Prep Bowl Starts Today

NSO – NEWS RELEASE

Prep Bowl XXXIV

Grand Meadow, Minneota, Becker to defend titles

Grand Meadow, Minneota, and Becker are the only defending champions that have survived the first two rounds of tournament play. Eight teams that made it to their respective championship games still boast unblemished records.

The top-ranked Superlarks of Grand Meadow are making their fourth consecutive and eighth overall appearance and seek their third consecutive and overall title in Class 9-Man. The Class A defending champion Minneota Vikings are making their second consecutive and 12th overall appearance. They were the top-ranked team in this year’s final Associated Press (AP) poll and also won titles in 1986, 1987, 1988, and 2009. The defending champions in Class AAAA, the Becker Bulldogs, return for their second consecutive and 15th overall appearance. They were No. 1 in the final AP poll and are looking for their third championship. In addition to last year, Becker also won in 2005.

The 2015 Prep Bowl will be conducted over two days, Friday, Nov. 13, and Saturday, Nov. 14, at TCF Bank Stadium on the University of Minnesota Minneapolis campus. It will be the second time that the Prep Bowl will be conducted outdoors. Prep Bowl was created in 1982 and the games were played in the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome from the time it opened through the fall of 2013.

Friday, Nov. 13

Class 9-Man: Underwood (13-0) vs. Grand Meadow (13-0) @ 10 a.m.

[Underwood and Grand Meadow’s statistics are current through semifinals]

Underwood is making its third consecutive and seventh overall appearance and is looking for its first title. The Rockets, who were ranked No. 3 in this year’s final Associated Press (AP) poll, lost in the quarterfinals in 2014. Two-time defending champion Grand Meadow closed the season ranked No. 1 in the final AP poll. The Superlarks are making their fourth consecutive and eighth overall appearance, winning titles in 2013 and 2014.

Underwood rushed for 4,616 yards this season. Senior Coy Thorson led the Rockets with 1,814 yards on 194 rush attempts, which was good for 20 touchdowns. Thorson also paced the defense with 89.5 tackles and eight fumble recoveries. Dylan Kalenze, another senior, added 1,230 rushing yards on 147 attempts for 19 touchdowns. Kalenze also caught five passes for an additional 107 yards and one touchdown. Senior quarterback Justin Masloski completed 25 of his 65 passing attempts for 507 yards and five touchdowns. Masloski also ran for 764 yards and an additional 17 touchdowns. Underwood averages 41.3 points per game while holding its opponents to 14.8 points per game.

Grand Meadow also likes to keep the ball on the ground. The Superlarks rushed for 3,217 yards and completed 59-of-120 passing attempts for 1,226 yards this year. Junior Christophor Bain rushed for 1,197 yards and scored 19 touchdowns. Bain also paced the defense with 109 tackles and three interceptions. Senior quarterback Michael Stejskal added 529 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns and also ran the passing game with 1,111 yards and 17 additional touchdowns on 54 completions. Grand Meadow averages 46.8 points per game while holding opponents to 13.1 points per game.

Class AA: Pipestone Area (13-0) vs. Caledonia (13-0) @ 1 p.m.

[Pipestone Area and Caledonia’s statistics are current through semifinals]

The No. 2-ranked Arrows of Pipestone Area are making their second consecutive and overall appearance under this name. Last year, the Arrows lost in the semifinals. Pipestone made two additional appearances in 1977 and 1980. The Arrows are still looking for their elusive first title. The top-ranked Caledonia Warriors are looking for their seventh championship, after losing in the semifinals in 2014. This is their second consecutive and 11th overall appearance. The Warriors won previously in 1976, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011 and 2012.

Pipestone Area prefers to keep the ball on the ground and amassed 3,749 rushing yards this year. Senior Austin Moeller had 17 rushing touchdowns for the Arrows and totaled 1,163 yards on 162 attempts. Senior quarterback Brayden Baartman added an additional 17 rushing touchdowns with 963 yards on 125 carries. Baartman also completed 38-of-77 pass attempts for 783 yards and seven touchdowns. Brad Hillard, another senior, paced Pipestone Area’s defense with 88 tackles and two fumble recoveries. As a team, the Arrows average 41.3 points per game while their opponents score an average of 6.5 points per game.

