The defending Class AAAAA champion Elk River Elks run oriented offense got grounded by a monumental game from Jason Williamson as he scored six touchdowns to lead the Owatonna Huskies to a 63-26 win in the championship game Saturday in the 2017 Prep Bowl at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.
It was the second state title for the southern Minnesota school in their seventh trip to state. Their last state title came in the final Prep Bowl game played at the Metrodome in 2013 with a win over the Brainerd Warriors.
Both teams would tally in the first quarter. The Huskies scored on Williamson's 33 yard run. The Elks would reach the end zone following an encroachment penalty that would put them first and goal at the Owatonna five yard line and a one yard touchdown run from Arik Nordenstrom.
The Elks would take the lead on Adam Nelson's 39 yard run :08 into the second quarter. It would be the last time Elk River would be ahead because on the kickoff, Williamson would return the ball 67 yards for a touchdown to put the Huskies ahead. The junior running back would also score on a nine yard run. Owatonna would conclude the first half scoring as Alex Raichle recovered an Elk River fumble and quarterback Abe Havelka scored on a five yard keeper to give the Huskies a 28-14 halftime lead.
In the third quarter, Williamson would open the scoring as he ran down the right side of the field and scored from 43 yards. Defense also played a role for Owatonna when Alex Raichle recovered an Elk River fumble and scored a 29 yard touchdown. Williamson would make his fifth trip to the end zone on a nine yard touchdown run. But lo and behold, the Elks would end the Huskies run of 42 unanswered points as Nelson scampered down the center of the field for a 78 yard touchdown with 1:41 left and Owatonna led 49-20 after the third quarter.
Williamson was not done in the fourth quarter. After a 39 yard gain where he broke through four Elk River tackles, he would score on a five yard run 1:32 into the quarter. The Elks would score their first Prep Bowl touchdown in eight quarters on a passing play as Mitchell Stroh threw a 25 yard touchdown pass to Devon Garrison. The Huskies would also go deep to end the scoring on Havelka's 53 yard touchdown pass to Noah Budach to send the game into running time.
Williamson led the Huskies with 23 carries for 213 yards. He also caught three passes for 54 yards. Nelson led the Elks with 17 carries for 172 yards.
Owatonna ended their season with a 12-1 record and Elk River finished with a record of 11-2.
The attendance for the two day Prep Bowl was 37, 454.
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