the Trojans’ third appearance in a state title game.

“We get Osakis this week who is a great team. Big and physical with a great QB, huge offensive and defensive line. It is going to be a short week as we play on Thursday night. Boys will have to be dialed in and ready to go with the winner getting a trip to US Bank and the semi finals,” said Strand Barnesville will face Osakis at Alexandria Area’s field on Thursday Nov. 9.

Gannon Bolgrean, a junior running back, finds an angle and races upfield in Barnesville’s 44-14 win over Pelican Rapids.

Senior running back Ethan Larson reaches for the end zone in Barnesville’s 44-14 win over Pelican Rapids in the Section 8AA finals, giving the Trojans their 8th straight trip to state.

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11

Caledonia is back, Triton makes first trip since 2010

Class AA field is wide open as 8 teams will vie for Prep Bowl title

by JACKSON BOLINE

Let’s Play Football Contributor

Section 1AA Caledonia 35, Dover-Eyota 20 Caledonia will be back in the Class AA state tournament after their Section 1AA championship game victory over Dover-Eyota. This will be their first trip to the state tournament since 2019 after a dominating previous decade.

Owen Denstad rushed for 53 yards and two scores to lead the Warriors over Dover-Eyota to win Section 1AA. In the first quarter, Warriors’ quarterback Ethan Stendel found Tristan Meyer, and Denstad found the endzone, giving Caledonia a 14-0 lead heading into the second quarter.

The Eagles fought back in the second quarter scoring two quick touchdowns, one from a rushing score by Landon Lehnertz and a passing score thrown by Levi Williams to Tyler Holzer to tie the game at 14.

The tie game didn’t last long, as an 80-yard kick return touchdown by Denstad got the Warriors back on top 21-14, a score they would take into the third quarter.

Denstad rushed for his second score of the game right out of the half giving Caledonia a 28-14 lead, and the Warriors continued to find success on the ground with the running game, rushing for 186 total yards.

Stendel ended the game with 138 passing yards and one touchdown. He has 1,431 passing yards and 12 passing touchdowns this season along with 375 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground.

The Warriors (10-0) will face Jackson County Central (11-0) Thursday at Mayo High School in the state quarterfinal and a chance to play at US Bank Stadium.

Section 2AA Triton 21, Maple River 14 Triton secured their spot in the state tournament for the first time since 2010 when they placed second in state after their one-score victory over Maple River.

Running back Hunter Stark rushed for 95 yards and added a score to help the Cobras take down Maple River 2114.

Triton rushed for 144 yards in Friday’s victory but they also had a strong pass game too. Quarterback Pierce Petersohn was 7 for 9 passing for 101 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception.

Both of Petersohn’s touchdown throws were in the first half and went to Brody Munnikhuysen, who first caught a 20-yard touchdown, then a 31-yard score put the Cobras up 14-0 in the first quarter.

After a scoreless second quarter, Maple River pulled within 14-7 before a 6-yard touchdown run by Stark to get back ahead by two scores, 21-7 heading into the fourth quarter.

Stark has 1,027 yards rushing, 12 touchdowns, and 13 receptions for 124 yards along with a score this season.

Maple River would strike again in the fourth quarter and get the score back within a touchdown at 21-14.

With 30 seconds left in the game, Triton’s defense delivered when they needed it most, turning the ball over on downs on their 15-yard line to secure the win and trip to New Prague.

Senior quarterback Kyle Mages helped lead Osakis to a 9-1 record and a section final win over Staples-Motley. They will face undefeated Barnesville in the state quarterfinals. PHOTO BY JACKSON BOLINE

Triton (6-5) will take on Cannon Falls (9-2) on Thursday at New Prague High School.

Section 3AA Jackson County Central 38, Redwood Valley 7 Jackson County Central will make its 10th trip to state after taking down Redwood Valley 38-7 in the Section 3AA championship game Friday.

Roman Voss took over the game right from kickoff, after running for a touchdown on offense, then scoping up a fumble and scoring on defense.

Voss then threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to Bryson Powers in the second quarter, before a Clay Malchow 14-yard rushing touchdown to give the Huskies a 28-0 lead.

Jack Sadusky added a 27-yard field goal as time expired in the first half giving Jackson County Central a convincing 31-0 first-half lead.

A Huskies rushing touchdown, and a Redwood score made for a 38-7 final score.

Voss had 88 passing yards, and one

score through the air, he also ran for 89 yards and scored two touchdowns on the ground. The Huskies ran for 246 yards out of their 334 yards of total offense.

Jackson County Central will play in the Class AA state quarterfinals on Thursday at 7 p.m. at Rochester Mayo High School.

Section 4AA Cannon Falls 60, St. Agnes 34 Cannon falls’ high-powered offense took it to St. Agnes in the Section 5AA final, scoring 8 touchdowns on their way to a 60-34 win.

Dylan Banks got the scoring started on a 55-yard TD run and then Preston Schoenfelder and Derrik Bechtoldt each scored four times to keep the Bears out in front of a chasing St. Agnes squad who whenever got close the Bears would pull away.

The Bears have now scored at least 48 points in eight of their 11 contests.

They will take their juggernaut offense to New Prague High School Thursday where they will battle Triton

Senior quarterback Nolan Geislinger helped lead Eden Valley-Watkins to a 44-14 win over Holdingford and a 10-0 record on the season.

PHOTO BY LIBBY AUGER

(6-5).

Section 5AA Eden Valley-Watkins 44, Holdingford 14 Eden Valley-Watkins took down Holdingford in convincing fashion by a score of 44-14 to make their third straight section title and trip to the State Tournament.

Senior quarterback Nolan Geislinger rushed for four touchdowns, propelling the Eagles to state, and giving the Eagles a chance to play at US Bank Stadium.

The Eagles were held scoreless in the first quarter before erupting for 28 points in the second and taking a 28-6 lead into the second half.

EV-W added 16 to the scoreboard, while Holdingford scored once and a two-point conversion for a 44-14 final score.

Eden Valley-Watkins (10-0) will face Moose Lake/Willow River (10-1) on Thursday, Nov. 9, at 7 p.m. on the Forest Lake High School field.

Section 6AA Osakis 42, Staples-Motley 13 Osakis books a trip to the State Tournament after defeating Staples-Motley with ease 42-13 in the Section 6AA Championship on Friday, Nov. 3.

The Silverstreaks won the section after falling in the section title game the previous two seasons.

The first quarter was all defense for both teams before Osakis quarterback Kyle Mages found his tight end Grant Images for a 34-yard pass to the oneyard line, Kyle Mages ended the drive by rushing in for a touchdown to take a 6-0 lead.

On the next possession, Grant Mages made a defensive play, tipping a pass for Cimbura to pick it out of the air for an interception.

The Cardinals drove the ball down the field for their opening points of the game to cut the lead to 22-6 with under three minutes to play in the half.

The Mages brothers found each other again before half as they connected twice in the first half for scores.

Fullback Drew Imdieke ran in for a goal line score to finish off the half.

The momentum moved to the Osakis sideline as they scored a quick four touchdowns to take a dominating 30-6 lead into halftime.

The Silverstreaks found the endzone two more times in the second half to secure a spot in the Class AA state tournament.

The Silverstreaks (9-1) and Barnesville (11-0) will face off in the quarterfinals of the Class AA playoffs at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 9 at Alexandria Area High School.

Section 7AA Moose Lake/Willow River 13, Barnum 0 Moose Lake/Willow defeated top-seeded Barnum to earn them a trip to the state tournament for the third straight year, and excluding the COVID-shortened season, ML/WR has won the past six section 7AA titles.

After an opening drive of nine plays for 71 yards spearheaded by running backs Micah Thompson and Parker Samarzia, the drive ended in a 36-yard touchdown run from Thompson.

Thompson ended the day with over 100 yards on the ground with one touchdown.

The Rebels allowed some long drives from Barnum in the second half but to no avail as Moose Lake/Willow River’s defense was stellar allowing no points in a 13-0 victory over a 7AA foe.

The Rebels (10-1) will take on Eden Valley-Watkins (10-0) in Forest Lake at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 9.

