A sign posted along the Metrodome sidelines by a Pirate fan said "Us Pirates aren't afraid of a Storm, we just beat a Hurricane" in reference to Verndale's 28-12 quarterfinal victory over Houston the previous week.
But Verndale was no match for a perfect Storm in the semifinals on Nov. 15 at the Metrodome, losing 35-14. Stephen-Argyle came in with an 11-0 record and hadn't lost in a state-record 65 games.
In a match-up of rushing teams, Stephen-Argyle won the battle with 342 yards compared to Verndale's 234.
With workman-like simplicity and precision, the Storm rained over Verndale's parade, knocking them out of the State semifinals with a 35-14 win at the Metrodome last Thursday.
The Storm played with a Vince Lombardi-like approach. They ran the ball and they ran it well. And they don't try to outrun you, they run over you. They know it's coming, their opponent knows it's coming, the referees know its coming, but can anyone stop them before winning a fifth-straight championship?
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Stephen-Argyle (12-0) ran rampant over the Pirates, rushing for 342 yards and five touchdowns. Running back Taylor Swanson scored twice, including the first touchdown in the first quarter, and had a team-high 132 yards. Quarterback Kip Thorstenson ran in from one yard out in the second quarter to take a 14-0 lead into the locker room at halftime.
The Storm scored two more times in the third quarter to take a 28-0 lead before Verndale finally got on the scoreboard. Sam Moenkedick opened the fourth quarter with a 55-yard scoring run, but the failed two-point conversion left the score at 28-6. Moenkedick had a game-high 202 yards rushing for the Pirates.
With just 29 seconds left in the game, Jake Seaton took a 10-yard pass from fellow running back Ethan Kern on a half-back option play for the final score of the game.
Stephen-Argyle's defense played true to form, not allowing Verndale to score until the game was out of reach. Of the 127 points allowed this season by the Storm defense, 78 have come in the fourth quarter of games (61.4 percent).
Verndale (10-2) was the last team prior to Stephen-Argyle to win the State Nine-Man championship in 2002.
The Storm will now face Waubun in the Nine-Man State Championship. Waubun (11-0) beat Wheaton in the other semifinal game, 14-8. The Nine-Man title game will be at 10 a.m. on Nov. 23 at the Metrodome.
State 9-Man Semifinals at Metrodome on Nov. 15
Verndale vs. Stephen-Argyle
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Storm 35, Pirates 14
Verndale 0 0 0 14-14
S-A 7 7 14 7-35
First Quarter
SA-Taylor Swanson 2 run (Blaine Deschene kick) 3:41
Second Quarter
SA-Kip Thorstenson 1 run (Deschene kick) 5:04
Third Quarter
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SA-Swanson 13 run (Deschene kick) 6:16
SA-Thorstenson 10 run (Deschene kick) 0:45
Fourth Quarter
V-Sam Moenkedick 55 run (Ethan Kern pass failed) 11:15
SA-Brandon Sorenson 11 run (Deschene kick) 3:50
V-Jake Seaton 10 pass from Kern (Zack Meidinger rush) 0:29
Team Statistics
Rushes-Yards: V 51-234; SA 59-342
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Pass Comp-Att-Int-Yards: V 2-6-0-25; SA 2-5-1-36
Total offense: V 57-259; SA 64-378
First Downs: V 14; SA 21
Penalties-Yards: V 2-6; SA 3-20
Individual Statistics
Rushing: V-Sam Moenkedick 27-202, Ethan Kern 8-19, Amos Schmidt 2-10, Matt Moenkedick 14-3; SA-Taylor Swanson 24-132, Kyle Gratzek 10-103, Brandon Sorenson 7-31, Kip Thorstenson 7-26, Mathew Borowicz 8-25, Jimmy Crummy 2-25, Team 1-0
Passing: V-Matt Moenkedick 1-3-0-15, Ethan Kern 1-2-0-10, Team 0-1; SA-Kip Thorstenson 2-5-1-36
Receiving: V-Jake Seaton 2-25; SA-Jimmy Crummy 1-29, Taylor Swanson 1-7
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Defensive Standouts: V-Matt Moenkedick 17 tackles, forced fumble; Sam Moenkedick 14 tackles; Ethan Kern 13 tackles; Cole Weber 8 tackles; Brady Siedschlaw interception
