Football State Tournament, 2022: Road to the Prep Bowl

High school football in Minnesota during the 2022 season had two additional themes: It was the 50^th year of a structured playoff system and the Prep Bowl Era was marking the completion of its fourth decade.

The season comes to a crescendo on Friday, Dec. 1 and Saturday, Dec. 2 at U.S. Bank Stadium in downtown Minneapolis where seven championship games will be played. It is the first time in League history that football championship games will be played in December.

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

Here is a look at the championship game matchups:

Friday, Dec. 2

Class A, 10 a.m.

Minneota Vikings (11-2) vs. Springfield (11-2)

Meet Minneota

Nickname: Vikings

School colors: Blue and Gold

State tournament appearances: 16

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.

Road to the 2022 Prep Bowl: Defeated Breckenridge 35-7 in the quarterfinals; defeated Fillmore Central 28-27 in the semifinals.

Did you know?

• While historically known for its potent offense, it was Minneota’s timely defense that helped earn the opportunity for an eighth Prep Bowl championship in the Vikings’ semifinal victory over Fillmore Central.
• A sack by senior defensive end Hudson Scholten with 15 seconds remaining in regulation time helped thwart a Fillmore Central rally.
• Senior running back Zack Fier rushed for 136 yards on 23 carries to lead the Vikings’ attack.

Meet Springfield

Nickname: Tigers

School colors:  Maroon and Vegas Gold

State tournament appearances: 8

Prep Bowl appearances: 2005 Class A champion.

Road to the Prep Bowl: Defeated Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg 28-6 in the quarterfinals; defeated Deer River 54-30 in the semifinals.

Did you know?

• The Tigers opened the season 2-2 before assembling their current nine-game winning streak.
• One of those losses was to Tracy-Milroy-Balaton, but the Tigers later atoned for that with a 42-28 victory in the Section 3A championship game.
• Springfield compiled 505 total yards in its semifinal victory over Deer River.
• Junior quarterback Jakob Nachreiner completed 20 of 24 passes for 339 yards and five touchdowns.

Class AA, 1 p.m.

Chatfield (12-0) vs. Barnesville (12-0)

Meet Chatfield

Nickname: Gophers

School colors: Maroon and White

State tournament appearances: 10

Prep Bowl appearances: 1994 Class C champion; 1995 Class C champion; 1996 Class C champion; 2013 Class AA champion; 2021 Class AA champion.

Road to the Prep Bowl: Defeated Blue Earth Area 35-6 in the quarterfinals; defeated Eden Valley-Watkins 27-12 in the semifinals.

Did you know?

• Chatfield is 5 of 5 in Prep Bowl championship game appearances.
• The Gophers were top-ranked in Class AA to end the regular season.
• Senior quarterback Sam Backer rushed for 150 yards and scored two touchdowns in the semifinal victory over Eden Valley-Watkins. He also completed 7 of 9 passes, two of which went for TDs.
• Chatfield, located in southeastern Minnesota, is known as “The Gateway to Bluff Country."

Meet Barnesville

Nickname: Trojans

School colors: Purple and White

State tournament appearances: 9

Prep Bowl appearances: 2010 Class A runner-up; 2018 Class AA runner-up.

Road to the Prep Bowl: Defeated Moose Lake/Willow River 21-0 in the quarterfinals; defeated Jackson County Central 41-12 in the semifinals.

Did you know?

• The Trojans haven’t forgotten a 22-18 loss to Chatfield in the 2021 semifinals.
• Barnesville’s defense is among the stingiest in Minnesota, allowing an average of just four points per game. Thirteen points was the most an opponent has scored in a game and that was by Detroit Lakes in a Week 6 victory.  
• Senior Zachary Bredman completed just two passes in the semifinal victory over Jackson County Central, but one was for a long touchdown, a 77-yarder to junior running back Dawson Gregg.

 Class AAAA, 4 p.m.

 Simley (11-1) vs. Hutchinson (11-1)   

 Meet Simley

 Nickname: Spartans

 School colors: Blue, Red, White

 State tournament appearances: 5

 Prep Bowl appearances: 2014 Class AAAAA runner-up.

Road to the Prep Bowl: Defeated Chisago Lakes 46-14 in the quarterfinals; defeated Rocori 17-16 in the semifinals.

Did you know?

