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BLOOMING PRAIRIE — The Awesome Blossom opened with a bang and their defense dominated throughout the night to put together their first shutout of the season, beating Waterville-Elysian-Morristown 47-0 in McFarlin Field Friday.

Tyler Archer was everywhere in the first half for the top ranked Blossoms (4-0 overall) as he scored on offense, defense and special teams. He opened the game with a 91-yard TD on a kick return, he busted out a 49-yard TD run to make it 14-0 and he picked off a pass and ran it back 36 yards for a score to make it 41-0 with 8:20 left in the first half.

Archer initially dropped the opening kick-off, but his patience paid off after he recovered the ball.

“I missed the catch and I was scared and I thought I was going to get yelled at,” Archer said. “But I had time to read my blocks, I saw an opening and I just kept running.”

Archer also added a sack in the first half for good measure for BP, which has now won 22 straight games. The Blossoms have made the jump to Class AA this season and so far they’ve outscored their opponents by a total score of 178-38.

“We know we have a target on our back, but we’re trying to forget about that and play every day like we’re 1-0,” Archers said. “Playing ‘AA’ is exciting and it’s a challenge because you want to prove you belong.”

WEM (2-2 overall) didn’t convert a first down against BP’s first string defense as the Awesome Blossoms began to pull starters halfway through the second quarter with a 41-0 lead intact.

BP’s second team made some big plays in the win and freshman Cole Wangen had TD runs of 13- and 23-yards.

“It was good to see those guys out there competing and it prepares them for down the road,” BP head coach Chad Gimbel said. “Hopefully it makes them enjoy the game a little bit more and it makes them work harder in the offseason.”

The matchup was the first between BP and WEM since 2014. The Bucs and Blossoms used to have some big showdowns, but most of the current Blossoms are not aware of that history.

“We’d been lacking that intensity that we showed tonight. It was good to get to play WEM. A lot of these kids don’t remember Waterville, but a lot of the coaching staff does and we’ve had some rivalries with them,” Gimbel said. “I told the kids that they may not remember them, but a lot of your parents do and so do a lot of people around town. We needed intensity for this one.”

SCORING SUMMARY

WEM 0  0  0  0  —  0

BP 20 21  0  6  —  47

First quarter

(BP) Tyler Archer 91 return (Brennecke kick) (1 play, 91 yards) 11:42

(BP) Archer 49 run (Brennecke kick) (4 plays, 73 yards) 4:16

(BP) Colin Jordison 18 pass from Drew Kittelson (pass failed) (1 play, 18 yards) 2:01

Second quarter

(BP) Carson Brennecke 16 pass from Kittelson (Brennecke kick) 11:17

(BP) Cole Wangen 13 run (Brennecke kick) (3 plays, 32 yards) 8:44

(BP) Archer 36 interception return (Brennecke kick) (3 plays, 36 yards) 8:20

Third quarter

No scoring

Fourth quarter

(BP) Wangen 23 run (pass failed) (7 plays, 53 yards) 2:50

BP STATS

Rushing: Cole Wangen, 8-for-87, 2 TD; Tyler Archer, 3-for-77, TD; Brady Kittelson, 5-for-43; Cale Braaten, 1-for-(-6); Drew Kittelson, 2-for-(-6)

Passing: Drew Kittelson, 5-for-6, 90, 2 TD; Brady Kittelson, 2-for-2, 36; Cade Christianson, 0-for-3, INT

Receiving: Garret Farr, 1-for-40; Carson Brennecke, 2-for-25, TD; Colin Jordison, 1-for-18, TD

Defense: Vincent Hernandez, 1 sack; Archer, 1 sack, 1 interception; Cobey Sandte, 1 sack; Payton Fristedt, .5 sack; David Kartes, .5 sack; Cooper Cooke, 1 fumble recovery

Penalties: 4-for-25

WEM STATS

Rushing: 98

Passing: 10

Penalties: 1-for-5