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November 9, 2023

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Class AAA

Underdog Huskies complete improbable comeback

Resilient Albany squad erases 23-point deficit to win on last-second play

by BRYAN ZOLLMAN

Let’s Play Football Co-Publisher

Trailing 20-0 at halftime in the Section 6AAA final, it was time for Albany players to get a pep talk.

But it didn’t come from the coaching staff.

“Before I go into the shed with the kids there were discussions already being had,” said Albany Head Coach Mike Ellingson. “Whether there was some finger pointing going on or what, all I heard was we had captains step up and say things that make a coach proud.”

New London-Spicer, the reigning champions in Class AAA with their improbable last-play win in the 2022 Prep Bowl, were well on their way to another state tournament berth.

But the undersized and underdog Huskies still had some bite left in them.

“The kids were told this is not how we are going to go down,” said Ellingson about what was said during halftime.

“We win as a team and we lose as a team.

This is not how it’s going to end for us.”

The Huskies had been down before.

Win or lose, they weren’t going to lose their will.

“If we are going to go down they are getting our best punch,” said Ellingson. “There’s no play that’s going to get us three touchdowns. We are playing for hope, not to win. We are going to look each other in the eye and in the end know we gave it everything we had.”

New London-Spicer started the second half with a field goal to increase their lead to 23-0.

But the Huskies clawed back. Quarterback Andrew Olson hit Hunter Hamann on an 18-yard touchdown. Ethan Meyer ran in the two-point conversion to make it a two-score game at 23-8 at the end of the third quarter.

The next touchdown would be a big one. If New London-Spicer scored, it would be near impossible to come back from three touchdowns down in one quarter.

But the Albany defense stood tall and the Huskies were able to drive down the field, capped off by a 1-yard touchdown run by Meyer. Meyer also converted again on a two-point try to make it 23-16.

But time was running low. Albany received the ball again with about three minutes to play, but a New London-Spicer interception all but sealed their destiny.

Yet once again the defense stepped up and didn’t give up a single yard, forcing the Wildcats to punt.

“They get the ball with two minutes left and we have one timeout to burn,” said Coach Ellingson. “We were hoping the defense would just give us a chance.”

The Huskies had little time, and not much more than a hope and a prayer to get down field.

But that was enough.

With the clock ticking down, Olson dropped back and launched a bomb down field. Meyer was one of four receivers running a vertical and went up over a Wildcat defender, made a Jefferson-like grab and rolled down to the 1-yard line.

“That particular play call we hadn’t run in practice in two weeks,” said Coach Ellingson. “It’s a version of four verticals to get us somewhere near the end zone.”

Ellingson credited the team’s offensive line and fullback Adam Dennis for great protection on the play.

“The first time we played them we were not able to drop back without getting tremendous pressure,” he said. “Our O-line and Adam Dennis did a great job of picking up the blitz all night and gave us a shot on that one.”

The Huskies quickly spiked the ball

Ethan Meyer goes up over a New London-Spicer defender to come down with a hail mary catch in the waning seconds of Albany’s 24-23 come-from-behind win over the defending Class AAA champions. Meyer was forced to miss last season and the first two games this season due to a knee injury, but has made the most of his season coming up big for the Huskies. PHOTOS BY LIBBY AUGER

with nine seconds remaining. They had time for two shots at the end zone. The first play was a slant and an out, but resulted in an incomplete pass. With one play left and the season on the line, the Huskies went with a reliable option to the tight end, Hamann.

“We scored on them last year on that play,” said Coach Ellingson. “This was a little wrinkle off that where we sneak the tight end out. I wasn’t sure it would work because the safety was deep, but then he came forward to blitz and our tight end was open. I’m just thankful we were able to catch it.”

But the Huskies still trailed 23-22 and Coach Ellingson had a decision to make.

“My first instinct was to kick it,” he said. “I knew they were behind the eight ball and struggling with momentum.

Their stud runner (Mason Delzer) was

Comeback win continued on next page

Meyer tumbled down to the 1-yard line where Albany would later score to make it a 23-22 game. They converted on the next play for a 24-23 win.

Albany players were overjoyed after coming back from a 23-0 deficit to defeat defending state champion New London-Spicer 24-23.

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by ERIC KOHN

Let’s Play Football Contributor

By the time you are reading this article, I hope your team is preparing for the beginning of a deep playoff run that continues well into November. This is the time of year that is filled with great finishes, unthinkable upsets and perseverance in the elements. All of the teams left have visions of playing games in US Bank stadium.

During this time of year one of the most important details in a winning team is staying healthy and preventing your body from breaking down from the rigors of a long season. It is extremely important to be committed as a team to keeping everyone in the best condition they can be as the season progresses. There are some simple ways to help avoid a drop-off in performance. First, get your sleep! Your body requires sleep to rebuild itself. If you are not getting adequate sleep because you are on your phone or watching TV this can negatively effect your healing. Bumps and bruises can be prolonged in their recovery.

Maintain a healthy caloric intake based

Let’s Play Football

November 9, 2023

The Home Stretch

on your activity level. You may be running from school to practice and on to homework and it can be hard to continue to eat enough food but, just like sleep, proper nutrition and calorie intake helps your body to heal, maintain your weight and prevent seasonal colds from occurring. Lift weight a couple times of week to maintain your strength. I am not referring to doing heavy arm curls. I am referring to a handful of multi-joint exercises at 60-80% of your one rep max of each movements. We want the weight heavy enough to promote strength but higher rep scheme. Finally, active recovery in the form of dynamic stretching, foam roller or massage to help remove lactic acid and improve muscle, tendon and joint health.

Now regarding the bad stretch for our hometown teams. Both the Twins and now the Vikings have been hurt by hamstring stretch injuries. Royce Lewis of the Twins was limited in the final month or so and he made it back and made an impact but you could see he was still affected with his speed on paths. The other is the Vikings all pro receiver Justin Jefferson who sustained a hamstring injury in the Chiefs game. Let’s review ham-

string injuries, how we get them, recover from them and avoid them.

Let’s start with the anatomy. The hamstring muscle group is made up of 3 main muscles, the bicep femoris, the semitendinosus, and the semimembranosus. Their main functions are to decelerate the lower body and to stabilize from quick change of direction. They cross two joints, both the hip and the knee. This is why most of the strains occur when the trunk is leaning forward and the lower leg is extended, or reaching out in front of the athlete. Baseball players running to leg out an infield hit and lean forward just as their lower leg reaches out to touch first base or the stop and go and quick movements required as a wide receiver are both ways to injure the hamstring.

What should you do if you sustain a hamstring injury? First, consult with your team’s sports medicine professional.

They will help you initiate the process of healing and help with the road to returning back to the field. The professional will diagnosis, determine severity and begin the progression of rehabilitation.

The rehab process begins with the old

13

RICE (rest, ice, compression sleeve and elevate) strategy. The next phase is easy, pain free hamstring isometric contractions and gentle pain free stretching. We can also begin light cardiovascular and core work at this time. Most importantly is performing these exercises only if pain free. The final and often neglected stage is eccentric strengthening and plyometrics. Examples of eccentric strength exercises are the Nordic hamstring exercise and single leg Romanian dead lifts. We are always looking at the newest research to prevent and rehab more efficiently.

Some new research is looking at sprint training in addition to regular strength and core training, and is showing to help prevent hamstring injuries. We can never stop learning to help athletes perform better, more efficiently and injury free.

Eric is a Board Certified Orthopedic Clinical Specialist, Doctor of Physical Therapy and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist. He practices at St Cloud Orthopedics in Central Minnesota and is an adjunct professor at The College of St. Benedict/St John’s University.

Comeback win continued from previous page_____________________________________________________________________

out and our defense was playing well. I figured lets take our chances in overtime.”

But that’s now what anyone else wanted.

“You read the body language, the players are saying go win the game, the assistant coaches are saying go win the game. I knew Delzer was out and Jack Rieland is tough to cover. I knew he’d get open on a little whip route.”

Olson hit Rieland for the game-winning conversion, sending Huskie players and fans into chaos. It was an epic comeback, not just against an old-school rival, but against the defending state champions in their class.

Playing with an underdog spirit helped the Huskie players stay calm and focused during the final minutes of the game. The halftime talk rang true as they weren’t necessarily worried about the end result as long as they gave it everything they had until the final second ticked off the clock.

