Blooming Prairie: A Town of Champions
Blooming Prairie Community Day is being celebrated on Wednesday, July 8 on AM 1390 KRFO with a focus on the town throughout the day and a special live broadcast during the noon hour live from B to Z Hardware. BP is well rehearsed in celebrating, especially this school year.
The Awesome Blossoms won the state football title back in November. The school had its first-ever state wrestling champ this past winter. The boys basketball squad won a section championship on the final day of high school sports in March.
During the day, AM 1390 KRFO will present snippets of interviews and reaction to the athletic success from this school year. There is plenty of past historical success as well. The first state team championship came in 1984 in girls track and field. Jeanne Kruckeberg still holds the state record for the 800 meter run from 1986 according to the high school league website. The 1997 girls 4x100 team won the state title.
Blooming Prairie's Lisa Meshke had a dominating golf career that included a state title in 2000. Seventeen years later Tommy Braaten won a state golf title.
BP won the state softball title in 2013 after taking runner-up the year before. The championship season capped a four-year run at state. Ali Mach was the softball coach then, and is the activities director now. She says athletic success not only brings the community together, but also triggers reaction from former students who reach out to express congratulations.
Awesome Blossom football made its ninth state tournament appearance last season, winning their first title with a dominant victory over BOLD, after falling to them in the semifinals in 2018. Coach Chad Gimbel also spoke of the community reaction and support as one of his top reflections on winning the title.
Comments from Mach and Gimbel will be heard during Blooming Prairie Community Day. Boys basketball coach Nate Piller recaps the emotional roller coaster of winning the section title and finding out the next day that the team would not get to play at state.
Listen for athlete comments as well. Gabe Hagen was a member of the football championship, making a Sports Center Top Ten play with his circus catch while lying on his back in the end zone. Colton Krell captured the state wrestling title, becoming the first Blooming Prairie athlete to do so.
Even the Awesome Blossom nickname enjoyed some great success with its runner-up finish in the recent Minnesota State High School League's nickname contest, dropping a close decision to the Moorhead Spuds in a Twitter poll.
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