“For the game we ran 21 plays, in my 20 plus years of coaching football I never remember a game with so few of plays being run,” stated Barnesville Head Coach Bryan Strand.  “We had two punt returns for TD's by Asher O'Brien and two safeties in the first half.  It was a game that we just hoped that we could get out of with no injuries and move onto next week.  The field was extremely sloppy because of the all-day rain that we got on Friday.  Was very lucky that neither team had injuries because of it.  Three of our top backs didn't even get carries on Friday, Ethan Larson,  Major Ness and Cameron Halverson never got carries because we just didn't run enough plays, and every time we did run a play we scored.”  

O’Brien’s first punt return for a touchdown came on the first score of the night as he went 77 yards.  Major Ness ran the ball in for the two-point conversion and an 8-0 lead with 9:29 left in the first quarter.  With 7:18 to go in the first quarter, Gannon Bolgrean scored on a 15 yard run and Ethan Larson scored the two-point conversion for a 16-0 lead.  O’Brien then scored on a 4 yard run and Zach Bredman carried the ball into the end zone for the two-point conversion and a 24-0 advantage.  Bredman connected with Bolgrean on a 25 yard TD pass and the Trojans led 30-0 after one quarter.

In the second quarter, O’Brien went 43 yards with his second punt return for a score to increase the Trojans lead to 36-0 with 9 minutes remaining in the opening half.  The first of two safeties was recorded with 6:33 to play in the half and was followed by a 62 yard TD run by Bredman.  The second safety of the night came with 2:58 on the clock in the second quarter and David Spillum’s 65 yard touchdown run, followed by a PAT kick by Jay Tschumperlin, put the halftime score at 53-0.

At the 7:30 mark of the third quarter Bolgrean ran 52 yards for his second TD of the night and a 59-0 lead.

The final touchdown came on a 15 yard run by Eli Amundson and was followed by a Justin Krueger kick to put the final at 66-0.

Bolgrean (3 carries, 80 yards), Spillum (2 carries, 70 yards) and Bredman (1 carry, 62 yards) led the rushing attack.  Bredman was 3-for-3 throwing the football for 64 yards.  Jack Maesse (1 reception, 28 yards), Bolgrean (1 reception, 25 yards) and Ness (1 reception, 11 yards) were the top receivers.  Defensive leaders were Hunter Blilie (2 solo tackles, 3 assisted tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 1 sack), Nathan Huseman (1 interception), Collin Morey (2 solo tackles, 3 assisted tackles, 3 tackles for loss) and Eli Amundson (3 solo tackles, 2 assisted tackles).

“Crookston only traveled 22 kids to the game, we announced 16 seniors before the game - that was the difference,” noted Coach Strand.  “Our depth and speed was a main factor in that score.  Their coaches are coaching hard and getting the most out of the kids, there just isn't a ton of the kids there.  We will probably end up playing Crookston in the first round of the playoffs as the seeds sit today, and I don't see the 1 and 8 changing regardless of how this Wednesday's game goes with Frazee.  We have a short week of practice and a ton to do, it will be tough to get ready for a good team such as Frazee.  They gave Park Rapids all they could handle last night, actually having the lead for most of the game.  Focus going into the playoffs is just to stay healthy, an injury at this time of the year is devastating and can really hurt the team.”