After previewing the four Prep Bowl championship games on Friday in Part One, here's a preview of the three finals that will take place on Saturday, November 26.
The day's festivities begin at 10 AM as the Rushford-Peterson Trojans battle the Minneapolis North Polars. The Trojans return to the state tournament for the first time since 2008 and their first state title since 2006. Rushford-Peterson has an outstanding running back in Noah Carlson who has reached the end zone 39 times. They also have a sophomore quarterback in Landon Skalet who has thrown for 19 touchdowns. He is the future of the Trojan football program. As for the Polars, they return to the Prep Bowl after losing in last year's Class A final to the Minneota Vikings. Though they lost their quarterback Tyler Johnson to graduation and a successful season with the Minnesota Golden Gophers, Mpls. North has a bunch of talented athletes including Isaac Johnson and Azerick Rodgers. Could this be the year Mpls. North become the first Minneapolis City Conference school to win a state football title since Washburn in 1977? It could be their year.
In the 1 PM game, it will be the Rochester Lourdes Eagles facing the perennial Class AAA power the St. Croix Lutheran Crusaders. The Eagles have gone through the bracket like traffic heading up Highway 52 as they shut out Jackson County Central 30-0 in the quarterfinals and dismantling Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton in the semifinals 43-21. They will face a Crusader team that has had only one game where they have scored less than 34 points and it was in the Class AAA quarterfinals when they beat the Belle Plaine Tigers 32-21. St. Croix Lutheran is led by junior running back Michael Stern who ran for 257 yards and three touchdowns, including and 88 yard run to open the semifinal game against the defending champion Pierz Pioneers. Head coach Carl Lemke has had some outstanding teams have taken championship hardware back to West St. Paul. This is a team that has the talent and speed for another possible state title.
Concluding the 2016 Prep Bowl is the Class AAAAA title game that features a couple of run oriented teams, the Elk River Elks and the Spring Lake Park Panthers. The Elks are playing in their first championship game since 1990 when they lost to the Anoka Tornadoes 19-14. Elk River has a solid backfield duo in Nicholas Rice and Sam Gibas who have combined for 43 touchdowns this season. They will go up against a tough Spring Lake Park defense that is anchored by Jackson Dahl who has 109 tackles in 2016. On the offensive side of the ball, the Panthers have an outstanding option quarterback in Zachary Ojile who has ran for 14 touchdowns and passed for five. It should be a very interesting game as well as a quick one because pass plays may be rare.
So there's the 2016 Prep Bowl Preview. No need to bring your winter coat and shiver in the cold weather because the Prep Bowl begins its maiden voyage at US Bank Stadium.
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