Football (11/3)

Football: Warriors Dominate to 1AA Finals 

Caledonia opened the season with a 21-14 upset loss to Rushford-Peterson. They opened the season 1-2, losing to Triton 13-3 in week three too. Those days are eons ago. The Warriors are hot. They have not lost since week three including blasting foes in the 1AA quarters and semis. Versus St. Charles (6-seed, 2-6) in the quarters, Caledonia (3-seed, 6-2) led 21-0, 27-0, and 33-0 after the first three quarters before the Saints scored in the fourth. The final was 33-10. The Warriors ran for 327 yards on 35 carries, 9.3 per attempt. Hunter Frank ran for 224 yards and 3 touchdowns on 18 carries. He scored twice in the first quarter. Will Allen also hit Grant King on a 25-yard scoring pass in the stanza. Bodie Knutson added a second quarter 18-yard TD run. Frank’s third rushing TD in the third quarter capped the Warrior scoring. Chase Hauser added 69 yards on 12 carries. The Warriors (3-seed, 7-2) then trekked to Dodge Center to take on Triton (2-seed, 6-2). They avenged their worst offensive showing of the year with their best. The run game was swoll. The first half was a tight one. Allen took the game’s second carry 52 yards to the house to open the scoring. The first half featured three roughly 50-yard plays. Allen’s second carry went for 55 (but the Warriors threw an interception in the Cobra end of the field). Triton got on the board with 3:48 left in the second quarter via Pierce Petersohn to Graden Thomas 49-yard TD strike to make it 7-7. The Warriors immediately responded, going 78 yards in eight plays. Runs of 25 and 16 yards by Knutson were key. Noah Schroeder slammed his way in for a 1-yard TD run. Caledonia went ahead 14-7, which was the halftime score. The Warrior defense, though giving up some big pass plays, also made plays, specifically getting after the Penn State signee Petersohn. They twice sacked him on back-to-back plays in the half. And the second half was all Warriors. After a defensive stop, Carl Fruechte’s group went 68 yards in five plays, all on the ground. Frank started it with a 33-yard run and capped it with a 16-yard TD run, one epitomizing the Warrior run blocking. Everybody got their man. Frank weaved his way for six. After another stop, Caledonia went 67 yards in eight plays. An Allen to King 36-yard pass play was key. On 4th and 1 from the 7, Schroeder ran it in. It put the Warriors up 26-7 with 0:40 left in the third. Allen slammed the door via a 59-yard TD run early in the fourth. With four different guys scoring on the ground, four different backs having at least one 25-yard run, and with the defense sacking Petersohn five times, intercepting him twice, Caledonia rolled 39-7. After giving up 174 pass yards in the first, the Warriors surrendered just 34 in the second half. Triton had just 22 yards rushing. At the half, because of the four sacks, they had negative-26 yards rushing. They needed meaningless runs by a reserve running back late to have positive rushing yardage. Warrior sophomore defensive end Max Schmitz notched three QB sacks plus three more tackles for loss totaling minus-40 yards. Allen and Coby Hammell also sacked Petersohn. Jacob Klug and Zeke Gengler had interceptions. Offensively, Allen (10-174, 2 TDs rushing; 7 of 11, 104 yards passing) had three 50-plus-yard runs to lead the way. King (6-97 receiving) caught all but one Warrior completion. Frank (9-74, TD rushing), Knutson (8-69 rushing), Chase Hauser (3-61, TD rushing), and Schroeder (1-yard TD run, 7-yard TD run) helped Cal run for 387 yards. Team Cal’s two best rushing efforts of the year were against the Saints and Cobras. The offensive line of Cooper Allen, Charlie Mauss, Schmitz, Devon Schulte and Maddox Walk, tight end Schroeder, opened the holes. Petersohn (14 of 35, 210 yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTs passing) hit Thomas (3-122, TD receiving) and Garet Jensen (5-50 receiving) often but mostly in the first half. Winners of seven straight, the Warriors (3-seed, 8-2) will play Rochester-Lourdes (4-seed, 7-3) in the 1AA finals. The Eagles took down top-seed Chatfield 21-7 in the semis.

