Class A Semifinal Minneota 28 Rushford-Peterson 8

Top-ranked Minneota wasted little time in making its way to a 10^th Prep Bowl championship game appearance.

The Vikings bolted to a four-touchdown lead over three quarters before posting a 28-8 victory over Rushford-Peterson in the Class A semifinals on Saturday, Nov. 20 at U.S. Bank Stadium. Senior running back Conner Sik rushed for 173 yards on 19 carries and scored three touchdowns, including a 73-yarder to open the scoring, to power Minneota (13-0). Junior quarterback Isaac Pohlen chipped in 121 passing yards and a touchdown to put the Vikings in position to possibly win an eighth state championship.

Minneota, one of the storied football programs in Minnesota high school history, have this championship ledger in 15 state tournament appearances: 1986 Class C Champion; 1987 Class C Champion; 1988 Class C Champion; 1993 Class C runner-up; 2009 Class A Champion; 2013 Class AA runner-up; 2014 Class A Champion; 2015 Class A Champion; 2017 Class A Champion.

This edition of Minneota complied 364 yards of offense while holding Rushford-Peterson (12-1) to 145. Sik gave the Vikings a 14-0 lead with just more than two minutes remaining in the first quarter on a 3-yard run. Later, he had a 6-yard scoring run that pushed Minneota’s lead to 28-0.

Rushford-Peterson broke through with 1:25 remaining in regulation on a 31-yard passing play from senior quarterback Malachi Bunke to senior running back Alex Ronnenberg.