“This team has shown the resiliency and the ability to handle intense situations without over reacting,” said Coach Ellingson. “The kids were able to execute at a high level during crunch time. As a coach you are just so happy and proud of them.”

Despite the odds not being in their favor, but the Huskies controlled what they could control, their effort.

“It is stacked up against you and it’s an improbable thing,” said Coach Ellingson. “You don’t know if you’re going to win, but you dang well are going to give yourself a chance.”

With their improbable comeback, the Huskies live to play another week where they will take on Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton (9-1) Thursday in Alexandria.

They will carry their underdog mantra with them.

“Teams can out-physical us because we are undersized and we are underdogs,” said Coach Ellingson. “But our kids, over the course of four quarters...I will stack up against anyone.”

Section 1AAA Stewartville 34, Rochester Lourdes 7 Ayden Helder and Carter Miller combined for 259 yards rushing and five touchdowns to lead Stewartville to their second straight Section 1AAA title.

Miller finished with 177 yards on the ground and three touchdowns and Helder added 88 yards and two scores.

The Tigers (11-0) have outscored opponents 490-96 on the season and are 29-2 in their last three seasons.

Junior running back Kobee Thielen rushes upfield for Dassel-Cokato, who defeated crosstown rival Litchfield 27-20 to earn a berth intot he state tournament.

PHOTOS BY LIBBY AUGER

They will face Section 3AAAA winner Waseca (9-2) Saturday at Hastings High School.

Section 2AAA Dassel-Cokato 27, Litchfield 20 Monte Gillman’s third touchdown of the game was the difference maker as Dassel-Cokato outlasted rival Litchfield 27-20.

Dassel-Cokato (9-1) had lost to Litchfield (8-2) 14-13 midseason, but avenged the loss with a late touchdown

by Gillman to decide the back-and-forth contest.

Dassel-Cokato will battle Section 4AAA winner Minneapolis North (9-1) Saturday in Orono at 7 p.m.

Section 3AAA Waseca 21, Fairmont 13 OT Fairmont had had Waseca’s number the past few seasons, defeating them in the past two section tournaments and earlier this season 21-0.

But the Blue Jays turned the tables, winning a 21-13 overtime thriller to advance to their first state tournament since

2018.

It took a goal line stop in OT to seal the victory. After scoring on their opening overtime possession and converting on a two-point conversion, Fairmont was on the goal line with anticipation of tying the game. But defensive lineman Ethan Stenzel made a stop, securing the win for Waseca, who will battle Section 1AAA champion Stewartville (11-0) Saturday in Hastings.

Section 4AAA Minneapolis North 51 Holy Family Catholic 0 Minneapolis North moved up a class this season, but find themselves in familiar territory - another state tournament.

Their last state tourney was in 2021 playing in Class AA. This year they are back in a different field, but yielding promising results especially on the defensive side of the ball where they have not yielded a single touchdown in their last seven games.

Offensively they were led by their ground game consisting of Kahlil Brown,

Maleek Powell and Kai’an Darden.

Brown rushed 14 times for 87 yards and two touchdowns, Powell had 12 carries for 73 years and a score and Darden ran for a touchdown and threw for two more, connecting with Jamarian Sanders twice.

Jakri Miamen also had a 22-yard TD pass.

But it appears whoever is going to beat Minneapolis North is not going to just have to stop their offense, they’re going to have to figure out how to score against their defense.

Minneapolis North (9-2) will battle Dassel-Cokato (9-1) Saturday at Orono High School.

Section 5AAA Annandale 14 Foley 8 After a scoreless first half Annandale finally got on board when Nick Walter connected with Brandon Cooper on a 40-yard pass play and a 7-0 lead.

Walter then scored on a 15-yard TD run in the fourth quarter as the Cardinals (10-0) held on to win the Section 5AAA championship and advance to the state quarterfinals where they will take on Esko (10-0) Saturday at 1 p.m. at Brainerd High School.

Section 7AAA Esko 34, Pequot Lakes 14 Esko has been on the verge for the past three seasons. With one of the state’s top players in Koi Perich, the Eskomos have won 32 of their past 34 games, the only losses coming in the state tournament. Last year they lost 21-17 to Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton who came within one play of winning the state title. In 2021 they lost to eventual champion Dassel-Cokato in the state semifinals.

This season they have allowed just seven touchdowns in 10 games and will be a force to be reckoned with when they take on Annandale (10-0) Saturday at Brainerd High School.

Section 8AAA Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton 35 Morris Area/Chokio-Alberta 14 Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton got as close to a Prep Bowl title as a team can get, only to lose in heartbreaking fashion to New London-Spicer in the final last year on a last-second improbable play.

But they are back again for the third year in a row and will be playing with some vengeance against the AAA field.

They defeated Morris Area/ Chokio-Alberta 35-14 in the Section 8AAA final and will face Albany (8-2) on Thursday in the state quarterfinals.

Their only loss of the year was to Section 8AA winner Barnesville 14-7 in week one.

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November 9, 2023

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Changing the conversation Class AAAA

After injury-plagued slow start, Pioneers emerge as section champions

by BRYAN ZOLLMAN

Let’s Play Football Co-Publisher

It took a few weeks for the Hill-Murray Pioneers to right their ship.

But once they did, it was smooth sailing., The Pioneers overcame an injury-plagued start to the season and have won eight straight games including a 4236 Section 4AAAA final win over Chisago Lakes.

The Pioneers started the season with losses to Becker and St. Agnes, two quality teams.

“We had about six starters who did not play against Becker and two went down in the first half,” said Head Coach Rob Reeves. “We were literally grabbing kids off the sideline to go in and play who weren’t ready for varsity football.”

One of those players who was injured early on was Gopher commit Simon Seidl. A healthy Seidl and other key players have meant a world of difference for the Pioneers.

“Simon is just an explosive and dynamic athlete,” said Reeves. “As a defensive player other teams will game plan around him. He can change an offense in a hurry.”

Reeves recalled a game earlier in the season when the Pioneers defeated defending champion Simley. A healthy Seidl was a difference-maker.

He was a difference maker against Chisago Lakes as well. He took the opening kickoff to the house for an early Pioneer lead.

“He’s just a pure, raw athlete,” said Coach Reeves. “You get the ball in his hands and get him to the perimeter and he will outrun everybody else’s angles.

He’s a special athlete.”

But the Pioneers are good because they have several skilled players, including running backs Alex Gross and Xavier Daniels. Gross wasn’t pegged as being starting back at the beginning of the year, but has been a main cog in the Pioneer machine along with Daniels.

The pair has rushed 230 times for 1,682 yards and 22 touchdowns.

“We didn’t play Alex much at running back as a junior, but we knew he was capable of being a good back,” said Coach Reeves. “Once we got to week three and were healthy we were able to start playing Alex and Xavier both ways. It’s a good one-two punch.”

The team is quarterbacked by Jackson Reeves, who has put together a strong season with 1,202 yards passing and 22 touchdowns against just five interceptions. Gavin Berg and Seidl have been his main targets. Seidl has 23 catches for 414 yards and 10 touchdowns. Berg has 28 catches for 509 yards and nine scores.

In their win over Chisago Lakes Reeves was 11-for-16 for 114 yards and a touchdown pass to Berg.

Gross had a huge game with 153 yards on the ground and two touchdowns.

Reeves also had a rushing touchdown.

The Pioneers led 42-21 heading into the fourth quarter, but the Wildcats clawed their way back to within a score.

“We had some conservative play calling to help run the clock down, but got into a position of fourth and long and gave the ball back,” said Coach Reeves.

“They pounded the ball back down the field on us and scored.”

The Pioneers recovered the ensuing on-side kick, but again turned the ball over on downs and Chisago Lakes responded with a another touchdown to

It has been awhile since the Pioneers have called themselves a state tournament team, but they won the section title last week defeating Chisago Lakes 42-36 to advance to the Classs AAAA state playoffs. PHOTOS SUBMITTED

pull within 42-36.

But the Pioneers were able to recover another on-side kick and this time run the clock down and take a knee to ensure the win and their first trip to state under Reeves.

