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WOODBINE – There was no magical second half rally for Bishop Garrigan this time around.
Down by 22 at the half, the fifth-ranked Golden Bears were eliminated from the eight-player playoffs by No. 3 Woodbine here Thursday night, 50-22.
Last year, Bishop Garrigan (9-2 overall) rallied by the same halftime score of 36-14 to defeat the Tigers for its second state championship in three seasons. Now, it will be Woodbine (10-0) marching on to the UNI-Dome next week.
Cal Pryor threw three touchdown passes to three different wide receivers in the second quarter after the Golden Bears had answered to tie the game at 14-all. Pryor hit Penn State commit Landon Blum, Ayden Coenen and Lucas Olson.
For Blum, who sprinted across the field after hauling in the pass, it was his 75th career receiving touchdown. That mark is the most all-time in eight-player.
Pryor had a pair of rushing touchdowns around TD runs by Carter Cink of Bishop Garrigan in the first half. The senior finished with four rushing TDs and three passing scores, throwing for 187 and running for another 67.
Cink broke free on a 63-yard run on his fourth carry of the night, adding a 37-yard TD scamper to start the second. He ended his junior season with 260 rushing yards and three scores.
In the third, a nice Golden Bear drive came up empty just outside the Woodbine end zone. The Tigers took the ball, hit Blum on a big pass and converted with the third rushing touchdown of the night from Pryor to swing momentum back in their favor.
Blum finished with five receptions for 107, as Brayden Blum ran for 128. Ayden Coenen had four receptions for 77.
CJ McGregor, another junior for Bishop Garrigan, added 85 rushing yards.
The Golden Bears had reached the final four each of the past three seasons, winning two titles and falling in the semifinals the other year.
Joining Woodbine in the final four will be Audubon, Iowa Valley and Gladbrook-Reinbeck.