Roseville Seizes Metro Maroon Crown
The Raiders finished 4-4 to end a four-year title drought, while a last-second field goal in the south metro upended playoff seeding.
By Tunde Adeyemi ·
The Class 6A high school football regular season in Minnesota concluded on Friday night with decisive outcomes across the East Metro.
Roseville had not won the Metro Maroon subdistrict title in four years. The Raiders stopped that streak by defeating Coon Rapids 24-14 to secure the crown. They finished the regular season with a 4-4 record, which marks their best mark since 2017. Senior quarterback Chase Browning threw for 162 yards and three touchdowns in the victory. Browning described the moment as an amazing feeling, noting that the team had worked hard to see results.
Other teams cemented their playoff positions with strong performances. Centennial defeated Anoka 38-6, a result that likely locks the Cougars into a No. 3 seed. Anoka allowed only six points, the first time they were held to single digits all season. Mounds View captured the Metro East subdistrict title by beating White Bear Lake 22-16. The Mustangs overcame a two-point deficit when quarterback Tanner Jude ran for a touchdown with 65 seconds left. A successful two-point conversion and an interception by Preston Johnson sealed the game. The Mounds View defense limited White Bear Lake quarterback Wyatt Stachowiak to six completions on 24 attempts.
Forest Lake running back Mack Jurkovich finished the regular season with 1,600 rushing yards. He rushed for 245 yards and two touchdowns in a 31-13 win over Stillwater. The result guarantees the Rangers a No. 2 seed in the Class 6A playoffs. Jurkovich has committed to play for St. Thomas. Park receiver Manny Vargas scored twice in an 18-10 victory over Eastview. His touchdowns included a reception and a 75-yard punt return. East Ridge beat Woodbury 42-31, with Logan Tretter rushing for two scores and Elias Mather returning an interception for a late touchdown.
The most dramatic finish of the night occurred in the south metro. Lakeville South kicker Dylan Nelson kicked a 36-yard field goal with one second remaining. The score gave the Cougars a 17-14 upset win over Rosemount. The result complicates the seeding picture for the south metro in the upcoming playoffs.
