section playoffs

Blooming Prairie won a thriller over defending section champ Rushford-Peterson Saturday night and will square off with No. 1 ranked Goodhue Saturday at 5PM at Rochester Regional Sports Stadium on Kat Kountry 105FM.

On a day where top seed Northfield got upset and No. 1 ranked in the state Chaska lost, nothing could be taken for granted in Owatonna's match-up with Austin in Saturday's Section 1-5A football semifinal. The Huskies and Packers combined for over 100 points for the second time this season with Owatonna coming out on top 62-41.

The semifinal round of the section football playoffs unfold Saturday. Owatonna hosts Austin at 7PM on KRFO AM 1390. Triton entertains Lewiston-Altura at 7PM on KDHL AM 920. Blooming Prairie travels to Rushford-Peterson at 7PM on Kat Kountry 105 FM. NRHEG plays Maple River in Mapleton at 7PM. All four are rematches of regular season games.

No. 6 seed NRHEG upset No. 3 Alden-Conger 3-2 Thursday in the Section 2A, South Subsection quarterfinals. NRHEG advances to semifinals at St. Peter High School with a 25-19, 15-25, 25-20, 21-25, 15-8 victory. The Panthers will see No. 2 seed St. Clair Tuesday at 7:45PM.

Farmington defeated Owatonna 3-2 in a back-and-forth first-round volleyball match in the Section 1AAA playoffs Wednesday night in Farmington. The Huskies grabbed the first set 25-22. The Tigers won the next two 25-12, 25-23. OHS dominated the fourth 25-23. Farmington jumped out to a big lead early in the fifth set, winning it 15-11.

LeSueuer-Henderson scored fairly late in the second quarter for a 20-6 lead over New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva in their Section 2AA quarterfinal football playoff game. The Panthers made a dent in the deficit before halftime and took the lead late in the third on their way to a 36-23 win, their second in 11 days against the Giants.

Bundle up as you head out to cheer on your favorite team with the start of the high school football playoffs Tuesday night. Strong northwest wind accompanying highs in the mid to upper 40's will make for a rude contrast to last Wednesday's final night of the regular season.

The section playoffs are set for high school football. Owatonna, Triton, Blooming Prairie and NRHEG all landed home postseason openers. Medford goes on the road. First round games are Tuesday October 24.

Friday's game between New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva and LeSueur-Henderson could have been a preview of a first round Section 2AA playoff game. That rematch might happen in New Richland after the Panthers prevailed on the road Friday 24-10. Both teams are 3-4 entering the final week of the season.

Farmington stunned top-seed Owatonna 2-1 in overtime Thursday night in the Section 1AA semifinals at the Lincoln Complex in Owatonna. The Tigers scored as a result of their only corner kick of the night, which led to a scrum in front of the Huskies' goal.