Vikings rout Braham in state opener
Ryan Meagher and Max Rost scored three touchdowns apiece, and Ryan Dalager threw three touchdown passes as Minneota steamrolled Braham 55-0 in the quarterfinals of the Class A State Football Tournament Friday in St. Cloud.
Top-ranked and defending state champion Minneota (12-0) will face Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa (11-0) in the semifinals at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 18 at U.S. Bank Stadium. BBE, ranked No. 5 in Class A, topped Mayer Lutheran 28-6 in its quarterfinal game.
The game with Braham was seemingly over after the first play from scrimmage when Meagher broke free for an 81-yard touchdown just 19 seconds into the game.
To put the Vikings' domination into perspective, consider:
Meagher had 100 yards rushing in the game before it was four minutes old. His first three carries went for 107 yards and two touchdowns.
Braham had a total of minus-5 yards of total offense in the first half.
The Vikings scored a touchdown on each of their first eight series of the game.
Rost had touchdowns of 35 and 24 yards called back because of holding penalties, but the Vikings eventually scored after each one.
Ten Minneota players rushed for positive yardage, including eight that reached double figures in total yards.
Minneota had 431 yards of total offense for the game, while the Bombers managed just 41. Minneota rushed for 219 yards. Braham finished with minus-19.
In Braham's first eight plays of the game over three series, excluding punts, five plays went for a loss, one went for zero yards, and one was an incomplete pass. Only one play gained yardage, a 2-yard run by quarterback Jake Tepley.
Meagher scored on runs of 81 and 12 yards, and caught a TD pass from Dalager for 38 yards. Rost had touchdown receptions of 10 and 18 yards from Dalager, while also scoring on a four-yard run.
Meagher finished with 132 yards rushing in six carries, all in the first half. Destin Fier added 51 yards in six carries. Drew Lipinski had 25 yards, Joey Lacek 18, Kellen Bradley 16, Lucas Rybinski and Easton Johnston 14 each, and Max Rost 13.
After Meagher's long run to start the game, Minneota forced the Bombers to a three-and-out on their first series.
Starting on their own 46, Minneota needed only four plays to reach the end zone again. Meagher started the drive with a 14-yard run and capped it off with a 12-yard TD run with 8:32 left in the opening quarter. Destin Fier had two carries for 28 yards in the drive. Freshman Ian Myhre converted the extra point for a 14-0 lead.
Following a short Braham punt, the Vikings started on the Bombers' 24 for the next series. Dalager connected with Rost on a 10-yard aerial strike for a 21-0 lead.
Minneota scored just four seconds into the second quarter following a seven-play, 54-yard drive. Rost caught passes of 14 and 20 yards in the drive before eventually scoring on a four-yard run.
The Vikings struck quickly again on its ensuing series. Following a Braham punt and a nice return by Destin Fier, the Vikings started at the 36. After a two-yard loss, Minneota scored on its next play, a halfback screen pass from Dalager to Meagher that covered 38 yards to make it 35-0.
Braham (9-3), which had only five first downs in the game, was again forced to punt and Minneota took over on the Bombers' 40. Meagher busted off a 23-yard run to start the drive. Dalager and Rost teamed up for an 18-yard TD to cap it, giving the Vikings a 41-0 lead at halftime.
Fier and Adam DeVlaeminck both scored on a seven-yard runs in the third quarter to complete the scoring.
Dalager completed 8 of 12 passes for 130 yards and three touchdowns. Rost had four receptions for 62 yards and Meagher had three for 68 yards.
Kyson Arndt and Kaden Neyens each recorded a sack for the Vikings. Seventeen players had at least one tackle, including seven players who recorded a tackle-for-loss. Joey Lacek had a fumble recovery.
BBE DOWNS MAYER LUTHERAN: The Jaguars, Minneota's next opponent, kept its perfect season intact as senior quarterback Luke Dingmann threw a 24-yard touchdown pass to Luke Illies and ran for a 91-yard touchdown, both in the second quarter, in a 28-6 win over Mayer Lutheran.
Dingmann, however, was injured making a tackle just before halftime and did not return. His status for the semifinals is unknown.
Jack Lundberg scored on a 27-yard run in the first quarter and returned a kickoff 75 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter for BBE's other two scores.
Minneota 55, Braham 0
Braham.........................................0 0 0 0 - 0
Minneota.................................... 21 20 14 0 - 55
Scoring Plays
Min - Ryan Meagher 81 run (Ian Myhre kick)
Min - Meagher 12 run (Myhre kick)
Min - Max Rost 10 pass from Ryan Dalager (Myhre kick)
Min - Rost 4 run (Myhre kick)
Min - Meagher 38 pass from Dalager (Myhre kick)
Min - Rost 18 pass from Dalager (kick failed)
Min - Destin Fier 7 run (Myhre kick)
Min - Adam Devlaeminck 7 run (Myhre kick)
Team Statistics
Total plays: Braham 47, Minneota 49 ... Total Yards: Braham 41, Minneota 435 .... Rushing Yards: Braham (-19), Minneota 291 ... Passing Yards: Braham 60, Minneota 144 ... First Downs: Braham 5, Minneota 18 ... Turnovers: Braham 1, Minneota 1 ... Penalties: Braham 5-56, Minneota 5-32
Minneota Statistics
Passing (com-att-yds-td-int): Ryan Dalager 8-12-130-3-0, Brody Larson 0-0-0-0-0, Carson Javers 1-1-14-0-0, Tristen Sussner 0-0-0-0-0
Rushing (att-yds): Ryan Meagher 6-132, Destin Fier 6-51, Drew Lipinski 2-25, Joey Lacek 2-18, Kellen Bradley 3-16, Lucas Rybinski 2-14, Easton Johnston 1-14, Max Rost 3-13, Adam DeVlaeminck 2-5, Kaden Christensen 1-3
Receiving (rec-yds): Ryan Meagher 3-68, Max Rost 4-62, Adam DeVlaeminck 1-14, Kellen Bradley 1-0
Tackles (solo-asst-tot): Kyson Arndt 5-1-6, Kaden Neyens 2-3-5, Lucas Rybinski 1-4-5, Drew Lipinski 2-2-4, Easton Johnston 2-2-4, Alex DePestel 1-3-4, Joey Lacek 1-2-3, Kellen Bradley 0-3-3, Brody Larson 0-3-3, Carson Javers 1-1-2, Max Rost 1-1-2, Dantae Orvis 1-1-2, Parker Bradley 1-1-2, Ryan Meagher 1-0-1, Destin Fier 1-0-1l, Keaton Jurrens 1-0-1, Sawyer DeSmet 0-1-1
Sacks: Kyson Arndt 1, Kaden Neyens 1
Tackles for losses: Kyson Arndt 2, Drew Lipinski 1, Kaden Neyens 1, Max Rost 1, Alex DePestel 1, Dantae Orvis 1, Parker Bradley 1
Fumble recovery: Joey Lacek 1