Football tournament resumes with semifinals

Playing football indoors in a state-of-the-art professional venue is the reward for 28 teams that qualified for the Minnesota State High School League’s semifinals this week at U.S. Bank Stadium. Fourteen games across seven enrollment classes will converge on downtown Minneapolis for the semifinal round beginning on Thursday, Nov. 18 and culminating Saturday evening, Nov. 20.

At stake will be berths in the Prep Bowl Championship Series on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 26 and 27, also at U.S. Bank Stadium.

Here is a look at the schedule for the semifinals:

Thursday, Nov. 18

·       11:30 a.m. --- Class Nine-Man, Kittson County Central (10-2) vs. LeRoy-Ostrander (10-2)

·       2 p.m. --- Class AA, Barnesville (9-2) vs. Chatfield (11-1)

·       4:30 p.m. --- Class AAAA, Becker (11-0) vs. Kasson-Mantorville (8-3)

·       7 p.m. --- Class AAAAAA, Eden Prairie (10-1) vs. Maple Grove (10-1)

Friday, Nov. 19

·       9 a.m. --- Class Nine-Man, Fertile-Beltrami (10-1) vs. Hills-Beaver Creek (10-2)

·       11:30 a.m. --- Class AA, West Central/Ashby (10-1) vs. Maple River (11-1)

·       2 p.m. --- Class AAAAA, Robbinsdale Cooper (9-2) vs. Mahtomedi (9-2)

·       4:30 p.m. --- Class AAAA, Orono (6-6) vs. Hutchinson (10-1)

·       7 p.m. --- Class AAAAAA, St. Michael-Albertville (7-4) vs. Lakeville South (11-0)

Saturday, Nov. 20

·       9 a.m. --- Class A, Minneota (12-0) vs. Rushford-Peterson (12-0)

·       11:30 a.m. --- Class A, New York Mills (10-1) vs. Mayer Lutheran (11-1)

·       2 p.m. --- Class AAA, Annandale (9-2) vs. Plainview-Elgin-Millville (10-2)

·       4:30 p.m. --- Class AAA, Esko (11-0) vs. Dassel-Cokato (12-0)

·       7 p.m. --- Class AAAAA, Rogers (10-1) vs. Mankato West 11-0)

Did you know?

·        Chatfield junior quarterback Sam Backer rushed for 237 yards and scored six touchdowns in the Gophers’ 50-20 victory over Minneapolis North in the Class AA quarterfinals. He also passed for another TD.

·        St. Michael-Albertville senior defensive end Brooks O’Brien had seven tackles, including two for a loss, and forced a fumble to help preserve the Knights’ 14-7 victory over Wayzata in the quarterfinals.

·        Robbinsdale Cooper’s come-from-behind victory over Alexandria Area earned a first trip to the football state semifinals. The Hawks’ only other state tournament trip came in 1996.

·       Junior wide receiver Carter Zezulka caught a touchdown pass with 15 seconds left in regulation time to lift Esko to a 28-21 victory over New London-Spicer. He also had an interception return for a touchdown.

·       In its 37-14 victory over Breck, Plainview-Elgin-Millville had four sacks, intercepted four passes, and held the Mustangs to 190 yards of total offense.

·       Senior quarterback Alexander Dittberner had three touchdown passes to power top-ranked Mankato West to a 21-14 victory over St. Thomas Academy.

·       Lakeville South senior quarterback Cam Dean accounted for four Cougars’ touchdowns, three through the air and one rushing.

·       Rushford-Peterson senior quarterback Malachi Bunke and senior wide receiver Justin Ruberg connected on three touchdown passes in the Trojans’ victory.

·       Senior kicker Cole Nelson made a 42-yard field goal in the second half and tacked on two extra point-conversions in Eden Prairie’s 17-7 victory over Farmington.

·       Senior wide receiver Owen Kanzler had a 97-yard kickoff return for a touchdown to help send Rogers to a 21-20 victory over Andover in the quarterfinals.

·       Maple Grove senior running back Derrick Jameson rushed for a season-high 219 yards and scored two touchdowns to fuel the Crimson’s 31-12 victory over Woodbury in the quarterfinals.

·       School Space Media will livestream each semifinal game. View the stream at www.prepspotlight.tv