• Simley lost to Hutchinson in the 2021 Class AAAA quarterfinals, 40-0.
• There are 14 football players that also participate in Simley’s tradition-rich wrestling program.
• Senior standout Gavin Nelson has committed to wrestle at the University of Minnesota. He rushed for 167 yards in the semifinal victory over Rocori.
• The Spartans made a key stop on a 4^th-and-3 play to preserve its semifinal victory over Rocori.

 Meet Hutchinson

 Nickname: Tigers

 School colors: Black and Gold

 State tournament appearances: 25

 Prep Bowl appearances: 1983 Class A champion; 1984 Class A champion; 1998 Class AAAA champion; 2003 Class AAAA runner-up; 2012 Class AAAA champion; 2013 Class AAAA champion; 2021 Class AAAA champion.

Road to the Prep Bowl: Defeated Stewartville 60-22 in the quarterfinals; defeated Zimmerman 42-26 in the semifinals.

Did you know?

• Hutchinson is one of the most storied programs in Minnesota high school football history with 25 state tournament appearances.
• The Tigers’ lone loss this season was a 24-22 setback to Becker in Week 4.
• In the past 55 seasons, there have been just two football coaches at Hutchinson High School. Grady Rostberg led the Tigers to a 277-89-1 record until he retired in 1998. His son, Andy, has been there ever since and led the Tigers to titles in 2012, 2013 and 2021.
• Senior fullback AJ Ladwig scored three touchdowns in the Tigers’ semifinal victory over Zimmerman.

Class AAAAAA, 7 p.m.

Maple Grove (12-0) vs. Rosemount (12-0)

Meet Maple Grove

Nickname: Crimson

School colors: Crimson and Gold

State tournament appearances: 10

Prep Bowl appearances: 2021 Class AAAAAA runner-up.

Road to the Prep Bowl: Defeated East Ridge 24-17 in the quarterfinals; defeated Lakeville South 14-7 in the semifinals.

Did you know?

• In a rematch of last season’s big-school title game that was won by Lakeville South, Maple Grove defeated the Cougars 14-7 in the semifinals.
• Senior quarterback Jacob Kilzer snapped a 7-all tie in that game with a 72-yard scoring pass to senior wide receiver Jacob Anderson.
• Equally dangerous throwing and running, Kilzer has passed for 1,222 yards this season and rushed for 1,228 yards. He has 18 touchdowns.
• Maple Grove’s mascot is named “Leafy,” a crimson and gold maple leaf.

 Meet Rosemount

 Nickname: Irish

 School colors: Navy, Gold, White

 State tournament appearances: 13

 Prep Bowl appearances: 2010 Class AAAAA runner-up; 2013 Class AAAAAA runner-up.

 Road to the Prep Bowl: Defeated Centennial 27-0 in the quarterfinals; defeated Eden Prairie 14-10 in the semifinals.

Did you know?

• Rosemount was the Class AA champion in 1981, the final season of outdoor championships. The Prep Bowl Era began the following season.  
• In the big-school class, the Irish had the only defense that surrendered a single-digit average per game.
• Lineman to watch: Senior Noah Lindsay, a 6-foot-2, 284-pounder that plays both guard and center.

   

Saturday, Dec. 3

Class Nine-Man, 10 a.m.

Mountain Iron-Buhl (12-0) vs. Spring Grove (13-0)

Meet Mountain Iron-Buhl

Nickname: Rangers

School colors: Red and Gold

State tournament appearances: 9

Prep Bowl appearances: First

Road to the Prep Bowl:  Defeated Kittson County Central 42-28 in the quarterfinals; defeated Wheaton/Herman-Norcross 36-15 in the semifinals.

Did you know?

• Mountain Iron was the Class B champion in 1972, the first year of a sponsored playoff system.
• The Rangers have won all their games this season by at least double digits. Four of their past five postseason victories are by at least 21 points.
• Mountain Iron-Buhl scored 22 unanswered points in its victory over Wheaton/Herman-Norcross in the semifinals.
• Senior quarterback Asher Zubich threw for three touchdowns and rushed for 99 yards with another TD. That was just on offense. On defense, he made 10 tackles and had a 23-yard interception return.

 Meet Spring Grove

 Nickname: Lions

 School colors: Red and Black  

 State tournament appearances: 5

 Prep Bowl appearances: 2017 Class Nine-Man champion; 2018 Class Nine-Man champion.

