While winter sports are already underway, the 2022 Minnesota Prep Bowl wraps up the football season a week late due to the Vikings Thanksgiving game, as seven title games will be played December 2 & 3 at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. Here's a preview of the four games to take place December 2.
10:03: Class A: Springfield vs. Minneota. Two southern Minnesota teams will venture north for the Class A final. The Springfield Tigers are in their eighth state tournament and on a quest for their first Class A title since 2005. The Tigers beat Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunberg and Deer River to head into the finals. They will have a tough task in the Minneota Vikings, playing in their 16th state tournament and 11th championship game. Chad Johnston's bunch held off Lester Prairie in the quarterfinals and stopped a fierce Fillmore County Central rally in the semifinals. Last year, the Vikings lost to the Mayer Luther Crusaders in the Class A championship. Can the Vikings earn their eighth championship trophy or will the Tigers end their 17 year state title drought?
1:00: Class AA: Barnesville vs. Chatfield: The Barnesville Trojans make their fifth trip down I-94 to state and and are 0-3 in state title games. Barnesville shutout Moose Lake/Willow River in the quarterfinals and bulldozed Jackson County Central in the semifinals., thanks to John Roller rushing for 150 yards and two touchdowns. The Chatfield Gophers are in their 10th state tournament and their seventh championship game. They are 6-0 in championship games. Chatfield beat Eden Valley-Watkins in the semifinals as quarterback Sam backer ran for two touchdowns. Can the Trojans finally bring a state title trophy up I-94 or will Chatfield stay unbeaten in championship games.
4:00: Class AAAA: Simley vs. Hutchinson. Good news for Inver Grove Heights football fans. Your Simley Spartans will be playing for their first state title thanks to Reid Ramackel's game winning field goal against the Rocori Spartans. Simley is in its fifth state tournament and playing for their first state title. Now the bad news. they will face the defending state champion Hutchinson Tigers, playing in their 25th state tournament and eighth championship game where they are 6-1 in title games. Hutchinson high powered offense has averaged 51 points in two state tournament games, including a 42-28 win over the Zimmerman Thunder. Andrew Ladwig reached the end zone three times for the Tigers. Will Simley fans head back happy to Inver Grove Heights or will Hutchinson bring a seventh state title home down Highway 7?
7:00: Class AAAAAA: Maple Grove vs. Rosemount. The Class AAAAAA title game concludes the days festivities as the Maple Grove Crimson, in their 10th trip to state, return to US Bank Stadium by beating the team they lost to in last year's finals, the Lakeville South Cougars. They will face another Dakota County team, the Rosemount Irish. The Irish have been unbeaten all season and they are playing in their 12th state tournament with a chance to win their first state title since the last year of the pre-Prep Bowl Era, 1981. Irish eyes fans were smiling when they beat Centennial and Eden Prairie, using an offense similar to Elk River (more on them in Part Two) where they run run and run. In the game against Eden Prairie all the yards were by runs. Can the Crimson redeem themselves from last year's title loss or will the Irish end their 42 year state tournament drought.
Next: The three Saturday championship games.
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