13 reasons to watch the high school football section semifinals on Saturday

We know you cant be in a bakers dozen places at once.

We cant be either, as much as wed like to be on Saturday.

ADVERTISEMENT The good news: If youre itching to watch a high school football playoff game, no matter which direction you go in southeastern Minnesota youll find a good one.

Heres one good reason to watch all 13 section semifinal games Saturday that involve local teams: Northfield at John Marshall (7 p.m.) : Believe it or not, the last time JM hosted a section semifinal game, this years seniors were in Kindergarten.

It was 2012, and Mayo topped the Rockets 42-20.

You might be thinking, but what about 2015, when JM went to state? The Rockets took an odd path to the section title that year, winning at home against Austin in the quarterfinals, then winning at Mayo in the semis before beating Northfield 15-12 at JM in the section title game.

Winona at Byron (1 p.m.) : Yes, we know Byron beat Winona 48-15 in the regular season.

But Saturdays game will feature a host of future college players.

Byrons lineup includes lineman Colin Hansen (Gophers commit), running backs Carson and Jordan Heimer, and receiver Mason Helland.

Winona counters with receiver/DB Krayton Bergstrom, RB/WR Jaden Blanck, and QB/DB Deion Prolo (Winona State commit).

There are many others on both sides, we just ran out of room this time.

Faribault at Kasson-Mantorville (1 p.m.) : Kasson-Mantorville (5-3) is among the best three-loss teams around; its ultra-talented on both sides of the ball (Caisen Thome and Jeremiah Peterson-Gordon are as good of a defensive backfield tandem as you'll find in this area) and has played a difficult schedule, to say the least.

The KoMets three losses are against Byron (No.

4-ranked team in Class 4A), Providence Academy (No.

6, Class 4A) and Stewartville (No.

1, Class 3A).

Lourdes at Pine Island (1 p.m.) : Come to watch Nick Thein run the ball, stay for the defense.

Thein, Pine Islands junior tailback, has rushed for nearly 900 yards and close to 8 yards per carry over the past five games.

The Panthers' defense has done the rest, pitching three shutouts in the past four games.

Lake City at Stewartville (1 p.m.) : We'll give you 2.8 reasons to watch this one: Stewartvilles Gold Rush defense, which gives up 2.8 points per game.

Red Wing scored one touchdown (and didn't convert the extra-point attempt) in Stewartvilles 57-6 win in the section quarterfinals.

The Tigers defensive average went up by almost half a point.

Dover-Eyota at Chatfield (1 p.m.) : This is an under-the-radar fun rematch of last years Section 1, Class 2A semifinals, which Dover-Eyota won 24-22.

Were guessing players on both sides remember that one, for different reasons.

ADVERTISEMENT Lewiston-Altura at Caledonia (1 p.m.) : Lewiston-Altura (7-2) only played one Section 1, Class 2A opponent in the regular season, beating Winona Cotter 27-15.

The Cardinals are very much looking forward to the challenge of going to Caledonia.

Their Wing T, power running game built for this time of year, but Caledonias D allows a section-best (and third-best in the state) 7.6 ppg.

Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton at Triton (2 p.m.) : Triton went 3-5 in the regular season last year, then steamrolled its way to the Section 2, Class 2A title as the No.

3 seed in a six-team section.

This year, the Cobras are No.

1 in the section, and theyll get home-field advantage on Saturday.

Cannon Falls at Rush City (2 p.m.) : Cannon Falls difficult schedule has worked against it once again when it comes to section seeding.

The defending section champion Bombers (7-2) are No.

4 in a section whose remaining teams have a combined four losses.

Their run game is as tough to stop as ever; they ran for 442 yards in a 50-6 win against Randolph in Tuesdays section quarterfinals.

Rushford-Peterson at Goodhue (1 p.m.) : No opponent has come closer than 11 points against Goodhue, the top seed in Section 1-1A, this season.

The Wildcats are nicely balanced on offense and fly to the ball on defense.

Theyre black-and-blue football personified.

Fillmore Central at Blooming Prairie (1 p.m.) : What more can we say about this rematch of one of the best regular season games of 2024, which Blooming Prairie won 42-34 in OT.

This could be a track meet, featuring two excellent QBs, Brady Kittelson of Blooming and Bridon Bahl from Fillmore Central.

Kingsland at Spring Grove (1 p.m.) : We tend to be hyperbolic in this space from time to time.

We dont think this is a hot take, though: This Knights at Lions matchup will be one the best if not the best semifinal games in the state Saturday.

We also reserve the right to backtrack if its a blowout, which it wont be.

We dont think.

Southland at LeRoy-Ostrander/Lyle-Pacelli (1 p.m.) : Two words: Camden Hungerholt.

The Minnesota State commit has been all but unstoppable this season both with his arm and legs.

The Cardinals are far more than a one-man team.

Thats the bonus if you head to LeRoy on Saturday: You get to see the whole team, against an upset-mided rival from just 15 minutes away.

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