The morning after Minnesotans wake up from their Thanksgiving feast is the start of the 2021 Minnesota Prep Bowl November 26 and 27 at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. Here's a preview of the four games played on November 26.
10:00: Class A: Minneota vs. Mayer Lutheran. The Minneota Vikings are in their 15th state tournament as they head into their 11th state title game as they try to bring home their eight championship trophy to southwestern Minnesota. The Vikings beat Mahnomen/Waubun and Rushford-Peterson to head into the championship. Conner Sik has been making opposing defenses sick with five touchdowns in two state tournament games. He reached the end zone twice against Mahnomen/Waubun and three times against Rushford Peterson. What a successful fall season it has been for Mayer Lutheran. The girls volleyball team took home the Class A title trophy and now the Crusaders in their seventh trip to state have a shot at their first state football title. Mayer Lutheran has won 12 straight games since losing their season opener to Gibbon-Fairfax Winthrop and has cruised through the Class A bracket with wins over Murray County Central and New York Mills. Can the Crusader fans head home happy down Highway 7 if they beat Minneota?
1:00: Class AA: Chatfield vs. West Central Area. Yes sir folks. There's a changing of the guard in this year's Class AA final as the Caledonia Warriors reign is over. The two new combatants are the Chatfield Gophers, in their eight trip to state and vying for their fifth state title and the West Central Area Knights from Ashby who are in their first state tournament since 2017 and looking to win their first state title. The Gophers gobbled up the Minneapolis North Polars in the quarterfinals and in the semifinal game against the Barnesville Trojans, they were trailing 18-14 until Parker Delaney threw a 46 yard touchdown pass to Luke Carrier with 2:21 left to clinch the championship berth. The Knights, losing their only game by two points to Osakis, beat Moose Lake-Willow River 14-6 in the quarterfinals and got a third quarter safety from Hunter Norby that held up for the win against the Maple River Eagles. Who will be the new kings of the Class AA hill?
4:00: Class AAAA: Kasson-Mantorville vs. Hutchinson. The Kasson-Mantorville KoMets are playing in their 11th state tournament but have never headed home down Highway 52 with a championship trophy. They earned the opportunity to win their first after pulling the upset of the tournament in the semifinals with a 24-20 win over the unbeaten Becker Bulldogs. They used solid defense and came through on Matthew Donovan's touchdown pass to Brooks Buchanan with :09 remaining to clinch their first Prep Bowl trip. But things are getting tougher for the KoMets as they face the perennial power Hutchinson Tigers, in their 24th trip to state and playing for their sixth state title. The Tigers only loss this season was to Becker 21-12 but K-M ended any possibility of a rematch. Hutchinson has scored more than 40 points in for of their last five games. Can the Tigers make it five of six or will the KoMets play the role of giant killers again?
7:00: Class AAAAAA: Maple Grove vs. Lakeville South. If you can only make it to one Prep Bowl game over the two days, head to downtown Minneapolis for the Class AAAAAA final. Keep an eye on the Crimson's top running back Derrick Jameson. He scored a 77 yard touchdown in the semifinals against the Eden Prairie Eagles and has made 23 trips to the end zone this season. The unbeaten Lakeville South Cougars have been the top ranked team most of the season in Class AAAAAA thanks to junior running back Carter Hansen who also has 23 touchdowns and 1,959 yards. Memo to PJ Fleck. HSGN hopes you are in attendance for this game before you face Wisconsin Saturday. You'll be seeing two possible additions to your backfield. Both teams are playing for their first state championship. Can the Crimson stay hot or will the Cougars cruise to the title trophy?
Next up. Saturday's games in Part Two.
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