By David Heiller

Argus News Editor

Caledonia moved into the final four of the Minnesota Class AA football tournament with a 20-19 overtime victory over Minnesota Valley Lutheran (MVL) on November 11.

The Warriors will now play Hawley this Saturday, November 19 at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis. Game time is tentatively set for 12:45 p.m., although it could start up to an hour earlier than that, because it will start 13 minutes after the Class A game ends.

Tickets will on sale at the high school community education office on Wednesday and Thursday from 8 a.m.-4 p.m.

The winner advances to the state finals on November 25.

Hawley, the section 8 champion, defeated section 6 winner Yellow Medicine East 38-0 to advance to the semi-finals.

Last Fridayís game in Caledonia pitted two evenly matched teams. It surged with changes in momentum from goal line stands, turnovers, blocked punts, and missed field goals and extra points.

The overflow crowd echoed those ups and down with cheers and groans and ultimately a huge Caledonia roar that residents of Spring Grove might have heard if they had their east windows open at about 9 p.m.

That roar came on a spectacular and gutsy play in overtime. After the fourth quarter ended 13-13, each team had four downs to score from the 10 yard line. Caledonia had first crack, and quickly had six points. Kevin Klug caught a perfect pass from Cory Messner on the one yard line, then plowed into the end zone on a fullback dive for the score one play later. Lucas Nelson kicked the very, very big extra point.

The Chargers scored on their second overtime play on a run by quarterback Greg Holzhueter.

Then came the giant play from the giant player, in size of heart at least, sophomore Zach Gran. MVL elected to win or lose the game by going for two points rather than tie it with a kick. Holzhueter bootlegged to the right, and tossed the ball toward Sam Siemers. Gran cut in front of his taller opponent and came down with the ball for a game-ending interception.

ìHe was aggressive,î Caledonia coach Carl Fruechte said of Granís play. ìZach stayed in contact and made a nice play on the ball. He stayed on his hip and played the ball.î

Other defenders helped on the play too, Fruechte said. Safety Travis Steele took away the tight end, Derek Lager covered the back side, Brandon Skifton was in the flats, and Brent Knutson and Wyatt Hammell shut off the run option.

After the play, students ran onto the field, Caledonia players and coaches leaped and hugged, and MVL players slumped to the sideline.

Tough MVL defense

You could see the game ending like this from the start. As both head coaches had noted beforehand, the two teams were similar in many ways: experienced, poised, well-balanced on offense, and very good defensively.

Caledonia found that out in the first quarter. They took the ball to the MVL 8 for a first down, and four plays later it was fourth and 11. Nelson came in to try a 27 yard field goal, but it barely went wide left.

Caledonia scored at 9:22 of the second quarter on a six yard pass from Messner to Travis Steele. Andrell Hudson set up the TD with several good carries. MVL then got its passing game going and tied the game with a minute left in the half. Jake Unke caught a 17 yarder for the score, and Unkeís kick tied the game at 7-7.

The Chargers then put a scare in the home crowd when Unke, who seemed to be everywhere, intercepted a long pass intended for Steele and returned it to the Caledonia 31 with 42 seconds left. But three incompletions and a Karl Klug sack ended that drive.

It looked like Caledonia would take the lead a couple times in the third quarter. The first came when Steele recovered a fumble at the Charger 29. A 17 yard pass to Kevin Klug quickly put the ball on the 11. But the Chargers showed their tough defense once again and held for three downs before recovering a fumble on a fourth and one play.

MVL went three and out, and a short punt put Caledonia on the MVL 28 yard line. But the Chargers wouldnít give ground again. Nelson came in for a 40-yard field goal attempt, but it was short.

MVL then had a great drive that included a 15 yard draw play and another big catch by Unke to the Caledonia 22. But Caledonia held this time, forcing a fourth down incomplete pass.

The Warriors got the ball on their 20 and couldnít get a first down. That set up a huge play: an MVL player blocked Simon Augedahlís punt, and MVL suddenly had the ball on the Caledonia 21 with 9:05 left in the game. Caledonia pushed the Chargers back on a couple plays, then Siemers caught a 27 yard pass down the right sideline for a touchdown. The snap on their extra point kick was high, forcing a run to the right that Gran ended with a tackle, making it 13-7, Chargers.

