The last time they met for a Section title football game, a good chunk of Chatfield swamped Maxwell Field in Winona after a huge Gopher overtime win over Caledonia. Many guessed that game was essentially for the state title, and Chatfield went on to the 2013 Class AA championship. The last time Chatfield and Caledonia met period, it took two defensive scores for the Warriors to down Chatfield 20-0 in a hard-fought win earlier this year. The 2018 1AA Section Title game was nothing like either. The Gophers (2-seed, 8-2) had just one good drive. Mistakes plagued their game. And Noah King emerged from his older brother Owen’s shadow. He became Noah King on the football field, guiding the Warriors (1-seed, 9-0) back to state. Already down 6-0 per a Noah King to Eli King completion (45 yards), and an 8-yard TD run by Noah, Chatfield’s first half (the entire game) was generally defined by their second offensive series. First and 10 became first and 15 per a false start penalty. First and 15 could’ve been a huge play, except for a dropped pass. Second and 15 was another penalty (declined), a 2-yard run (accepted). Third and 13 was a fumbled QB/C exchange, a three-yard loss. Fourth and 16 was a 24-yard punt. Caledonia then went 31 yards in six plays (converted a 3rd and 10 with a 12-yard straight run play). A King to King 6-yard TD pass capped the series. With King to King two-point pass (on the exact same slant as the TD), Caledonia led 14-0 in the first. N-King added another TD pass in the second quarter, this time a beautifully executed misdirection throw-back to RB Ben McCabe (9 yards). With just two first downs (one on a QB-draw by rare runner Reid Johnson), Chatfield stared at a 20-0 halftime deficit. The Gophers missed another opportunity on their first second half possession (dropped pass on what would’ve been a big play). They did rally a series later, going 55-yards in just six plays. A Johnson to Seth Allen 3-yard TD pass got Chatfield on the board (20-7). Caledonia replied. Helped by a King to King 36-yard pass, Noah ran it in from 2 yards out. Up 26-7 late in the third, with multiple Gopher starters nursing injuries, and with the Warriors always a step quicker; Caledonia looked like Caledonia in winning the Section title 34-7. Noah King’s regular season game versus Chatfield wasn’t impressive (14-27, 147 yards, TD, 3 INTs passing). He accounted for every Warrior score in the post-season contest (12-24, 247 yards, 2 TDs passing, 3 TDs rushing, defensive interception). Brother Eli, who didn’t play in the regular season, was his favorite target (4-146, TD receiving). McCabe (12-64 rushing, TD reception) and Evan Denstad (2-56 receiving) also made big plays. Johnson (4-12, 60 yards, TD, INT passing) and Allen (2-39, TD receiving, fumble recovery) got the Gophers points. Chatfield RBs Gage Tuohy (15-59 rushing) and Carson Larrabee (13-46) were held in check. The Gophers finish an excellent season at 8-3, grabbing the 1AA Runner-Up hardware. Seniors Tuohy, Larrabee, Allen, Nathan Goldsmith, Zach Roline, Jack Tuohy, Davontae Goldsmith, Ben Brogan, Lincoln Salisbury (who missed most of the year per injury), Manny Perez, Simon Swartzentruber, and Mitchell Crawford helped Chatfield to a great run, their best season since the state title campaign of 2013.
Photo by Paul Trende
Photo by Paul Trende