BLOOMING PRAIRIE — The Awesome Blossoms did all they had to do in the first quarter of a 53-15 win over No. 3 Fillmore Central (4-6 overall) in the Section 1A football semifinals Saturday.

No. 2 seeded BP (8-2 overall) scored five touchdowns in the first quarter alone to jump out to a 32-3 lead and senior wide receiver and defensive end Cooper Nelson, who is making his way back from a serious knee injury, played a big role in the rally.

“We know our offense is capable is doing that kind of stuff. We just put them away early,” Nelson said. “I hadn’t really gotten into a groove, but I think me and Luc are back on the same page and hopefully we’re going to make a good run.”

Nelson caught a five-yard touchdown pass on a jump ball in the end zone to put his team up 13-3 and he picked off a pass and ran it back 35 yards on Fillmore’s next possession to make it 19-3.

It was Nelson’s first career interception and it kind of happened by accident.

“I saw their tackle pull and I thought it was going to be a sweep. I looked up and saw the ball coming to me so I just caught it and ran,” he said.

BP quarterback Luc Zellmer finished with five touchdowns in the first half and he tossed his sixth score of the night to Gabe Kartes, who had 205 yards of offense and three scores.

“We did a lot of good things on offense,” BP head coach Chad Gimbel said.

As the game got out of hand, the hitting picked up on both sides and the Blossoms picked up a couple of 15-yard penalties.

“I didn’t like the personal fouls,” Gimbel said. “When you retaliate, you’re the one who gets caught and we always talk to our kids about that.”

BP will now focus on playing at No. 1 Goodhue (7-3 overall) Saturday at 7 p.m. for the Section 1A title. It is the fourth straight season that Goodhue and BP will meet in the playoffs and the Blossoms won the last two meetings.

“They look like they want to run the football a little more. It’s going to be a physical game,” Gimbel said. “Our defense will have to be physcial.”

STATS

BP passing: Luc Zellmer, 13-for-16, 270, 6 TD; Toquam, 3-for-6, 74; Weston Fiebiger, 1-for-1, 11

BP receiving: Kartes, 5-for-117, 2 TD; Cooper Nelson, 3-for-55, TD; Luke Hueman, 2-for-52, 2 TD; Michael Thomas, 1-for-31; Ryan McCabe, 1-for-24; Jon Kraling, 2-for-24; Dylan Hatch, 1-for-22; Tyler Anderson, 1-for-19

BP rushing: Gabe Kartes, 3-for-88, TD; Jon Kraling, 11-for-41; Dylan Hatch, 1-for-7; Anthony Suazo, 2-for-3; Ryan McCabe, 8-for-1; Isaiah Toquam, 4-for-0; Luc Zellmer, 3-for-(-3); Weston Fiebiger, 1-for-(-5)

BP interceptions: Toquam, Nelson

BP sacks: Nelson (1)

BP penalties: 5-for-65

FC passing: Andy Todd, 11-for-26, 178, 2 TD; Colton Hampel, 0-for-4

FC receiving: James Skaalen, 3-for-58, TD; Mitch Johnson, 2-for-51; Hampel, 3-for-44, TD; Tanner Ristau, 1-for-26; Zach Olstad, 2-for-(-3)

FC rushing: Zach Olstad, 10-for-44; Tanner Ristau, 6-for-26; Tyler Eickoff, 7-for-15; Todd, 2-for-0

FC penalties: 8-for-65

SCORING SUMMARY

FC 3 0 6 6 — 15

BP 32 14 7 0 — 53

First quarter

(BP) 10:02 Jon Kraling 19 pass from Zellmer (kick failed) (6 plays, 74 yards)

(FC) 6:11 Ryan Mayer 26 field goal (10 plays, 59 yards)

(BP) 2:49 Cooper Nelson 5 pass from Zellmer (Pat Jones kick) (8 plays, 93 yards)

(BP) 2:24 Nelson 35 interception return (run failed) (1 play, 35 yards)

(BP) :50 Luke Hueman 50 pass from Zellmer (kick failed) (1 play, 50 yards)

(BP) :06 Hueman 2 pass from Zellmer (Jones kick) (2 plays, 42 yards)

Second quarter

(BP) 4:29 Kartes 41 run (Jones kick) (3 plays, 62 yards)

(BP) 2:06 Kartes 24 pass from Zellmer (Jones kick) (4 plays, 35 yards)

Third quarter

(BP) 6:24 Kartes 10 from Zellmer (Jones kick) (8 plays, 42 yards)

(FC) 2:57 Colton Hampel to Åndy Todd (pass failed) (10 plays, 70 yards)

Fourth quarter

(FC) 10:23 James Skaalen 41 pass from Hampel (run failed) (2 plays, 70 yards)