Eden Valley-Watkins defeats Barnesville in the Class 2A Prep Bowl
MINNEAPOLIS — The Eden Valley-Watkins Eagles (13-0) defeated the Barnesville Trojans (13-1) 24-6 in the Minnesota high school football Class 2A Prep Bowl on Friday at U.S. Bank Stadium. It's the Eagles second state title in school history.
"This is probably the greatest moment of our lives," Eagles senior lineman Anthony Fink said. "There is nothing like it. This is probably the greatest moment of our lives."
The defenses ruled the day in the first half.
The Eagles started the game with a nine play, 55-yard touchdown drive. Quarterback Nolan Geislinger connected with receiver Wyatt Moehrle for a touchdown on a fade in the corner of the end zone.
As defensive as the first half was, the second half started with both teams scoring on their opening drives.
The Trojans scored on a 10 play, 64-yard drive finished with an 8-yard touchdown run from Gannon Bolgrean.
Eden Valley-Watkins answered with two touchdown drives. Geislinger scored his first rushing touchdown of the game on a run down the sideline for a 36-yard touchdown. Geislinger found Moehrle again for a touchdown. He hit Moehrle down the middle of the field for 55 yards and an 18-6 lead entering the fourth quarter.
"We challenged them to respond, and they came out and did a great job of that," Eagles head coach Adam Tri said.
In the fourth quarter, Geisleinger and Moehrle continued to build on their success. They scored a 22-yard touchdown after Geisleinger lobbed a ball to Moehrle, who leapt higher than the defensive back to bring it down.
Geislinger finished 7-of-13 for 111 yards and three touchdowns, and he rushed for 90 yards. Moehrle finished with five receptions fir 92 yards.
"I knew they couldn’t stop him, so I just had to get it to him," Geislinger said.
Eagles defender Nolan Haag tied a Prep Bowl record with three interceptions in the game. The Trojans turned it over five times in the game.
"Easily the fastest team we’ve faced all year," Barnesville quarterback Zachary Bredman said. "They closed on the balls really fast when we tried to pass, and I just wasn’t making the right reads with how fast they were, and I wasn’t able to complete many passes as I usually would."
Barnesville's Bolgrean finished with 150 rushing yards on 20 carries and one touchdown.
Tri, who graduated from Eden Valley-Watkins in 2003, led the Eagles to a title, as did his father in 2005. He gets to share this state title with his father, who still hangs around the program.
"You appreciate how hard it is to get to this," Tri said. "It’s not easy. … You appreciate the moments. It’s fun. I get to spend a lot of moments with my dad."
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