Minnetonka rolls against Blaine, wins a trip to U.S. Bank Stadium for the Class 6A football semifinals

Becker and Totino-Grace remained undefeated with Class 4A playoff victories.

The Minnesota Star Tribune
November 8, 2024 at 4:18AM

Chase Conrad and Caleb Francois went on the run Thursday, propelling Minnetonka past Blaine 28-0 in the Class 6A football quarterfinals Thursday at Osseo High School.

They combined to rush for 284 yards and three touchdowns. Conrad had 166 yards and two touchdowns; 91 yards came in the first half. Francois finished with 118 rushing yards, including 84 in the first half, and a touchdown. Francois completed one pass in the game, to Vincent May for 12 yards. May also had a 5-yard touchdown run.

The Skippers (9-2) turned to backups late in the third quarter. Sophomore quarterback Caden Gutzmer ran for 19 yards, and Hunter Stockham had 27 as the Skippers piled up 341 rushing yards.

The Bengals (7-4) drove 55 yards on its second possession of the game but failed to convert a fourth-down play at the Skippers 25. Starting quarterback Sam Shaughnessy injured his shoulder on the fourth-down play and did not return.

The Skippers defense held the Bengals to 178 total yards and had three interceptions; Sterling Bain had two interceptions and AJ Fider one. Charlie Potvin had an interception for Blaine.

Class 4A

Becker 35, Holy Angels 15: Sophomore Tristan Kowalkowski threw two touchdown passes to Carter Reckelberg to lead the Bulldogs at Brainerd High School. Sawyer Brown had two touchdown runs and Isaac Daluge ran for another for the Bulldogs (11-0). Gavin Coughlin threw a touchdown pass to Daniel Devine and Emmett Anderson ran for a touchdown for the Stars (7-4).

Orono 49, Hermantown 21: Rory Kvern and Charles Cordes totaled six touchdowns for the winning Spartans at Alexandria High School. Kvern ran for three touchdowns and Cordes ran for two and threw for another for the Spartans (9-2). Martin Sleen ran for two touchdowns for the Hawks (9-2).

Totino-Grace 24, Hill-Murray 0: Marquel Keten ran for two touchdowns to lead the Eagles past the Pioneers (9-2) at Blaine High School. Calvin McIntosh added a touchdown run for the Eagles (11-0).

Marshall 21, Byron 0: The Tigers pulled away in the second half at East Ridge High School. Levi Maeyaert threw a touchdown pass to Jack Meier and Mason Eickhoff and Gavin Schaefer had a touchdown run each for the Tigers (10-1). Byron finished 9-2.

Class 2A

Staples-Motley 46, Barnesville 44 (2 OTs): Colbe Tappe ran for a touchdown and Eli Rutten ran in the two-point conversion to give the Cardinals a victory in double overtime at St. Cloud Tech High School. Tappe ran for five touchdowns, and Rutten added a touchdown pass to Alex Schultz for the Cardinals (11-0). Cameron Halverson ran for four touchdowns and Jacob Strand and Major Ness ran for one touchdown each for the Trojans (11-1).

Chatfield 23, Triton 22: Tobin McMahon intercepted a pass from Triton in the final minute to seal a victory for the Gophers at Hastings High School. Carson Rowland ran for a touchdown with 1:14 left to give the Gophers (11-0) the lead. Pierce Petersohn threw a touchdown pass to Garet Jensen with 6:22 left to give the Cobras (8-3) a 22-16 lead.

Class 1A

Parkers Prairie 33, Upsala/Swanville 0: Mason Boesl ran for three touchdowns to propel the Panthers past Upsala/Swanville (10-1) at Rock Ridge High School. Isaac Ruckheim ran for a touchdown and Joseph Johnson threw a touchdown pass to Chavous Wendt for the Panthers (9-3).

Springfield 20, Goodhue 14: Parker Kuehn threw a 32-yard touchdown pass to Isaac Fredin with 21 seconds left to give the Tigers a victory at Rochester Mayo High School. Kuehn also threw a touchdown pass to Madden Lendt and ran for another for the Tigers (11-0). Luke Roschen threw a touchdown pass to Sean Matthees and ran for another for the Wildcats (11-1).

Nine-Player

Mountain Iron-Buhl 38, Stephen-Argyle 6: Derik Dahl and Micaden Clines ran for two touchdowns each to lift the Rangers at Grand Rapids High School. Caleb Rossi added a touchdown run for the Rangers (12-0). Blaine Smith ran for a touchdown for the Storm (10-2).

Fertile-Beltrami 48, Cromwell-Wright 7: Isaiah Wright ran for four touchdowns, all longer than 50 yards, for the Falcons at Moorhead High School. Easton Petry threw a touchdown pass to Bryer Strem and ran for another and Jonah Harstad ran for a touchdown for the Falcons (11-0). Brady Dahl ran for a touchdown for the Cardinals (10-2).

Hills-Beaver Creek 34, Border West 14: Beau Bakken ran for two touchdowns in the Patriots’ victory at Buffalo High School. Jamin Metzger threw a touchdown pass to Jace Gacke and ran for another and Sawyer Bosch ran for a touchdown for the Patriots (11-0). Holden Rinke and Brody Nachbor had a rushing touchdown each for the Buccaneers (9-3).

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Joseph Gunther

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