2024 Football: Road to Prep Bowl XLII

Seven championship games will be played on Friday, Nov. 22 and Saturday, Nov. 23 as Prep Bowl XLII brings the Minnesota State High School League’s football season to a crescendo. 

All games are televised live by 45TV, the League’s broadcast partner. As well, 45TV will stream the games live, free of charge. Find the stream at www.prep45.com

Here is a look at the Prep Bowl Championship Game matchups:

Friday, Nov. 22

Class A, 10 a.m.

Springfield (12-0) vs. Minneota (12-0)  

Meet Springfield

• Nickname: Tigers
• School colors: Maroon, Vegas Gold
• State tournament appearances: 11
• Prep Bowl appearances: 2005 Class A champion; 2022 Class A runner-up; 2023 Class A runner-up.
• Road to the Prep Bowl: Defeated Goodhue 20-14 in the quarterfinals; def. Mahnomen/Waubun 30-16 in the semifinals.  

Meet Minneota

• Nickname: Vikings
• School colors: Blue, Gold
• State tournament appearances: 17
• Prep Bowl appearances: 1986 Class C champion; 1987 Class C champion; 1988 Class C champion; 1993 Class C runner-up; 2009 Class A champion; 2014 Class A champion; 2015 Class A champion; 2017 Class A champion; 2021 Class A runner-up; 2022 Class A champion; 2023 Class A champion. 
• Road to the Prep Bowl: Defeated Lester Prairie 41-0 in the quarterfinals; def. Parkers Prairie 45-0 in the semifinals. 

Game spotlight: If this matchup feels like déjà vu, you are not mistaken. Springfield and Minneota will meet for the third consecutive season for the Class A Prep Bowl crown. Minneota, on the winning end each time, has not given up a point in two state tournament games. Meanwhile, the Vikings’ offense is on a roll. Minneota scored 35 points in the first half of its victory over Parkers Prairie. In its two state tournament games, Springfield has relied on second-half surges. The Tigers used a 30-point fourth quarter blitz to rally past Mahnomen/Waubun in the semifinals. In the quarterfinals, there were two touchdowns in the fourth quarter to zip past Goodhue. It will be interesting to see if fast starts on one side and fast endings on the other plays out again in their third meeting in three years.

Did you know?

• Springfield senior linebacker Gavin Vanderwerf had 10 tackles in the victory over Mahnomen/Waubun.
• Minneota senior running back Ryan Meagher averaged 9.4 yards per carry against Parkers Prairie in one half of play. He finished with 132 yards and two touchdowns.

Class AAAA, 1 p.m.

Becker (12-0) vs. Totino-Grace (12-0)   

Meet Becker

• Nickname: Bulldogs 
• School colors: Columbia Blue, White
• State tournament appearances: 18
• Prep Bowl appearances: 1990 Class C runner-up; 1994 Class B runner-up; 2001 Class AAA runner-up; 2004 Class AAA runner-up; 2005 Class AAA champion; 2006 Class AAA runner-up; 2014 Class AAAA champion; 2015 Class AAAA champion.  
• Road to the Prep Bowl: Defeated Holy Angels 35-15 in the quarterfinals; def. Marshall 28-7 in the semifinals. 

Meet Totino-Grace

• Nickname: Eagles
• School colors: Navy Blue, Gold
• State tournament appearances: 28
• Prep Bowl appearances: 1989 Class A runner-up; 2003 Class AAAA champion; 2004 Class AAAA champion; 2006 Class AAAA champion; 2007 Class AAAA champion; 2009 Class AAAA champion; 2010 Class AAAA champion; 2012 Class AAAAA champion; 2014 Class AAAAAA runner-up; 2016 Class AAAAAA champion. In the pre-Prep Bowl Era: 1977 Class A champion; 1978 Class A champion. 
• Road to the Prep Bowl: Defeated Hill-Murray 24-0 in the quarterfinals; defeated Orono 30-21 in the semifinals.

Game spotlight: This is a championship game matchup that has been brewing all season. Their state tournament pedigrees are vast and full of Prep Bowl appearances. Junior quarterback Sawyer Brown threw for a touchdown and ran for another in Becker’s surgical victory over Marshall in the quarterfinals. In its semifinal victory over Orono, Totino-Grace unveiled a weapon not many knew about: Senior kicker Jimmy McNeil, who booted three field goals. 

Did you know?

• Becker’s defense has surrendered 77 points in 12 games.
• Totino-Grace, playing two enrollment classes higher, won the Class AAAAAA championship in 2016. 
• Totino-Grace senior quarterback Jake Person completed just five passes against Orono in the semifinals but averaged just more than 30 yards on each completion. 

Class AA, 4 p.m.

