Blaine-Wayzata game just might turn on turnovers

Blaine has been one of the surprise teams of the football playoffs, but there are reasons for the Bengals' appearance in tonight's Class 5A title game against Wayzata. One of them is turnovers.

Coach Shannon Gerrety, asked what his team needs to do in order to win, said, "First of all, we need to not turn the ball over. We need to keep doing the same things we've done the last four weeks, create turnovers and not turn it over. That's a big deal."

Blaine's opponents have averaged three turnovers this season, said Gerrety, who couldn't remember Blaine turning the ball over since the regular-season finale against Elk River.

"We've been really good in that area," he said. "Knock on wood."

Defensively, Gerrety said the Bengals need to quickly gain the upper hand on Wayzata.

"We think we need to make them earn their points. They can score quick," he said. "Our plan is to keep them out of the end zone in the first seven minutes. Once you get behind on them, it's tough to get back. But we have a quick-strike offense, too."

The key to that offense is senior quarterback James Peterson, who completed 14 of 29 passes for 175 yards and one touchdown when Blaine beat Cretin-Derham Hall 28-27 in overtime in the semifinals.

"We'll just play football like we've been doing all year," Peterson said. "We'll play our hearts out. It's just another football game."

Jake Urton, one of Blaine's team managers, sometimes complains because he cannot throw or catch a football.

Two years ago, though, he could not walk.

Urton, a senior, has made tremendous progress against the crippling effects of cerebral palsy. Joan Bohmert, physical therapist for the Anoka-Hennepin School District, and Steve Guider, Urton's special education para-educator at Blaine, helped Urton gain strength, agility and balance through weight training and plyometric workouts.

In eighth grade, Urton depended on a wheelchair and leg braces and needed antidepressants and a therapist to cope. He will graduate next spring without needing any of them. He walks the hallways between classes and the sideline at Bengals football games.

"He's just an awesome kid," Guider said. "You sometimes read these wonderful, inspirational stories about people. I've lived one."

• Watch video of Urton, his progress and his impact on Blaine's team at www.startribune.com/preps.

Northfield, which has come back from a 1-3 start to reach the Class 4A title game, took home its first and only Prep Bowl championship in 1997. Some of this year's players remember the impression that season left upon them, including wide receiver Christian Shepley. He was 7 years old when he attended the title game.

"I was standing right over there," Shepley said, pointing to the Metrodome seats, after catching two touchdown passes in Northfield's 31-12 semifinal victory over Orono. "I was thinking how cool it would be. Ever since then, I've just really wanted to play here. And now it's happened."

• Watch video of Shepley and other players talking about what it means to play in the Prep Bowl at www.startribune.com/preps.