Annandale survived Friday with an 81-76 semifinal victory over Caledonia, but for a second consecutive game in the Class 2A state tournament, the top-seeded Cardinals made sure there was plenty of drama at the Target Center.

Two nights after a grueling victory over New London-Spicer, Annandale flexed its offensive muscle early to build a 13-point halftime lead. 

Then the Cardinals struggled to close.

Caledonia cut the lead to just three points with 3 minutes and 48 seconds remaining and was within striking distance the rest of the way. 

But Annandale made its free throws, and once hot-shooting Caledonia started misfiring. In the end, the Cardinals did just enough to advance to their first-ever state title game.

“We’ve been in a lot of positions like that this year,” junior guard Chase Knickerbocker said. “We played in a tough conference. … We’re used to battling and that really prepared us.”

Knickerbocker scored 24 points — 17 coming before halftime — and senior Matt Miller added 21.

Junior Kyle Sorenson scored 24 points to lead Caledonia, which shot just 6-for-29 on three-pointers. The Warriors made 14 from behind the arc in their 20-point victory Wednesday over St. Paul Academy.

It was all Annandale early, as Knickerbocker hit five early three-pointers to pace a Cardinal offense that could seemingly do no wrong through 18 minutes. 

But Miller, who served as the triggerman for Annandale’s offense, fouled out with 6:18 remaining, and the momentum swung to Caledonia. An 11-point lead quickly shrunk to just three, and Annandale had to slow down the pace and draw fouls to seal the win.

“I couldn’t even watch. I looked away on half the free throws,” Miller said of the closing minutes. “I was nervous. … Goodness, now I know what my mom feels like.''