
State football semifinals feature comebacks, blowouts at US Bank Stadium
The state football tournament semifinals kicked off Thursday at U.S. Bank Stadium and it proved to be a surprising day at the home of the Minnesota Vikings.
For starters, perennial 6A power Eden Prairie was blasted by Maple Grove 35-3. The Crimson, who remain undefeated, have reached the state championship game and await the winner of Friday night's semifinal between Lakeville South and St. Michael-Albertville.
The 4A semifinal between Kasson-Mantorville and No. 1 Becker went to the wire, with the KoMets scoring on a 7-yard touchdown pass with 9 seconds to go to secure the victory. K-M had to rally from down 17-3 in the second half, and then go 80 yards with 90 seconds to go on the game-winning drive. The KoMets will play Hutchinson or Orono in the title game. Those two kickoff Friday at 4:30 p.m.
In 9-Man, LeRoy-Ostrander blasted Kittson County Central 49-0. They now await the winner of Friday's semifinal (9 a.m. kickoff) between Fertile-Beltrami and Hills-Beaver Creek.
In 2A, Chatfield narrowly defeated Barnesville 22-18 and will face the winner of Maple River and West Central Area/Ashby in the title game. The game-winning touchdown came on a deep ball with under 2:30 left in the fourth quarter.
The Class 1A semifinals are Saturday morning. At 9 a.m., Rushford-Peterson meets Minneota, followed by Mayer Lutheran against New York Mills.
The 3A semis are also Saturday, beginning at 2 p.m. with Plainview-Elgin-Millville against Annandale, and then Dassel-Cokato versus Esko.
The 5A semifinals are Friday and Saturday. On Friday at 2 p.m. Robbinsdale Cooper plays Mahtomedi, and then on Saturday at 7 p.m. Mankato West takes on Rogers.