by Scott DCamp
Sports Editor

Badger/Greenbush-Middle River scored three second half touchdowns to break a first half tie with Goodridge/Grygla en route to a 30-16 win by the Gators over the Chargers Friday night in Grygla.

The game, which was a Section 8 9-Man semifinal originally scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday, was moved to 5 p.m. Friday to comply with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz’s executive order, which effectively ended Minnesota High School fall sports at 11:59 p.m. Friday night. Both teams were coming off wins just three days prior.

“It wasn’t the way to end a very frustrating on and off COVID 2020 season,” said Goodridge/Grygla Head Coach John Wilebski. “With playoff advancement shut down, incentive and focus seemed to be somewhat a let down, even though the Chargers were sitting on an unblemished record.”

Led by senior quarterback Kasen Swenson, the Gators presented a much different offense than any the Chargers had seen in 2020.

“With the BGMR Gators coming in with their four wide spread receiver set and phenomenal quarterback Kasen Swenson, it was a logistical match-up nightmare for our Chargers’ defense,” Wilebski said. “Our offensive game plan was ground and pound attack, and keep the Gators’ high-powered offense off the field.”

Early on, the Chargers were able to accomplish that goal by putting together a long, time-consuming drive. The Chargers’ opening drive went 14 plays and gained 54 yards, but ended with a BGMR goaline stand at the one yard line.

After a Gator three and out, the Chargers were on the march again on their second possession, going 38 yards on six plays. Unfortunately, that drive also ended at the one yard line. A bad center-quarterback exchange was the culprit and the Gators fell on the loose ball to keep the Chargers from putting points on the board for the second consecutive drive.

The Chargers kept the Gators pinned back and started their third possession at their own 49 yard line. The third time was the charm for the Chargers, who pieced together a six-play, 51-yard drive that ended with a 20-yard touchdown run by Matt Busse. Andrew Loken added the two-point conversion run and the Chargers led 8-0 halfway through the second quarter.

After starting its first two possessions at their own one yard line, the Gators finally had some breathing room on their third possession. With room to work, the Gators drove 57 yards on 12 plays to put their first points on the board. Dillon Foss scored the touchdown and Swenson passed to Aaron Westling for two as the Gators tied the game 8-8 with 43 seconds left in the half.

The Gators came out on fire in the third quarter with a seven-play, 60-yard drive that ended with a five-yard touchdown pass from Swenson to Garret Undeberg on a fourth and goal play. The two connected again for the two-point conversion to make it 16-8 in favor of the Gators. Already with momentum, the Gators gambled with a surprise onside kick and came up big when they were awarded possession despite an apparent recovery by the Chargers. Although the Gators did not score on the possession, it allowed them to pin the Chargers back at the nine yard line.

Throwing out of the shadow of his own end zone on a third and nine play, Goodridge/Grygla senior quarterback Riley Manderud  was picked off by BGMR defensive back Kobey Dallager. Dallager’s interception gave the Gators the ball at the Charger 33 yard line. Six plays later, Zach Blawat hauled in a pass from Swenson and scored from 22-yards out. Swenson kept the ball on the two-point play to make it 24-8 in favor of the Gators.
With time running out in the third quarter, the Chargers mustered up a 10-play, 59-yard drive scoring drive. All 10 plays on the drive came on the ground, with Manderud scoring from five yards out on a gutsy five-yard run up the middle on fourth and goal from the five. Loken added the two-point conversion to get the Chargers back to within eight points.
The Chargers were in desperate need of a stop early in the fourth quarter. Unfortunately, they wouldn’t get one, as Swenson raced 48 yards for a touchdown on the third play of 65-yard scoring drive that put the Gators back up by two scores with 11:22 remaining.
The Chargers needed a quick answer, but instead put the ball on the ground for the third time in the game. The Gators fell on the loose ball and ran off close to five minutes before Levi Kiesow picked off Swenson.
On the ensuing drive, the Chargers drove 64-yards on 15 plays to reach the BGMR 14 yard line before turning the ball over on downs to effectively end the game.
“We knew they were going to put up points,” Wilebski said. “We are not built for coming from behind. It finally caught up with us early in the second half.
“We lost the turnover battle and that generally means defeat,” Wilebski added. “With that being said, as unconventional of a football season 2020 was, our Charger boys had a wonderful football season. I think it surely was a bright spot in a dismal COVID year, and at least they got to play some football and have some fun.”
Scoring       1  2  3  4    T
BGMR……….0  8 16  6   30
GG…………… 0  8  8   0   16
GG – Matt Busse 20-yard run, Andrew Loken run.
BGMR – Dillon Foss 3-yard run, Aaron Westling pass from Kasen Swenson.
BGMR – Garret Undeberg 5-yard pass from Swenson, Undeberg pass from Swenson.
BGMR – Zach Blawat 22-yard pass from Swenson, Swenson carry.
GG – Riley Manderud 5-yard run, Loken run.
BGMR – Swenson 48-yard run, pass failed.
Team Statistics
■ First downs – BGMR 15; GG 17.
■ Fumbles (total-lost) – BGMR 2-0; GG 3-2.
■ Penalties (number-yards) – BGMR 4-25; GG 1-5.
■ Rushing (attempts-yards) – BGMR 35-189; GG 46-220.
■ Passing – BGMR 15-for-21, 152 yards, 2 touchdowns, 1 interception; GG 4-for-10, 39 yards, 1 interception.
■ Total plays/yards – BGMR 56-341; GG 56-259.
Individuals
■ Rushing – (BGMR) Kasen Swenson 13-87, touchdown; Dillon Foss 7-42; (GG) Andrew Loken 19-69; Matt Busse 6-29, touchdown; Nolan Anderson 8-51; Lewis Jones 8-50; Riley Manderud 5-21, touchdown.
■ Passing – (BGMR) Kasen Swenson 14-for-20, 140 yards, 2 touchdowns, 1 interception; (GG) Riley Manderud 4-for-10, 39 yards, interception.
■ Receiving – (BGMR) Zach Blawat 5-50, touchdown; Dillon Foss 3-24; (GG) Levi Kiesow 2-26; Lewis Jones 1-12.
■ Tackles – (GG) Levi Kiesow 11, Lewis Jones 10, Jordan Coan 7, Riley Manderud 6, Tucker Verbout 6, Andrew Loken 5.
■ Interceptions – (GG) Levi Kiesow 1.