High school football: Maple Grove beats Minnetonka for Class 6A state championship

Maple Grove may not have exactly run away with the Class 6A state championship Friday night, but Crimson senior Chuck Langama certainly did.

The Maple Grove running back carried the ball 26 times for 143 yards and two touchdowns as his team survived a late rally to down Minnetonka 28-21 and earn the program’s second state title in three years.

It was the first, though, under coach Adam Spurrell, who led his team to a 13-0 finish in his first season at the helm. Friday’s victory came with his predecessor Matt Lombardi on the opposing sideline as an assistant coach for the Skippers.

“We knew we had a state championship-type team at the start of the season, and I couldn’t be prouder of these guys,” said Spurrell, whose team led 28-7 in the fourth quarter on Friday.

“I’ll speak candidly, though. That wasn’t the finish I wanted. I was happy with 28-7. I told these guys they took a couple of years off my life at the end there.”

Things couldn’t have started better for the Crimson. On the game’s opening possession, Maple Grove senior Jacob Wrbanek scooped up a Caleb Francois fumble and raced 39 yards for a touchdown that put his team on top 7-0 early.

After the two teams traded punts, Minnetonka answered back — mounting a 12-play, 67-yard drive that ran 6:27 off the clock and was capped by a 1-yard touchdown run by Francois that tied the score with 11:19 to play in the second quarter.

“We fought hard the whole way,” Skippers coach Mark Esch said. “We battled. I told our guys they need to leave here with their heads held high.”

Maple Grove, though, was not to be outdone, responding with a 13-play, 72-yard drive of its own that ended on a 4-yard touchdown run by Langama. That put the Crimson back on top 14-7 with 5:08 remaining before halftime.

Langama carried the ball eight times for 41 yards on that one possession alone.

He struck again on an 18-yard touchdown run with 33 seconds to go in the first half to extend the lead to 21-7 — a score set up when junior quarterback Kaden Harney picked up a fumbled snap and fired a 32-yard completion to senior Dylan Vokal one play prior.

“As the game goes on, you hit the holes, get tackled, get up and go again,” Langama said. “The offensive line keeps you motivated and I love it.”

The Crimson looked like they might expand the lead further when they reached the Minnetonka 13-yard line on the first drive of the second half. But the Skippers picked off a Harney pass.

Minnetonka then moved the ball inside the Maple Grove 30 before Wrbanek tipped a pass, allowing Vokal to record an interception and the Crimson regained possession at their own 19.

From there, neither team was able to score again until Maple Grove junior Patrick Wright rumbled 10 yards for a touchdown that put his team on top by 21 with 5:29 to play.

Yet, Minnetonka did not go quietly.

The Skippers cut the margin back to 14 when senior Chase Conrad scored on a 2-yard run with 4:06 to play, then pulled within a touchdown when Francois connected with senior Vincent May on a 37-yard touchdown pass with 2:49 remaining.

That score was set up when a Maple Grove rushing attempt on a punt failed to yield a first down, setting Minnetonka up with possession of the ball at its own 42. From there, it took just two plays and 13 seconds to cover the 58 yards.

“We told ourselves the game wasn’t over until the clock hit zero,” May said.

But Langama was able to carry the ball five times for 21 yards before the Crimson punted the ball back to the Skippers, who took over at their own 15 with 12 seconds left.

Francois’ first pass was then picked off by Vokal, sealing the Maple Grove victory.

Afterward, the Crimson players were full of praise for their head coach, who took over after a long run as an assistant in the program.

“He’s done an amazing job,” Vokal said. “The transition has been great. He’s an amazing leader and we love him.”