MANKATO – The engine of most strong football teams is the offensive line. Minnesota State Mankato, 13-0 and hosting Concord (W.Va.) in the NCAA Division II semifinals at 2 p.m. Saturday, has such a line that's very large and fully experienced.
Four seniors are starters: Chris Reed, Josh Meeker, Gary Hiatt and Max Hofmeister. The other starter is a redshirt junior: Herschel Prater, a 6-6, 310-pound left guard.
The Northern Sun names its all-conference team by divisions. Reed, Meeker and Hofmeister were first team in the South, and Prater was second team.
The four senior starters come from Omaha. Prater's hometown is Ferguson, Mo.
Minnesota State has a lengthy reach through the middle of the country and was made aware of Prater as a big lad with potential at McCluer South-Berkeley, a high school that opened in Ferguson in 2004.
"I came to Mankato in the summer of 2011 and haven't been home since,'' Prater said.
You made the decision before the police shooting on Aug. 9 that has made Ferguson a world-famous tinderbox of rage for the past four months?
Prater nodded in the affirmative and said: "There was too much going on in Ferguson that might not be good for me. It's much quieter here. Play football and go to school. I enjoy that.''
Prater's mother, Sarah Townsend, and other family members from Ferguson have been able to visit him here sporadically. That could be tougher now, financing such a commute, with his mother out of work.
"The place where she worked was burned out during the riots,'' Prater said. "That happened with another relative of mine. One of my cousins was hurt during the riots, but he's OK now.
"I watched everything on TV for a few days, when it was at its worst. It's sad seeing that happen in your hometown — how it started, what it's led to.''
Prater limped off with a twisted knee early in MSU's 44-17 victory over Minnesota Duluth on Saturday, and quickly returned to help pave the way for the Mavericks' 34-point second half.
Coach Todd Hoffner figures Prater will be MSU's left tackle next season with Reed's departure. "If he keeps improving in his senior year, Herschel should get a shot in an NFL camp,'' Hoffner said.
Dorian Buford, the Mavericks' explosive senior receiver, comes from the same area. Ferguson neighbors Florissant and the communities share a school district. Buford went to McCluer North in Florissant, then played for three seasons at FCS school Missouri State.
Buford graduated last spring with a year left of eligibility and decided to transfer to MSU Mankato. He's been sensational and set a school record with his 15th touchdown reception of the season Saturday.
PATRICK REUSSE