Northfield scored the game-winning touchdown with 18 seconds left Friday to defeat Class 5A, No. 1 Owatonna 21-17.

Senior quarterback Lars Prestemon threw the game-winning touchdown pass to Alex Rasmussen as the Class 5A, No. 5 Raiders (7-0) defeated their Big Southeast Red subdistrict rival.

“Lars Prestemon showed the senior leadership of a senior quarterback,” Northfield coach Bubba Sullivan said. “...The kids had nice protection and ran the routes well, and Lars was on the money.”

Prestemon was 6-for-9 passing on the final drive, which covered 75 yards in 35 seconds. It included a 39-yard pass to Rasmussen that set up the game-winning play.

“We just never gave up,” Rasmussen said. “(Prestemon) is a great leader. He gave us a little pep talk before we went out there, and we just got it done.”

The victory gave Northfield at least a share of the Big Southeast Red subdistrict title and put it in line for the top seed in the Class 5A, Section 1 playoffs.

Noah Budach and Jason Williamson caught touchdown passes from Abe Havelka for Owatonna (6-1), which led 10-0 at halftime. The Huskies came into the week ranked No. 1 for the first time since September 2014.     

First report

Northfield quarterback Lars Prestemon threw a go-ahead touchdown pass to Alex Rasmussen with 18 seconds left as Class 5A, No. 5 Northfield defeated top-ranked Owatonna 21-17 Friday at Northfield High School.

Jim Vitito and Prestemon also each rushed for a score for the Raiders (7-0), who clinched at least a share of the Big Southeast Red subdistrict title.

Rasmussen’s catch capped a nine-play, 75-yard drive for Northfield that started with 53 seconds left in the game. Prestemon completed six of nine passes on the drive.

For Owatonna (6-1), which came into the week ranked No. 1 for the first time since September 2014, Noah Budach and Jason Williamson each caught touchdown passes from Abe Havelka.

Northfield trailed 10-0 at halftime, despite reaching the red zone twice in the first half. Vitio scored a 49-yard rushing touchdown to open the second half. Prestemon gave the Raiders a 14-10 lead with a rushing score early in the fourth quarter.

Owatonna retook the lead with 4:44 to go on a 48-yard touchdown catch by Budach before Northfield scored the game-winner.

Williamson had 1,146 rushing yards and 19 rushing touchdowns entering the game, including a school-record 343 rushing yards in Owatonna’s win over Rochester Century last week.


Alex Rasmussen