SAINT CLOUD – Football season has finally begun and St. Cloud Tech will soon be back in action after being eliminated in the first round of the Section 8-5A tournament.
The Minnesota high school football season begins Thursday, August 29, and the football Tigers hope to improve on their 1-9 record from 2023. Tech lost the quarterfinals last year, 49-47, in Bemidji after playing the Lumberjacks touchdown for touchdown in the fourth quarter. Although Tech led 35-27 early in the final quarter, the team could not keep up with Bemidji’s three touchdowns.
On September 20, the Tigers will get a chance to avenge the loss and add another regular season win to their schedule when they travel to Bemidji State to face the Lumberjacks.
Let’s take a quick look at this competition and others in the 2024 Tech football schedule below.
Home game against the 2023 state semifinalist
Tech faces two big tests in Weeks 2 and 3 in Bloomington Jefferson and Alexandria. Jefferson went 8-2 last year and lost its sectional title game to St. Thomas Academy. The Cadets also handed Alex its first loss in the state championship semifinal game, sending the Cardinals home by a score of 11-1.
Tech’s game against the Cardinals last season didn’t really come to life until the second half. The Tigers lost 37-14 after trailing 17-7 at halftime. Alex scored four touchdowns after halftime before the Tigers were able to score again. Tech’s only second-half touchdown against the Jaguars was a 100-yard interception as time expired in the third quarter.
Tech hosts both Bloomington Jefferson and Alexandria back-to-back in September this year. The Jaguars travel to St. Cloud on Sept. 6 and the Cardinals on Sept. 13.
Section defeat rematch against Bemidji
The Lumberjacks went 4-6 last year, with half of their wins coming against the Tigers. Tech will be bussed to Bemidji this year to play at Bemidji State on Sept. 20. The Tigers hope to make up for two close losses from last year, including the 49-47 sectional game and the 43-35 home loss in the regular season.
In that regular-season loss last year, Bemidji Tech was also overwhelming in the second half. Leading 28-14 at halftime, the Tigers scored just one touchdown while the Lumberjacks scored two touchdowns in each quarter.
Local rivals away
Sartell was Tech’s only win last year, and the Sabres are back on the schedule this season on Oct. 11. The Tigers travel north to Riverview Stadium for the contest. Before last year’s win, Tech hadn’t beaten Sartell since 2019. The Tigers won 33-7 at home thanks to four first-half touchdowns. Sartell didn’t score until the fourth quarter. The Sabres went 0-9 last season, losing to Moorhead in the quarterfinals.
Full schedule
Each team’s record for 2023 is shown in parentheses.
7 p.m., Thurs. Aug. 29 Cambridge-Isanti (4-6) at Cambridge-Isanti High School
7 p.m. Fri. Sept. 6 Bloomington Jefferson (8-2) at Tech High School
7 p.m. Fri. Sept. 13 Alexandria (11-1) at Tech High School
7 p.m. Fri. Sept. 20 Bemidji (4-6) at Bemidi State University
7 p.m., Fri. Sept. 27 Moorhead (5-5) at Tech High School (homecoming)
7 p.m. Fri. Oct. 4 Brainerd (8-2) at Brainerd High School
7 p.m., Fri. Oct. 11, Sartell (0-9) at Riverview Intermediate School
7 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 16. New Prague (6-3) at Tech High School
Contact reporter Reid Glenn at [email protected].
