With the scoreboard to his right running off inconsequential final seconds and an overjoyed Anoka student section to his left, Tornadoes offensive lineman Kyle Griffin walked toward midfield, tapped his chest with his right hand and looked skyward.

Last Friday's victory over rival Blaine put Anoka back in the Class 5A football tournament for the first time since 2006. Some players sprinted toward a midfield gathering, others lay on the field overcome with emotion. Griffin used the moment to quietly honor former teammate Dylan Witschen, who lost a battle with cancer as a sophomore. He would have been a senior this fall.

"He was my best friend," said Griffin, one of the top offensive linemen in the Northwest Suburban Conference. "I was showing that I did it for him."

Like Witschen's legacy, Anoka's football season goes on. The Tornadoes (9-1) play Eden Prairie (9-1) at 7 p.m. Friday at Osseo High School in the quarterfinals. The Eagles are one of the state's power programs, winning six big-school state titles since 1996.

Griffin spoke to Star Tribune reporter David La Vaque about blocking for Anoka's talented backfield and why playing Wayzata earlier this season will help the Tornadoes' approach to the state playoffs.

Q You lost earlier this season to Wayzata but I'm wondering what the game was worth to you guys. I'm guessing you gained a lot of insight into what that level of football is like.

A You're exactly right. We haven't played a team like that in a while that good. They came out ready to play right away, and we didn't play our best. We learned a lot from that about what we can do better. We didn't carry out our fakes. We weren't blocking on the backside. We figured out you have to go hard no matter what you're doing, even if you're not exactly in the play.

Q Knowing that you've played Wayzata, does that take some of the fear factor away from having to play Eden Prairie?

A Yeah, I think so. I think that does help a lot. We know we need to come ready to play, guns out right away.

Q What's asked of you in this offense?

A Usually it's block the guy ahead of me but when I get to the line, if it's pass block I call out who's got who. I call out some of the blitzes.

Q Usually you hear about the center doing those things. But that's your job?

A Well, they never really asked anyone to do it. I just kind of do it. I think it helps. It helps me and Travis Weight, the right guard. We're really good friends, so we communicate really well.

Q You're part of the nameless guys knocking heads, but does it make you feel good to have so much team success?

A Yeah, we love it. Every one of us loves blocking for our running backs. And they show us a lot of love, too. They are always giving us high-fives. When we're watching film, they'll shout our names out and tell us, "Good block."

Q Because of the way you guys run the ball, have you gotten a sense during games this year that the other team is worn out?

A A lot of times we can see the defense wear out. We have a fast tempo -- sprint to the line, sprint to the huddle, sprint to the pile. We condition hard every day.