Totino-Grace senior Ben Mezzenga pushed his team to the Prep Bowl by gutting one of the state’s top defenses.

He rushed 15 times for 155 yards and four touchdowns in a 37-21 victory over Lakeville North, despite posting only 164 yards in the previous 11 games. Panthers coach Brian Vossen said he never saw Mezzenga coming. When pressed, Eagles coach Jeff Ferguson pleaded ignorance for not deploying such a weapon sooner.

“Honestly. I don’t think it was trickery,” Ferguson said. “More stupidity.”

Mezzenga’s ability to hurt teams in myriad ways is not a total surprise. He ranks as one of the state’s top cornerbacks. He caught 18 passes for 128 yards and two scores in the Eagles’ run-heavy offense. He also returned punts and kicks.

Totino-Grace meets No. 1 Eden Prairie at 7 p.m. Friday at TCF Bank Stadium for the Class 6A title.

“Nothing he does surprises us,” Ferguson said. “He’s a really good athlete and he’s good with the ball in his hands. He’s just one of those guys.”

Mezzenga saved Totino-Grace from disaster in the semifinals against Lakeville North. Facing a stiff wind and a stout Panthers defense, the Eagles offense started the game by punting, throwing an interception and losing a fumble. Lakeville North took a 14-0 lead.

Enter Mezzenga. His 76-yard touchdown dash cut the lead to 14-7 with two seconds to play in the first quarter and gave Totino-Grace “confidence we could do things against that defense,” Ferguson said.

The emergence of a second strong running back also helped offset the effects of Kez Flomo not being 100 percent because of injury. Flomo played well, however, carrying 18 times for 112 yards and a touchdown.

Mezzenga’s second touchdown gave Totino-Grace a late third- quarter lead it would not relinquish. He added two scores in the fourth quarter.

Noteworthy

• Elk River/Zimmerman senior forward Abbie Canton fueled the Elks’ 7-0 victory against Totino-Grace last Saturday by scoring two first-period goals and adding two assists.

• The Centennial girls’ swimming and diving team finished 12th at the Class 2A meet last weekend. Junior Tara Chapman placed fourth the 100-yard breaststroke and sixth in the 200 individual medley. Eighth-grader Abigail Schwartz took seventh in the 100 backstroke. The teammates combined to swim legs of the Cougars’ fifth-place 200 medley relay.

 

David La Vaque • 612-673-7574