No. 2-ranked Springfield ends Southland’s season in state quarterfinals

KASSON — The final score wasn’t at all what the Southland football team wanted: Springfield 44, Southland 8. That came Friday night in the state Class 1A quarterfinals at KMTelecom Stadium in Kasson. Springfield entered unbeaten (now 11-0) and ranked No. 2 in the state. Southland, ranked 10th, was at state for the first time since 1990 and finished its season 9-2. Still, the Rebels found satisfaction and peace when the contest was done. Southland coach JJ Galle was left with that after what one of the referees said to him at game’s end. “He came up to me and said our team was a class act,” Galle said. “That meant a lot.” It’s been quite a season for the Rebels, stepping into territory that forever had been untouched by them. Again, this was the school’s first state appearance in 36 years. Southland had a special group led by a devoted, tight-knit group of seniors. “It was a really fun season,” Southland all-around star athlete and quarterback Henry Wiste said. “Our guys were great.

This excerpt comes from the named source. Read the original for the full reporting.