Last year was last year and Sam Backer is only looking forward ---
to the Class 2A Prep Bowl game in two weeks.
The Chatfield High School senior quarterback led his team to a 27-12
win over Eden Valley-Watkins in Friday’s semifinals at U.S. Bank Stadium and the
Gophers will aim for their second consecutive state title when they meet
Barnesville on Dec. 2.
Backer was sidelined during last year’s Prep Bowl, a 14-13 victory
over West Central Area/Ashby. He was flagged for two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties
in the state semifinals and was ineligible for the Prep Bowl.
“Obviously, I thought about that going
into the game,” Backer said Friday. “I wanted to win this one because I didn't
get to last year.”
Lots will be on the line in the Prep
Bowl. Chatfield is playing at state for the 10th time and won
championships in 1994, 1995, 1996 and 2013 as well as 2021.
In addition, Backer – who has signed with Minnesota State Mankato
-- has an outside shot at setting a state career record for rushing yardage, The
record is 7,503 by McLeod West’s Tyler Evans, who ended his career in 2001.
Backer carried the ball 30 times for 150 yards and two touchdowns
Friday, also completing seven of nine passes for 55 yards and two scores. He
would need 308 rushing yards in the Prep Bowl to match Evans’ record
But don’t think that any of those numbers are on his mind. His only
focus is winning another title.
“It
makes me more hyped going into it,” he said. “I'm going to be on the field and
not on the sideline, so I’m pretty excited. When we get to this point, I don't
even think about the stats or anything. I just want to get to that championship
and I want to win it this year with my friends on the field. So this means
something special to me because I didn't get that last year.”
Barnesville Is Back
Barnesville is loaded with football tradition, as well as numbers.
The Trojans have played in three Prep Bowl and will make their fourth
appearance in two weeks after defeating Jackson County Central 41-12 in Friday’s
Class 2A state semifinals at U.S. Bank Stadium. They will try to win their
first state title, after coming up short in championship games in 1978, 2010
and 2018.
With nearly 50 players on the roster, including 17 seniors who all
see the field, Barnesville has veteran presence. Only two players see action on
both sides of the ball, which is rare for a small school.
“We have so many old older kids, and
then our juniors mix in there, it's a good combination. And we got stronger
from last year to now. I think that helped and they're hungry.”
Last year the Trojans lost to
Chatfield 22-18 in the state semifinals.
“It really helps that we’re fresh
all the time,” said senior lineman Tate Inniger. “If we end up scoring we go to the bench and sit
down, hydrate and then we're back to it, chipping away, chipping away, making
sure that (the opponents) are physically and mentally exhausted.”
Simley’s Peanut Butter And Jelly
In
Simley’s 17-16 win over Rocori in Thursday’s Class 4A semifinals, the Spartans ran
for 248 yards. Senior Gavin Nelson carried 32 times for 167 yards and senior La’tayvion
McCoy-Nunn ran 10 times for 65 yards. Nelson is a 220-pound future University
of Minnesota wrestler while McCoy-Nunn is listed at 175 pounds.
“He’s peanut butter and I'm jelly,”
McCoy-Nunn said with a smile, “because I'm really shifty and he's just tough.”
Nelson, who won the Class 2A state wrestling title at 220
pounds last winter, said playing football in his senior season made
sense, rather than focus solely on wrestling.
“Knowing the success that we had
last year, and the team that was coming back and everything that we're going to
have going, it was a no-brainer,” he said. “I had to come back and I had to
play with my boys. I knew that this was a state championship team. And I'm
really excited that two weeks from now we're going to be able to prove that
point.”
Fourth-year Simley head coach Chris
Mensen was an assistant coach when the Spartans lost to Mankato West in the
2014 Prep Bowl.
“It means a ton,” he said of
returning to the championship game. “In 2014 we felt that we had a team that
could come in and do a lot of special things. And I think this team might be
more talented. I took a look at our program four years ago and we were going in
the right direction back then. And I just felt like we had one more step to
make, and this (semifinal win) I think has really kind of kind of put the nail
in the coffin that we're heading in the right direction. We’ve got one more to
go. And I know these guys can play their hearts out and they're going to give
it everything they’ve got in that last game. I'm excited to see what they do.”
Officiating History
History was made Friday morning when M.J. Wagenson of Pine Island became the first female official to work a
game in the football state semifinals. She was part of the crew for the
Class 2A game between Barnesville and Jackson County Central. M.J. also
officiates basketball, volleyball and softball. In 2016 she became the
first female official to work at the boys state basketball tournament. Another
female football official, Leah Berard of St. Paul, worked a Class 6A state
quarterfinal game.
--MSHSL media specialist John Millea has been the leading voice of
Minnesota high school activities for decades. Follow him on Twitter @MSHSLjohn
and listen to "Preps Today with John Millea” wherever you get podcasts.
Contact John at jmillea@mshsl.org
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