John’s Journal: Two-Pronged Ground Game Lifts LeRoy-Ostrander

A jersey bearing the number 50 is not typical for a running back. It’s traditionally a linebacker/offensive line number, and that’s why LeRoy-Ostrander senior running back Tanner Olson wears 50. He was an offensive lineman until the final game of the regular season and remains a stalwart defensive end.

His performance, no matter the position, is one of the reasons why the Cardinals will play for the Nine-Man state championship next week at U.S. Bank Stadium. They secured their spot in the Prep Bowl with a 49-0 victory over Kittson County Central in Thursday’s semifinals. They await the winner of Friday’s semifinal between Fertile-Beltrami and Hills-Beaver Creek.

Olson stands 6-foot-2 and weights 200 pounds. As Cardinals coach Trevor Carrier said after Thursday’s game, “he’s very big, very strong and he’s fast.” 

Olson rushed 22 times for 111 yards and two touchdowns Thursday, coming on the heels of a 19-carry, 144-yard game against Wheaton/Herman-Norcross in last week’s state quarterfinals. His totals over those two games are pretty astounding for a one-time lineman: 41 carries, 255 yards and six touchdowns.

Look at Trevor’s numbers, coupled with the play of quarterback Chase Johnson and a hard-working offensive line, and it’s no wonder the Cardinals are on the cusp of a state title. Johnson ran 23 times for 323 yards in the quarterfinals and on Thursday he carried 21 times for 234 yards.

Between Olson and Johnson, their two-game totals are 85 rushes and 812 yards … nearly 10 yards per carry. That’s tough to stop.

“They are a good team, with players across the board,” said Kittson County Central coach Cory Waling. “They don’t surprise you a whole lot with what they’re going to do. Their quarterback is amazing and their fullback is a tough runner. It just keeps you off-balance. And then you’ve got to tackle them. That kind of creates problem.”

LeRoy-Ostrander played in the 1993 and 1995 Prep Bowls, losing each time. This is the Cardinals’ first state tournament appearance since 2004. Kittson County Central, at state for the for the first time since 2014, won a state championship in 1994.

Under The Bright Lights

When Chatfield junior Luke Carrier scored the winning touchdown on a 47-yard pass with 2:21 to play in the Gophers’ 22-18 Class 2A semifinal win over Barnesville, the outcome of the play was uncertain as the ball sailed through the air. The lights at U.S. Bank Stadium got in the way ever so briefly.

“When (quarterback) Parker (Delaney) threw up the ball … I lost sight with the lights in the stadium. I’m not used to that kind of lighting,” said Carrier. “And I kind of kept running and then I eventually saw the ball and it just happened to be in my hands.”

The touchdown put Chatfield in front for the first time in the game and moved them to the Prep Bowl. They will meet the winner of Friday’s game between West Central Area/Ashby and Maple River.

Pregame Prep

The Bearcats of Kittson County Central (the high school is in Lancaster in extreme northwest Minnesota) arrived in the Twin Cities on Wednesday and worked out underneath a bubble on the turf at Academy of Holy Angels in Richfield. LeRoy-Ostrander (near the Iowa border south of Rochester) didn’t find an available bubble but had a walk-through in a large hotel ballroom.

With 514 miles between the two schools, they may be the most distant schools to play in the state football semifinals.

Remembering Hall of Fame Officials

In the last month, the MSHSL officiating community lost two giants in Dick “Gramps” Eldridge and Darrell “Bozo” Wincek, both members of the MSHSL Hall of Fame. To honor their memory and excellence in working numerous Prep Bowls, photos of Dick and Darrell have been placed in the officials locker room at U.S. Bank Stadium.

My Top 5 Favorite Nicknames In The Football Semifinals

5. Chatfield Gophers

4. Kasson-Mantorville KoMets

3. Mahtomedi Zephyrs

2. Kittson County Central Bearcats

1. Esko Eskomos

Football State Semifinals

Thursday

Nine-Man: LeRoy-Ostrander 49, Kittson County Central 0

2A: Chatfield 22, Barnesville 18

4A: Kasson-Mantorville 24, Becker 20

6A: Maple Grove 35, Eden Prairie 3

Friday

Nine-Man: Fertile-Beltrami vs. Hills-Beaver Creek, 9 am

2A West Central Area/Ashby vs. Maple River, 11:30 am

5A: Robbinsdale Cooper vs. Mahtomedi, 2 pm

4A: Orono vs. Hutchinson, 4:30 pm

6A: St. Michael-Albertville vs. Lakeville South, 7 pm

Saturday

1A: Minneota vs. Rushford-Peterson, 9 am

1A: New York Mills vs. Mayer Lutheran, 11:30 am

3A: Annandale vs. Plainview-Elgin-Millville, 2 pm

3A: Esko vs. Dassel-Cokato, 4:30 pm

5A: Rogers vs. Mankato West, 7 pm

Tickets, brackets, streaming, online program, etc.: https://www.mshsl.org/sports-and-activities/football

--MSHSL media specialist John Millea has been the leading voice of Minnesota high school activities for decades. Follow him on Twitter @MSHSLjohn and listen to "Preps Today with John Millea” wherever you get podcasts. Contact John