Senior Sam Stemper led the ground game for Caledonia. He gained 1,166 yards on 152 carries and scored 20 touchdowns. Stemper also had 52 tackles with one fumble recovery and one interception. The Warriors’ sophomore quarterback, Owen King, completed 130 of his 202 pass attempts for 2,196 yards and 40 touchdowns. King’s favorite target was senior Tanner Gran. Gran tallied 51 receptions this year for 951 yards and 17 touchdowns. Junior Alex Goergen led Caledonia’s defense with 67 tackles and one fumble recovery. The Warriors did not provide team or scoring statistics.

Class AAAA: South St. Paul (11-1) vs. Becker (12-0) at 4 p.m.

[South St. Paul and Becker’s statistics are current through semifinals]

South St. Paul, which was ranked No. 5 in the final AP poll, returns for its third consecutive and sixth overall appearance. The Packers bowed out in the quarterfinals last year and are still looking for their first championship. The No. 1-ranked Becker Bulldogs return to defend their 2014 title. They are making their second consecutive and 15th overall appearance. In addition to last year, the Bulldogs also claimed a title in 2005.

The Packers of South St. Paul run a stellar ground game and they accumulated 3,775 rushing yards this season. Senior quarterback Dan Pietruszewski scored 24 rushing touchdowns on 180 carries for 1,319 yards. Pietruszewski also completed 37 of his 60 pass attempts for an additional 865 yards and 11 touchdowns. Jesus Cortez, another senior, paced South St. Paul’s defense with 67 tackles and one fumble recovery. Junior Ryan Duffy added 33 tackles for the Packers with one fumble recovery and five interceptions. South St. Paul averages 34.0 points this season to its opponents’ 15.1.

The Becker Bulldogs also prefer to keep the ball on the ground. They gained 2,841 yards on 404 rushing attempts and another 2,030 yards on 117 completed passes. Senior quarterback Andrew Stanger completed 108 passes and netted 1,913 yards and 26 touchdowns. Senior Gabe Dertinger added 1,097 yards and 11 touchdowns on 117 rushing attempts. Junior Jaylin Hildebrandt paced Becker’s defense with 77 tackles and one interception. The Bulldogs average 45.0 points per game this season and their opponents average 9.0 against them.

Class AAAAAA: Osseo (9-3) vs. East Ridge, Woodbury (11-1) @ 7 p.m.

[Osseo and East Ridge’s statistics are current through semifinals]

The unranked Orioles of Osseo return to make their second appearance as a co-op with Maranatha Christian Academy of Brooklyn Park. They made their first appearance in 2013. Osseo also made seven additional appearances as a single school between 1982 and 1993. The Orioles have never won a state title. East Ridge is making its second consecutive and overall appearance. The Raptors fell in the quarterfinals last year and tied for No. 2 on this year’s final AP poll.

The Osseo Orioles like to keep the ball on the ground and they accumulated 2,312 rushing yards this year. Senior Prince Kruah carried the ball 268 times and tallied 1,656 yards and 16 touchdowns. Senior Malik Gaillard is the quarterback for Osseo. He completed 132-of-226 pass attempts this season and racked up 1,703 yards and 20 touchdowns. Senior Damario Armstrong caught 65 passes this year for 940 yards and 13 touchdowns. Senior Jack Kraemer led the Orioles’ defense with 107 tackles. Osseo averages 28.8 points per game this season and their opponents’ average 23.9 against them.

East Ridge also likes to keep the ball on the ground. The Raptors rushed for 3,726 yards and completed 40-of-87 passing attempts for 723 yards this year. Junior Dominik London rushed for 2,085 yards and scored 20 touchdowns. Senior quarterback Otumus Payemanu added 1,076 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns and also ran the passing game with 702 yards and four additional touchdowns on 38 completions. Senior Josh Knazze anchored East Ridge’s defense with 83 tackles, one interception, and one fumble recovery returned for a touchdown. The Raptors average 32.3 points per game while their opponents average 18.3 points against them.

Saturday, Nov. 14

Class A: Minneapolis North Community (12-0) vs. Minneota (13-0) @ 10 a.m.

[Minneapolis North Community did not provide statistics; Minneota’s statistics are current through the semifinals]

Minneapolis North Community looks to improve on last year’s semifinal showing. It is the second consecutive and fifth overall appearance for the Polars, who enter the tournament ranked No. 4 in the final AP poll. Minneapolis North Community has never won a state championship. The No. 1-ranked Vikings of Minneota look to defend their 2014 Class A title. They also won championships in 1986, 1987, 1988 and 2009. Minneota is making its second consecutive and 12th overall appearance; it made one additional appearance as a co-op with Lincoln HI of Ivanhoe in 2013.

