Crimson wins second title in three years

by Mike Sonntag

Maple Grove fought off a furious late comeback attempt by Minnetonka to win its second state title in three years in the Class 6A state championship game at U.S. Bank Stadium, 28-21. Having now played in the state championship game three of the last four years the Crimson program could be a dynasty in the making.

Crimson junior running back Patrick Wright scored from 10 yards out with 5:29 left in the fourth quarter to give the Crimson a comfortable 28-7 lead. But Minnetonka showed they had plenty of fight and character by scoring two touchdowns in less than two and a half minutes to cut the Crimson lead to seven with 2:49 left.  First, Skippers senior running back Conrad Chase finished a quick drive with a two-yard touchdown run.  Then after a forcing a three and out and Maple Grove punt, Minnetonka junior quarterback Caleb Francois threaded the needle between two defenders to hit senior wide receiver Vinny May for a 37-yard touchdown strike and suddenly the party in Maple Grove was on hold.

“I told the team I wanted 28-7” Maple Grove first year head coach Adam Spurrell lamented. “The last five minutes took years off my life.”  Up fourteen points with four minutes left the Crimson tried a fake punt at midfield that the Skippers were able to snuff out. When asked if that was a called fake, Spurrell took full responsibility, “yeah we give him the freedom to go for it if he thinks he has an opportunity, but in hindsight I should have told him not to take that opportunity with a fourteen-point lead in the fourth quarter.” Spurrell said.

Maple Grove used an early 39-yard fumble recovery scoop and score by Crimson senior linebacker Jacob Wrbanek to gain early momentum against Minnetonka. The Skippers quickly responded to tie the game when Francois found the end zone from one yard out. Crimson senior running back Chuck Langama rushed for seventy-one yards on thirteen carries and two touchdowns to give Maple Grove a 21-7 halftime lead. Langama finished the game with twenty-six carries for 146 yards and was the workhorse for the Crimson.

This game also offered a bit of sideline intrigue as the Crimson faced their former state champion coach Matt Lombardi who left following the 2023 season to become defensive coordinator at Minnetonka for head coach Mark Esch. When asked how the Crimson players managed the sudden change at the to:

“We really wanted Spurrell to be our head coach and we as a group did a lot to get him in there, and we love him.” Wrbanek said.

Senior WR/DB Dylan Vokal had two second half interceptions, including one with five seconds left in the game to seal the victory.

Minnetonka finished the season 10-3 and have plenty of talent coming back.  “We’ll be back.”  Skippers head coach Mark Esch said.  “These kids never quit; they showed that tonight.”

Maple Grove finished the season undefeated 13-0, they last won the state championship in 2022 and finished runners-up in 2021.