Junior QB throws for 319 yards, five TDs in first half
For those watching, you just have to say it despite all the accolades. Friday was the Owen King Show.
Sure, Caledonia High School’s football team just completed back-to-back undefeated seasons in winning a Class 2A Minnesota state title 61-12 over Eden Valley-Watkins.
Sure, it was the Warriors’ seventh state title in seven tries dating back to just 2007. They’re 127-6 the past decade, having never lost more than one game in any season.
Sure, it was a signature win over a team that beat Caledonia (14-0) back in the 2005 state championship game – ending those Warriors’ hopes of a perfect season at 13-1.
But, seriously, the junior King was ridiculous. He passed for 328 yards and threw five touchdowns, going 17-for-25. The performance nearly broke a 1994 record of six touchdown passes set by Kirk Midthun of Triton.
And, had it been more competitive, he might have. King had 319 yards and all five of those touchdowns in the first half. He threw just one pass – a completion, of course, for 17 yards – in the second half.
And Caledonia’s 61 points were the most in a state championship since 2012 (67 points).
The Warriors racked up 523 yards on offense – 338 in the first half.
King threw touchdowns of 18, 39 and 23 yards in just the first quarter.
The only thing that would have made the team’s performance even more ridiculous, if it had shut out Eden Valley-Watkins (11-3), because last season it won state 40-0 over Pipestone.
There’s always next year.
In the last two state tournaments, Caledonia has outscored its opponents 305-54. This year was about offense, averaging 58 points, while last year it gave up just six points in those three state tournament games.
Friday, the Warriors gave up 326 yards but only let Eden Valley-Watkins inside the 20 one time.
King may want to thank teammate Ben McCabe (below, 28) for not at least tying the state record for touchdowns. The senior scored three rushing touchdowns, going for 99 yards on 22 carries.
Andrew Goergen and Jordan Burg caught two touchdowns each from King. Burg finished with 5 catches for 99 yards, while Goergen had 7 grabs for 79 yards.
But, it was Sam Barthel who led the team with 126 yards on just 3 receptions.
The Warriors scored touchdowns on every possession except one in the first quarter – they turned it over on downs – and the final possession to end the game.
On one possession, as the Warriors continued to start the fourth quarter, Alex Goergen rushed nine consecutive times, capping off the drive with a 1-yard touchdown.