Totino-Grace high school football stays unbeaten with 34-14 victory over Minneapolis North

This was not what Minneapolis North football coach Charles Adams III intended for this season — but he’s not complaining.

The Polars, a Class 3A stalwart playing its sixth straight game against a bigger school from a higher class, hung with Class 4A power Totino-Grace for most of the first half but eventually succumbed to the stronger, deeper Eagles 34-14 on Friday.

Minneapolis North (3-3) is blessed with explosive talent that lets it hang with big boys, but football is a game of numbers.

“This isn’t what we planned,” Adams admitted. “But we’re OK. We play the hand that’s dealt to us.”

The Polars’ penchant for mistakes did them no favors. Their first of five turnovers on the night occurred on the opening kickoff when they fumbled the ball to the Eagles on their own 11-yard line. Two plays later, Totino-Grace took advantage on a 3-yard scoring run by quarterback Jake Person.

Less than a minute into the game, the Eagles led 7-0.

North’s big-play talent showed up immediately after it fell behind.

On the Polars’ third offensive play from scrimmage, quarterback Logan Lachermeier found Quantayvious Roberts behind the Grace defense for an 83-yard touchdown, knotting the score 7-7.

That quick strike may have stunned Totino-Grace’s homecoming crowd, but Eagles coach Jay Anderson wasn’t surprised.

“There’s great football in every classification in Minnesota,” he said. “We watched these guys on film. They’re really athletic. They’re strong kids. They’re tough kids. They’re really well coached.”

Totino-Grace, ranked No. 2 in Class 4A, retook the lead 14-7 on an 18-yard run by Marquel Keten on the last play of the first quarter.

Again, North responded. Jeremiah Jackson skied over the Grace defense with a marvelous leaping catch for a 9-yard score in the second quarter, but that was all the Polars could muster.

Totino-Grace wrested control of the game away from the Polars with two touchdowns in the final two minutes of the half — a 5-yard run by Michael Strong and a 17-yard touchdown catch by Josiah Young — to take a 27-14 lead into halftime.

Totino-Grace (6-0) capped the scoring in the third quarter on an 11-yard run by Calvin McIntosh.

Anderson agreed his team found its footing after halftime.

“Our kids just kind of got their feet under them, kind of settled down,” he said. “We still made a lot of mistakes, but at the same time, we’re really happy to have a win.”

Adams acknowledged that while his team’s schedule wasn’t what he’d envisioned, it would pay in the postseason.

“I know iron sharpens iron and it will benefit us, but it’s a long way,” he said.