The 2009 Prep Bowl will be held over two days, Friday, Nov. 27 and Saturday, Nov. 28, at the Metrodome in downtown Minneapolis. KSTC 45 will broadcast all six games live, as well as feed numerous cable systems around the state. The games will also be streamed live for free Web viewing at www.45.GrandStadium.tv.
Here is a look at the key moments that helped get teams here, and some other news and notes about Friday and Saturday’s game.
FIRST AND FIVE
1. CROCKETT THE ROCKET: Totino-Grace enters the Prep Bowl 12-0 and will face an equally talented Sartell (13-0) team. Leading the way for TG is running back John Crockett, who ran for 264 yards and scored five touchdowns in a 35-0 win over defending Class 4A state champion Mankato West. Crockett’s big plays came on a 63-yard catch and run off a short pass from JD Pride for a touchdown and an 81-yard touchdown run.
2. DAVID VS. GOLIATH?: Many people are already giving the 3A state title to three-time defending state champion Glencoe-Silver Lake, but New London-Spicer proved in a 34-14 win over Kasson-Mantorville that they are ready for the challenge. At 13-0, NLS is led by a staunch defense. In the win over KM, Justin Zylstra, Erik Tengwall and Tom Duscher all played key roles in earning the shutout win. On offense, quarterback Jayme Moten threw for two touchdowns, ran for a touchdown, and caught a touchdown pass in the win. GSL is favored, but NLS won’t go down without a fight.
3. AND THEN THERE WAS ONE: At the start of the state football tournament, four teams were attempting to repeat as state champs. Now, only one remains: Glencoe-Silver Lake. Wayzata (5A), Mankato West (4A) and Caledonia (AA) all lost prior to the Prep Bowl.
4. MINNEOTA MOVING: The Minneota Vikings average a staggering 51.2 points per game this season and hold their opponents to an average of only 10.5 points. Junior Brandon Anderson and senior Sam Derynck lead the offensive charge. Anderson is the main ball carrier and has gained 1,775 yards for the season and scored 32 touchdowns. Derynck completed 60 percent of his pass attempts and connected with receivers for 1,987 yards and 30 touchdowns, primarily to senior Will Kurka, who has 603 yards and 14 touchdowns. On the defensive side of the ball, senior Brett Przymus has accounted for 77 tackles, two fumble recoveries and three interceptions.
5. GROUND CONTROL: More than 3,000 of Eden Prairie’s 3,544 total offensive yards came on the ground this season. Senior Gage Schaeffer leads the way with 960 yards on 176 rushing attempts and 10 touchdowns. Greg Morgan also had 10 rushing touchdowns. Junior quarterback Brian Athey threw only 91 passes in 12 games this season, but threw nine touchdown passes.
THREE TO WATCH
1. Michael Unzen, Moose Lake-Willow River: Unzen had an interception late in a 27-21 win over Luverne in the Class AA semifinals last week and also scored on a 22-yard run to help MLWR (13-0) advance to the Prep Bowl against Waterville-Elysian-Morristown. Unzen scored 17 touchdowns and piled up 1,601 rushing yards this season.
2. Sartell Sabres: The Sabres of Sartell-St. Stephen are looking for their second title. They won the Class A crown as Sartell in 1994. Senior quarterback Cole Jenkins amassed 1,736 passing yards this season and threw 15 touchdown passes, including seven to senior Rob Voshell. Voshell also averages 36.3 yards on kickoff returns and led the Sabres with six interceptions. Senior Joshua Kremer gained 1,295 yards on the ground on 256 carries and also ran for 27 touchdowns. On the defensive side, junior Austin Guggenberger and senior Sean Tillman had 77 and 72 tackles for the Sabres. Sartell-St. Stephen averaged 32.4 points per game while holding opponents to 10.1 points per game.
3. John Safranski, Stephen-Argyle Central: In 9-man action, Safranski came up big on offense and defense. He threw two touchdown passes (24, 55) and ran for a 6-yard score in a 21-18 win over Clinton-Graceville-Beardsley, but his biggest play may have come on defense. That’s because Safranski stopped CGB running back Nick Vogt on a 4th and 2 from the 6-yard line with under 30 seconds remaining to help give SAC the win.
TWO HOT TOO HANDLE
1. Nowotny to Klingore: The duo connected with 6 seconds remaining to give Adrian a 14-7 win over Fosston in the 1A semifinals to give Adrian a berth in the Prep Bowl and a chance at redemption. Adrian has one loss this season, and that’s to its Prep Bowl opponent, Minneota, which defeated Adrian 43-13 in the season opener.
2. Brad Anderson, Minneota: Anderson has been the workhorse for undefeated Minneota (13-0) in its 49-26 win over Blooming Prairie in the state semifinals. Anderson ran for 160 yards rushing and three touchdowns and now has 1,775 yards and 32 touchdowns on the season.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
270 – The weight of Cameron Clarkson – a powerful fullback for the Cretin-Derham Hall football team. Clarkson has been a key catalyst for the Raiders ground game late in the season. The 5-11 Clarkson ran for over 120 yards last week in the semifinal win over Mounds View and has over 1,022 yards rushing on the season.
255 – Is this a trend? That is the weight of Clinton-Graceville-Beardsley fullback Isaiah Athey. At 5-10, Athey is deceptively nimble, and was a key player on CGB’s team that advanced to the state semifinals.
36 – The number of total points three-time defending 3A state champion Glencoe-Silver Lake has given up in 13 games this season.
8 – The number of shutouts this season by GSL. In a 28-0 win over Mora in the semifinals last week, the defense intercepted four passes, returning one for a touchdown, in the win.