“We knew we had a good group coming up,” said Coach Reeves. “These kids who are now seniors were undefeated as freshmen and sophomores. We’ve been knocking on the door the past couple seasons.”

But the last two years they had to deal with section foe Simley who won state last season, but the Pioneers were able to overcome them this year.

“We preached all summer about changing the conversation in the locker room after the section finals,” said Coach Reeves. “That was our goal and our focus.”

Now, instead of a season-ending conversation, the Pioneers were talking about their next opponent. They will play Section 1AAAA winner Byron Thursday at Eastview High School.

It’s exciting to keep playing and moving on,” said Coach Reeves. “I’m excited for these kids. They were able to change that conversation in the locker room.”

Section 1AAAA Byron 17, Kasson-Mantorville 14 Adam Glynn’s team-leading 30 rushes for 170 yards helped carry Byron over top-seeded Kasson-Mantorville 17-14 to break their 20-year state tournament drought.

A late go-ahead touchdown pass thrown by Kale Robinson and caught by Jackson Snell put the Bears up for good and secured a Section title.

Byron (9-1) will take on Hill-Murray (8-2) on Thursday at 6 p.m. at Eastview High School.

Section 2AAAA Hutchinson 30, Marshall 14 Hutchinson pulls away late thanks to 244 yards and two touchdowns from Logan Butler, helping the Tigers take down Marshall 30-14. The senior quarterback currently has 806 yards and 10 touchdowns on the season.

Hutchinson pulled away in the second half after being deadlocked at 14, scoring a passing and rushing score to run away with a Section 2AAAA title.

Hutchinson (8-2) will face Totino-Grace (7-3) on Thursday at 7 p.m. at Lakeville South High School.

Class AAAA continued on page 17

Simon Seidl has been a force for the Pioneers on defense and offense. In the section final he returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown. He is committed to the Gophers as a cornerback.

Orono improved to 9-1 with a 35-14 win over Delano and will face Rocori (82) in the state qurterfinals. PHOTO BY LIBBY AUGER

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November 9, 2023

15

Class AAAAA

The Storm is a-comin’!

Chanhassen earns first trip to state tournament in school history

by BRYAN ZOLLMAN

Let’s Play Football Co-Publisher

The Storm is no longer on the horizon.

It is finally here.

Hayden McDaniel did his best Josh Dobbs impersonation Friday night when Chanhassen took on Mankato West for the Section 2AAAAA championship.

The Storm’s kicker hadn’t booted a ball all week, yet there he found himself at the end of the game in a 36-36 tie with the Scarlets, who advanced to the Prep Bowl last season.

But like Dobbs, that didn’t matter as McDaniel split the uprights with the game-winning extra point, capping off a two-touchdown comeback and giving the Storm their first section football championship in school history.

The Storm were chasing all night.

Mankato West, led by one of the top QBs in the state in Barton Mcaninch, staked themselves to a 14-0 lead. Mcaninch scored on a 12-yard run in the first quarter and then connected with Carter Bersaw on a 46-yard pass for a two-touchdown cushion.

The Storm were the only team to beat the Scarlets all season, handing them a 21-14 defeat on Sept. 29. But things were looking bleak early until late in the second quarter when the Storm finally reached the end zone on a 1-yard score by quarterback Brayden Windschitl. A missed extra point made it a 14-6 game as teams headed to halftime.

Chanhassen Head Coach Cullen Nelson said the score to end the half was a big momentum boost.

“We needed to start playing well and then things finally got going for us on both sides of the ball,” he said.

They came out swinging in the second half and tied the game when Windschitl connected with Tyler Smith on a 74-yard score and then connected with Daxton Bush for the two-point conversion and a 14-14 game.

But Mcaninch wasn’t close to being finished. The senior scampered in from 26 yards out and another extra point by Noah Femrite made it a 21-14 game with 3:58 to play in the third quarter.

But the Storm answered on their next possession when Maxwell Woods scored on a 36-yard TD run. Winschitl connected once again with Bush on the twopoint conversion for a 22-21 lead.

But the lead was short-lived.

Mcaninch opened the fourth quarter with a 47-yard TD run and followed up on the next drive with a 5-yard TD pass to Maurice Staley. The Scarlets went for two and converted for a 36-22 lead with just over 10 minutes to play.

It was plenty of time for the Storm to score, but they had to keep Mcaninch and company off the scoreboard.

“He is a great high school football player on a great team,” said Nelson.

“You can’t stop everything. We just tried to make everything hard for them.”

The Storm pulled within a touchdown at the 8:35 mark when Windschitl hit Bush over the middle for a 38-yard touchdown. This time it was Dominic Castagnetto who scored on the twopoint try for a 36-30 deficit.

Both teams traded possessions down the stretch and the Storm had one last chance with under a minute to play to

Chanhassen players did what no other football team in school history had done: win a section championship. The Storm advanced to their first state tournament in program history with a 37-36 win over Mankato West.

make something happen. That’s when Winschitl hit Bush on a long pass play to give them the ball inside the 5-yard line.

The Windschitl to Bush connection has been a strong one all season. This was their 31st connection. Bush is a Division I Lacrosse commit to the University of Utah.

“Daxton and Windy have connected on a lot of big plays and third down conversions,” said Coach Nelson. “Daxton is an elite athlete and thrives in big moments.”

With 34 seconds left they handed the ball to Castagnetto, his first carry of the night other than the two-point conversion. Castagnetto barreled into the end zone to tie the game at 36-36.

Despite going for two all night long, the Storm needed just one point to seal the win and send their fans into a frenzy.

McDaniel, who hadn’t seen the field all night, was thrust into the spotlight with the season on the line. He had been the team’s kicker but due to the injury, hadn’t been able to practice kicking field goals all week.

It didn’t matter as he made his 36th extra point in 40 tries and the Storm won 37-36, sending then on a journey no football player in the school’s history has ever been on.

It couldn’t have been scripted any better for a team with 33 seniors.

“Those kids have invested in our program and have met every expectation and challenge,” said Coach Nelson. “They care about each other. The best players are the hardest workers and the best people and everybody feeds off that.”

Coach Nelson said the team has used the same formula all season long. It has worked in the beginning, and it’s working still.

“We focus on details, one play at a time, doing your job and doing it together,” he said. “It‘s been the same message all year.”

The Storm will face Section 4 champion Mahtomedi (6-4) Saturday at 1 p.m. at Apple Valley High School. When they rush out of the tunnel it will be the first time a Chanhassen football team has competed in the state tournament.

“Going to state for the first time in school history is the result of a lot of people’s work over the last 15 years,” said Coach Nelson. It is exciting for the players, school, families and supporters.”

One thing is for sure, win or lose, the Storm is going to play hard and have fun.

“It’s the same goal as all year,” said Coach Nelson. “Keep getting better, compete and enjoy playing.”

Section 1AAAAA Owatonna 35, Northfield 6 Jacob Ginskey was darn near perfect

with his passing as owatonna defeated Northfield 35-6 to claim the 5A Section 1 championship.

Ginskey was 12-for-13 passing for 227 yards and two touchdowns. He connected with Nolan Ginskey on scores of 58 and 12 yards to give them a 14-0 cushion.

Jacob Ginskey also ran for a TD and Brennan Sletten scored the other two touchdowns and finished with 116 yards on 22 carries.

Seth Johnson was 5-for-5 on extra point attempts.

Owatonna (8-2) will face Section 3 champion St. Thomas Academy (8-2) at noon Saturday at Woodbury High School.

Section 3AAAAA St. Thomas Academy 43, Bloomington Jefferson 14 St. Thomas Academy scored early and often against Bloomington Jefferson, winning handily 43-14 to claim the Section 3 title played at Gerry Brown Stadium in Mendota Heights.

Maximus Sims and Luke Dobbs were a deadly connection for the Cadets.

Quarterback Sims hit Dobbs for three touchdown scores of 75, 57 and 56 yards.

Dobbs finished with 188 yards receiving.

Sims was 8-for-9 passing for 227 yards.

Savion Hart also scored three touchdowns on 19 carries. He finished with 138 yards.

St. Thomas Academy (8-2) will face Section 1 champion Owatonna (8-2) Saturday at noon at Woodbury High School.

