Postseason Football results

Notes: Maple Lake blew a 20-6 lead in a loss in the Section 4AA final to Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop.

Eden Valley-Watkins and Pierz will both represent the Central Minnesota Conference in the state tournament. It's the 6th straight trip to the state tournament for the Eagles, who were state champions in 2005. The Pioneers qualify for state for the first time since 2007. They won the Class AA state title in 2004.

The winners of the following games advance to next week's State Tournament competition.

NL-S leads Albany 14-6 at halftime. The Huskies cut into the deficit and trailed 14-12 going into the 4th quarter. NL-S won 20-18.

Section 4A final:
St. Bernard's 51, Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City 38

Section 3A final:
Adrian 14, Murray County Central 0

Section 5A final:
Minneota 22, Dawson-Boyd 13 (D-B led 13-6 at halftime)

Section 3 9-Man final
Clinton-Graceville-Beardsley 60, Edgerton-Ellsworth 34

Section 4 9-Man final
Verndale 26, Bertha-Hewitt 24

Section 2A final:
New Ulm Cathedral 27, Springfield 14

Section 6A final:
Barnesville 33, Browerville 7

Section 3AA final:
Luverne 21, Jackson County Central 17

Section 4AA final:
Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop 33, Maple Lake 20

Section 5AA final:
Eden Valley-Watkins 36, Yellow Medicine East 7

Section 6AA final:
Pierz 13, Crosby-Ironton 6

Section 3AAA final:
Glencoe-Silver Lake 44, Fairmont 14

Section 2AAAA final:
Mankato West 13, Hutchinson 7

The following is a comment someone offered about the Maple Lake-GFW game tonight:
In the first half Maple Lake looked to be in complete control, with their speed presenting a problem for GFW. The Irish were up 20-6 at one point. As the hald was winding down Maple Lake was inside the 4 but couldnt punch it in and had to settle for a FG attempt which went wide left, the score at the half was 20-13 Maple Lake.

IN the second half Maple Lake got the ball first, and ended up throwing a pick on a screen play. GFW ended up having to punt, but on the first play from scrimmage Maple Lake fumbled, and GFW ran it back for a td, the missed the XP, which tied the score at 20-20. It stayed that way for most of the quarter. as the 3rd quarter was winding down, GFW faced a 4th and 4, they decided to punt, and with all the Maple Lake coaches yelling and reminding their players to watch the ball and not jump offsides (you could hear them all the way across the field), one of the maple lake defenders #88, completely jumped off sides, giving GFW the first down and basically was the turning point of the game and started the end of Maple Lake. GFW ran a couple plays which ended the quarter and scored a couple plays later to go ahead for good early in the 4th quarter. Maple Lake couldnt put together anothere scoring drive, and GFW got the ball back and scored with about 7-8 min to go in the game to go up 33-20. Maple Lake moved the ball a little bit on the next possesion but turned it over on downs and GFW took the ball with about 4-5 mins left and drove it down inside ML's 5 and ran the clock out from there.

All in all it was a close game, and pretty good one, not very many turnovers and not a lot of penalties. Congrats to GFW for winning, and for hanging in there when they got down. YOU could tell GFW"s size wore on ML as the game went on, especially since the irish didnt seem very big and also lost a couple players in the first half, one LB went down with a knee injury and their wideout/LB/DE #22 looked like he got his bell rung and didnt return. I believe thats Maple Lakes top baskeball player, so hopefully for him and the irish he'll be ok for basketball.

Again congrats to GFW for making it to state, even though it might not have been the strongest section, thats still quite an accomplishment and something for those kids to remember for the rest of their lives. And congrats to the Irish for a very good season.