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Rushford-Peterson, Houston, Caledonia and Plainview-Elgin-Millville are all going for respective section titles, but earning trips to state isn’t something out of the ordinary for any of them.
Caledonia is the defending Class 2A champions. R-P is two years removed from its last state title.
Houston made it to state last season for the first time in 25 years before being eliminated in the first round.
P-E-M has gone the longest without being in the final eight. The Bulldogs made it to the Class 3A semifinals in 2005.
Class 1A
Blooming Prairie at Rushford-Peterson
This matchup features teams familiar with one another. Last season, the Awesome Blossoms (8-2) came into the second round of the playoffs undefeated and shut out R-P, which was the defending Class A champs, 30-0.
“They lost a couple of kids who were really key to their offense and don’t really have a replacement,” R-P coach Jim Reinhardt said. “They’re a different team than they were a year ago. I’m not sure they’re as powerful, and I think we’re better than we were a year ago.”
That said, the Blossoms do have some firepower led by quarterback Austin Moe.
Moe, a 5-foot-10, 166-pound senior, leads the team in rushing and passing despite playing less than seven games.
Moe is 79-for-122 for 1,323 yards with 19 touchdowns and four interceptions and has rushed 120 times for 1,013 yards and 10 touchdowns.
“They have a lot of offense,” Reinhardt said. “They will run some spread offense and power, too. We’ve seen that kind of offense from Wabasha(-Kellogg), Lewiston(-Altura) and Fillmore Central.”
Blooming Prairie averages 39 points, while R-P average 28.
Reinhardt believes the offense is going to have to do at least that, if not more, to get by the Blossoms. He also mentioned going to the aerial attack more often than in the past.
“We’re going to have to throw the ball a little bit more than we normally do,” Reinhardt said. “They play a tight, man coverage that gives us some opportunity there.”
If it comes to that, R-P, ranked ninth, will look to the arm of Steven Koenen. The 6-1, 165-pound junior came into the playoffs 29-for-65 for 465 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions. In two playoff games, he’s 15-for-36 for 156 yards.
“He has a good, strong arm,” Reinhardt said. “And we have a bunch of wide receivers to throw to.”
Logan Brand at tight end, along with wide receivers Kasey Olloff, Brian Eggert, Nick Leisen, Brandon Weideman and Brad Ebner, were among the names Reinhardt reeled off who could be involved in the passing game.
So far this season, R-P — led by the twins Mark and Matt Agrimson — has rushed for 1,979 yards and 29 touchdowns, while passing for 846 yards with six touchdowns and seven interceptions.
Blooming Prairie has 2,280 yards rushing and 2,300 passing on the year.
9-man
Lanesboro at Houston
This is a rematch from a Sept. 5 game that Houston won 47-6.
Since then, Houston coach Jason Freed and Lanesboro coach James Semmen believe the Burros are a different team.
“From what I’ve read and seen on film, they’re a much improved team,” Freed said. “They have a solid running attack with about four or five running backs who can carry the ball and break one on you.”
Lanesboro has two running backs closing in on 1,000 yards and two more closing in on 500. Colin Bake has 978 yards and 12 touchdowns, while Ethan Hall has 944 yards and 13 touchdowns.
Dillon Draper and quarterback Brett Hungerholt also are threats to run.
But it’s not so much Lanesboro’s weapons that are on Semmen’s mind. It is Houston’s potent offensive attack he’s worried about.
“We have our work cut out for us,” Semmen said. “You can’t key in on one guy because they have so many. As soon as you do that, they give it to someone else.”
Kevin Lindh and Trent Kerrigan get a bulk of the carries. Lindh has 89 carries for 1,151 yards and 19 touchdowns. Kerrigan has 57 for 649 and 13 scores.
Houston, ranked third in 9-man, is also a threat to pass with Andy Sires, who is 57-for-97 for 1,158 yards, 20 touchdowns and no interceptions.
Lanesboro has rushed for 2,550 yards and thrown for 742 on the season, while Houston has 4,215 yards rushing and 1,186 passing.
Class 2A
Caledonia at Zumbrota-Mazeppa
These two teams are a combined 19-1. Last year, Caledonia won the Class 2A title, while Z-M was just 1-8.
The Warriors’ one loss this season came Sept. 12 in a 28-25 overtime game to P-E-M.
Zumbrota-Mazeppa, ranked fifth in Class 2A, is a multi-dimensional team led by running back Phil Putratz. The 5-9, 175-pound senior came into the playoffs with 802 yards rushing on 150 carries and nine touchdowns.
Z-M’s Drew Paukert is also a very capable passer. The 5-11, 150-pound senior is 76-for-153 with 1,050 yards passing with 10 touchdowns and four interceptions.
Caledonia, ranked ninth, isn’t much different in terms of weapons.
Quarterback Casey Bauer came into the playoffs 54-for-103 for 926 yards with 14 touchdowns and eight interceptions. Alex Schliech came in with 103 rushes for 641 yards and five touchdowns. Isaac Fruechte leads the team in scoring with 11 touchdowns, and he has 442 yards receiving and 283 rushing.
Class 3A
Rochester Lourdes at P-E-M
This is a rematch of last year’s second-round game, which Rochester Lourdes won 42-14.
The tables appear to have turned, as the Bulldogs come in ranked fourth in Class 3A and undefeated at 10-0.
The Eagles are 8-2 after a two-week hiccup in which it lost to Kasson-Mantorville and La Crescent back to back in early October. Lourdes came back to defeat K-M 23-8 last week.
Adam Lentz was the Eagles’ leading rusher heading into the playoffs. Then, the 5-9, 165-pound sophomore had 80 carries for 560 yards and seven touchdowns. Teammate Jude Williams had 660 yards and eight touchdowns.
P-E-M’s leading rusher heading into the playoffs was Ross Grobe. The 5-11, 185-pound senior has 131 carries for 1,010 yards rushing, 10 receptions for 174 yards receiving and 17 total touchdowns.
Quarterback Ben Keilholtz lead the Bulldogs with 827 yards passing, 12 touchdowns and three interceptions.
Tyler Greguson has 473 yards passing, three touchdowns and four interceptions for Lourdes.