Section 4AAAAA Mahtomedi 19, Cretin-Derham Hall 7 A strong defensive effort shut down Cretin-Derham Hall’s offense and led to a 19-7 win for Mahtomedi, clinching the Section 4AAAAA crown and advancing to the state tournament.

The Zephyrs Charles Brandt connected with Michael Barry on two touchdown passes and Alec Mahoney rushed for 100 yards and a touchdown to lead the Zephyrs (6-4), who will play Chanhassen (100) Saturday at 1 p.m. in Apple Valley.

Section 5AAAAA Robbinsdale Armstrong 49 Robbinsdale Cooper 14 Kevon Johnson scored three touchdowns and rushed for 235 yards to lead Robbinsdale Armstrong to the Section 5 championship.

Robbinsdale Cooper made a game of it in the first half, trailing just 21-14, but the Falcons exploded int he second half for four touchdowns.

Gideon Breker caught two touchdown passes from Dawson Franke who finished with 261 yards passing. He now has 1,478 yards passing on the season and 21 touchdowns and just five interceptions.

Johnson has 1,516 yards rushing and 16 touchdowns on the season.

The Falcons (8-2) will face Section 7 champion Andover (9-1) Saturday at noon at Osseo High School.

Class AAAAA continued on page 17

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November 9, 2023

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6A field is set for Prep Bowl run Class AAAAAA

Centennail uses overtime to beat Prior Lake

by JACKSON BOLINE

Let’s Play Football Contributor

The Centennial Cougars secured a quarterfinal date after a Class 6A tournament second-round win in thrilling fashion with a 26-23 victory over Prior Lake in overtime on November 3.

Led by senior running back Maverick Harper, who has totaled 1,147 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns, the Cougars’ run-heavy offense has proven to be a force not to reckon with. Additionally, the team’s stingy defense boasts an impressive 341 points for and 141 points allowed scoring ratio. With 12 interceptions, 24 sacks, and 40 tackles for loss, the defense, anchored by sack leaders Marcus Whiting and Melvin Wallace with eight sacks each, and leading tackler Timmy Ball with 80 total tackles, has effectively disrupted their opponents’ offensive strategies throughout the season.

After their week three defeat to Maple Grove, Centennial bounced back impressively, securing five consecutive regular-season victories and extending their winning streak with two more wins in the postseason. During these seven games, they allowed just 57 points, with the bulk of those points conceded in their round two game against Prior Lake, who managed to score 23 points against the Cougars.

The win over the Lakers stood out as one of the more closely contested matches for the Cougars this season.

The game kicked off with both teams exchanging possessions before Centennial seized a red zone opportunity with a Harper touchdown, taking a 7-0 lead with just over four minutes left in the first quarter. However, the Lakers swiftly responded with a 48-yard touchdown run, leveling the score at seven apiece as the teams headed into the second quarter.

The second quarter started with a 44-yard touchdown grab thrown by Daylen Cummings to Ty Burgoon, giving the Cougars a 14-7 lead.

Prior Lake added a field goal to get within four points, with the score at 1410 at halftime.

Out of halftime, the Lakers took their first lead of the game with a touchdown run by Eiter, they also added a field goal to start the fourth quarter, giving them a 20-14 lead over the Cougars.

The back-and-forth game between these teams continued late into the fourth quarter as it was Centennial’s turn to find six points, this time on a Marcus Whiting four-yard touchdown run.

With the game deadlocked at 20-20 after four quarters, this game was heading to overtime.

Prior Lake received the ball first in extra time, and they were only able to add three points on their possession, giving Centennial a chance to win the game.

The final drive for the Cougars was a long methodical drive ending in a game-winning rushing touchdown by Daylen Cummings who had two on the day.

No. 1 seed Centennial (6-1) will face No. 3 seed Rosemount (6-4) in the Class 6A Quarterfinals on Thursday at 7 p.m. at Stillwater High School.

Rosemount 14, Woodbury 7 The No. 3 seed Rosemount Irish

Centennial won a thrilling 26-23 overtime game against Prior Lake to advance to the state quarterfinals. The Cougars are led by running back Maverick Harper who has totaled 1,147 yards and 18 touchdowns.

punched their ticket to state on Friday, Nov. 3, after taking down Woodbury 14-7.

Rosemount’s defense shined in the fourth quarter, ending a red zone threat late in the game with a Maki Whelan interception, coming with just 2:51 to play, which would inevitably be the game-winning play.

Lakeville South 30, Shakopee 13 Lakeville South took advantage of Shakopee’s special teams blunders to earn a spot in the State Tournament with a 30-13 Class 6A second-round victory.

The Cougars’ special teams came through in South’s victory by blocking a punt early in the game resulting in a safety and forcing a turnover on another punt, which helped the Cougars now compete for a chance to play at US Bank Stadium.

Connor Cade dominated in the contest with 174 yards on the ground to go along with three touchdowns for the Cougars.

No. 1 seed Lakeville South (9-1) will take on the No. 6 seed East Ridge (4-6) on Friday at 7 p.m. at St. Michael-Albertville High School.

East Ridge 13, Minnetonka 10 East Ridge caught fire in the playoffs, as the No. 6 seed took down two higher-seeded teams before punching their ticket to state after a 13-10 win over No. 2 seed Minnetonka.

The Raptors’ senior quarterback Tanner Zolnosky finished going 13 for 18 throwing for 146 and a touchdown, while also leading the team in rushing with 50 yards on the ground to lead East Ridge over the Skippers. Zolnosky so far has 2,002 passing yards along with 17 touchdowns on the season.

No. 6 seed East Ridge (4-6) will take on the No. 1 seed Lakeville South (9-1) Friday at 7 p.m. at St. Michael-Albertville High School.

Lakeville North 42, Forest Lake 21 Riley Grossman’s three passing touchdowns and 227 passing yards helped lead the Panthers to a date in the State Tournament after a win against Forest Lake 42-21.

The Panthers entered the State Tournament for the first time since

Samuel Young carries the ball for the Stillwater Ponies who improved to 8-2 and will face Edina (7-3) in the state quarterfinals. PHOTO BY LIBBY AUGER

2019 when they were defending their 2018 State Title but finished in the Semi-finals.

No. 2 Seeded Lakeville North (9-1) will face top-seeded Eden Prairie (100) on Friday at 7 p.m. at Spring Lake Park High School.

Eden Prairie 42, Eagan 14 David Ivey’s fourth total touchdown, second passing, was the finishing touch to a dominant 42-14 win over Eagan.

The Eagles are aiming for their 12th state tournament title, the most recent coming in 2017 when they defeated Minnetonka 38-17.

Top-seeded Eden Prairie (10-0) will face No. 2 Seed Lakeville North (9-1) on Friday at 7 p.m. at Spring Lake Park High School.

Stillwater Area 49, Rochester Mayo 31 Stillwater’s Sophomore quarterback Nick Kinsley threw for 351 yards and four touchdowns in a 49-31 comeback victory over Rochester Mayo.

Trailing by 10 points in the fourth

quarter, the Ponies erupted for 28 unanswered points to overtake the lead and the Section.

One of the Ponies’ two losses this season came against their next opponent when they fell to Edina 14-7 on October 13.

The top-seeded Stillwater Ponies (82) will face No. 3 seed Edina (7-3) on Thursday at 7 p.m. at Park Center High School.

Edina 35, Maple Grove 24 Mason West’s 252 passing yards, along with four passing touchdowns, and John Warpinski’s 176 rushing yards helped send the Hornets to the State quarterfinals after taking down Maple Grove 35-24.

Edina was able to get past the second round after coming up short in last year’s playoffs, losing a close game to Centennial 14-7.

No. 3 seed Edina (7-3)will face the top-seeded Stillwater Ponies (8-2) on Thursday at 7 p.m. at Park Center High School.

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November 9, 2023

Class AAAA continued from page 14_____________________________________________________________________ Section 4AAAA Totino-Grace 49, St. Anthony 7 Justin Kuharski’s four touchdowns helped lift the Eagles over St. Anthony.

Totino-Grace scored 49 first-half points on the way to a 49-7 win in the Section 4AAAA championship game.

