Three special teams failures in the final two minutes should have ended Mahtomedi's football season. The Zephyrs were flawed but unfazed.
Mahtomedi drives St. Thomas Academy from Class 5A football playoffs
The Zephyrs won in overtime, avenging a regular-season loss to the Cadets.
November 12, 2022 at 9:38PM
They regrouped to upset previously undefeated St. Thomas Academy 20-14 in overtime Saturday in a Class 5A state tournament quarterfinal at Woodbury High School.
The fourth-ranked Zephyrs (10-1) advance to the semifinals to face Elk River at 2 p.m. Friday at U.S. Bank Stadium.
Mahtomedi senior running back Corey Bohmert carried the ball more than 40 times, returned kicks and only missed a few defensive snaps. His wrist and neck hurt after the game, and the lingering pain coupled with the emotional victory produced tears of joy.
"Whatever we need to win, I'll put in for the team," said Bohmert, who ran for all three Zephyrs touchdowns and recovered a fumble. "It's tough mentally, but my teammates do it for me, so I have to do it for them."
No. 2 St. Thomas Academy (10-1) beat Mahtomedi 28-14 on Oct. 7. Success in the rematch started with a renewed commitment by the offensive line to spring Bohmert.
"They told me, 'We've got you this week,' " said Bohmert, who credited his "trench dogs" for the improved offensive showing.
Bohmert scored in overtime, but the Zephyrs missed the extra point. St. Thomas Academy coach Dan O'Brien considered Mahtomedi's third miscue in the kicking game another gift from a higher pigskin power.
With 1:40 remaining in regulation, the Cadets' Jonny Miller recovered a botched Mahtomedi punt snap for a game-tying touchdown. Then Mahtomedi missed a 37-yard field goal attempt as time expired.
"I was like, 'It's setting up; the football gods are with us,' " O'Brien said.
Before the Cadets could capitalize on the missed extra point in overtime, they needed a touchdown. But two runs, the first for no gain and the second for a loss, were followed by two pass attempts. Both fell incomplete.
"Hats off to them," O'Brien said. "They made the plays, and we didn't."
In Bohmert, Mahtomedi featured a playmaker the Cadets couldn't match.
"We asked him every time coming off the field if he needed a break and he said no," Zephyrs coach Dave Muetzel said. "He gave us everything he had."
Six players plus head coach Garrett Raboin and assistant coach Ben Gordon are from Minnesota. The tournament’s games will be televised starting Monday.
