Class A
Minneota 70, Springfield 20
Good luck compiling a more impressive string of Prep Bowl performances than what Ryan Meagher just delivered over the last three state title games.
The senior running back ran 22 times for 290 yards and six touchdowns as the Vikings won their third-straight championship on Friday at U.S. Bank Stadium. In those three title games, Meagher has accumulated 59 carries for 562 yards and 12 scores.
Unfortunately for Springfield, it was on the losing end of all three bouts.
There’s no shame there, as Minneota has simply been the class of this class for years.
The Tigers (12-1) did find some offensive success through the air in the first half. Parker Kuehn tallied 265 yards and two scores passing. Brayden Sturm had 10 catches for 147 yards and a touchdown receiving. Kuehn’s second touchdown pass — a 14-yard scoring strike to Madden Lendt — trimmed the Vikings’ lead to 35-20 in the second quarter.
But Minneota (13-0) scored the game’s final 35 points. As a team, the Vikings ran for more than 500 yards Friday. This season, Meagher — who remains uncommitted for where to play collegiately next year — finished with 1,960 yards and 40 scores.
The Vikings played just one game that was decided by fewer than four scores this season — a 34-28 section final victory over BOLD.
Class 2A
Jackson County Central 42, Staples-Motley 26
Jackson County Central junior quarterback Roman Voss is the state’s most sought after Class of 2026 recruit, holding offers from the likes of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa and Iowa State.
He went down with a broken ankle in the state quarterfinals, dealing a major blow to the Huskies’ state title chances, only to have Grant Freking revive them. Filling in for Voss, Freking delivered a masterful performance on Friday, throwing for 212 yards and three scores to guide the Huskies to their second-ever state title, and first since 2001.
Perhaps what was most impressive about the performance was it came after such a rocky start. Making its first title game appearance since 1988, Staples-Motley struck first when Luke Bjerga picked off a Freking pass and returned it 30 yards for a score to put the Cardinals up 6-0 less than three minutes into the contest.
But Freking responded immediately, hitting Ben Dahlin for the first of two 60-plus yard first-half scoring strikes between the duo less than a minute later.
Clay Malchow largely took care of business from there for the Huskies (13-0), rushing for 123 yards and three scores. His 39-yard rushing touchdown put Jackson County Central up 36-14 late in the first half.
Bjerga also ran in a score for the Cardinals (12-1), who were seeking their first state title.
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