By Tom Yelle
Staff writer

In a classic back-and-forth, up-and-down Friday night high school football game for the 2008 Section 7AAAAA championship, Blaine defeated Coon Rapids 24-21 to reach the state tournament for the first time in four seasons.

And as a grand prize — to all winners go the spoils — Blaine has been presented a classic first-round state tournament foe that has not lost in 39 games: that football machine from southwestern suburbia, Eden Prairie.

“Our first job was to convince our players, coaches and everyone associated with Blaine football that we can beat these guys,” said head coach Shannon Gerrety. “Then, we have to take that attitude into the game.”

That game is coming fast: Thursday, 7 p.m. at Griffin Stadium in St. Paul.

Historically, Eden Prairie is not an uncommon foe for Blaine. In fact, Eden Prairie launched into the elite level of Minnesota high school football more than a decade ago when it beat Blaine in two of the most exciting big-school championship games at Prep Bowl 1996 and 1997.

“The kids on our team were four and five years old back then and probably don’t recall those great games,” said Gerrety, who was the defensive coordinator when Blaine lost the state championship games to Eden Prairie 23-22, then 32-28. “But there’s four or five of us [coaches] who were there and are still around. We remember like it was yesterday. The 1996 game was incredible, but in 1997 we felt we were the better team, and should have won it. That was until our best defensive player [Justin Viger] went down hurt.”

In this state big-school (now known as class AAAAA) rematch between two of the state’s storied football powers at Griffin Stadium, Blaine will be the definite underdog. Gerrety, however, is confident and if the defense can contain what he calls are Eden Prairie’s “exotic plays,” then there is a good chance.

“We also have to remember and take [with us] into the game that Eden Prairie is a team with 16-, 17- and 18-year-old kids just like [the make up] of our team. Going in, our kids are going to have to feel they are the better kids in this game.”

The approach, to a point, was used last week in the classic Section 7AAAAA championship game with Coon Rapids. Gerrety said the Blaine players had to be at their best to win and except for a couple minor mistakes played an outstanding game to win by three points in what statistically was an even battle on the field:

“Blaine does not make mistakes,” said Coon Rapids head coach Jon Young. “And in our game [last Friday], Blaine didn’t. We were disappointed to have lost and not go to the state tournament and get the shot against Eden Prairie, but we realized afterward that we could have not done much more; we ended our season without regrets.”

Coon Rapids tried to get it done early in the game with a 16-play, 77-yard touchdown drive that ate up more than eight minutes on the clock for a 7-0 lead. Jeremy Oakley punctuated the effort when he scored from a yard out and Josh Hrab kicked the first of three extra points. Blaine took eight plays to go 72 yards with the last 24 covered on a James Peterson-to-Nick Rusin touchdown pass. Braden Horning, then kicked the first of four extra points to tie the score.

But not for long with 3:15 remaining in the quarter.

A Ryan Snook kickoff return gave Con Rapids a restart on its second possession at the 48-yard line and on first down quarterback Blair Townsend hit receiver Michael Jacob, who cut from the left to the middle running a post pattern — in front of a fallen Blaine defender — on a touchdown play  that covered 52 yards.

Coon Rapids took a 14-7 lead into the second quarter only to have it cut to four when Alex Wesdorf booted a 35-yard field goal for Blaine. Coon Rapids promptly marched back to expand its advantage by 10 points, but a missed fourth down play near midfield ended the threat.

And possibly altered the outcome of the game.

Blaine came back and within three plays was in the end zone. A 41-yard Peterson-to-Rusin pass to the 5-yard line was the big play and matched a moment later by a 5-yard Peterson touchdown run for a 17-14 Blaine advantage.

Early in the second half Wesdorf missed a field goal after Blaine had pushed inside the 15-yard line and Coon Rapids came back 80 yards to take the lead, 21-17, as Townsend ultimately scored from three to cap another 8-plus-minute drive.

Blaine came back in the fourth quarter to drive 74 yards in 12 plays with Peterson converting several big plays, including a third-and-10 with a 16-yard pass to Rusin for a first down on Coon Rapids’ 32-yard line. Peterson eventually scored from the one and Blaine had a 24-21 lead with 6:48 remaining.

It was then hang on time for Blaine to win. A stop of another Coon Rapids push with 3:50 to go ultimately was the last push of this classic game. And then, shortly after, eyes shifted to its classic first-round state tournament opponent Eden Prairie...