Incredible prep football run by Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted comes to abrupt end

Jackson County Central finished 4-4 in the 2014 regular season, then won a couple in the section tournament before losing to Pipestone Area in the final.

Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted went 5-3 in that regular season, then won a couple in the section tournament before losing to Maple Lake in the final.

The seven seasons that followed, 2015 to 2021, produced 58 victories for JCC and 11 for HLWW.

These numbers included two 0-9 seasons for HLWW, in 2021 and 2018, and an unbeaten run to the state semis for JCC in 2019, before a loss to Pierz in U.S. Bank Stadium.

The contrast in football history — both recent and with Jackson's generations of excellence — made for an intriguing matchup in the Class 2A state quarterfinals on Thursday night on the artificial turf of St. Anthony's shiny stadium.

HLWW had a couple of losses in the regular season, then pulled off what might've been the surprise of these football sections by beating Minneapolis North 21-20 in the second round at North.

The Lakers then defeated Norwood Young America in the section final. And HLWW had made this run — and run, run and run — to the state tournament by throwing a total of 19 passes in 11 games.

North was loaded with speed. JCC had a share of that, but also a roster filled with wrestlers — several of whom were important parts of the Huskies' Class 1A state championship team last winter.

HLWW's attempt to go from winless to playing in U.S. Bank Stadium came to an emphatic end in this fast-moving game played through a bitter wind.

The Lakers couldn't put together more than a couple first downs on their possessions. Toss in a couple of turnovers and big plays from JCC — including Gabriel Wolff's tremendous 64-yard run that made it 14-0 in the middle of the second quarter — and HLWW's incredible turnaround was finished:

Jackson County Central 27, Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted 0.

The Lakers came in featuring running back Collin Boese, a state tournament wrestler himself. The Huskies had eight or nine guys looking for him on every touch — hard-nosed guys like Caleb Vancura (who also caught a touchdown pass).

Boese, a senior, expressed gratitude to what Adam Birkholz brought to HLWW in his first year as the head coach. The running back had gone through much of that losing — the 0-9 in 2021, and 2-33 over the previous four seasons.

"It has been tremendous to play with this group of players, to bring back football in Howard Lake," Boese said. "I'll always be proud of this team.''

Birkholz had spent two decades as the offensive coordinator at nearby Lester Prairie, when he decided to apply to fill the head coach opening for 2022 at HLWW. As mentioned, the Lakers were 0-9 in 2021.

"Towns of smaller size, a lot of our success is determined by the senior class," Birkholz said. "For some reason, the way it worked out, this school only had two seniors on the football team in 2021.''

Birkholz landed the job early and had a spring meeting with underclassmen intending to play this season. There were some large young men in that room. There were also four individuals who would win the 4x200 relay in the state Class 1A track meet:

Boese was a tailback and Mallak was a running quarterback. Birkholz was able to add Adam Kuehl as an offensive line coach, after he landed a job in the HLWW schools.

"We started two seniors, a junior, and two sophomores — all good-sized guys — and Adam was able to give them outstanding technique and create a camaraderie that you see in the best offensive lines,'' Birkholz said.

"We just decided in the summer, with Boese, with Mallak, with [Colton] Long, and the line, that running the ball was our strength. Run the ball, limit our mistakes.''

That was good enough to knock off mighty North two weeks ago. It wasn't good enough against physical and swift Jackson County Central.