The Final score was a 65-yard pick-six

by Adriel Bestman to secure the title.

The Eagles (7-3) will face Hutchinson (8-2) on Thursday at 7 p.m. located at Lakeville South High School.

Section 5AAAA Benilde-St. Margaret’s 20, Academy of Holy Angels 15 Benilde-St. Margaret was carried by Sean Washington’s 146 rushing yards and one score to secure them a trip to the state tournament.

The Red Scarlets rallied to beat Holy Angels 20-15 in the Section 5AAAA championship game. BSM lost to Academy of Holy Angels 34-28 earlier in the season but they were able to get their revenge when it mattered most.

This will be the Red Scarlets’ first trip to the state since 2016 when they won the program’s only state title.

Benilde-St. Margaret (5-6) will face North Branch (9-1) on Thursday at 7 p.m. at Monticello High School Section 6AAAA Orono 35, Delano 14 Orono ran the rock for 306 yards, 155 of those coming from Liam Rodgers who also had a score, helping carry the Spartans over Delano with a resounding 35-14 win.

The lead was held by Orono for the last three-quarters of the section title game, leading by as much as 28 at one point.

The Spartans (9-1) will face off with Rocori (8-2) at 7 p.m. at Elk River High School.

17

Rocori (8-2) upset top-ranked Becker 30-21 to win Section 8AAAA. It was the second year in a row Rocori has ended Becker’s season. PHOTO BY LIBBY AUGER

Section 7AAAA North Branch 28, Hermantown 21 Tyler Minke’s third touchdown of the day was the game-winning score as North Branch ran away with a 28-21 section title win.

The Vikings earned their second consecutive state tournament berth after their victory, where they fell to Rocori in the quarterfinal round in last

year’s tournament.

North Branch (9-1) will face Benilde-St. Margaret (5-6) on Thursday at 7 p.m. at Monticello High School.

Section 8AAAA Rocori 30, Becker 21 Will Steil was all over the field for the Spartans, rushing for 132 yards and four touchdowns, leading Rocori to a 30-21 section title over Becker. Steil has

863 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns in ten games this season for the Spartans.

This is the second straight season Rocori ended Becker’s season in the section title game, taking them down 22-20 in 2022.

Rocori (8-2) will take on Orono (91) on Thursday at 7 p.m. at Elk River High School.

Class AAAAA continued from page 15_____________________________________________________________________ Section 6AAAAA Rogers 24, Monticello 20 Kalvin Eull’s third touchdown of the game was a big one as it gave Rogers a 2420 victory and a Section 6AAAAA title.

Eull rushed for 139 yards on 29 carries as the Royals scored with 22 seconds left for the come from behind win.

A pair of Eull touchdowns gave Rogers a 14-0 lead, and they led 14-7 at the half. A third-quarter field goal by Peyton Honnoll gave them a 17-7 lead before Monticello scored twice to take a 20-17 lead.

That led to Eull’s final touchdown to seal the win. Honnoll’s three extra points and field goal also played a huge role in the Royals’ win.

Rogers (9-1) will face Alexandria (100) Saturday at 1 p.m. in Maple Grove.

Section 7AAAAA Andover 65, Elk River 32 The Huskies put up more than 60 points for the fourth time this season in a 65-32 win over defending Class AAAAA champion Elk River.

Chase Pemberton, recovered from a broken collarbone suffered earlier in the season, threw for 329 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran for 77 yards and scored three more TDs. Running back D’Mario Davenport rushed for 125 yards and three scores and receiver Cameron Begalle had 10 catches for 186 yards and two touchdowns.

The Huskies (9-1) have scored a whop-

ping 493 points in 10 games this season and will bring one of the top offenses into state tournament play when they face Section 5 champion Robbinsdale Armstrong (8-2) Saturday at noon at Osseo High School.

Section 8AAAAA Alexandria 24, Brainerd 19 Alexandria remained unbeaten in a close battle with Brainerd, winning 2419.

The teams traded touchdowns in the first half. Brainerd opened the scoring when Eli Hoelz scored on a 29-yard run for a 7-0 lead. Alexandria’s Chase Thompson connected with Mason Gorghuber on a 14-yard TD pass to tie it 7-7, and then Brainerd’s Sean Holbrook

scored on a touchdown run for a 13-7 lead after a missed conversion.

Alexandria responded once again.

This time on an 11-yard TD jaunt by Andrew Flaten.

The Cardinals took the lead in the second half when Macklen Heydt scored on a 12-yard run to lead 21-13.

But Brainerd wasn’t done as they recovered a fumble and returned it for a touchdown to get within two at 21-19.

But the Alexandria defense shut the door from then on out and Daniel Jackson kicked a late 25-yard field goal to seal the win and send the Cardinals to the state tournament where they will take on Section 6AAAAA winner Rogers at 1 p.m. Saturday in Maple Grove.

9-Player continued from page 8___________________________________________________________________________ Section 1 9-player Kingsland 44, Spring Grove 14 Beau Wiersma’s 130 yards and two touchdowns, along with Kaaleem Reiland’s 145 yards and two touchdowns on the ground combined for a big 44-14 Section title for Kingsland.

Wiersma is entering the state tournament having an incredible season, he currently has 1,764 rushing yards and 32 rushing yards.

Kingsland (11-0) will take on Hills-Beaver Creek (10-0) on Thursday at 7 p.m. at Albert Lea High School.

Section 2 9-player Cedar Mountain 36, Red Rock Central 22 Cedar Mountain finished 2-0 on the season against Section 2 rival Red Rock Central after taking them down 36-22 in the Section title game. They last beat Red Rock on Sept. 29, by a score of 28-8.

A year after losing in the section semifinal to Hancock, the Panthers were able to get back into the 9-man state tournament.

Cedar Mountain (7-3) will face Otter Tail Central (10-0) on Thursday at 7 p.m. at Buffalo High School.

Section 3 9-player Hills-Beaver Creek 30, Red Edgerton 8 Hills-Beaver Creek took down Section 3 rival Edgerton for the second time this season after defeating them 26-14 on Oct. 6, and again in the Section 3 title game 30-8.

The Patriots fell just short a year ago of getting a chance at playing in the section final, as they fell to Red Rock Central in the semifinals in 2022.

Hills-Beaver Creek (10-0) will face Kingsland (11-0) on Thursday at 7 p.m. at Albert Lea High School.

Section 4 9-man Otter Tail Central 34, Border West 12 Otter Tail Central got off to a fast offensive start in their 34-12 victory against Border West, earning a trip to state and winning the Section 4 championship.

Lane Dilly’s massive offensive day

with 204 yards and four touchdowns on the ground carried the Bulldogs to a date in the state tournament.

Otter Tail Central (10-0) is set to face Cedar Mountain (7-3) on Thursday at 7 p.m. at Buffalo High School.

Section 6 9-player Fertile-Beltrami 52, Clearbrook-Gonvick 20 Fertile-Beltrami withholds an undefeated season as they won in blowout fashion against Clearbrook-Gonvick in the Section 6 title game 52-20.

This is the second time the Falcons will play Clearbrook this season as they beat them on October 18, 46-0.

Fertile-Beltrami (11-0) will play Goodridge/Grygla-Gatzke (9-1) on Thursday at 7 p.m. at Moorhead High School.

Section 7 9-player Mountain Iron-Buhl 30, Cherry 14 Damian Tapio’s 305 yards and four touchdowns on the ground helped lift Mountain Iron-Buhl over Cherry in the

section final. Tapio is heading into a state with 1,809 rushing yards and 31 rushing touchdowns on the season.

MIB raised the section title after taking down Cherry 30-14, as they look to repeat last year’s state championship.

Mountain Iron-Buhl (11-0) will face Nevis (10-0) at 6 p.m. at Grand Rapids High School.

Section 8 9-player Goodridge/Grygla-Gatzke 34, Stephen-Argyle Central 6 The Chargers’ defense came to play in the Section 8 championship as they allowed just a score in the 34-6 victory.

GGG got back on top of the section after losing in the championship game a season ago, falling to Kittson County Central.

Goodridge/Grygla-Gatzke (9-1) will play Fertile-Beltrami (11-0) on Thursday at 7 p.m. at Moorhead High School .

