4A: Benilde-St. Margaret’s 36, Fridley 14

The first two times Fridley quarterback Ericson Saye ran the ball Saturday, he gained 84 yards. The first two times Fridley had the ball, the drives ended in touchdowns and the result was a quick 14-0 lead that left Benilde-St. Margaret's co-coach Jon Hanks with an interesting take on his team.

"I think if we had a defibrillator, I'd start using it earlier in the game. Because we came out sleepwalking," Hanks said. "We just struggled. We looked at each other and just said, 'OK, are we awake now?' "

That answer came in the form of 36 unanswered points for the Red Knights, who stunned second-seeded Fridley with their comeback just as much as the Tigers had stunned them with their start. With the 36-14 victory, third-seed Benilde-St. Margaret's moves on to the Class 4A, Section 6 title game Friday at No. 1 seed Totino-Grace.

It certainly looked like the flip of a switch. After being held down in a 15-9 loss to Fridley (8-2) during the regular season and failing to score on the first two possessions Saturday, the Red Knights' offense suddenly clicked. Senior quarterback Ben Krebsbach hit Peter Crawford on a 22-yard slant on 3rd-and-7 early in BSM's third possession. From there, the Red Knights continued an 80-yard march that culminated in a 13-yard hookup between Krebsbach and Myles Barnes.

The passing game helped open up the running game, which ultimately helped the Red Knights (8-2) gain 343 yards on the ground. Krebsbach had 25 carries for 160 yards and a touchdown, while also throwing for 128 yards and three TDs.

Fridley, meanwhile, struggled to resume the strong rushing game that marked its first two drives. Saye was held to just 34 yards on 21 carries after the two bursts at the game's start. In the second half, a pair of lost fumbles -- one on the first play of the half that led to BSM's go-ahead touchdown, and another on the Red Knights' 3 with the Tigers poised to retake the lead -- ultimately sealed Fridley's fate.

"The turnovers obviously hurt," Fridley coach Lambert Brown said. "And they're a good team."

Indeed. The Red Knights are also a dangerous section final opponent for Totino-Grace. The teams locked up in a shootout earlier this season, with the Eagles scoring late in a 48-44 victory. Krebsbach threw for 379 yards and five touchdowns in that game.

"Their defense has probably gone over that film 8,000 times if I know Fergie [Totino-Grace coach Jeff Ferguson] right," Hanks said. "They're going to make sure we can't throw it like we did."

That's easier said than done, though, against the trees that BSM lines up in its four-wide receiver sets and the capable arm of Krebsbach. Myles Barnes (6-5), Peter Crawford (6-4) and Seth Marx (6-2) are all basketball players who have become threats at wideout.

"We went to them during the past season and said, 'Look, we're going to start throwing this thing. We need your athletic ability,' " Hanks said. "Just yesterday, I said to Peter Crawford, 'Are you having any fun this year?' And he said, 'Man, I should have been out the last two years.' "

Thanks to a startling turnaround Saturday, they'll at least play another week this year.