Taking the front line: Blossoms are ready for the Prep Bowl
Published 7:32 pm Tuesday, November 26, 2019
- Blooming Prairie’s Mitchell Fiebiger (81), Luke Rennie (21) and Gabe Hagen (8) combine to drive back Ada-Borup’s Braiden Fetting in the Minnesota State Class A Football Tournament semifinals Saturday at US Bank Stadium. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
The Awesome Blossoms have had to wait two weeks to play in their first Prep Bowl in program history, but the players on this year’s team who experienced last year’s 37-7 loss to BOLD in the state semifinals have been waiting more than a year to play this game.
The teams will finally face off at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis at 10 a.m. Friday.
BOLD will be looking for redemption after it lost last year’s Minnesota Class A Prep Bowl to Mahnomen/Waubun by a score of 22-21 and the Blossoms will be looking to finally beat BOLD. In 1974 Bird Island, which is part of the BOLD school district, beat BP in double overtime in the state quarterfinals.
While some of the players on the line have changed, the Warriors bring back some of the same play-makers that hurt BP last year. Mr. Football candidate Jordan Sagedahl threw for 355 yards and six TDs in a 56-7 win over Browerville in the state semifinals and Gavin Vosika had 232 yards receiving and four TDs in that win.
Blooming Prairie’s Luke Rennie (21) and Gabe Hagen (8) converge on Ada-Borup’s Braden Thompson in the Minnesota State Class A Football Tournament semifinals Saturday at US Bank Stadium. Herald File Photo
BP is approaching the game like it has approached all of its games this season, it wants to win the fight up front.
“We have to take care of the ball and win the line of scrimmage,” BP head coach Chad Gimbel said. “We have to win in the trenches. Our D-line has to get pressure on their QB and make him uncomfortable. On the back-end we have to be disciplined and read and trust our keys.”
BP’s offense has been effective this season through its balance as Matthew Pryor, who ran for 183 yards and two scores in a 41-0 win over Ada-Borup in the state semifinals has been steady on the ground and Gabe Hagen and Karson Vigeland have provided steady targets for quarterback Kaden Thomas.
“We have to be balanced offensively and win on the line of scrimmage,” Gimbel said. “Keep them off balance between run and pass. Keep them guessing if it’s inside run or outside run. Make plays when given the opportunity.”
While BP’s softball team won a state title title in 2013, the BP football program is still searching for its first ever state title as this is the team’s fifth state tournament appearance in the last nine years.
BIG MATCHUP
Blooming Prairie
- Record: 12-0 overall
- Points per game: 48.8
- Points allowed per game: 8.7
BOLD
- Record: 13-0 overall
- Points per game: 43.5
- Points allowed per game: 7.5