18

November 9, 2023

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Minnesota Prep Bowl History 2022 AAAAAA Maple Grove, Rosemount 27-10 AAAAA Elk River, Mankato West 29-26 AAAA Simley, Hutchinson 34-24 AAA New London-Spicer, Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton 27-26 AA Barnesville, Chatfield 35-20 A Minneota, Springfield 38-21 9-Man Mountain Iron-Buhl, Spring Grove 28-25 2021 AAAAAA Lakeville South, Maple Grove 13-7 AAAAA Mankato West, Mahtomedi 24-10 AAAA Hutchinson, Kasson-Mantorville 42-14 AAA Dassel-Cokato, Plainview-Elgin-Millville 28-21 AA Chatfield, West Central Area/Shby 14-13 A Mayer Lutheran, Minneota 20-14 9-Man Leroy-Ostrander, Fertile-Beltrami 58-8

AAAAA Cretin-Derham Hall, Eden Prairie 16-5 AAAA Totino-Grace, Sartell-Saint Stephen 45-7 AAA New London-Spicer, Glencoe-Silver Lake 28-21 AA Moose Lake/Willow River, Waterville-Elysian-Morristown 33-22 A Minneota, Adrian 42-21 9-Man Stephen-Argyle, Nicollet 37-22 2008 AAAAA Wayzata, Blaine 27-7 AAAA Mankato West, Northfield 33-14 AAA Glencoe-Silver Lake, DeLaSalle 42-21 AA Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg, Royalton 3322 A Caledonia, Luverne 47-7 9-Man Houston, Clinton-Graceville-Beardsley 22-16

2007 AAAAA Eden Prairie, St.Paul Cretin 50-21 AAAA Totino Grace, Mahtomedi 14-8 2020* Glencoe-Silver Lake, DeLaSalle 56-20 Due to COVID-19, only Section Winners were award- AAA AA Caledonia, Luverne 14-7 ed.

A Goodhue, Adrian 28-7 No Prep Bowl was played.

9-Man Stephen-Argyle, Waubun 43-21 2019 2006 AAAAAA Wayzata, Champlin Park 35-20 AAAAA Eden Prairie, Lakeville South 21-14 AAAAA Chaska, St. Thomas Academy 0-7 AAAA Totino Grace, St. Thomas Academy 40-25 AAAA Rocori, SMB 22-21 AAA Glencoe-Silver Lake, Becker 42-20 AAA Pierz, Dassel-Cokato 28-27 AA Triton, Luverne 70-21 AA Caledonia, MPLS North 26-0 A Rushford-Peterson, New Ulm Cathedral 20A Blooming Prairie, BOLD 41-15 9-Man Stephen-Argyle, Wheaton 42-15 9-Man Mountain Lake, Hancock 22-14 2018 AAAAAA Lakeville North, Eden Prairie 28-21 AAAAA Owatonna, St. Thomas Academy 14-3 AAAA SMB, Willmar 44-18 AAA Rochester Lourdes, Fairmont 24-7 AA Caledonia, Barnesville 21-0 A BOLD, Mahnomen/Waubun 22-21 9-Man Spring Grove, Mountain Lake Area 40-18

Source:

2005 AAAAA Wayzata, Cretin-Derham Hall 28-24 AAAA Mahtomedi, Holy Angels 27-26 OT AAA Becker, Albany 28-0 AA Eden Valley-Watkins, Caledonia 21-16 A Springfield, Goodhue 21-16 9-Man Stephen-Argyle, Cromwell 45-15

1996 AA A B 24-7 C 9-Man

Eden Prairie, Blaine 23-22 Mora, Northfield 7-3 Breck School, Golden Valley Windom Area Chatfield, Hawley 12-7 Cromwell, Verndale 46-44

1995 AA A B C 9-Man

Stillwater Area, Rochester Mayo 31-7 Detroit Lakes, Saint Peter 30-15 Kingsland, Spring Valley Breckenridge 22-3 Chatfield, Hawley 12-6 Cromwell, LeRoy-Ostrander 26-18

1994 AA A B C 9-Man

Anoka, Alexandria 34-7 Sartell, Northfield 24-21 Triton, Dodge Center Becker 40-21 Chatfield, Red Lake Falls 34-14 Kittson Central, Hallock Verndale 36-16

1993 2004 AA AAAAA Minnetonka, Wayzata 23-14 2017 A AAAAAA Eden Prairie, Minnetonka 38-17 AAAA Totino-Grace, Sartell-St. Stephen 27-6 B AAA East Grand Forks, Becker 31-14 AAAAA Owatonna, Elk River 63-26 AA Pierz, Eden Valley-Watkins 39-14 AAAA Academy of Holy Angels, Cloquet 14-0 C A Rushford-Peterson, Otter Tail Central 20-6 AAA Pierz, St. Croix Lutheran 34-21 9-Man 9-Man Stephen-Argyle, Bertha-Hewitt 25-6 AA Caledonia, Pipestone Area 57-6 A Minneota, Wabasso 28-13 1992 9-Man Spring Grove, Nevis 32-0 2003 AA AAAAA Lakeville, Hastings 34-9 A AAAA Totino-Grace, Hutchinson 57-13 2016 B AAA Glencoe-Silver, Delano 21-0 AAAAAA Totino Grace, Eden Prairie 28-20 C AA Breck, Kingsland 51-14 AAAAA Elk River, Spring Lake Park 42-14 9-Man A Goodhue, Medford/El Shaddai 20-8 AAAA Benilde-St. Margaret, Winona 31-28 AAA Rochester Lourdes, St. Croix Lutheran 42-35 9-Man Stephen-Argyle, Hillcrest Lutheran Academy 1991 7 AA Caledonia, Pipestone Area 40-0 AA A Minneota, MPLS North 35-18 A 9-Man Grand Meadow, Cleveland/Immanuel 41-21 2002 B AAAAA Eden Prairie, Champlin Park 21-0 C AAAA Mankato West, Mahtomedi 17-7 2015 9-Man AAA Plainview/Elgin-Millville, AAAAAA Osseo, East Ridge 14-13 Glencoe-Silver Lake 24-21 AAAAA St. Michael-Albertville, 1990 AA Kingsland, St. Thomas Academy 17-14 AA Spring Valley Norwood-Young America 35-7 A AAAA Becker, So. St. Paul 35-14 A Rushford-Peterson, AAA Pierz, Jackson Co. Central 36-8 B Mountain Lake/Butterfield-Odin 14-7 AA Caledonia, Eden Valley Watkins 40-0 9-Man Verndale, Nicollet 21-14 A MPLS North, Rushford-Peterson 35-18 C 9-Man Grand Meadow, Underwood 34-20 9-Man 2001 AAAAA Hastings, Blaine 28-9 2014 1989 AAAA Detroit Lakes, Mankato East 36-34 AAAAAA Eden Prairie, Totino Grace 28-27 AA AAA Jackson County, Central Becker 42-7 AAAAA Mankato West, Simley 42-19 A AA Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City, AAAA Becker, DeLaSalle 24-6 B Windom Area 27-20 AAA Rochester Lourdes, New London Spicer 35-14 C A McLeod West, Brownton Pillager 30-22 AA Holdingford, BOLD 20-18 (2OT) 9-Man 9-Man Hillcrest Lutheran Academy, Ada-Borup 37-7 A Minneota, Dawson-Boyd 28 -14 9-Man Grand Meadow, Edgerton-Ellsworth 48-0 1988 2000 AA AAAAA Eden Prairie, Cretin-Derham Hall, 2013 A St. Paul 24-14 AAAAAA Eden Prairie, Rosemount 28-7 B AAAA Cambridge-Isanti, AAAAA Owatonna, Brainerd 24-0 C Saint Thomas Academy 24-14 AAAA Hutchinson, Academy of Holy Angels, 49-7 9-Man Glencoe-Silver Lake, Albany 21-0 AAA St. Croix Lutheran, New London-Spicer 48-44 AAA AA Triton, Dodge Center *Otter Tail Central 31- 1987 AA Chatfield, *Minneota/Lincoln HI 17-7 12 A Mahnomen, Dawson-Boyd 46-13 AA A Sleepy Eye Public, Warren-Alvarado-Oslo 9-Man Grand Meadow, Underwood 28-6 A 13-12 B 9-Man Westbrook-Walnut Grove, Cromwell 42-20 2012 C AAAAAA Eden Prairie, Lakevile North 28-7 9-Man 1999 AAAAA Totino-Grace, Owatonna 49-21 AAAAA Cretin-Derham Hall, St. Paul Hastings 42-21 1986 AAAA Hutchinson Holy Family Catholic 67-7 AAAA Mankato West, Cambridge-Isanti 35-28 AAA Blue Earth, Rochester Lourdes 30-7 AA De LaSalle, Minneapolis AA Caledonia, *Moose Lake/Willow River 25-22 AAA A Saint Michael-Albertville 28-7 A Mahnomen, Bethlehem Academy 20-14 B AA Waterville-Elysian-Morristown 9-Man Clinton-Graceville-Beardsley, C West Central Area, Barrett 34-0 Grand Meadow 40-22 9-Man A Cook County, Grand Marais LeCenter 14-6 9-Man Stephen-Argyle, Nicollet 18-8 2011 1985 AAAAA Eden Prairie, Wayzata 13-3 AA 1998 AAAA Rocori/Cold Spring, Bemidji 17-10 A AAAAA Woodbury, Champlin Park 28-7 AAA St. Croix Lutheran, Fairmont 34-32 B AA Caledonia, *Moose Lake/Willow River 27-0 AAAA Hutchinson, Owatonna 21-20 C AAA Foley, Jackson County Central 21-7 A Dawson-Boyd, Mahnomen 35-20 9-Man AA Mahnomen B O L D, Olivia 27-26 9-Man *Edgerton/Ellsworth, 1984 A Cook County, Grand Marais Adrian 15-8 *Wheaton/Herman-Norcross 36-28 AA 9-Man Cromwell, Hillcrest Lutheran Academy, 40-22 A 1997 2010 B AAAAA Eden Prairie, Blaine 32-28 AAAAA Wayzata, Rosemount 31-14 C AAAA Northfield, Detroit Lakes 28-0 AAAA Totino-Grace, Fridley Rogers 34-14 9-Man AAA Albany, Jackson County Central 55-7 AAA Rochester Lourdes Holy Family Catholic, AA Pelican Rapids, Victoria 41-13 1983 Waterville-Elysian-Morristown 34-32 AA Caledonia Triton, Dodge Center 28-7 AA A Cook County, Grand Marais Adrian 13-12 A New Ulm Cathedral, Barnesville 19-13 A 9-Man Verndale, Cromwell 18-12 9-Man Cromwell, Lanesboro 49-42 B 2009 C 28-0

