Minnesota 2007 State Tournament Football Photos: November 2007

Sunday, November 25, 2007

Thanks for visiting us.

Additional Photo's were posted on 11/26/07

Because there are a lot of pictures in this blog, we have made the first page, this one, without pictures so it will load much easier to your computer. Just pick a game on the right to see the pictures you want. We will be adding more pictures through the coming week to most of the games.

Please remember that sometimes when you click on a game it may be slow loading due to the great pictures your about to view -- the wait will be worth it !!!

Saturday, November 24, 2007

Totino-Grace 13 Mahtomedi 8 - Photos by BRIAN EKART

Please visit Brian's web site.

The Big Catch

The sprint

The Dive for The Touchdown

Totino-Grace 13 Mahtomedi 8 - Photos by SHAYNE JOHNSON

GAME STORY FOLLOWS PHOTOS

MORE PHOTOS TO COME NEXT WEEK

Vaughn Schmid gets hit while throwing a 15 yard completion to
Matt Groff to make it 6 - 7 and pull within 1 point with 52 seconds remaining

Matt Groff of Mahtomedi catches a touchdown
pass with 52 seconds left to come within 1.

The Mahtomedi team takes a knee as
the offense goes for the 2 point conversion.

Matt Groff of Mahtomedi catches a pass for the
2 point conversion putting them up 8 - 7 with 52 seconds to go.

Jordan Marshal completes a 50 yard tipped pass
to Micah Koehn for the go ahead touchdown as time expires.

Micah Koehn catches a tipped ball and takes
it to the end zone while time expires to win the game.

Totino Grace clears its bench in celebration
of their victory for the 2007 State Title.

By: Gabriel Keith

In a game with twice as much scoring in the last minute of play than the rest of the game, an emotionally charged atmosphere fluctuated between both sides of the stadium. In the end, Totino-Grace held up the trophy in a game that was decided on the last play in the last game of the Prep Bowl Championship weekend.

Winning the coin toss yet deferring opening possession to Totino-Grace, Mahtomedi shut them out on their opening drive, yet failed to capitalize on the following drive.

Totino-Grace drew first blood with 10 seconds left in the first quarter with a 2 yard rushing touchdown by halfback Micah Koehn, tacking on the extra point at the conclusion of a 5:43 minute drive which started on their own 18 yard line for a 7 to 0 lead.

The score would not change until the final drive of the game. Totino-Grace overwhelmingly controlled the first quarter of play, holding Mahtomedi to 6 plays for 21 yards while only allowing their offense to grace the field for 2:28 minutes.

With 3.5 minutes left in the 3^rd quarter, Totino-Grace attempted to lengthen their lead with a field goal from the 28 yard line only to send it veering incomplete to the left.

With 6:21 left on the clock Totino-Grace drove down the field to score a touchdown with 52 seconds left on the clock. The score was 7 to 6 and Totino-Grace opted for the 2 point conversion attempt.

After multiple time outs taken by both teams in an attempt to freeze the opposing teams, the play commenced. In a pass to the side of the end zone running back Aaron Lueders brought the ball down for the 2 point score putting Totino-Grace ahead by 1 point with under a minute left in the game.

In a desperate attempt to move down the field to regain the lead, Totino-Grace who had led by a touchdown through out the game converted for a touchdown off a bobbled pass in traffic, only to fall into the hands of unintended receiver, tight end Abajemo Omot who won the game for Totino-Grace with a front flip in to the end zone.

The Prep Bowl attendance reached an all time high since 1986, boasting 32,221 fans over the course of the weekend.

Glencoe-Silver Lake 56 De LaSalle 20 - Photos by TIM DAVIS

GAME STORY FOLLOWS THE PHOTOS

By: Gabriel Keith

In a decisive victory, Glencoe-Silver Lake smashed De LaSalle 56 to 20, improving their perfect record to 14-0. Jeremy Randle was responsible for all but 10 of De LaSalle’s 161 rushing yards. G-SL racked up 506 total yardage on the day, to De LaSalle’s 298.

With a 31 yard touchdown pass from Quarterback Matthew Muenchow to offensive end Hunter Dunbar midway through the 1^st quarter, Glencoe-Silver Lake drew first blood while tacking on the extra point for a 7-0 lead.

G-SL rushed down field in an early drive in the second quarter resulting in a touchdown due to a break away pass play from Muenchow to offensive end Chad Pierson.

De LaSalle wasted no time answering with a 77 yard rushing play by running back Jeremy Randle, tacking on 1 of De LaSalle’s 2 scores in the game. However they missed the extra point. Midway through the 2^nd quarter the score stood at G-SL 14 to 6.

Scrambling in the pocket with 3 minutes left in the half, Muenchow moved the chains with a couple decisive plays resulting in first downs which led up to his 13 yard touchdown run. G-SL missed the extra point resulting in a 20 to 6 G-SL lead.

On De LaSalle’s attempt to answer, quarterback Michael Van Leer was picked off by line backer Steven Slater who returned the ball for 27 yards to De LaSalle’s 38 yard line with just over a minute left in the half. Completing his third touchdown pass to halfback Justin jurek, and converting for 2 points, Muenchow ran off the field at the half with his team up, 28 to 6.

Capitalizing on a forced fumble, brought back inside De LaSalle territory, Muenchow completed a 40 yard touchdown reception to Jurek. Tacking on the extra point, G-SL increased their lead to a commanding 35 to 6.

With 2 minutes left in the 3^rd quarter, G-SL walked down the field increasing their lead 42 to 6 off runningback Josh Kraby’s 14 yard rush play and a successful extra point attempt only to regain possession on a forced fumble recovery from the ensuing kick off.

On the opening drive Muenchow completed a 31 yard touchdown pass to Pierson, setting up the short yardage touchdown by Jurek. With the extra point tacked on and less than 2 minutes left in the 3^rd quarter, G-SL was up 49 to 6.

On a 4^th and 1 play from the G-SL 2 yard line, Randle punched in on a rush play for his and De LaSalle'S 2^nd score of the game. They failed to convert for 2. Just inside the 4^th quarter G-SL led 49 to 13.

With Jurek’s fourth touchdown on the day, his second rushing, along with the extra point, G-SL stood at 56 to13 with 6 minutes left in the game.

With a 47 yard reception by De LaSalle’s wide receiver A.J. Barker fumbled on the play, the ball recovered by teammate wide receiver Donzell Bell set up the touchdown rush play by Barker. With the extra point good and 3 minutes left in the game G-SL led 56 to 20 until the end of the game.