In a topsy-turvey affair Saturday afternoon the Nicollet Raiders upended the Grand Meadow Superlarks by a score of 35-38. Trailing 28-21 w/ 2 minutes to go the Raiders scored a TD on a QB sneak to pull w/in 1. Coach Murphy pulled one out of his bag of tricks on the 2 point conversion by faking the QB keeper out of the shotgun and throwing a jump/dump pass to an eligible o-lineman and the boys in blue led 29-28. With just over 1 minute remaining the coach's son (and my nephew) Sean Murphy picked off a Superlarks pass and took it 50 yards to the house for the final 35-28 margin. The Raiders missed the ensuing extra point but the on the ensuing drive the Grand Meadow would fun out of time.

Nicollet advances to the dome for the 3rd time in 10 years and will play Ada-Borup on Saturday morning at 8 a.m. I still can't believe I will be attending my 5th 8 a.m. football game...that's just to damn early.

Congratulations to my brother Tom (HHS class of '85) on all of his success. He really is one hell of a football coach.

All of the semifinal and final games will be webcast at:

https://45.grandstadium.tv/LandingPages/mngshome.html


Coach Murphy takes the field


Pick six for Sean Murphy


To the house


An excited coach


Coach and son share a moment


Uncle and nephew

This was an incredibly well played game by both Nicollet & Grand Meadow. Nicollet delivered early blows at the start of the 1st & 3rd quarters but Grand Meadow responded each time and looked to have the Raiders on the ropes on a few occasions. But Nicollet stuck with it and when the time came Coach Murphy pulled out one of the all-time greatest coaching calls I've ever seen.

KEYC was at the game Sat and highlights are available here http://bit.ly/439Jt5 and and a post game interview with Henderson product Tom Murphy is here http://bit.ly/1iLCOh

The video of the two point conversion is worth checking out.

Norton called it at the beginning of playoff time...the Nicollet Raiders amazing run continues.
Down by 12 in the 4th rally to beat Ada-Borup 36-35!!! WOW!!!
Nephew Sean Murphy scored a big 3rd quarter TD long pass play.
Will play Stephen-Argyle next Friday at 10 am in a rematch of the 1999 Nine-Man Championship. Game will be televised on Ch. 45.
Go Raiders!!!

http://www.startribune.com/sports/preps/70697377.html

Is Stephen-Argyle the nine man powerhouse that has won a few titles over the years?

The Stephen-Argyle Storm are the 9-man equivalent to Eden Prairie in 5A or Glencoe-Silver Lake in 3A. They won 5 straight state titles from 2003-2007 and finished each of those years undefeated.

Their 5+ year win streak was stopped in the 2008 section finals by Kitson County Central (KCC). KCC also defeated Stephen-Argyle during the 2009 regular season but the Strom extracted revenge in the section final.

Prior to the 2008 section final loss the last team to defeat Stephen-Argyle were the Nicollet Raiders in the 2002 state semis. Stephen-Argyle defeated Nicollet in the 1999 Prep Bowl to win the schools first state title. They've also made state appearances in 1996-1998 & 2000-2002.

What a great nine-man football mind.

Go Raiders. Henderson should celebrate Mr. Murphy's accomplishment. When was the last time the Nicollet Raiders defeated the Henderson Tigers in Valley Conference football?

1984 I believe (it was Tom Jr.'s senior year). It was the last time they would play.