DeLaSalle (Minneapolis), the small Catholic High School on Nicollet Island, has become a breeding ground for standout running backs. Among former Islanders backs now running in college are Alexander Robinson at Iowa State and Evan Williams at Wyoming.
The name
Reggie Gandy will soon be added to that list.
Gandy scored five touchdowns to help DeLaSalle defeat Le Sueur Henderson 44-0 in a 3A state quarterfinal game Monday at the Metrodome in Minneapolis. The game was originally scheduled for Saturday at Farmington High School, but a snowstorm wreaked havoc on the state of Minnesota and the Farmington field was not suitable for playing a game on. Thus, the game was moved indoors to the comfy confines of the Metrodome and its turf playing surface, much to the delight of Gandy and company.
Click here to view MaxPreps' Minnesota football playoff brackets.Gandy, a 5-11, 190-pound senior who has received scholarship offers from North Dakota State, North Dakota and Northern Iowa, as well as interest from Minnesota, Nebraska, Alabama, Iowa, UCLA and Wisconsin, among others, rushed 19 times for 202 yards to lead the Islanders to the state semifinals, where they will play undefeated Holy family Catholic (12-0) Saturday at 3:15 p.m. in the Metrodome.
In the win over LSH Gandy scored on runs of 5, 3, 7, 2 and 77 yards. Gandy now has rushed for 2,808 yards and 38 touchdowns this season. He has five games of 300 yards or more and averages more than 10 yards per carry.
BRAINERD BEATS EDEN PRAIRIEBrainerd has a recent history of defeating some of the top big school Metro teams in recent years. On that list are traditional powers Cretin-Derham Hall and Wayzata. And now that list includes Eden Prairie, the goliath of Minnesota big school football.
Brainerd, located about three hours north of the Twin Cities, defeated Eden Prairie 13-10 Friday in the 5A state quarterfinals in Maple Grove, sending shockwaves through the Twin Cities football scene and "I told you so" quips from the outstate football fan base. It might have been a shock to those not familiar with Ron Stolski's Warriors program, but not to fans who follow outstate Minnesota's best big school program. Stolski has won more than 330 career games - a state record - and will lead his team to the Metrodome for a Friday, Nov. 19 game against undefeated Rosemount (11-0).
This is the second straight time - and third time in the last four years - that Brainerd has made the state semifinals, yet, the team was only ranked No.7 in the state in the final Associated Press 5A rankings.
The winning touchdown came in the fourth quarter when
Mitchell McLain scored a 27-yard touchdown on a halfback option pass with 4:07 remaining. In addition to the game winning touchdown reception, McLain completed 5 of 6 passes for 115 yards and a passing touchdown in the win. Brainerd running back
Jordan Hayes rushed 19 times for 101 yards and the Brainerd defense, despite giving up 186 yards rushing to Eden Prairie's Andrew Larson, stopped the Eagles on two key fourth downs to hold on to the win.
The Warriors played the game without their best linebacker (Bruce Larson, who was out with a concussion - his status for Friday's game is uncertain), but players such as linebacker
Logan McAllister stepped up to make key plays and preserve the win over the third-ranked Eagles.
MINNEOTA GETS BACK TO THE METRODOMEThe defending Class A state champion
Minneota Vikings are one step closer to defending their 2009 state title after running away - literally - from Barnum in a 45-6 win. The Vikings racked up 292 rushing yards, including 155 from
Brandon Anderson, 88 from
Jacob Cheadle and 51 from
Jacob Bottelberghe in the win. In addition, quarterback
Beau Buysse passed for 187 yards and two touchdowns, both to tight end
Adam Josephson.
The Vikings defense held Barnum running back
Josh Hogan, who entered the game with 1,600 rushing yards, to only 31 yards on 15 carries.
Minneota plays
New Ulm Cathedral Saturday at 10:15 a.m. at the Metrodome. NUC defeated Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City 47-18 to advance to the state semifinals and brings a 11-1 record into the game.
KLINE VS. KLINEWhen Wayzata and Blaine played in the state quarterfinals last week, fans expected a big game from a player named Kline. And they were right - but it was
Tucker Kline of Wayzata, not
Eric Kline of Blaine, who stood out on this night.
Eric Kline is Blaine's All-State quarterback who this week was named the Star Tribune Player of the Year after totaling 3,088 combined rushing and passing yards and 34 touchdowns for a Bengals team that finished 10-1. But he was held to just 86 yards of offense and threw two interceptions against a Wayzata defense led by Tucker Kline.
Tucker Kline had 10 tackles (including three for loss) and two sacks to lead
Wayzata (Plymouth) to its third-straight shutout and 34-0 win over Eric Kline's Bengals. Wayzata now plays Mounds View Saturday at 8:15 p.m. at the Metrodome in the state semifinals.
SPEAKING OF MOUNDS VIEWMounds View (Arden Hills) ended Cretin-Derham Hall's quest for a second-straight state title with a 21-7 win over the Raiders Friday in state quarterfinal action. Mounds View now brings an 11-1 record into the state semifinals Saturday. Led by the state's top tight end,
James Duffy, and Suburban East Conference defensive Player of the Year
Nick Goldsmith, the Mustangs are looking to make it to their first Prep Bowl in school history.
MILESTONE FOR TRITON COACHTriton (Dodge Center) coach Don Henderson earned his 200th career win as Triton defeated Maple Lake 28-21 in a 2A state quarterfinal game at the Metrodome Monday. Like the DeLaSalle game, this game was originally scheduled to be played Saturday but inclement weather forced the game indoors.
TOTINO GRACE WINSTotino-Grace (Fridley), the defending Class 4A state champs, advanced to the semifinals with a 48-14 win over Sauk Rapids. Quarterback
Tom Laventure rushed 11 times for 110 yards and three touchdowns in the win. The Eagles play top-ranked St. Thomas Academy Friday at 8:15 p.m. in a showdown of traditional 4A private school powers.
