Spring Lake Park Wins Class 5A Prep Bowl Championship with Thrilling 24-21 Victory Over Chanhassen
Down by three with 3:32 to play, Chanhassen had an opportunity for a championship drive. Across the line of scrimmage, the Spring Lake Park defense wanted to clinch the school’s first state title in a generation. Advantage Panthers. Spring Lake Park made two late defensive stops to beat Chanhassen 24-21 in the Class 5A Prep Bowl on Saturday at U.S. Bank Stadium. It was a true team effort that earned the school its second state football championship but first since 1991.
Pressure from Panthers’ defensive end Jamal Smith forced a third-down incompletion on the second-to-last drive for the Storm. On 4th-and-7 with 1:49 left, the senior Smith nearly got to the quarterback again, but his pressure was enough to force an incompletion. Up 24-21, any Spring Lake Park celebrations turned out to be premature. The Panthers subsequently went three-and-out, giving Chanhassen one last opportunity with 1:20 left.
Key Plays and Statistics
The Storm started from their 1-yard line where Calen Truckenbrod’s lofty punt was downed. Nine plays later, the Storm were at the Spring Lake Park 33 with 25 seconds remaining. A fourth-down pass was intercepted by Cade Skelly and the 13-0 Panthers could celebrate — officially. Spring Lake quarterback Nolan Roach ran for 162 yards and two scores, and tossed a touchdown. Lemari Brown finished with 58 powerful, between-the-tackles rushing yards and the defense forced four turnovers against a Storm squad averaging more than 32 points per game.
Nathan Ramler was 27 of 47 for 240 yards for Chanhassen (11-2). Peyton Ramsey ran for 104 yards. Down 24-14 late in the third quarter, Chanhassen put together a nine-play, 65-yard drive that ended with Ramsey scoring from the 10 on fourth down 1:24 into the fourth quarter. Spring Lake Park led by seven at the break, and Sam Wolde’s 25-yard field goal capped a 15-play, 81-yard third-quarter drive to make it 24-14.
Other Prep Bowl Results
In Class 3A, wide receiver/safety Colton Purcell threw a touchdown pass and tied a Prep Bowl record with three interceptions, and Annandale beat Waseca 17-7 for the school’s first football title. Via a double-pass play, Purcell took a backwards throw from Michael Kovall and found Gabriel Westman behind the defense late in the third quarter. Westman’s 25-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter gave the Cardinals a 10-0 lead.
In the 9-Player division, Jamin Metzger threw for 238 yards and two touchdowns, and Hills-Beaver Creek routed Hillcrest Lutheran 46-22 for the 9-Player crown. Brodie Metzger ran for 126 yards and had 99 receiving yards for the 13-0 Patriots, who outgained the Comets 481-258. Ethan Swedberg threw two touchdown passes for Hillcrest Lutheran (12-1). For more information and detailed game statistics, visit Here
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