One day after ESPN showed his game-winning shot from beyond half court to the sports world, North Woods sophomore guard Cade Goggleye hit two clutch free throws to extend his team's improbable state tournament run.
The Grizzlies (31-1) earned their first tournament championship appearance with a 51-49 upset of No. 2 seed Goodhue (29-4) in Friday's Class 1A semifinals. Goggleye made his two shots with 4.7 seconds to go.
"I'd say the free throws," Goggleye said about which late-game situation was more challenging. "You think about it more. Either we were going to the state championship or the third-place game, and I didn't want the third-place game."
Teammate Tate Olson scored 20 points, thanks to six three-pointers. But it was the last of Goggleye's nine points that personified the resolve of the northeastern Minnesota school in Cook founded in 2011.
"This team has confidence in its abilities," Grizzlies' coach Will Kleppe said. "They don't get rattled and that has carried them well in the tournament."
Goodhue, state runner-up last year, got the final shot. Senior forward Jacob McNamara, who led the Wildcats with 16 points and 11 rebounds, caught the ball near the free throw line and put it up.
"That's a shot I've shot since third or fourth grade," McNamara said. "I thought it was down, but it didn't go in."
DAVID LA VAQUE
