Raider Section Final

The Raider football team reached the Section Final this year....one more win and they'd go to state.  The game was at St. Cloud State University against the Maple Lake Irish.  Kieran and I (and later Luke and Lex) have been going to Raider football games since he was very little -- it's one of those things that he and I spend a lot of time doing --- and Maple Lake is one of those schools Kieran hates....I mean hates...

5 years ago, the Raiders and Maple Lake played in another Section Final football game at St. Cloud (literally, the 5 year anniversary was the day before the 2016 Section Final), Kieran and I went to the game, but the Raiders lost.  It was close, they lost by a point or two, but Kieran cried most of the way home and we had to stop at McDonalds for ice cream to cheer him up.  He never forgot that game...

He was anxious about the rematch...but I always tell him "that's why they play the game...."  So the four of us headed to St. Cloud to watch a football game...

Kieran generally likes to watch the games --- at games in Norwood, he'll run around with his friends for a quarter or two, but he was into this game...the game even held the attention of Luke and Lex for most of it...

But eventually, Luke's curiosity and need to move took over....

So Luke, Lex and I took a walk to get popcorn and gatorade...we also watched the game from a different point of view for a while....

When we got back....Kieran hadn't moved from his spot...he had some friends at the game, but they weren't watching it as closely as he wanted to, so he stayed with us...

It was tense...0-0 at halftime.  Then the Raiders kicked a short field goal near the end of Quarter 3.  Kieran's thought for the rest of Quarter 4 was "can they hold on."  I heard that a lot that quarter...

Eventually, Kieran got comfortable enough to take a picture with the game still going on....it's 3-0, with a little over a minute left in the game...he was happy (bad thumb and all...)...

The Raiders won 3-0, but we couldn't leave until the awards celebration...who watched it the most?  Of course it was Kieran...

No more hating Maple Lake....State Quarterfinals are this Friday night in Shakopee at 7:00 against the team that has already beat the Raiders...tough game.

On the way home Kieran asked how many section finals I've been to and how many they won (I've been to 6 and they won 2)....Kieran said his percentage is better (he's been to 4 and they've won 2).  He also pointed out that he's done that in just ten years compared to my.....hopefully he realizes that going to state in any sport does not happen most years....