Olson leads Blooming Prairie air attack to win

Published 12:00 am Thursday, October 17, 2002

Blooming Prairie scored two touchdowns in the final minute of the first half and sparked themselves to a 35-13 season-ending victory over host Minnesota Valley Lutheran Wednesday night in New Ulm.

The Blossoms (6-2) earned third place in the Gopher Valley Conference and the second seed in Section 2AA. BPHS junior quarterback Kraig Olson threw for 252 yards and four touchdowns and rushed for the other. Blooming Prairie will host seventh-seeded Hayfield (1-7) Tuesday night at 7 p.m.

"The guys played really well, everything seemed to be clicking," said BPHS coach Chad Gimbel. "We played with some intensity and we came home with our goal."

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Minnesota Valley Lutheran (5-3) scored the game's opening touchdown before the Blossoms went on a spree. Olson found David Kramer for touchdown passes of 20 and 25 yards, and Olson's 1-yard touchdown plunge helped the Blossoms to a 20-7 halftime lead.

MVL got to within a touchdown by capitalizing on Blooming Prairie's muffed kickoff return to open the second half. Karl Struck found Jacob Firle for a 5-yard touchdown pass and the Chargers were back within a touchdown, 20-13.

Olson eliminated the threat with a 42-yard touchdown pass to Lynn Chheang and another hook-up with Kramer, this time for six yards, and the 35-13 win.

Kramer finished with five catches -- three for touchdowns -- and 85 yards. Chheang totaled 58 yards on three receptions. Olson was 13-for-26 passing without an interception.

Steven Salinas rushed 15 times for 82 yards to lead the Blossoms on the ground.