Superlarks' Christophor Bain out-maneuvers three Bombers. Bain helped the Superlarks overtake the Bombers with his three touchdowns. Photo by Kelly McGinley.
Grand Meadow's quest for a third straight state crown lives on.
The Superlarks defeated Waubun 35-20 in a 9-man state semifinal Saturday evening at St. Cloud State, setting them up with a chance to become the first team to win three straight championships since Stephen-Argyle did it a decade ago.
Grand Meadow junior Christophor Bain came through with a victory-sealing pick-6 late in the fourth quarter and tallied two touchdowns of more than 50 yards - on a run and a reception - to help drive the Superlarks to victory after an early deficit.
Grand Meadow, ranked No. 1 in the season's final Associated Press state high school football poll, added additional TDs on the ground and through the air as the Bombers defense found itself short on solutions.
"You have to give Waubun a lot of credit. They came out and hit us right in the mouth, and I didn't know if we could take it or not," Superlarks coach Gary Sloan said. "When we got it to halftime tied, then I thought that was huge. I felt like we had taken their best shot, and I was pretty happy about where we were."
Saturday's semifinal was the first time this season that Grand Meadow found itself trailing. It was not enough to send the team into a panic, however.
"Our coaches talk about the need to overcome adversity," Bain said. "We work to keep things on an even level."
The Bombers (11-1) jumped out to an early lead and then reclaimed it with two first-half touchdown runs from speedy junior quarterback Peyton Syverson.
Once the Superlarks found their footing defensively, however, Syverson became less effective and the Bombers' option offense stalled.
Syverson would add another touchdown, a 13-yard run with 18 seconds left that trimmed the deficit from three touchdowns to two.
As the game wore on, Grand Meadow's conditioning became apparent as the Superlarks physically wore down Wauban.
"I think they won this game with the work they put in during June, July and August," Bombers coach Phil Clark said. "We gave the best our best shot and it wasn't enough. There's no shame in losing to that team. There is a reason why (Grand Meadow) is here every year."
The Superlarks (13-0) used a balanced offensive attack where their run set up the pass, and Grand Meadow moved the sticks with routine efficiency.
With an enrollment listed at 95 students, the school from eastern Mower County in southeastern Minnesota boasts a team that has not lost a game since 2013. The Superlarks move on to the 9-man state championship at TCF Bank Stadium on Nov. 13 where they face Underwood, which advanced by defeating Ely 37-14 Friday night at St. Cloud State.
