Week eight of the football season had the MSE-East District Title up for grabs. Rushford-Peterson (6-0, 7-0), ranked #4 in Class A, entered guaranteed a share. Fillmore Central (5-1, 6-1), ranked #6, needed to win and a Trojan loss to share. The Falcons went to Wabasha and handled their end. Riley was Mean(s) on W-K posting a career-high rushing game and nearly 300 yards total offense (22-180, 2 TDs rushing, 8-11, 105, TD, INT passing). Michael Kotek was the TD recipient (63 yards). Nate Haugerud added a 4-yard TD run. Brady Ristau had 8 carries for 60 yards. The FC defense was also mean. W-K had four first downs (two courtesy of FC penalties). They tallied just 20 total yards (four rushing, 1-10 passing). A turnover-inspired field goal was also they mustered. FC held an opponent to one TD or less for the seventh time in a 28-3 victory.
Meanwhile, the good battle was Goodhue (5-2) and R-P (7-0). The teams went back-and-forth for five possessions (7-0, 7-7, 13-7, 13-13, 21-13), RB’s Noah Carlson and Mason Huemann the focal points. A Lukas Rasmussen interception ended a late Wildcat threat, leaving R-P up 21-13 at half. Team ‘G’ opened the second going 70 yards in 12 plays. A 1-yard Huemann TD run (Jack Gadient +2 run) tied the game at 21. R-P lost Carlson to injury on the conversion. After 187 yards rushing in the first half with him, they had just four in the second without. They battled defensively, turning away a pair of fourth quarter Goodhue threats. The third time was the charm. In the final 1:30, the Wildcats went 56 yards in eight plays. Huemann’s 41st carry resulted in his fourth TD, a 1-yard plunge in the final seconds. It gave Goodhue the 28-21 win. Carlson, who’ll be fine for the play-offs, led R-P (25-153, 3 TDs rushing). Landon Skalet (8-12, 117 passing), Rasmussen (4-54 receiving; 2 INTs > 10 on the year), and Jake Paulson (3-63 receiving) helped. Huemann, a 5’9” 170-pound junior, was Goodhue’s warrior (41-226, 4 TDs rushing > 28-145, 2 TDs after half). Like last year’s to the end play-off battle, Goodhue played ball control. Gadient (13-20, 145, 2 INTs) and Ryan Schoenfelder (7-81 receiving) helped. Penalties went against R-P (12 for 106.5 to 6 for 45). The first nine called were on the Trojans.
And thus, R-P (6-1, 7-1) and FC (6-1, 7-1) share the MSE-East title. It’s only the Falcons’ second football conference/district title (SEC champs in 1996). It is R-P’s first since winning the TRC-South in 2006 (state title year). The Trojans (1-seed) will host Kingsland (8-seed, 0-8) in the play-offs. Blooming Prairie (4-seed, 6-2) potentially looms. FC (2-seed) will host Hayfield (7-seed, 3-5). Goodhue (3-seed, 6-2) potentially looms.