Maple Grove offensive tackle Michael Wagner (57) rushes towards the student section and holds up the trophy after defeating Minnetonka 28-21 in the MSHSL 6A Football State Championship at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minn. on Friday, Nov. 22, 2024. ] ALEX KORMANN • alex.kormann@startribune.com (Alex Kormann/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Maple Grove head football coach Adam Spurrell expected his team would be very good this season. He’d been a Maple Grove assistant coach for a dozen years before getting the top job last spring.

Months ago, he knew what his team was capable of achieving, and the Crimson did what was expected on Friday, beating Minnetonka 28-21 in the Class 6A state championship game for Maple Grove’s second 6A title in three seasons.

“We knew we had a state championship-type team,” Spurrell said.

It just didn’t end quite as Spurrell had hoped. After having a three touchdown lead in the second half, Maple Grove was forced to hold on through a Minnetonka rally.

“I couldn’t be more proud of these guys, though that’s not the finish I wanted,” Spurrell smiled. “I wanted 28-7. I told [the team] they took a couple of year off my life there in the fourth quarter.”

As if it was preordained, circumstances could scarcely have gone better for Maple Grove early on.

On it’s fourth play from scrimmage, Minnetonka quarterback Caleb Francois fumbled and Maple Grove linebacker Jacob Wrbanek picked it up and sprinted 39 yards for a score. The game was little more than two minutes old and Maple Grove led 7-0.

Minnetonka dug in its heels and battled back. After a trade of punts, Minnetonka put together a 13-play, 68-yard drive, with Francois stepping lightly into the end zone from a yard out, tying the score 7-7.

The No. 1-ranked team in the state responded appropriately.

Maple Grove turned to running back Charles Langama and the Crimson moved methodically downfield. Langama carried the ball eight times on the ensuing 12-play drive and scored from four-yards out, using a gasp-worthy jump cut to avoid and tackler at the 2-yard line.

With a 14-7 lead, Maple Grove’s defense made its presence known. A 13-yard sack of Francois, coupled with an intentional grounding penalty, proved too much for Minnetonka to overcome. After Minnetonka punted, Maple Grove took firm control of momentum, going 68 yards in six plays, including a pair of Kaden Harney pass completions — one to Bo Draheim for 22 yards and another to Dylan Vokal for 32 yards, after picking up a fumbled snap.

Langama capped the drive, running off-tackle to the left for an 18-yard touchdown, his second score of the game, giving Maple Grove a 21-7 lead at halftime.

“At halftime, I said ‘We started fast. Now we’ve got to finish strong’,” Spurell said.

After a third quarter in which both teams traded turnovers, Maple Grove appeared to put the game away on an 10-yard touchdown run by Patrick Wright with 5:29 left in the game, but Minnetonka cut the deficit to 28-14 when running back Chase Conrad scored from 2-yards out with just over four minutes to play.

A mistake in judgement on fourth-and-7 aided Minnetonka’s rally. Maple Grove punter Henry Sievers tried, and failed, to run for a first-down.

“We always have that available, but I totally take the blame for that one,” Spurrell said. “If I had it to do over, I would make sure he knew it was the fourth quarter.”

Minnetonka said thank you by moving 58 yards in two plays, including a touchdown reception by Vinny May with three minutes left.

Maple Grove took the ensuing kickoff and and moved to midfield, taking most of the remaining time off the clock thanks to Langama, who finished with 143 yards rushing.

With 12 seconds left, a deep pass was intercepted by Vokal, sealing the Crimson victory.