Grand Meadow, Chatfield victorious in Prep Bowl high school football championships
By Brandt Williams/MPR News and The Associated Press
MINNEAPOLIS — This year's state high school football Prep Bowl kicked off Friday morning at the Metrodome in Minneapolis, and will continue through Saturday afternoon. Undefeated teams from Mahnomen, Hutchinson and Eden Prairie will all defend their titles this year. Three other teams playing for trophies also have perfect seasons entering the championships.
Hutchinson will try to stay unbeaten when it faces the Academy of Holy Angels in the Class 4A title game. In the Class 6A game, Eden Prarie faces a Rosemount squad making its second straight post-season appearance. Mahnomen, which scored more than 40 points per game this season, plays the Dawson-Boyd Blackjacks in the Class A final on Saturday.
CLASS 2A: CHATFIELD BEATS MINNEOTA/LINCOLN HI, 17-7(Updated 3:50 p.m. Friday)
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Jacob Neis ran for 105 yards and a score as Chatfield beat Minneota/Lincoln HI 17-7 in the Class 2A Championship game.
Alex Bradt added 69 yards rushing for the Gophers (13-1).
Austin Buysse threw for 204 yards and a last-minute touchdown for Minneota/Lincoln HI (13-1).
Neis broke a scoreless tie with 50 seconds left in the first half, plunging in from the 1. That completed a 64-yard drive that was highlighted by a 26-yard run by Neis.
Chatfield's defense stuffed Buysse on fourth down at the 1 on the first play of the fourth quarter to preserve the lead.
Chatfield had a 17-0 lead late in the game, but Buysse and Jeff Gladis hooked up for a 16-yard score with 6 seconds left to avoid the shutout.
GRAND MEADOW WINS 9-MAN CHAMPIONSHIP, 28-6 (Updated 2:20 p.m. Friday)
This year's 9-man class championship pitted the Underwood Rockets against the Superlarks of Grand Meadow.
Trenton Bleifus ran for two touchdowns and threw for another, pulling Grand Meadow to its first state football title with a 28-6 victory over the Rockets.
Landon Jacobson rushed for 123 yards and one touchdown in Friday's game for the Grand Meadow Superlarks (13-1), who lost to Clinton-Graceville-Beardsley in last year's championship.
LeRoy Hauge caught a 32-yard pass from Adam Creek late in the game for Underwood (10-4).
Bleifus, who ran for 83 yards and threw for 111, scored on a 5-yard run in the first quarter and connected with Blake Olson for a 36-yard score just before halftime.
Jacobson scored on a 2-yard run early in the third quarter and Bleifus scrambled 33 yards early in the fourth quarter for a 28-0 advantage.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.