The Vikings of Minneota gained 3,967 yards on the ground this season. They also completed 101-of-199 pass attempts for another 1,400 yards. Senior Garrett Hennen led the rushing charge with 2,056 yards and 29 touchdowns on 274 carries. Hennen also had a team-high 118 tackles for Minneota. Bryce Bruner, another senior, added nine rushing touchdown and three receiving touchdowns with combined yardage of 1,088. Sophomore quarterback Alex Pohlen completed 87 of his 166 pass attempts for 1,251 yards and 16 touchdowns. The Vikings average 42.5 points per game this season to their opponents’ 11.8 points per game.

Class AAA: Jackson County Central (10-2) vs. Pierz (12-0) @ 1 p.m.

[Jackson County Central and Pierz’s statistics are current through the semifinals]

Jackson County Central is making its sixth appearance under this name, but first since 2001. The Huskies also made two additional appearances as Jackson in 1985 and 1989. Overall, the Huskies have earned two championships – one in 1985 and one in 2001. This year’s Jackson County Central squad tied for No. 9 in the final AP poll. The Pioneers of Pierz return to make their third consecutive and 11th appearance overall appearance. The Pioneers, who lost in the semifinals last year, were ranked No. 1 in this year’s final AP poll. Pierz won one previous title in 2004.

Jackson County Central accumulated more than twice as many yards on the ground (3,739) as in the air (1,325). Senior Keegan Moore led the Huskies with 27 rushing touchdowns on 189 carries for 1,588 yards. Moore also had two fumble recoveries this year. Avery Henderson, another senior, added 14 rushing touchdowns with 982 yards on 128 attempts. Jackson County Central’s senior quarterback, Easton Bahr, went 58-of-99 on his pass attempts and tallied 1,186 yards with 15 touchdowns. The Huskies average 44.8 points per game this year while holding their opponents to an average of 13.8 points per game.

Pierz also prefers to keep the ball on the ground. The Pioneers rushed for 3,282 yards and completed 43-of-86 passing attempts for 929 yards this year. Junior Lane Girtz rushed for 919 yards and scored 14 touchdowns. Girtz also had 86 tackles and one fumble recovery on the defensive side. Senior quarterback Aaron Weber ran the passing game with 894 yards and 12 touchdowns on 40 completions. Senior Michael Meyer was Weber’s favorite target. He caught 15 passes for 342 yards and five touchdowns. Pierz averages 38.8 points per game while holding opponents to 7.7 points per game.

Class AAAAA: St. Thomas Academy, Mendota Heights (11-1) vs. St. Michael-Albertville (11-1) @ 4 p.m.

[St. Thomas Academy and St. Michael-Albertville’s statistics are current through semifinals]

The Cadets of St. Thomas Academy return for their 22nd appearance, but first since 2012. They were ranked No. 5 in this year’s final AP poll and are in the hunt for their second title. They claimed their first in 1975. The Knights of St. Michael-Albertville, who have never won a state title, return for their third consecutive and eighth overall appearance. They lost in the semifinals in 2014 and came in at No. 4 in this year’s final AP poll.

St. Thomas Academy rushed for 2,607 yards this season while netting 1,375 yards passing. Senior Sean McFadden led the ground game for the Cadets. He scored nine touchdowns on 196 rushing attempts and gained 1,199 yards. Senior Woody Hubbell added 11 rushing touchdowns for the Cadets on 109 carries. Senior quarterback Andrew Tri completed 53 percent of his pass attempts and threw for 10 touchdowns. Senior Mac Brown caught 36 of Tri’s passes and turned them into 604 yards and four touchdowns. Junior TJ Wright led St. Thomas Academy’s defense with 85 tackles and one fumble recovery. The Cadets did not provide scoring averages.

St. Michael-Albertville also prefers to keep the ball on the ground and compiled 2,471 rushing yards this year. Senior Erik Sjelin and sophomore Mitchell Kartes gained 1,186 and 1,020 yards on the ground, respectively. Sjelin carried the ball 179 times and ran for 15 touchdowns and Kartes carried the ball 176 times and tallied 12 touchdowns. Senior quarterback Jacob Veire completed 51 percent of his pass attempts for 1,734 yards and 15 touchdowns. Senior Evan Rosen anchored St. Michael-Albertville’s defense with 110 tackles. The Knights average 31.3 points per game and their opponents average 15.3 against them.