Fade to black: Blossoms’ epic comeback falls one play short
Published 5:26 pm Saturday, October 26, 2024
Blooming Prairie’s Bradley Boyd reaches to try and break up a pass intended for Fillmore Central’s Greg Kennedy during a Section 1A playoff game Saturday afternoon in Blooming Prairie. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Blooming Prairie’s Owen Krueger (74) reaches out for Fillmore Central’s Kane Larson (12) during a Section 1A playoff game Saturday afternoon in Blooming Prairie. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Blooming Prairie’s Lukas Loverink tries to break a tackle following a catch against Fillmore Central during a Section 1A playoff game Saturday afternoon in Blooming Prairie. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Blooming Prairie’s Bradley Boyd carries after a catch as Fillmore Central’s Josh Huagerud tries to bring him down during a Section 1A playoff game Saturday afternoon in Blooming Prairie. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Blooming Prairie’s Cannon Wacek (21) and Bradley Boyd (2) try to bring down Fillmore Central’s Greg Kennedy during a Section 1A playoff game Saturday afternoon in Blooming Prairie. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Blooming Prairie’s Alex Lea (12) and Brady Johnson (72) combine to tackle Fillmore Central’s Kane Larson (12) during a Section 1A playoff game Saturday afternoon in Blooming Prairie. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Blooming Prairie’s Cannon Wacek runs for a touchdown against Fillmore Central during a Section 1A playoff game Saturday afternoon in Blooming Prairie. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Blooming Prairie’s Cole Wangen carries the ball against Fillmore Central during a Section 1A playoff game Saturday afternoon in Blooming Prairie. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Blooming Prairie’s Brady Kittelson nearly comes up with an interception against Fillmore Central during a Section 1A playoff game Saturday afternoon in Blooming Prairie. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Blooming Prairie’s Eli Johnson finds a gap through through the Fillmore Central line during a Section 1A playoff game Saturday afternoon in Blooming Prairie. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Blooming Prairie’s Brady Kittelson is upended on a carry against Fillmore Central during a Section 1A playoff game Saturday afternoon in Blooming Prairie. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
BLOOMING PRAIRIE – The Awesome Blossoms put together an unbelievable comeback, only to see their season come to end just minutes later as they lost to No. 3 seeded Fillmore Central 46-39 in a Section 1A football semifinal Saturday.
No. 2 Blooming Prairie had trailed 36-14 in the third quarter, but the Blossoms stormed all the way back to tie the game before FC took the lead for good when Josh Haugerud hauled in a 55-yard TD pass from Bridon Bahl with 1:42 left in the game. On its final possession, BP drove all of the way down to FC’s 18-yard line and Lukas Loverink almost snagged a TD pass from Brady Kittelson on third down before Kittelson’s final pass skipped incomplete in the end zone on BP’s last offensive play.
Kittelson was crucial in BP’s effort as he threw for 277 yards and a score, ran for 129 yards and two TDs and he caught two passes for 11 yards and a TD.
“I just did not see our team losing this game,”: Kittelson said. “We were better athletically and if we just kept our heads up, we were going to win. It just came down to the last big play and we just couldn’t convert it.”
It looked like the game was out of reach when the Falcons took a 39-20 lead when Atlee Hershberger made a 22-yard field goal with 7:34 left in the fourth quarter.
That’s when things got interesting.
BP went down the field in less than a minute as Kittelson found Bradley Boyd for a 13-yard TD, Kittelson scored on a 23-yard run with with 4:30 left and after an Alex Lea interception and Loverink scored from four yards out to tie the game at 39-39 with 2:30 left.
BP head coach Chad Gimbel was proud of how his team battled back, although it was trailing for most of the day.
“They showed grit, determination and perseverance to come back with seven minutes left,” Gimbel said. “The biggest lesson I hope they learn is that if you dig deep enough, you can always come up.”
Loverink was Kittelson’s biggest target in the fourth quarter as he finished with eight catches for 161 yards, including a couple of big gains that came on jump balls.
“Lukas was huge at the end of the game,” Kittelson said. “Even if he’s not open, he’s open. He’s a monster.”
BP (8-2 overall) scored on the first play from scrimmage as Kittelson broke off a 62-yard TD run to give his team their only lead of the day. FC (9-1 overall) made a big early play when Haugerud put the team up 15-6 on a 55-yard TD catch that came on fourth down.
BP had 11 seniors on the team and they have served as the core of the program for the past few years.
“Every one of those seniors is contributing,” Gimbel said. “Everybody sees the guys who make the plays, but we’ve got kids like Quintin Hynes and seniors who don’t even get on the field that help make us better. (Kittelson and Loverink) make everybody believe with the plays that they make.”
The Blossoms and Falcons split a pair of games this season, with each contest coming down to the final seconds. A total of 161 points were scored in those two contests.
“They’re a great team with great skill players and they have a lot of big guys,” Kittelson said of FC. “ You’ve got to hand it to them.”
SCORING SUMMARY
FC 15 14 7 10 – 46
BP 6 8 6 20 – 39
First quarter
(BP) Brady Kittelson 62 run (kick failed) (1 plays, 62 yards) 11:41
(FC) Greg Kennedy 30 pass from Bridon Bahl (Atlee Hershberger kick) (3 plays, 68 yards) 10:55
(FC) Josh Haugerud 55 pass from Bahl (Kane Larson run) (4 plays, 50 yards) 6:13
Second quarter
(FC) Larson 2 run (Hershberger kick) (11 plays, 65 yards) 9:44
(BP) Cole Wangen 4 run (Cannon Wacek from Kittelson) (7 plays, 68 yards) 7:04
(FC) Larson 1 run (Hershberger kick) (10 plays, 65 yards) 2:47
Third quarter
(FC) Anthony Kiehne 4 pass from Bahl (Hershberger kick) (12 plays, 50 yards) 6:3
(BP) Kittelson 3 pass from Loverink (run failed) (13 plays, 65 yards) 1:14
Fourth quarter
(FC) Hershberger 22 field goal (5 plays, 20 yards) 7:34
(BP) Bradley Boyd 15 pass from Kittelson (run failed) (3 plays, 65 yards) 6:45
(BP) Kittelson 23 run (Cooper Cooke kick) (4 plays, 66 yards) 4:30
(BP) Loverink 4 run (kick failed) (2 plays, 23 yards) 2:30
(FC) Josh Haugerud 55 pass from Bahl (Hershberger kick) (4 plays, 75 yards) 1:42
BP STATS
Rushing: Brady Kittelson, 12-for-129, 2 TDs; Cole Wangen, 8-for-48, TD; Lukas Loverink, 3-for-8, TD; Cannon Wacek, 1-for-(-5)
Passing: Kittelson, 19-for-29, 277, 1 TD, INT; Gabe Staloch, 1-for-8; Loverink, 1-for-3, TD
Receiving: Loverink, 8-for-161; Bradley Boyd, 6-for-59; Staloch, 2-for-47; Wangen, 1-for-19; Kittelson, 2-for-11, TD; Alex Lea, 2-for-7; Cannon Wacek, 1-for-4
Defense: Alex Lea, 1 interception; Lovevink, 1 fumble recovery