 Road to the Prep Bowl:  Defeated Hancock 40-22 in the quarterfinals; defeated Fertile-Beltrami 27-6 in the semifinals.

 Did you know?

•  Spring Grove’s defense has been suffocating of late, allowing just 10 points per game in five postseason victories.
• Junior quarterback Elijah Solum rushed for three touchdowns in the Lions’ victory over Fertile-Beltrami in the semifinals.
• Senior Tysen Grinde returned a punt 76 yards for another Lions’ TD in the semifinal victory.

Class AAA, 1 p.m.

Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton (12-0) vs. New London-Spicer (10-2)

Meet Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton

Nickname: Rebels

School colors: Black and Silver

State tournament appearances: 10

Prep Bowl appearances: First

Road to the Prep Bowl: Defeated Esko 21-17 in the quarterfinals; defeated Fairmont 16-7 in the semifinals.

Did you know?

• Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton is at its best in drama-packed contests. The Rebels have won three of four postseason games by four or fewer points.
• Sophomore kicker Hayden Hauf snapped a 7-all halftime tie with Fairmount with a 22-yard field. Eight minutes later, the Rebels stretched the lead behind a 25-yard touchdown run by junior running back Nicholas Waale.
• Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton’s closest margin of victory this season was a 36-34 win over Pequot Lakes in Week 2.
• Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton High School is located in Glyndon, a Clay County town founded in 1872.

 Meet New London-Spicer

 Nickname: Wildcats

 School colors: Black and Yellow

 State tournament appearances: 7

 Prep Bowl appearances: 2009 Class AAA champion; 2013 Class AAA runner-up; 2014 Class AAA runner-up.

Road to the Prep Bowl: Defeated Milaca 18-14 in the quarterfinals; defeated Watertown-Mayer 33-28 in the semifinals.  

Did you know?

• In New London-Spicer’s victory over Watertown-Mayer in the semifinals, it reversed a 38-36 loss to the Royals during the Wright County Conference schedule in Week 2.
• In the victory, junior Mason Delzer rushed for 125 yards on 29 carries while sophomore quarterback completed 8 of 14 passes for 146 yards and three touchdowns.
• New London-Spicer principal Bonnie Spohn is a former two-time president of the League’s Board of Directors.

Class AAAAA, 4 p.m.

Elk River (12-0) vs. Mankato West (12-0)

Meet Elk River

Nickname: Elks

School colors: Red and Black

State tournament appearances: 11

Prep Bowl appearances: 1990 Class AA runner-up; 2016 Class AAAAA champion; 2017 Class AAAAA runner-up.

Road to the Prep Bowl: Defeated Moorhead 44-20 in the quarterfinals; defeated Mahtomedi 38-21 in the semifinals.

Did you know?

• The Elks’ Power-T offense is among the most entertaining to watch as it generates an average of 420 yards per game. Do your best to keep your eye on the ball in this crafty offensive attack.
• The Elks average 40 points per game while surrendering an average of 16.
• Senior quarterback Cade Osterman leads Elk River’s offense with 1,383 rushing yards and 19 touchdowns. He has also passed for 515 yards and eight TDs. He rushed for 218 yards on 16 carries and scored two touchdowns in the victory over Mahtomedi in the semifinals. He had 148 yards on 10 attempts in the first half.

Meet Mankato West

Nickname: Scarlets  

School colors: Scarlet and White

State tournament appearances: 14

Prep Bowl appearances: 1999 Class AAAA champion; 2002 Class AAAA champion; 2008 Class AAAA champion; 2014 Class AAAA champion; 2021 Class AAAAA champion.

Road to the Prep Bowl: Defeated Rochester Mayo 20-17 in the quarterfinals; defeated Rogers 14-10 in the semifinals.

Did you know?

• Mankato West is 5 for 5 in Prep Bowl championship games.
• In each of the past two seasons, the Scarlets had to defeat Rogers in the semifinals to earn a Prep Bowl berth.
• Mankato West’s defense preserved the lead against Rogers in the semifinals. Sophomore defensive lineman Denim Blackstad stopped Rogers senior running back Anthony Powell on the 1-yard line on a 4^th-and-goal play with 1:20 remaining in regulation time.