Class A
Springfield 30, Mahnomen/Waubun 16
Springfield will get a third crack at it. After consecutive runner up finishes each of the past two seasons, the Tigers punched a third straight trip to the Prep Bowl on Saturday, thanks to a 30-point fourth quarter.
Yes, 30. The Tigers trailed Mahnomen/Waubun 16-0 heading into the final frame, but tallied 118 total yards of offense and forced two turnovers over the final 12 minutes to turn the game on its head.
Parker Kuehn hit Isaac Fredin for a 9-yard scoring strike to trim the deficit to 16-8. Mahnomen/Waubun turned the ball over on downs on its ensuing possession.
Springfield marched back down and scored on an Aiden Moriarty 3-yard touchdown run to make it 16-14.
Mahnomen/Waubun punted on its next possession.Then Springfield (12-0) drove again and took the lead as Kuehn connected with Madden Lendt on a 13-yard touchdown pass with three minutes to play.
Minneota 45, Parkers Prairie 0
Who else would Springfield face in that title game except the Vikings? For the third straight year it will be Springfield vs. Minneota in the Class A Prep Bowl. That game will be played at 10 a.m. on Nov. 22. The Vikings won the previous two editions and look to be in form to win a third straight title.
They led 35-0 at the break Saturday, outgaining Parkers Prairie by a 424-105 margin.
Ryan Meagher ran for 132 yards and two scores, while Brody Larson ran for a score and threw for another. Lincoln Jerzak and Kellen Bradley each had interceptions for the Vikings (12-0).
Class 3A
Dassel-Cokato 29, Pequot Lakes 26
Trailing 26-7 early in the third frame, Dassel-Cokato (11-1) scored the game’s final 22 points to earn a trip to the Prep Bowl.
Kobee Thielen scored the go-ahead touchdown from seven yards out with 47 seconds to play to complete the comeback. Dassel-Cokato rushed for 321 yards as a team, with Cole Veith leading the charge with 113 yards, while Thielen and Caleb Smock each ran in a pair of scores.
Dassel-Cokato will play in the title game at 1 p.m. on Nov. 23.
Stewartville 33, Albany 20
Stewartville is one win away from successfully defending its state title after the passing clinic Vincent Wellik and Parker Wangen put on Saturday.
Wellik connected with his star receiver nine times to the tune of 152 yards and two scores. Albany (11-1) also moved the ball, with Boone Roemeling throwing for 229 yards and three scores -- all of which went the way of Ethan Meyer -- but the Tigers were simply more efficient on third and fourth down and did not commit a turnover.
Stewartville will meet Dassel-Cokato in the state title game at 1 p.m. on Nov. 23.
-- Jace Frederick