A year ago, Grand Meadow won the Section 1 9-Man football title, fulfilling the dream to go to state. But the Larks’ aspirations of something greater were cut short in the state quarters. GM fell roughly to Mountain Lake 42-12. The Wolverines went on to an undefeated season (14-0) and a state 9-Man championship. That win ended Section 1’s stranglehold on state 9-Man … [Read more...]
Cardinals Grip Good Versus Burros
In the best jungle-gym performance of the week, LeRoy-Ostrander worked on its grip versus Lanesboro in a Section 1 9-Man football opener. Trevor Carrier’s group built a 21-0. The Cardinals got a first quarter 2-yard TD run by Isaac Collier, and two second quarter TD passes from Chase Johnson to Tristan Lewison (65 yards and 28 yards) to take a three TD lead. Lanesboro … [Read more...]
Second half sends Spring Grove past Houston, 33-16
After a back-and-forth first half, Spring Grove dominated the second stanza to defeat Houston, 33-16, at Blayne Onsgard Memorial Field in the October 11 season opener of 2020. Trailing 16-7, the Lions drove 65 yards to make it 16-14 just 41 seconds before halftime. It became two touchdowns within 56 seconds on the game clock when sophomore Hunter Holland took the second half … [Read more...]
Football (10/9 & 10/10)
Football (10/9 & 10/10) L-A 0, Chatfield 32 (C: R. Johnson 11-19, 139 yards, 3 TDs passing, 2-yard rushing TD; M. Aug 3-74, 2 TDs receiving; Sam Backer 16-115, TD rushing; Tate Karver 17-yard TD reception. Gopher defense stymied Cardinals in a re-match of last year’s 1AA semifinals. L-A had 10 yards total offense and one first down at halftime. They finished with 51 … [Read more...]
Board of Directors approve returning volleyball, football to fall season
BROOKLYN CENTER, MN – The Minnesota State High School League’s Board of Directors today approved a reconsideration placement of fall activities, a decision that brings football and volleyball back to the fall season. The plan, which fits within COVID-19 guidance of the Minnesota Department of Health, will have an approved football season beginning on September 28 with the … [Read more...]
Decades of sports, mostly spectating Most famous football play; I will never forget “not” seeing it
It has been called the “most famous play in college football history.” Surely, it was the most bizarre tackle in all of football history, an official “non-tackle” that interrupted an official 95-yard touchdown run that ended 42 yards away from the goal line. Dubbed ‘the 12th man tackle,” it occurred on a big football stage, a New Year’s Day bowl game, and continued on a … [Read more...]
A Decade’s Worth of Sports
By Paul Trende In December of 2010, the Fillmore County Journal expanded to include area high school sports coverage. This past winter season marked the tenth year of the Journal Sports. With spring activities looking like a wash and having entered into a new decade, the Journal will present All-Decade teams relating to each sport. Those listed had to be covered by the … [Read more...]
Southeast-White, Mid-Southeast All-District Football
Southeast-White football team Caledonia is Class AA state champion (beat Minneapolis-North 26-0). Mid-Southeast-West squad Blooming Prairie is Class A champ (beat BOLD 41-15). Respective All-District teams can be released. In the Southeast-White, Chatfield get six A-D players, guys who were two-way playmakers for the Gophers. It was the year of the Brothers Backer. Senior … [Read more...]
All South-East District Football
With Mid-Southeast squad Blooming Prairie and Southeast-White squad Caledonia playing in state title games, All-District football will be released incrementally, starting with the 9-Man All South-East team. Houston, on the wings of its 7-4 Section Runner-Up season, gets a trio of A-D players in Alec Francis (6’0” 280 Sr. OL/DL), Mikkel Schutte (6’5” 170, Sr. QB/S), and Alex … [Read more...]
King to King Too Much For Gophers
In some other section, Chatfield football (3-seed, 8-2) would be the dominant force. But in Minnesota Section 1AA, Caledonia (1-seed, 10-0) is the monolith, and the Gophers again fell in the section title game. The difference was the Noah King to Eli King connection and first half ball security. An interception on the Gophers first possession led to a King to King 35-yard TD … [Read more...]
First Quarter Leads GM Past Houston
It took one quarter from Grand Meadow (2-seed, 9-1) to seize control of their Section 1 9-Man title game with Houston (5-seed, 7-3). The ‘Canes’ first offensive play was a fumble. On 4th and 9 from the 24, Lark QB Evan Oehlke scrambled 22 yards to the two yard-line. Dusty Copley capped the short field drive (2-yard run) for the 7-0 lead. Houston then went three and out. GM … [Read more...]
Gophers Get Back to Section Title Game
You play hard as long as you can, even if it means playing one of the nation’s top programs in the end. For a second straight year, Chatfield football is in the 1AA Section final. In the quarters, the Gophers (3-seed, 6-2) took on K-W (6-seed, 3-5). Chatfield posted two TDs in the first (Sam Backer 3-yard run, Corey Ericson 26-yard INT return), second (Reid Johnson 2-yard … [Read more...]
Football Play-Offs (10/22 & 10/26)
(1A Qtr) W-K (7-seed, 1-7) 8, R-P (2-seed, 6-2) 39 (R-P: T. Meldahl 26-261, 2 TDs rushing; Malachi Bunke 9-15, 77 yards, 2 TDs, INT passing, 4-yard TD run; Justin Ruberg 4-41, 2 TDs receiving; Brady Gile 35-yard TD run) (1A Qtr) FC (5-seed, 3-5) 7, Randolph (4-seed, 6-2) 26 (FC: Zach Haugerud 19-39, 181 yards, TD passing; Cory Brown 27-yard TD reception; Grant Kennedy 5-52 … [Read more...]
‘Canes Run Gauntlet to Section Title Game
Houston football’s path to the Section title game looked near impassible. The ‘Canes had to beat two high quality teams in the span of five days. Cody Hungerholt’s group didn’t just do so (semi-unsurprisingly given the Section’s competitiveness), they won each big. In the quarterfinals, Houston (5-seed, 5-3) put it on formerly state-ranked Southland (4-seed, 6-2). The … [Read more...]
289 & 5 Leads R-P to #2
R-P football usually has a pretty darn good running back. This season, senior Triton Meldahl has used his speed to fly around/past foes. The 5’11” 160-pounder capped a huge regular season, helping the Trojans to a wild win over Hayfield. Triton notched career highs with 289 yards and 5 TDs on 28 carries (scores of 24, 40, 17, 73, and 71 yards). Despite that, the game was a … [Read more...]