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.