Tackles, not touchdowns, made the difference in 1991

50 years in the making: The champions gave up only two TDs over five title games.

By Ron Haggstrom Star Tribune

November 12, 2022 — 11:51pm

The Star Tribune is celebrating 50 years of high school football state tournaments one day at a time for 50 days.

Year: 1991

"The defense has been making big plays for us all season." — BOLD's Chad Gomarko

Defense dominated in 1991, with three champions registering shutouts and the other two allowing only one touchdown.

Spring Lake Park (Class A), BOLD (Class B) and Mahnomen (Class C) didn't yield a point while Burnsville (Class AA) and Chokio-Alberta (Nine-Man) prevailed in low-scoring tussles. For Spring Lake Park and Chokio-Alberta, it was the first title and remains the only one.

Spring Lake Park coach Bob Jackson looked at his defense early in the season and saw mostly holes. At season's end, he saw champions.

The Panthers, with only three returning starters on defense, intercepted three passes and recovered a fumble in defeating top-ranked and previously unbeaten Rocori 20-0. Mark Smith had two interceptions six minutes apart in the third quarter, after the Panthers had scored all the game's points.

"Any time you shut out a team with as many outstanding athletes as Rocori and intercept two passes in the end zone like Mark Smith did, that's fantastic," Jackson said.

BOLD showcased its special teams and defense to beat Deer River 14-0 . It scored on Chad Gomarko's 35-yard punt return in the second quarter and Jason Harrier's 30-yard interception return in the third quarter.

"The defense has been making big plays for us all season," Gomarko said. "And our special teams are always dangerous."

For Mahnomen, halfback Jason Miller rushed for 252 yards on 27 carries and scored four touchdowns while the defense limited Mankato Loyola to 164 total yards in a 42-0 whitewash. Miller scored on runs of 4, 20, 35 and 51 yards.

"It was typical of Jason," Mahnomen coach Ken Baumann said. "He's by far the quickest back we've ever had, and he's been better every year. As a sophomore, he was just a sprinter. Last year he came into his own, and this year he took it to another level."

In Class AA, for the fourth straight game, Burnsville somehow won a game that was in doubt until the end, edging Lakeville 10-7.

Lakeville got five first downs — three on successive plays — on its final drive and called a timeout facing third down-and-1 at the Burnsville 11-yard line. The handoff was mishandled on the next play, and Braves defensive end John Doyle recovered the fumble after a wild scramble with one minute to play.

"That's four in a row of those laughers," Burnsville coach Dick Hanson said in jest after his team had won its fifth state title.