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WILLMAR -- The Marshall football team saw its season come to an end Friday night, falling 22-12 to Willmar in the Section 2AAAA championship game.
The Tigers had some success through the air, as quarterback Cannon Craigmile completed 10 of 21 passes for 160 yards and two touchdowns. Ethan Weedman and Ethan Boeck each hauled in a touchdown reception, with Boeck leading Marshall with four catches for 153 yards.
Marshall struggled to establish its ground game, finishing with 62 yards on 23 carries.
Head coach Terry Bahlmann said the Tigers started well offensively but had difficulty maintaining their rhythm as the game progressed.
"We started out fine on offense, and we sort of lost our rhythm, whether it was penalties or getting behind the sticks a lot," Bahlmann said. "We’re not that kind of team to come back from second-and-nines, third-and-tens. That hurts, with penalties, but we couldn’t get a run game going."
Marshall found some success running the ball in the first half but struggled to get it going after halftime. Bahlmann said the Tigers had difficulty sustaining possessions in the second half.
The Marshall defense kept the Tigers competitive against a Willmar team Bahlmann recognized as one of the state’s top programs. He also pointed to a missed two-point conversion opportunity as a key moment in the game.
Bahlmann said the Tigers had an opportunity to make the score 14-14 but were unable to convert a play from the goal line.
Despite the loss, Bahlmann said he was proud of the team’s effort and the accomplishments of the senior group, which helped lead Marshall through a successful three-year stretch.
"This three-year run ties for the most wins by any three-year run of any group of kids in school history," Bahlmann said. "They’ve been to U.S. Bank twice. They played their hearts out tonight, and Willmar has a good team. We knew that. That’s why they’re ranked No. 2, but I’m really proud of them, everything they did and everything."
Bahlmann said one of the most difficult parts of the season ending was knowing the group would not have another opportunity to play together.
"The hard part is this team will never be together again," Bahlmann said. "The fun we’ve had, the hard work we’ve put together, and we never get to put this group back together again. It’s not that we lost. It’s just that we never get to put this group back together again."
Marshall finished the season with a 7-3 record and as the Section 2AAAA runner-up. Bahlmann noted the difficulty of the Tigers’ schedule, which included losses to the teams ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in the state.
After 43 years of coaching, Bahlmann said the end of the season brings disappointment, but he remains proud of the way his players competed.
"It’s a downer, but we’re proud of this team," Bahlmann said. "We’re disappointed we’re second place in the section, but at 7-3, we play the toughest schedule in the state. We got beat by the No. 1 and No. 2 twice. We battled tonight. Our kids competed their tails off. A couple breaks went our way, but I’m so proud of our football team."
Bahlmann also thanked the Marshall fans for their support throughout the season, along with his family and the team’s assistant coaches.