Football: #3 Cougars Make First Section Title Game Since 2007

Wins in the Section 1 9-Man quarterfinals and semis have Mabel-Canton in their first section title game in almost two decades. To start, #3 M-C (1-seed, 8-0) held Lanesboro (8-seed, 1-7) to around 100 yards total offense. The Cougars first three drives were 13, 9, and 15 plays, going 69, 76, and 62 yards, all producing scores. The last was kept alive by back-to-back Burro penalties, turning a third and 14 tackle-for-loss near midfield into a 1st and 10 at the 15. M-C resultantly scored just before the half, making it 18-0. In windy, rainy cold conditions, Paul Tollefsrud’s group prevailed 24-0. Kale Tollefsrud (21-122 rushing; 2-34 receiving) scored all four Cougar TDs including three on the ground. Isaac Underbakke (10-46 rushing; 4 of 6, 45 yards, TD passing) and Kale Eiken (18-66 rushing) helped. Lanesboro did not have anyone top 35 yards. They finish at 1-8. In the semifinals, #3 M-C (1-seed, 9-0) hosted LeRoy-Ostrander/Lyle/Pacelli (4-seed, 5-4). The Cards hammered Houston in the quarters 37-0 (See “Football – 9-Man Section 1 Play offs” for more). Cougs and Cards played even for a half, 14-14. A key second half turnover swung momentum M-C’s way. Early in the stanza, a Cardinal pass play resulted in a fumble to set the Cougars up seven yards away. Underbakke scored on the next play, and hit Brevyn Tollefsrud on an impromptu conversion pass, giving M-C a 22-14 lead. Their next series was at 1st and goal just outside the one, but a fumble ended the drive. The Cougars ended up victors anyway, as the Cards punted to near midfield. Kale T. took M-C’s first carry 49 yards to the two. Underbakke then powered it in. A Darian Hershberger PAT made it 29-14 late in the third (2:42). In the fourth, L-O/L/P defensive lineman Landen Ritter deflected and intercepted a pass, returning it 30 yards to the M-C 15. Reid Hungerholt hit Grady Meyer for a 15-yard TD pass three plays later. Trailing 29-20, the important two-point run was stopped by Milton Hutchinson and Underbakke, leaving it a two-score game (7:08). With 4:17 left, Underbakke intercepted Hungerholt in the end zone. It essentially capped the game. After beating the Cards 61-34 during the season, M-C prevailed 29-20. The teams combined for five second half turnovers (seven total). The Cougars had four total but still won. The first half saw M-C score on its first drive to lead 6-0 only for L-O/L/P to reply with a TD and a conversion to lead 8-6. In the second quarter (3:48), the Cardinals scored to lead 14-6 only for M-C to answer with a touchdown and conversion to tie it 14-14 (1:08). L-O/L/P’s scores came on third and long pass plays from Hungerholt to Talan Lewison covering 25 and 46 yards. Underbakke hit Hershberger and Kale T. on 33 and 16-yard TD passes. Underbakke (4 of 9, 84 yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTs passing; 14-76, 2 TDs rushing) accounted for all four Cougar scores. K-Tollefsrud (12-90 rushing; 2-37, TD receiving), B-Tollefsrud (4-47 rushing, two total conversions) and Hershberger (33-yard TD reception) helped. M-Hutchinson had a team-best 15 total tackles. Hungerholt (11 of 26, 168 yards, 3 TDS, 2 INTs passing, 29-170 rushing) led the Cardinals. Lewison (6-114, 2 TDs receiving) did his biggest work in the first half. M-C (1-seed, 10-0) moves on to face Spring Grove (2-seed, 8-2) in the section finals. L-O/L/P, the defending section champ, finishes at 5-5. 