Caledoniaís tying drive started with a 19 yard kickoff return by Kevin Klug to the MVL 47 yard line. Passes from Messner to Kevin Klug and Brandon Skifton got the ball to the 14. And once again the Chargers looked like they would hold. Caledonia had fourth down and about a foot on the Charger four yard line with three minutes left. The game was riding on that first down, and that meant one thing, Messner handing the ball to Karl Klug. Klug delivered as usual. He got the first down by two yards.

Nothing could keep the Warriors out from that distance, even MVLís iron-like defense. They held for two downs, then Steele took a pitch from Messner and sliced through Luke Bielkeís arms and into the end zone for the score. With just 1:50 left on the clock, the game looked like it belonged to Caledonia.

But not this game. The Charger defense once again rose high, and Bielke blocked Nelsonís kick. That kept the game tied at 13 and seemed to stun the crowd. And it set up the heart-pounding finish.

When it was over, after the weary players from both teams shook hands, Carl Fruechte gathered his players around him. ìAll of you, itís a great job,î he told them in a voice as worn as his Warriors. ìI just canít say enough about you.î

He paused and scanned the faces of the players, some kneeling, some standing. ìWe want more,î Fruechte said. ìThis is a state tournament. Now weíre on to the dome.î

The players liked the sound of that, and they liked the man who spoke them. ìHurricane Fruechte, Hurricane Fruechte!î they shouted later as he jogged to join them for a team photo.

ìAll right!í Fruechte shouted back in a tone that said, ìThatís enough of that, but donít stop if you donít want to.î

ìDome, dome!î the players responded as they ran off the field and into the waiting throng of fans.

ìTremendous jobsî

Fruechte summed up the key to how Caledonia won the game with a broad statement: the 15 seniors on the team didnít want this to be their final game.

ìThey werenít very happy with themselves at halftime,î Fruechte said. ìThey knew they could play better. They took to heart what we were saying and they didnít want it to be the last game.î

The coaches told the players at halftime that they were just a couple blocks away from making big plays. A lot of times the MVL safety was making plays. ìWe just needed to relax and understand what we needed to do and get the job done,î Fruechte said. Some senior players spoke up and said some things too.

The coach had praise for just about every aspect of his team. As he often does, Fruechte gave big praise the offensive line. They practiced hard during the week to avoid jumping off side, something that MVLís playoff opponents had done 8-10 times a game. At first the line had problems as linebacker Drew Hammell imitated MVLís tactics. By the end of the week the line was solid. ìWe did not have one [false start] Friday night,î Fruechte said. ìOur scout defense did a tremendous job, really gave us a great job. Itís important not to get first and 15 or second and 10.î

The line, and especially center Chris Summers, did a good job on MVLís quick lineman Ryan Timm, Fruechte said.

Josh Wynn played a tremendous second half, Fruechte added. ìHe just really sort of changed the tempo of the game. He just blew by their offensive line.î

Messner did a tremendous job on the last drive, Fruechte said. He was relaxed, and understood that the coaching staff had confidence in him. The coach singled out Messnerís pass to Brandon Skifton on the game-tying drive, and also his great pass to Kevin Klug in overtime just over the MVL linebackerís head. ìIt just showed what kind of guts Cory has,î Fruechte said.

Kevin Klug ran very hard too, Fruechte said. ìKevin just punished their kids is what they [MVL coaches] said,î Fruechte said. ìHeís quick and he gets his knees up so hard and high.î

Fruechte felt the game also answered some questions about whether his team could come from behind when the pressure is on. ìThey knew what they had to do and they went and did it,î he said.

Statistics

Rushing: Hudson 14, 59; Karl Klug 11, 53; Kevin Klug 10, 28; Steele 6, 21; Messner 6, minus 11. Passing: Messner, 9 for 16, 106 yards, one interception, one TD. Scoring: Steele 2 TDs, Kevin Klug, 1 TD; Nelson 2 PAT. Punts: Augedahl 4,79; Nelson 2, 54. Punt returns: Skifton 1, 12; Gran 1, 0. Kickoff returns: Kevin Klug 2, 33, Steele 1, 19. Sacks: Kevin Klug 1, 5; Karl Klug, 1, 10. Take-aways: 3. Give-aways: 2. Team offense: rushing 150 yards; passing 106 yards; total 256 yards. Team defense: 42 rushing yards allowed, 114 passing yards allowed, 156 total yards allowed.

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