Cretin-Derham Hall’s John Henry Kohorst slides back to first base during Saturday night's game. (Rebecca Villagracia/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Cretin-Derham Hall baseball has run into plenty of roadblocks in recent years, some more literal than others.

Entering this season, the 11-time state champions — a Minnesota best — knew they were stuffed into a tough Section 4, with teams that had won five of the past six Class 4A state titles. The Raiders hadn’t qualified for state since 2007, the year of their most recent championship.

But in Saturday night’s Class 4A title game, senior Blake Bullis ran into a quite solid hurdle. With Cretin-Derham Hall up 3-2 in the top of the seventh inning, the third baseman tracked a foul ball backwards until his feet flew out from underneath him.

A rolled-up tarp, sitting in left field foul territory under threat of rain, was the latest obstacle for the Raiders. But from between the tarp and the wall, Bullis’ bleached-blond head popped up with a grin and a highlight-worthy catch — the first of three final outs to clinch the Raiders’ record 12th title.

For more on the Raiders' victory, click here to read this story on startribune.com.