FARGO, ND (KNSP) — For the first time since 2004, the Staples-Motley Cardinals Football team is headed back to the Class 2A State Tournament after a thrilling 36-30 victory over No. 3-seeded Osakis in the Section 6-2A Final on Friday, Nov. 1, at the Fargodome.

Junior standout Colbe Tappe led top-seeded and No. 10-ranked Staples-Motley with an 170 rushing yards and 81 receiving yards, scoring four touchdowns. Tappe’s impressive performance accounted for 251 of the team’s 448 yards and all of the Cardinals’ scoring until Ben Tyrrell clinched the game-winning touchdown with just under four minutes left.

Tyrrell’s late touchdown and a two-point conversion extended Staples-Motley’s lead to 36-22. Osakis’ junior quarterback, Trenton VanNyhuis, quickly answered with a 44-yard touchdown run to cut the lead with just over two minutes left. VanNyhuis delivered a solid performance, racking up 106 rushing yards and 209 passing yards, contributing to all four Osakis touchdowns.

Osakis receiver Seth Staloch also made an impact, collecting 140 receiving yards. Osakis made a push at the start of the fourth quarter, but their drive was intercepted when S-M’s Noah Larson tipped a VanNyhuis pass, setting up a crucial turnover caught by Tyrrell. From there, the Cardinals went on an 89-yard, 10-play drive, eating up seven minutes of game time before Tyrrell’s touchdown put S-M up by 14 points.

Staples-Motley dominated early on, moving the ball with ease in the first half. After a Cardinal fumble in the redzone of their opening drive, Osakis quickly capitalized with a 75-yard touchdown pass from VanNyhuis to Staloch. S-M responded shortly after with Tappe’s 56-yard touchdown pass from junior quarterback Eli Rutten, who completed 9-of-10 passes for 190 yards.

The Cardinals took a 20-8 lead after another Tappe touchdown, but Osakis answered to close the gap before halftime.

Staples-Motley’s win over Osakis avenges last year’s 42-13 section final loss. With this victory, the Cardinals are making their fourth state tournament appearance, finishing runner-up in 1988, then also making the tournament in 1989 and 2004.

The rest of the Class 2A tournament field includes Chatfield, Triton, Jackson County Central, Norwood-Young America, Kimball Area, Moose Lake-Willow River, and Barnesville. Seeding will be released later this weekend. The Cardinals could play on Thursday, November 7th at 7:00 at St. Cloud Tech High School, or on Friday, November 8th at 7:00 at Brainerd High School.