MINNEAPOLIS — They just couldn’t stop the run.

The Blooming Prairie football team had its season end in a 49-26 loss to Minneota in the Class ‘A’ state quarterfinals Saturday in the Metrodome in Minneapolis.

Minneota (13-0 overall) passed just one time in the second half as they ran 28 times for 151 yards in the final 24 minutes.

“They were getting a real push up front and their backs were really good at finding holes,” BP defensive end/wide receiver Cooper Nelson said. “They’re a really good team.”

BP (11-2 overall) scored on a five-yard pass to Cooper Nelson from Luc Zellmer at the end of the first half to pull within 29-26 at the break. Zellmer for 234 yards and three scores in the first half, but momentum turned against BP on their opening drive of the second half.

The Awesome Blossoms looked to be headed for the go-ahead score when they converted a fourth and 10 to the Minneota 13 yard-line as Gabe Kartes hauled in an 11-yard pass.

Things took a turn for the worse when BP faced a third and goal from the Viking one-yard line. Minneota’s Beau Buyssee ripped a lob pass away from Justen Ingvalson in the end zone to turn an apparent BP score into a turnover.

“They took control of the game (on that play) and that really deflated us,” Nelson said. “They got all the momentum right there.”

Minneota followed the turnover up with a 14-play, 80-yard drive that included all running plays. Brandon Anderson, who ran for 155 yards and three scores, capped the drive with a 12-yard run.

BP drove to the Minneota 46-yard line on its next possession, but Buysse broke up a pass on fourth and eight to end that threat. Minneota responded with a six-play drive that was capped by a 14-yard scoring strike from Sam Derynck to Jesus Macias to make it 42-26.

BP’s defense was banged up throughout the second half as Dan Willert and Josh Gwilt left the contest with injuries.

“We just ran out of bodies and all we had left was ninth and tenth grade linemen,” BP head coach Chad Gimbel said. “It hurt to not be able to rotate our defensive linemen.”

While Minneota dominated on the ground, BP had just 49 yard rushing yards in the game and it had -1 rushing yards in the second half.

“We kind of got away from the run and that kind of hurt us,” Gimbel said. “They were stout up front and when we did run, they stopped it.”

The game opened with a bang for the Blossoms as they converted a fourth and three on their opening drive on an Aaron Niles six yard catch and Niles scored on a seven-yard catch to make it 7-6 Vikings.

BP scored TDs on its next two possessions — a seven-yard catch by Justen Ingvalson that was set up by a 51-yarder to Gwilt, and a 70-yard TD grab by Gabe Kartes to give BP a 19-7 lead early in the second quarter.

Kartes had 136 receiving yards on the day, but was held to 16 in the second half.

“They started double covering me and Cooper,” he said. “It was kind of hard for us to get open and they really challenged us.”

Minneota scored on its next three possessions after Kartes’ score to go up 29-19 before the Blossoms put together their five play, 53 yard drive at the end of the half.

“We knew it would be a tough game and we figured this would be state right here,” Kartes said. “Whoever won this one will win state so we’re really rooting for Minneota now.”

BP had four turnovers, while Minneota had just one giveaway.

The Vikings play Adrian next Friday at 1 p.m. at the Metrodome.

Minneota beat Adrian 43-13 Sept. 3 in the season opener.

STATS

BP stats: BP rushing: Aaron Niles, 11-for-30; Luc Zellmer, 9-for-10; Justen Ingvalson, 4-for-6; Gabe Kartes, 2-for-3; BP passing: Zellmer, 24-for-38, 295, 3 TD, 2 INT; Kartes, 6-for-136, TD; Josh Gwilt, 2-for-53; Cooper Nelson, 6-for-44, TD; Aaron Niles, 4-for-37, TD; Luke Hueman, 4-for-14; Ingvalson, 1-for-11; Interceptions: Hueman; Solo tackles: Jeff Hagstrom (7); Hueman (6); Penalties: 2-for-10

Minneota stats: Minneota rushing: Brandon Anderson, 22-for-155, 3 TD; Jacob Cheadle, 10-for-84, 2 TD; Sam Derynck, 8-for-47; Jordan Fink, 1-for-7; Tony Noyes, 4-for-6; Minneota passing: Derynck, 4-for-10, 86, 2 TD; Minneota receiving: Will Kurka, 2-for-62, TD; Jesus Macias, 1-for-14, TD; Noyes, 1-for-10; Interceptions: Beau Buysse; Jordan Fink; Penalties: 2-for-25

SCORING SUMMARY

BP 12 14 0 0 — 26

Minneota 6 23 7 13 — 49

First quarter

(M) 10:04 Cheadle 34 run (Vitor Santos kick) (5 plays, 61 yards)

(BP) 5:06 Niles 7 pass from Zellmer (Niles kick failed) (13 plays, 67 yards)

(BP) 2:10 Ingvalson 1 run (run failed) (4 plays, 58 yards)

Second quarter

(BP) 11:48 Kartes 70 pass from Zellmer (Niles kick) (2 plays, 73 yards)

(M) 8:10 Anderson 18 run (Santos kick)

(M) 4:16 Noyes 58 pass from Derynck (Derynck run)

(M) 2:15 Anderson 22 run (2 plays, 13 yards)

(BP) :06 Nelson 5 pass from Zellmer (Niles kick) (5 plays, 53 yards)

Third quarter

(M) :34 Anderson 12 run (Santos kick) (14 plays, 80 yards)

Fourth quarter

(M) 6:54 Macias 14 pass from Derynck (Santos kick failed) (6 plays, 54 yards)

(M) 2:04 Cheadle 13 run (Santos kick) (7 plays, 43 yards)