When Benilde-St. Margaret's lost their leading running back Ricky Floyd to an injury in the first quarter, it was Liam Ford who picked up the slack as he ran for two touchdowns and made an interception with 1:26 left to play to lead the Red Knights to a 31-28 win over the Winona Winhawks Friday night in the Class AAAA championship game at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.
It was the first state football title for the St. Louis Park based school in its fourth trip to state.
The Winhawks almost got the early lead when Alex Franzwa's 67 yard run. But the Red Knights defense kept Winona out of the end zone when they stopped them at the four yard line. BSM would go in front 3-0 on Alex Houlihan's 31 yard field goal with :52 left in the first quarter.
In the second quarter, the lead went back and forth like a pendulum on a grandfather clock. The Winhawks scored first on Riley Hostetter's 37 yard touchdown pass to Dakota Matthees. The Red Knights regained the lead on a 31 yard touchdown pass from Will Whitmore to Matt Brooks. It was now Winona's turn to reach the end zone as Hostetter threw another 37 yard touchdown pass, this time to Dan Jonsgaard. BSM got scoring help from their defense when John Whitmore intercepted Hostetter for a 64 yard pick six. The Winhawks took the lead on Hostetter's third touchdown pass of the game. This time his target was Jonah Boelter as he hauled in a 45 yard pass. Winona led 21-17 at the half.
BSM would vault back into the lead in the third quarter on Ford's two yard touchdown run on fourth and two. The Red Knights would go into the fourth quarter with a 28-24 lead.
The orange and black clad fans from Winona got good news in the fourth quarter when Matthees gave the Winhawks the lead on his second 37 yard touchdown reception that came from Terrell Hall. The Red Knights would forge ahead on Ford's 24 yard touchdown run with 4:50 left in regulation time. Could Winona bring their first title trophy down the Mississippi River? The answer would be no as Ford intercepted Bostetter's pass with 1:26 left to clinch the championship.
Ford led BSM with 18 carries for 81 yards. Matthees led Winona with three receptions for 97 yards.
The Winahwks ended their season with a record of 11-2 and the Red Knights finished 10-3
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