ROCHESTER — The Grand Meadow football team couldn’t hang on to a late edge in a 35-28 loss to Nicollet in the state nine man football quarterfinals at RCTC Stadium Saturday.

The Raiders (9-2 overall) scored 15 points in the final two minutes to take away GM’s chances of advancing to the Metrodome. Nicollet quarterback Jordan Rudenick capped a 13 play, 67-yard drive when he plunged for a one-yard TD on fourth down to pull his team within 28-27 with 2:09 left in the game. Rudenick hit Justin Dorn, a tackle-elgible on a jump pass on the two-point conversion to put Nicollet up 29-28.

The Superlarks ensuing drive ended when Sean Murphy picked off a pass from Caleb Leichtnam and ran it back 53 yards for a score. On GM’s last drive, which started from its own 24 with 1:20 left in the game, it had plays of 21 and 16 yards called off by penalties as the Larks turned it over on downs.

“It was a heck of a game and you’ve got to give Nicollet credit,” GM head coach Gary Sloan said. “They made a few more plays than we did. I’m proud of my kids, they played hard and that’s what its supposed to be.”

The Superlarks (10-2 overall) opened the fourth quarter strong, coming up with TD drives of 51- and 64-yards to take a 28-21 lead after Leichtnam hit Michael Gehling on a 24-yard strike down the left sideline with 5:56 left in the game.

But things started much slower for the Superlarks.

GM didn’t score on its first four possessions of the game as Nicollet jumped out to a 7-0 lead on a 44-yard pass from Rudenick to Jamie Fischer.

“They hurt us right in the middle,” Sloan said. “We knew they had a real good nose tackle and a real good middle linebacker and they gave us a lot of trouble. In the first quarter we didn’t do much of anything. They did a good job containing Leichtnam because he didn’t get outside like he usually does.”

Rudenick was a thorn in the Superlarks’ side all day as he threw for 231 yards and three scores, while rushing for 72 yards and two more touchdowns.

“That passing game is tough and we didn’t get enough pressure on the quarterback. When we did get pressure we let him escape out the back side,” Sloan said.

Gehling finished with all four of GM’s touchdowns, along with 72 yards rushing and 108 yards receiving. Still, it was tough for the senior running back to end his career with a loss.

“It’s not the way we wanted it to end. We both played hard, but in the end we just didn’t make the plays,” Gehling said. “It was a great season.”

Nicollet will play Ada-Borup in the nine-man semifinals Saturday at 8 a.m. in the Metrodome.

GM stats: Rushing: Caleb Leichtnam, 24-for-100; Michael Gehling, 19-for-72, 3 TD; Killian Smith, 8-for-13; Passing: Leichtnam, 5-for-10, 111, TD, 2 INT; Receiving: Gehling, 5-for-108, TD; Smith, 1-for-3; Interceptions: Leichtnam; Penalties: 7-for-55

Nicollet stats: Rushing: Jordan Rudenick, 19-for-72, 2 TD; Nick Mans, 3-for-6; Rudenick, 17-for-30, 3 TD, INT; Jamie Fischer, 6-for-98, TD; Nick Mans, 3-for-43; Blake Bode, 3-for-34; Sean Murphy, 2-for-26; Matt Renne, 3-for-20; Interceptions: Derek Wilking, Murphy; Penalties: 4-for-25

SCORING SUMMARY

GM 0 14 0 14 — 28

Nicollet 7 6 8 14 — 35

First quarter

(N) 1:02 Fischer 44 pass from Rudenick (Rudenick kick) (4 plays, 59 yards)

Second quarter

(GM) 5:24 Gehling 2 run (Gehling run) (9 plays, 72 yards)

(GM) 2:50 Gehling 14 run (Gehling run failed) (6 plays, 39 yards)

(N) 1:18 Rudenick 7 run (Rudenick kick blocked) (5 plays, 69 yards)

Third quarter

(N) 7:07 Bode 11 pass from Rudenick (Bode from Rudenick) (11 plays, 66 yards)

Fourth quarter

(GM) 11:40 Gehling 2 run (Wilson kick failed) (6 plays, 51 yards)

(GM) 5:56 Gehling 24 pass from Gehling (Gehling run) (10 plays, 64 yards)

(N) 2:09 Rudenick 1 run (Justin Dorn from Rudenick)

(N) 1:27 Murphy 53 interception return (Rudenick kick failed) (1 play, 53 yards)