Caledonia football trails early, explodes late in state semifinals

Warriors look for seventh state title in past 10 seasons

For the first time in, who knows how long, the Caledonia High School football team found itself behind in the second quarter of a football game.

In a No. 1-vs.-No. 2 match up in the Class 2 A state semifinals, the top-ranked Warriors were behind 13-7 three minutes into the second quarter.

To say Caledonia answered with a fury, might be an understatement.

The Warriors scored 48 unanswered, won 55-13 and move onto the state title for the seventh time since 10 seasons – having won the championship the six times prior.

At 4 p.m. Friday, Caledonia (13-0) will play fourth-ranked Eden Valley-Watkins (12-1) at U.S. Bank Stadium for the title and back-to-back undefeated seasons.

The matchup is an interesting one. In 2005, in what some people argue was Caledonia’s best team – on that contained current Tennessee Titan Karl Klug – Eden Valley-Watkins beat the Warriors 21-7 at the Metrodome.

After that, all Caledonia did was win six titles in nine seasons.

In the semifinals, down 13-7 after a Barnesville (11-1) touchdown with 9:26 left in the second quarter, Caledonia scored five touchdowns before half.

That, of course, forced Barnesville to throw more than it wanted to, having come in attempting 54 passes all season. The Trojans did stick to and were successful running with 318 yards. Caledonia finished with 419, however, led by Ben McCabe’s 164 yards, three touchdowns on just 10 carries.

Caledonia quarterback Owen King was 17-for-26 for 226 yards with four touchdowns. His top target, Andrew Goergen, had 7 catches for 109 yards and three scores.