Goal line stand puts KoMets in Class AAAA championship

The Kasson-Mantorville football team is now one win away from its first state title, after defeating Grand Rapid 14-12 Friday afternoon in the state tournament semifinal matchup. 

The KoMets’ first defensive stop came in the first quarter, as they held Grand Rapids on a fourth down in the red zone. 

After back and forth defensive stops, the KoMets caught a break when Grand Rapids was called for pass interference. 

The penalty put the KoMets on the 12-yard line, and they capitalized a couple of plays later on a three-yard rush by Jeremiah Peterson-Gordon. 

Griffin Grover’s fumble recovery on the next Grand Rapids possession led to a 19-yard field goal by Miles Bungum. 

The KoMets didn’t let off the gas in the second half, scoring within a minute on a 77-yard passing touchdown from Grady Babcock to Camryn Boelter. 

Late in the third quarter, Keymoni Bent came up with an interception to stop a Grand Rapids drive. 

With less than two minutes left in the game, Grand Rapids scored on a 72-yard passing touchdown and made the two-point conversion to force a one-possession game. 

After recovering the on-side kick, Grand Rapids drove down field to score on a tip passed in the end zone. 

Down two, the KoMets intercepted the two-point conversion. 

With 18 seconds left in the game, Grand Rapids recovered another onside kick, but the KoMets held the line on a last second pass to the end zone, putting them in the prep bowl final for the first time since 2021.