Rushford-Peterson, Winona end long droughts to get back to state
Bangor High School’s football team is a win away from getting back to the state championship.
In a rematch of last year’s Division 7 title game, the Cardinals beat Pepin-Alma 54-21 Friday to remain unbeaten and get to the semifinals.
At 7 p.m. Friday at Carson Park in Eau Claire, Wis., fifth-ranked Bangor (12-0) will play unranked and Edgar (9-3) to get to the state championship.
In Division 4, Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau lost to St. Croix Centeral 41-21, ending its season 10-2.
Over in Minnesota, Caledonia got its 25th consecutive win and is headed back to the state tournament for the ninth time in the last 10 seasons.
The No. 1-ranked Warriors beat Zumbrota-Mazeppa 27-7 to win the Section 1AA title at RCTC on Friday night.
At 11 a.m. Saturday, Caledonia (11-0), three wins away from its seventh state title in the last 10 seasons, plays unranked Lakeview (9-2) at Gustavus Adolphus in St. Peter, Minn.
Also qualifying for state was both Rushford-Peterson and Winona.
Ninth-ranked R-P (10-1) edged fifth-ranked Fillmore Central 22-21 to win the Section 1A title for the first time since 2008. At 7 p.m. Friday, the Trojans will play unranked Murray County Central (8-3) at New Prague High School.
https://t.co/zH7uifGjp1 – Photos: @RPTrojans 22, @FCFalconSports 21… What a game! pic.twitter.com/vhGZmzDk8L
— Andrew Link (@alinkphoto) November 6, 2016
Ending an even longer drought than R-P, Winona High qualified for state for the first time since 1987.
The fifth-ranked Winhawks (9-1) beat Kasson Mantorville 44-13 on Friday.
At 7 p.m. Friday, Winona will play in the Class 4A opener against top-ranked South Saint Paul (10-0) at East Ridge High School in Woodbury, Minn.