BLOOMING PRAIRIE — The Blooming Prairie and Goodhue football teams defined the post-season Saturday in a game that saw both teams combine for a total 79 points.

But it was BP which put the game out of reach in the final quarter, winning the shootout 45-34 to advance to the Section 1A championship game.

The Awesome Blossoms welcomed back starting quarterback Luc Zellmer who passed for one touchdown and ran for two others including a final run from nine yards out that capped the win with just over a minute remaining.

“It was definitely fun to be a part of,” Zellmer said, who hadn’t played in a game since injuring the thumb on his throwing hand in week four against LeCenter.

“It’s tough coming back after five weeks out and play against a team of this caliber,” he said. “I still have some things to shore up.”

It may not have been the high flying attack Zellmer brought early in the season, (Zellmer had 116 yards passing on the night) but having him back left a mark on his teammates.

“It was awesome,” offensive lineman Alex Fiebiger said. “He’s a friend and it was just a good thing for us to have him back there.”

The Blossoms looked to take control early and Zellmer showed he was ready to come back. On a third and 10, Zelmer ran for the first and on the next set of downs, when the Wildcats had the Blossoms stopped, Goodhue’s Tyson Dicke was called for roughing after hitting Zellmer giving BP another set of downs.

BP continued to drive and looked to score but Jonny Kraling fumbled on four yard line with Goodhue recovering.

Goodhue was forced to punt on the next possession, Zellmer found Michael Thomas on a 24-yard crossing pattern to put BP on the board, 7-0 with about four minutes left.

BP made it 14-0 when Gabe Kartes, after sitting out the week before to injury, ran 47 yards with just under three minutes remaining.

Not long after the two teams combined to go on a scoring tear that left the score 21-13 at the end of the first quarter.

Goodhue’s Alex Brunholzl scored on a 10-yard run with a 1:34 left to make it 14-7.

On the ensuing kick-off BP responded when Michael Thomas returned the ball for 89 yards to back up 21-7. That was followed by a Goodhue drive ending with quarterback Brandon Dowden hooking up with Tyson Dicke for a 41 yard touchdown strike to cut the lead to eight going into the second quarter.

Goodhue tied the game at the 7:15 mark of the second quarter when Jeremy Schrimpf scored from five yards out, capped by a two-yard conversion.

The two teams battled back and fourth the rest of the quarter until Jonny Kraling scored with 31 seconds left on a short run up the middle to make it 27-21 going into halftime. Kraling ended the night with 102 yards

The Blossoms as a team ran for 318 yards behind the solid blocking of the offensive line.

Goodhue took their first lead when Brunholzl scored from two yards out to make it 28-27 at the 10:33 mark of the third quarter.

BP took the lead back when Zellmer scored his second touchdown of the night, this time on the ground, leaving the score 33-28 after a failed two-point conversion with 7:58 left in the third.

The scoring trades continued when Brunholzl scored his third touchdown with a 35-yard run after BP was called for defensive off-sides on third and one to make it 34-33 with just over six minutes to play.

But from there, the momentum swung to BP as they carried out a drive that took up the rest of the third quarter. Kartes scored from two yards with 11:35 to play to make it 39-34.

“Once we quit making mistakes and turning the ball over…we said it was going to take a full team effort,” head coach Chad Gimbel said.

Goodhue took over, but was stopped on their next series with 9:40 left a big stop on second and ten when Luke Hueman and Isaiah Toquam wrapped Brunholzl up for a seven yard loss which eventually led to a punt. The Wildcats would get one more solid chance on their next series with over five minutes to play but on fourth and four Hueman broke up a pass from Dowden setting up BP’s final drive.

The Blossoms grounded down the clock and coverted on a big third and ten when Zellmer found Thomas for a 22 yard gain that left BP on the Goodhue 35 yard line.

“That wasn’t Luc’s first read,” Chad Gimbel said. “That was actually his second read. It was a huge play.”

Zellmer later converted on a fourth and four when he found Kartes who took the ball to the 13-yard line, which led a couple plays later to Zellmer’s touchdown run.

“It was huge,” Zellmer said of the final drive. “Our offensive line that last series was amazing.”

“I was just yelling, getting them fired up,” said Fiebiger. “Just trying to get them to play better.”

The Blossoms finished the night with 318 yards on the ground led by Zellmer with 104 yards. Kartes added 89 yards on the ground.

“Jonny (Kraling) ran the ball well, Luc ran the ball well,” Gimbel said. “You just have to credit our offensive line.”

The Blossoms (9-1 overall) moves on to the Section 1A championship next Friday where they will face the Southland Rebels (8-2 overall) who defeated Fillmore Central 35-12 Saturday night.

SCORING SUMMARY

Goodhue 13 8 13 0 — 34

B.Prairie 21 6 6 12 — 45

Scoring

First quarter

BP — Luc Zellmer 24 yard pass to Michael Thomas (Pat Jones kick ), 4:19

BP — Gabe Kartes, 47 yard run(Jones kick), 2:55

G — Alex Brunholzl 10 yard run (Lucio Gomez kick), 1:34

BP — Thomas 89-yard kick return (Jones kick), 21-7, 1:21

G — Brandon Dowden, 41-yard pass to Tyson Dicke (kick fail), :03

Second quarter

G — Jeremy Schrimpf three-yard run (run good), 7:15

BP — Jonny Kraling, five-yard run (pass fail), :31

Third quarter

G — Brunholzl two-yard run (Gomez kick), 10:33

BP — Zellmer run (run fail), 7:58

G — Brunholzl 35-yard run (kick fail), 6:10

Fourth quarter

BP — Kartes three-yard run (pass fail), 11:35

BP — Zellmer nine-yard run (Jones kick), 1:24

Passing

BP: 116 (Zellmer 9 for 22, one INT), Goodhue: 226 (Dowden 12 for 23)

Rusing

BP: 318 (Zellmer 104, Kralying 102, Kartes 89), Goodhue: 126.

Receiving

BP: Thomas 42 yards, Hueman 37 yards.

Defense

BP: Hueman 12 tackles, Thomas, 5.5 tackles, A. Fiebiger, 5.5 tackles.