Goodhue and Blooming Prairie met in the postseason in eight of 11 years from 2007-17, but after the latter moved into the Mid Southeast East subdistrict a season ago, the rivalry has intensified with the potential for the programs to meet multiple times in a year.
The Wildcats welcomed the Awesome Blossoms to the league with a convincing 35-13 win en route to a circuit title. Goodhue later squeaked out a 19-14 win in their meeting for the Class 1A, Section 1 championship.
Defense was the Wildcats' calling card a season ago, when they allowed 7.6 points per game, and they return with another staunch defense that is giving up just 2.0 points per game through four weeks this fall.
Offensively, the Wildcats (4-0, 3-0) have a potent senior running back duo in Bjorn Otterness and Kaleb O'Reilly. The pair combined for 287 yards and five touchdowns in a 40-0 win over Hayfield last week.
The Awesome Blossoms (4-0, 4-0) counter with one of Minnesota's top passers in Seth Peterson. Through four weeks, the senior quarterback ranks second in the state with 16 passing touchdowns and eighth with 1,008 yards through the air. Blooming Prairie is scoring a league- and section-high 47.8 points per game.