Lakeville South derailed Maple Grove’s hopes of a football championship in 2021 with a six-point victory. While championship dreams were temporarily dashed, Maple Grove wasn’t daunted as it made their way into another Class AAAAAA championship berth a year later. But another South Suburban Conference school stood in the path of Maple Grove’s pursuit of a first championship in 10 state tournament appearances.
It was Rosemount, hungry to end a state championship dry spell since 1981, the last year before the Prep Bowl Era. With a defense that surrenders little, many believed Rosemount had the edge in the race for securing a trophy at the end of Day 1 of the two-day Prep Bowl.
Instead, Maple Grove solved Rosemount’s defense with a 21-point outburst in the second quarter that paved the way to a 27-10 victory late Friday night, Dec. 2 at U.S. Bank Stadium. Senior quarterback Jacob Kilzer accounted for two of his three touchdowns in the decisive second quarter that completed an undefeated season for the Crimson (13-0).
After a first-quarter field goal gave the Irish (12-1) an early lead, Kilzer gave the Crimson a lead they wouldn’t surrender when he hit senior Jacob Anderson with a strike to complete a 45-yard scoring play. Following a Rosemount fumble, Maple Grove quickly added to its lead on a 1-yard run by Tanner Albeck with 10:19 left in the second quarter. After another fumble, Maple Grove capitalized again on Kilzer’s 8-yard run to the right said, and suddenly, it was 21-3.
The Irish would show some life in the waning moments of the second quarter when senior tight end Kyson Leenderts caught a 7-yard scoring pass from junior quarterback Landon Danner to close the gap to 21-10 at the half.
But instead of inching any closer, Maple Grove clamped down on Rosemount in the second half with numerous key stops. Albeck led a ball-hawking defense with 14 tackles.
Kilzer closed out the scoring on a 1-yard run that completed a 13-play, 63-yard drive that gobbled up nearly seven minutes of clock in the third and fourth quarters. Kilzer finished the season with 21 combined touchdowns.
It was Rosemount’s third runner-up finish in as many Prep Bowl championship game appearances. The others came in 2010 and 2013.
Who did the Crimson play at the US Bank Stadium for thier 2022 6A Championship? Rosemount
You can validate your puzzle solution with
certitude.