Jackson County Central (12-0) vs. Staples-Motley (12-0) 

Meet Jackson County Central

• Nickname: Huskies 
• School colors: Navy Blue, Silver
• State tournament appearances: 13
• Prep Bowl appearances: 1985 Class B champion as Jackson; 1997 Class AAA runner-up; 1998 Class AAA runner-up; 2001 Class AAA champion; 2015 Class AAA runner-up.
• Road to the Prep Bowl: Defeated Central Public Schools 34-7 in the quarterfinals; def. Kimball Area 34-26 in the semifinals. 

Meet Staples-Motley

• Nickname: Cardinals
• School colors: Red, Black, White
• State tournament appearances: 4
• Prep Bowl appearances: 1988 Class A runner-up. 
• Road to the Prep Bowl: Defeated Barnesville 46-44, 2OT; def. Chatfield 36-24 in the semifinals. 

Game spotlight: Both squads looked impressive in semifinal victories. The Huskies are playing without standout Roman Voss, a junior quarterback, who is sidelined with a season-ending ankle injury suffered during the quarterfinals. In his absence, Jackson County Central tapped into its depth and offensive ingenuity to keep the championship hopes alive. Staples-Motley is playing in a state championship game for the first time in 36 years. 

Did you know?

• Staples-Motley junior quarterback Colbe Tappe had 170 rushing yards and four touchdowns in the semifinals.
• Senior Ben Dahlin had 181 all-purpose yards in Jackson County Central’s semifinal victory. Classmate Clay Malchow had just two yards fewer 

Class AAAAAA, 7 p.m.

Minnetonka (10-2) vs. Maple Grove (12-0)

Meet Minnetonka

• Nickname: Skippers 
• School colors: Blue, White
• State tournament appearances: 6
• Prep Bowl appearances: 2004 Class AAAAA champion; 2017 Class AAAAAA runner-up.
• Road to the Prep Bowl: Defeated Blaine 28-0 in the quarterfinals; def. Anoka 48-27 in the semifinals.

Meet Maple Grove

• Nickname: Crimson
• School colors: Crimson, Vegas Gold
• State tournament appearances: 11
• Prep Bowl appearances: 2021 Class AAAAAA runner-up; 2022 Class AAAAAA champion. 
• Road to the Prep Bowl: Defeated Edina 42-12 in the quarterfinals; def. Shakopee 26-14 in the semifinals.

Game spotlight: While Maple Grove is tagged as a favorite here, Minnetonka is playing championship-caliber football. Junior quarterback Caleb Francois rushed for 283 yards on 39 carries and scored five touchdowns in Minnetonka’s semifinal victory. He had 173 yards on 21 carries in the first half alone. Maple Grove was just as powerful in its victory over Shakopee 24 hours later. Sprinkled in with its physicality, Maple Grove has big play potential at any time. The Crimson were challenged mightily by Shakopee before pulling away. 

Did you know?

• Maple Grove will join the Lake Conference next school year, a group that features big-school football powers, including Minnetonka.
• Minnetonka assistant coach Matt Lombardi was Maple Grove’s head coach when the Crimson won the big-school crown in 2022.
• Maple Grove senior Dylan Vokal is a two-way threat. On defense, the defensive back has 43 tackles and seven pass deflections. On offense, the North Dakota State recruit has more than 30 receptions.

Saturday, Nov. 23

Class Nine-Player, 10 a.m.

Hills-Beaver Creek (12-0) vs. Fertile-Beltrami (12-0) 

Meet Hills-Beaver Creek

• Nickname: Patriots
• School colors: Red, White, Blue
• State tournament appearances: 12
• Prep Bowl appearances: 1990 Class Nine-Man champion.
• Road to the Prep Bowl: Defeated Border West 34-14 in the quarterfinals; def. Mountain Iron-Buhl 26-20 in the semifinals.

Meet Fertile-Beltrami

• Nickname: Falcons 
• School colors: Scarlet Red, Dark Navy Blue
• State tournament appearances: 8
• Prep Bowl appearances: 2021 Class Nine-Man runner-up. 
• Road to the Prep Bowl: Defeated Cromwell-Wright 48-7 in the quarterfinals; def. LeRoy-Ostrander 60-33 in the semifinals.

Game spotlight: Hills-Beaver Creek is determined to end a long dry spell. The Patriots last won a championship in 1990, and they’d like to end that drought. Their balanced attack was on display in the semifinals behind junior quarterback Jamin Metzger, who completed 19 of 23 passes for 143 yards and a touchdown. Senior running back Beau Bakken chipped in 90 rushing yards and junior wide receiver Micah Bush had 12 receptions for 115 yards, including 76 yards after the catch. Fertile-Beltrami, seeking its first state crown, counters with an offense spurred by senior running back Isaiah Wright. The 6-foot, 200-pounder rushed for 363 yards on 24 carries and scored seven touchdowns to power the Falcons in the semifinals. He accounted for 42 points on touchdowns and had two two-point conversion runs. 

