| Former Blossoms reminisce |
By: IAN STAUFFER
istauffer@owatonna.com
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Posted: Thursday, November 12, 2009 10:47 pm
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BLOOMING PRAIRIE — The 1983 season appeared to be destined for good things right from the get-go for the Blooming Prairie football team.
The Blossoms kicked off the season with a 36-30 double-overtime win over Austin Pacelli, then a powerhouse a class above Blooming Prairie.
Blooming Prairie cruised through the next seven games and went into the final game of the regular season against New Richland-Hartland.
With the Gopher Conference title and a state tournament berth on the line, the Blossoms rolled for 301 rushing yards and crushed the Cardinals 25-0. Brian Kruckeberg ran for 167 yards and a touchdown and Todd Howe rushed for 133 yards and another score.
“That game really sticks out in my mind,” Kruckberg said earlier this week. “Our offensive line was running down the field blocking.”
“The tackles were really laying people out,” assistant coach Rich Schwartz said after the game.
That win set up the Blossoms’ state quarterfinal match-up against Sherburn-Dunnell in Blooming Prairie.
The Raiders were the first team that had an answer for the Blossoms’ rushing attack all season.
“They ran an unusual defense were none of the defenders get into a three-point stance,” said Blooming Prairie activities director John Worke, who was a senior cornerback on the ‘83 team. “I think our guys got a little psyched out by that.”
The Blossoms ran for just 113 yards in the game, more than 100 less than their season average, and lost 21-6, ending a dream season for 18 seniors.
“Back then, it was just juniors and seniors on the varsity,” Worke said. “Everybody went out for football. All walks of life wanted to play the game.”
That loss to Sherburn-Dunnell was Blooming Prairie’s last state tournament football game until the current Blossoms take the field at 3 p.m. Saturday against New Ulm Cathedral at RCTC. For most of the players from that ‘83 team, it’s hard to believe it’s taken this long.
“I figured they probably would have gone before this,” Kruckeberg said. “They’ve come close a couple of times, but they’ve been beaten out. It was just a matter of time before they actually got the right group of kids and everything fell together for them.”
In addition to the efforts of Kruckeberg and Howe on offense, there were also a few notable defensive players from that team.
Senior safety Jeff Busho led the team in tackles despite breaking his leg and missing the final three games of the season. Worke set a school record with eight interceptions. That record stood until Matt Zellmer broke it with 14 picks in 2008.
“We had a very good defense that year,” said Jerry Kokoschke, who coached the Blossoms from 1978-92. “We only had three games where we gave up more than eight points.”
On the offensive and defensive lines, the Blossoms were led by seniors Alan Jacobson, Mark Swenson, Dan Gallentine, Roger Pfiefer and Roger Kubista. Senior tight end David Kubicek led the team in receiving and played linebacker.
“We had some good farm kids on that team,” Kokoschke said with a laugh. |
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