Football: Lions Roar into Section Final

Spring Grove (2-seed, 8-2) stormed into the section finals for the second time in three years, first with a 50-6 quarterfinal runaway versus Grand Meadow (7-seed, 2-7) and next, with a 35-20 semifinal decision over upstart Wabasha-Kellogg (6-seed, 4-6). The Lions used a 24-point first quarter to quickly subdue the Superlarks but waited until a 24-point third quarter before gaining control of the Falcons. On the Lions’ third offensive play against GM, quarterback Dylan Halverson raced 47 yards for a touchdown. On their first offensive play versus W-K, Halverson bolted 44 yards to paydirt. The junior QB rushed for 136 yards and two TDs against GM and for 138 yards with three TDs versus W-K. Passing, he was 7 for 11 for 102 yards and two TDs in the quarterfinal and 11 for 21 for 133 yards in the semifinal with no interceptions in either game. On defense in the semi-final, Halverson shared the Lion tackle lead with nine. Against GM, Ricardo Reynolds ran for 2 TDs and amazingly scored on five PAT plays: kicking two, rushing for two and passing for one. Versus W-K, Reynolds rushed for one TD and three PATs. Grove did not punt in the quarterfinals, but Reynolds averaged 38 yards per boot in the semis. The Lions led both games at halftime, 43-6 versus GM, but only 11-8 against W-K. It was an 8-8 defensive duel in the semifinal before Reynolds booted a 25-yard field goal for the Lions’ 3-point halftime lead. Then, forcing two W-K turnovers, Kody Moore’s Lions scored three successive TDs for a 35-8 third quarter lead. After an injury, Caden Gerard saw limited action versus GM before his two third-period interceptions against W-K first tied (seventh) and then broke (eighth) the Lions’ single-season record that had endured for 47 years. Against GM, Gerard caught a 27-yard TD pass and versus W-K, he was his team’s reception leader with six catches for 96 yards. Versus GM, sophomore Ezra Konkel (4-36 rushing, 2-30 receiving) scored with a 16-yard run and a 29-yard pass while defending with 7 tackles and breaking up three passes. Versus W-K, Konkel set up a TD with a 54-yard run. SG outgained the Larks, 358 yards to 155, and outgained W-K, 388 yards to 222. Grove won the turnover battle against GM, 4-1, and 3-1 versus W-K. With the Larks losing two fumbles on kickoff returns, SG twice scored back-to-back TDs without GM running a play in between. Superlark QB, Carter Glynn (7 of 12) passed for 68 yards, including a 9-yard TD toss to Keaton Gehling, completing a 65-yard drive seconds before halftime. W-K QB Kevin Wiebusch tied the game 8-8 with a 37-yard pass to wide-open Tyler Hawkins, but that was the Falcons’ only first-down play of the first half. After being blitzed in the third quarter, W-K trailed 35-8 before finally establishing some aerial rhythm in the fourth period. After attempting only three passes before halftime, the Falcons launched 32 passes after intermission. They were intercepted twice and sacked twice but also scored two more passing touchdowns, including Bryar Ender’s 30-yard halfback pass to Brayden Martin and Ender’s 3-yard TD reception from Wiebusch. W-K finished with only 16 yards rushing but gained 206 yards passing. The Lions (2-seed, 8-2) will play #3 Mabel-Canton (1-seed, 10-0) in the section finals.

Football: Bahl to Ristau Connection Propels #3 Falcons to 1A Finals

Third-ranked Fillmore Central (1-seed, 8-0) used the passing connection of Bridon Bahl to Rylan Ristau as a key catalyst in taking down United South Central (4-seed, 5-4) in a 1A semifinal. FC drew a quarterfinal bye while the Rebels beat NRHEG 28-21. Bahl and Ristau hooked up three times and all went for scores. The most critical was just before halftime. After stopping a Rebel drive at the 46, the Falcons took over with 0:06 leading 14-0. But one Bahl pass to Ristau later and the latter, after avoiding a defender, was in the end zone. The key sequence sent FC to half up 20-0. The duo also had FC’s first score, a 25-yarder to open the game’s scoring. And they added a third quarter 4-yard TD strike that (with conversion run) made it 28-0. FC moved to a fifth straight 1A title game by 34-6 final. Bahl (9 of 14, 175 yards, 3 TDs passing) and Ristau (3-85, 3 TDs receiving) combined for the hat trick of scores. Quinci Kaase (7-108, TD rushing, 3-20 receiving) and Kane Larson (17-106, TD rushing; 2-49 receiving) each ran for over 100 yards. FC amassed 410 yards of offense. The Rebels had 197, 159 on the ground. Kolt Bullerman (5 of 10, 38 yards, TD, INT passing; 10-65 rushing) hit Brody Steinhauer for their lone score. Freshman Grant Daniels and Larson lead FC defensively, as each topped 10 total tackles. Kaase added an interception. FC (9-0) moves on to take on Lewiston-Altura (2-seed, 6-3), which topped Southland 41-14 in the other 1A semifinal.

