Highlights from the 2016 prep football season

By JIM PAULSEN, STAR TRIBUNE
November 26, 2016 - 7:17 PM

Jim Paulsen’s top five moments

5 With Minneapolis North’s first football title in its 128-year history clinched, North players sneaked up behind coach Charles Adams III and doused him with ... three Styrofoam cups of water. Two more Prep Bowl games were to follow, so the Gatorade buckets needed to stay upright on the bench. Whatever works.

4 A possible future of youth football was played on a drizzly night at Blake in late September. Middle-schoolers from Blake and Providence Academy — clad in helmets, shoulder pads, jerseys and shorts —played Fusion Football (TackleBar™ Football), a new hybrid that eschews tackling but includes contact. It’s intended to introduce fundamentals and proper techniques before they begin actual football in ninth grade.

3 Tough guys, part 1: In the Class 6A title game, Totino-Grace running back Ivan Burlak swept right and, after a nice gain, was shoved out of bounds at the Eden Prairie 17, landing on his left shoulder. It was separated. The next time the Eagles had the ball, Burlak was back, having popped his shoulder back into place. He carried the ball three times after that, scoring Totino-Grace’s final touchdown.

2 Tough guys, part two: On first-and-goal from the 4-yard-line in Elk Rivers’ 19-7 Class 5A semifinal victory over Owatonna, Elks captain Sam Gibas took a pitchout and ran right. He got drilled at the knees at the 5 and nearly went down. But the whistle never blew, Gibas regained his balance and powered into the end zone for his third touchdown of the game.

1 Before a home game vs. Spring Lake Park, Cooper players lined up for the national anthem. About two-thirds of the Cooper players, most of whom are black, were on their right knees in a straight line, facing the flag, backs ramrod straight, each with his left arm on the shoulder of the teammate in front of him, helmets lined up on the field. The rest of the team, including coaches, stood at the back of the line, each with his left arm on the shoulder of the man in front, right hand on his heart. They remained motionless — and respectful — throughout the anthem.