If you didn't make the trip to Lindstrom to see the Benilde-St.Margaret's Red Knights rout Cloquet in last Friday's Class AAAA football quarterfinals you didn't have far to go to see Ricky Floyd score three touchdowns and rush for 273 yards to lead BSM to a 44-34 win over the unbeaten Marshall Tigers Thursday evening in the Class AAAA semifinals at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.
The Tigers, who scored more than 50 points in five of their 11 games, got the early lead on a 63 yard punt return by Ryan VanMoer. Marshall would go up by 13 as Trey Lance threw a nine yard touchdown pass to Reece Winkelman. The Red Knights would get on the board as Floyd looked like he was headed for the light rail station as he ran for an 81 yard touchdown. The Tigers led 13-7 at the end of the first quarter.
BSM would open the second quarter as they lined up in the Wildcat formation and Alex Houlihan got the direct snap from center and scored on a 13 yard keeper touchdown for the lead. Lance would put Marshall back in the lead when Lance threw a 63 yard touchdown pass to Nick Ektaniphong. The Red Knights would strike again :13 later on Peyton James' 93 yard kickoff return. The Tigers concluded the first half scoring on a one yard touchdown run from Zac Almjeld with :19 left to even the score at 28.
It looked like Floyd would open the second half scoring for BSM but the touchdown was called back due to an illegal block in the back. But number 23 in the red and white jersey would redeem himself and go down the right sideline for a 34 yard touchdown run. The Red Knights added two more points as Braeden Fitzgerald tackled Jefferson Lee V in the end zone for a safety. Quarterback Will Whitmore scored on a one yard keeper as time expired and the Red Knights led 44-28 at the end of three quarters.
Could Marshall stage a rally and send its orange and black clad fans back to southwest Minnesota happy? They did add another touchdown, the second of the game for Ektaniphong as he hauled in a 41 yard pass from Lance and it was all the Tigers could do against a tough BSM defense.
Lance was 17 for 35 for 275 yards and Ektaniphong caught six passes for 150 yards.
The Red Knights improved their record to 9-3 and will face the Winona-Rocori winner for the Class AAAA championship on Friday, November 25 at 4 PM at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. The Winona-Rocori game is set for Friday, November 18 at 4:30 PM, also at US Bank Stadium.
Marshall finished their season with a record of 11-1.
No comments:
Post a Comment