9-Man Section 1 Football Play-Offs (Quarterfinals)

6-seed Wabasha-Kellogg (3-5) 34, 3-seed Kingsland (6-2) 14 (K: KD Reiland 12-74, TD rushing; Jacob Musel 16-yard blocked punt return TD. WK: Gavyn Castagnaro 29-222, 4 TDs rushing, 7-yard TD pass to Bryar Ender. Kingsland trailed 14-6 at half including yielding a 7-yard Falcon scoring drive following a negative-yard punt late in the second quarter. Reiland amassed all 54 yards as the Knights took the opening second half drive for six, tying the game 14-14. Gastagnaro scored his third rushing on a 4th and 10, 23-yard run, to make it 20-14 with 0:54 left in the third quarter. The Falcons scored the final 19 points including a 14-0 fourth quarter. Knight senior Kaaleem Reiland did not play (elbow).) 

5-seed Houston (5-3) 0, 4-seed LeRoy-Ostrander/Lyle/Pacelli (4-4) 37 (LOLP: R. Hungerholt 20-128, TD rushing; 6 of 10, 81 yards, 2 TDs passing; C. Roe 23-114, 2 TDs rushing; Talan Lewison 4-45, TD receiving; Roe 15-yard TD through Hunter Wollenberg on a crossing route reception lateral. After a scoreless first quarter, LOLP scored 30 second quarter points. Houston turned the ball over four times. Hungerholt hit Wollenberg who lateralled to Roe for a 25-yard scoring play, on 4th and 20 no less, to make it 16-0 (with conversion). Houston then failed to recover the kick-off after a bad hop. Hungerholt trekked in from 31-yards out two plays later to make it 22-0. The ensuing short squib kick was then fielded, but fumbled on a hard hit, LOLP again recovering. Seven plays later, Roe scored a touchdown and converted to make it 30-0. LOLP thus went from up 8-0 with 6:00 left in the quarter to up 30-0 with 1:30 left. The Hurricanes were down multiple players to injury. They finish at 5-4)

Section 1AA Football Playoffs (Quarterfinals and Semifinals) 

7-seed Rushford-Peterson (3-5) 0, 2-seed Triton (6-2) 28 (RP: Jaxson Meldahl 14-96 rushing; Creighton Hoiness 2 of 7, 67 yards passing; Cole Thompson 37-yard reception; Zach Baker 30-yard reception. T: Pierce Petersohn 12 of 18, 134 yards, 2 TDs passing, 11-41, TD rushing; Garet Jensen 8-92, TD receiving; Graden Thomas 3-27, TD receiving, 4-28 rushing. Following a 14-play drive, Triton scored with 0:44 left in the first half to lead 7-0 at the intermission. They then used a short field to go just 29 yards to open the third quarter scoring to lead 14-0, then added a second score in the quarter following a 11-play drive to lead 21-0 with 1:32 left in the third. R-P had four possessions inside the Triton 25 and came up empty including failing on 4th and goal at the one in the first quarter and 4th and 1 at the 11 in the second quarter.) 

4-seed Rochester-Lourdes (6-3) 21, 1-seed #9 Chatfield (6-2) 7 (C: Carter Ask 13 of 27, 125 yards, 3 INTs passing; Brooks Lea 4-52 receiving; D’Andre Williams 11-35 rushing; Brenden Kobs 7-yard TD run. R-L: Chase Carroll 14-45, 2 TDs rushing, 5 of 7 passing, 43 yards passing; Ed Lovely 14-81 rushing. Lourdes had the only touchdown through three quarters, but got a Chase Carroll 3-yard TD run (11:12) and a Deacon Langsdale 26-yard interception return near back-to-back early in the fourth quarter to lead 21-0 (10:16 left). Lourdes had three turnovers, all fumbles. Chatfield had four turnovers, three interceptions. The Gophers season ends at 6-3. They scored just seven points over their final three games (0-3))