Apple Valley, Rochester John Marshall 29-7 Detroit Lakes, Northfield 21-14 Saint Cloud Cathedral, Zumbrota-Mazeppa 28-6 Mahnomen, Minneota 43-23 Chokio-Alberta, LeRoy-Ostrander 35-0 Lakeville, Cretin-Derham Hall 19-7 Detroit Lakes, Farmington 21-0 Saint Cloud Cathedral, B O L D, Olivia 7-6 Mahnomen, Mankato Loyola 20-13 (2 OT) Stephen, Cromwell 36-20 Burnsville, Lakeville 10-7 Spring Lake Park, Rocori/Cold Spring 20-0 B O L D, Olivia, Deer River 14-0 Mahnomen, Mankato Loyola 42-0 Chokio-Alberta, Grygla/Goodridge 7-6 Anok,a Elk River 19-14 Fridley, Sartell 34-12 B O L D, Olivia, DeLaSalle, Minneapolis 15-14 Mahnomen, Becker 27-7 Hills-Beaver Creek, Argyle 28-21 Burnsville, Stillwater 21-7 Albany, Totino-Grace, Fridley 41-32 Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop, Perham 27-15 Waterville-Elysian, Mahnomen 14-7 St. Clair, Albrook 47-12 Blaine, Cretin-Derham Hall 25-24 Lakeville, Staples-Motley 35-28 Breckenridge, Morris 21-7 Minneota, Rushford 42-28 Hallock ,Stewart 35-24 Moorhead, Winona 13-7 Cambridge, Lakeville 28-14 Granite Falls, Ely 43-20 Minneota, Grand Meadow 27-7 Silver Lake, Verndale 30-14 Apple Valley, Osseo 35-6 Cambridge, Stewartville 24-0 Watertown-Mayer, Granite Falls 29-6 Minneota, Sherburn-Dunnell 52-19 Argyle, Silver Lake 32-7 Burnsville, Apple Valley 27-21 New Prague, Mora 16-12 Jackson, Mahnomen 26-20 Glyndon-Felton, Zumbrota 38-14 Westbrook, Norman County West 45-18 Stillwater, Burnsville 36-33 Hutchinson Centennial, Circle Pines 32-7 Granite Falls, Breckenridge 13-7 Harmony, Glyndon-Felton 20-14 Norman County West, Silver Lake 37-20 Coon Rapids, Bloomington Jefferson 34-31 Hutchinson, Park Rapids 36-14 Jordan, Breckenridge 27-0 Southland, Adams Bird Island-Lake Lillian

9-Man 27-12 1982 AA A B C 9-Man 12 1981 AA A B C 9-Man 1980 AA A B C 9-Man 18-14

Silver Lake, Norman County West/Climax

Stillwater, Owatonna 34-27 Brooklyn Center, East Grand Forks 30-8 LeCenter, Mahnomen 12-6 Truman, Belgrade 16-14 Westbrook, Hillcrest Lutheran Academy, 34-

Rosemount, Moorhead 40-14 Saint Peter, Hermantown 18-14 Holdingford, Pine Island 39-0 Medford, Clarkfield 33-28 Argyle, Starbuck 31-19 Burnsville, Cambridge 23-6 Crookston, Pipestone 32-6 Mahnomen, Austin Pacelli 34-0 Bird Island-Lake Lillian, Mountain Lake 20-7 Hoffman-Kensington, Toivola-Meadowlands

1979 AA A B C 9-Man

Columbia Heights, Richfield 8-3 Rochester Lourdes, Apple Valley 22-6 Gaylord, Mahnomen 15-6 Bird Island-Lake Lillian, Harmony 34-6 Russell, Toivola-Meadowlands 17-14

1978 AA A B C 9-Man

Edina, West Fridley 21-0 Fridley, Grace Apple Valley 17-14 New Richland-Hartland, Barnesville 48-8 Alden-Conger ,Battle Lake 15-14 Hoffman Albrook, Saginaw 44-28

1977 AA A B C 9-Man

Minneapolis Washburn, Stillwater 13-0 Fridley Grace, Rocori/Cold Spring 36-12 Granite Falls, Stewartville 44-6 Battle Lake, Henderson 22-20 (OT) Deer Creek, Hillcrest Lutheran Academy, 20-0

1976 AA A B C 9-Man 14 1975 AA A B C 9-Man 1974 AA A B C 9-Man 1973 AA

White Bear Lake, Cloquet 14-13 (OT) Saint Peter, Mora 56-12 Caledonia, Sartell 38-7 New Richland-Hartland, Bird Island 21-19 Deer Creek, Hillcrest Lutheran Academy, 57-

Stillwater, Richfield 20-17 Saint Thomas Academy, Saint Peter 21-14 Gaylord, Onamia 14-13 Esko, Karlstad 62-0 Ruthton, Audubon 42-20 Rochester John Marshall, Bloomington Jefferson 41-19 Alexandria ,Chaska 26-7 New Prague, Caledonia 41-12 Battle Lake, Bird Island 34-26 (2 OT) Lake Benton, Fisher 36-6

A B C 9-Man

Rochester John Marshall, Saint Paul Harding 25-0 Eveleth, Willmar 28-18 New Prague, Appleton 13-7 Gaylord, Holdingford 29-6 Lake Benton, Brandon 50-12

1972 AA A B C 9-Man

Minneapolis Washburn, Moorhead 26-6 Burnsville, Sauk Centre 46-19 Mountain Iron, Dassel-Cokato 54-6 Gaylord, Preston 26-6 Rothsay, Cotton 64-12

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November 9, 2023

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November 9, 2023

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