skip navigation

Maple Grove comes eight yards short of Prep Bowl

By admin, 11/12/15, 10:30AM CST

Share

by Matthew Davis

Almost year after Maple Grove’s football season ended against Eden Prairie in the state semifinals, the Crimson saw their Prep Bowl hopes come eight yards short on Friday, Nov. 6, in Eden Prairie.

Crimson quarterback Brad Davison heaved the ball from his team’s 20-yard line with 10 seconds left in the game to Jared Martinson, and the senior tight end caught the ball and charged toward the end zone. Until an East Ridge defender caught him at the 8-yard line that is in the Crimson’s 24-20 loss to the Raptors in the Class 6A semifinals.

“We gave ourselves a chance, our kids are sad, but I’m very proud of them,” Crimson coach Matt Lombardi said.

Maple Grove had battled back from a 17-0 hole in the first half to go ahead 20-17 late in the third quarter. Davison ran in a 3-yard TD, and Mr. Football finalist Isaac Collins tossed a two-point conversion pass to Eddie Lee.

“They showed good heart, they came after it, they didn’t quit, but they didn’t play very well,” Lombardi said.
Momentum grew on the other side of the ball too for the Crimson. With a goal-line stop and a forced punt in the quarter, it appeared Maple Grove’s defense had found a way to slow down the Raptors’ dynamic running attack.

A punt by the Raptors early in the fourth had the Crimson driving again until a fumble on third down thwarted their efforts. East Ridge made the Crimson pay in a two-play 22-yard drive capped by the eventually game-winning TD by Dominik London from 16-yards out. It seemed as if the first-half reality returned for the Crimson.

Maple Grove then moved the ball to midfield but opted to punt on a fourth-and-13 instead of going for the conversion with four minutes left in the game. East Ridge’s running attack again emerged as the Crimson defense could not get the Raptors off the field fast enough. The Crimson had 27 seconds to work with after the eventual Raptors punt.

“The team that won deserved to win the game,” Lombardi said.

Maple Grove ended its season at 9-3 overall.


Isaac Collins looks for yardage against East Ridge. (Photo by Rich Moll – richmollphotography.com)


Maple Grove players look on as Eddie Lee makes a diving catch for the Crimson. (Photo by Rich Moll – richmollphotography.com)


Gabe Hanson makes a touchdown-saving tackle for Maple Grove against East Ridge in the 6A semifinals. (Photo by Rich Moll – richmollphotography.com)