Did you know?

• Hills, Minn., is the southernmost city in Minnesota. It is located four miles from the South Dakota border and two miles from the Iowa border.
• The Patriots were 3 of 3 on two-point conversions in their victory over Mountain Iron-Buhl in the semifinals.
• Hills-Beaver Creek senior defensive end Beau Bakken had 14 tackles and a sack in the semifinal victory.
• Fertile-Beltrami compiled 551 yards of total offense in its semifinal victory.

Class AAA, 1 p.m.

Stewartville (13-0) vs. Dassel-Cokato (11-1) 

Meet Stewartville

• Nickname: Tigers
• School colors: Maroon, Gold
• State tournament appearances: 8
• Prep Bowl appearances: 1977 Class B runner-up in the pre-Prep Bowl Era; 1986 Class A runner-up; 2023 Class AAA champion. 
• Road to the Prep Bowl: Defeated Holy Family Catholic 40-14 in the quarterfinals; def. Albany 33-20 in the semifinals.

Meet Dassel-Cokato

• Nickname: Chargers
• School colors: Navy, White
• State tournament appearances: 5
• Prep Bowl appearances: 1972 Class B runner-up in pre-Prep Bowl Era; 2019 Class AAA runner-up; 2021 Class AAA champion. 
• Road to the Prep Bowl: Defeated Fairmont 29-28 in the quarterfinals; def. Pequot Lakes 29-26 in the semifinals. 

Game spotlight: Dassel-Cokato used a stunning 22-point surge to rally past Pequot Lakes in the semifinals. Senior running back Kobee Thielen capped the comeback on a 6-yard scoring run with 47 seconds left in regulation. Moments later, senior receiver Ryder Barrick made an acrobatic catch on a pass from senior Cole Veith to complete the all-important two-point conversion play that gave the Chargers a three-point lead. Stewartville, on the other hand, is playing like it has no intention of ending this season without a successful title defense. Senior wide receiver Parker Wangen, a Minnesota State (Mankato) recruit, had nine receptions for 152 yards and two touchdowns in powering the Tigers to their 27^th consecutive victory. He also had a rushing touchdown.

Did you know?

• Wangen, also a standout basketball player, has 68 receptions for 1,126 yards and 20 touchdowns. He has also rushed for seven TDs. 
• Stewartville has shut out seven opponents this season and only given up single digits in 10 of its 12 games. 
• Dassel-Cokato senior quarterback Cole Veith is a dual threat. He rushed for 113 yards and passed for 88 in the Chargers’ victory over Pequot Lakes. 

Class AAAAA, 4 p.m.

Elk River (11-1) vs. Alexandria Area (10-2)

Meet Elk River

• Nickname: Elks 
• School colors: Red, White, Black
• State tournament appearances: 12
• Prep Bowl appearances: 1990 Class AA runner-up; 2016 Class AAAAA champion; 2017 Class AAAAA runner-up; 2022 Class AAAAA champion. 
• Road to the Prep Bowl: Defeated Monticello 36-29 in the quarterfinals; def. Chanhassen 21-19 in the semifinals.

Meet Alexandria Area

• Nickname: Cardinals 
• School colors: Red, Black
• State tournament appearances: 13
• Prep Bowl appearances: 1974 Class A champion in pre-Prep Bowl Era; 1994 Class AA runner-up.
• Road to the Prep Bowl: Defeated Robbinsdale Armstrong 17-14 in the quarterfinals; def. Owatonna 42-20 in the semifinals.

Game spotlight: This should be a dandy way to end the seven-game Prep Bowl series. Elk River features a Houdini-esque running game that leaves opponents wondering who has the ball. Alexandria Area finds its success through the air, courtesy of senior quarterback Chase Thompson, a Clemson University basketball recruit, who is playing the final game of his prep career. He completed 24 of 36 passes for 396 yards and five touchdowns to send the Cardinals past Owatonna in the semifinals. A day earlier, the Elks had 240 rushing yards against Chanhassen in the semifinals and controlled the ball with that ground game. In what may have been a prelude of a rematch down the road, Elk River defeated Alexandria Area 44-34 in Week 8. 

Did you know?

• Thompson has thrown for 3,287 yards and 35 touchdowns with just four interceptions. Senior wide receiver Mason Gorghuber has been his primary target this season. He has 60 receptions, 21 of them for touchdowns.
• Elk River averages 436.4 rushing yards per game.
• Run producers for the Elks include senior Brecken Keoraj (1,472 yards), junior Levi Harris (941), senior Gavin Schmidt (911) and sophomore Carsyn Kleffman (869).