2024 Football State Tournament: Quarterfinals Day 1

The Minnesota State High School League’s Football State Tournament kicked off Thursday night with multiple fantastic finishes in quarterfinal games around the state.

Springfield quarterback Parker Kuehn threw a 32-yard touchdown pass to Isaac Fredin with 21 seconds left to break a 14-14 tie in a Class A quarterfinal battle of unbeatens with Goodhue at Rochester Mayo.

Springfield (11-0) is the South No. 3 seed and moved on to the semifinals for the third straight season with a 20-14 victory. Kuehn’s 2-yard touchdown run and 2-point conversion tied the score earlier in the fourth quarter.

In Class AA, Chatfield quarterback Carson Rowland punched in a touchdown at the goal line and Ross Stoehr kicked the game-winning extra point with 1:14 left as the Gophers (11-0) stayed undefeated with a 23-22 win over Triton. Tobin McMahon made a leaping, game-clinching interception for South No. 1 seed Chatfield on the Cobras’ ensuing drive.

Staples-Motley (11-0) walked off with a 46-44 victory over previously undefeated Barnesville in the Class AA North bracket thanks to quarterback Eli Rutten‘s 2-point conversion run in the second overtime. Colbe Tappe’s 10-yard touchdown run tied it up.

Elsewhere:

• Parkers Prairie (9-3) earned its first trip to the state semifinals by handing Class A North No. 1 seed Upsala/Swanville its first loss of the season. Mason Boesl ran for three touchdowns, including scampers of 40 and 51 yards in the second quarter.
• No. 1 seeds advanced with convincing wins in Class AAAAAA. Maple Grove (11-0) – ousted by eventual runner-up Edina in last year’s postseason – returned to the semifinals for the third time in the last four seasons with a 42-12 victory over the Hornets. The Crimson scored the game’s first 35 points. Meanwhile, Minnetonka (9-2) shut out Blaine 28-0.
• The Class AAAA semifinals are set: North No. 1 seed Becker (11-0) will face South No. 3 seed Marshall (10-1) next Thursday after pulling away from Academy of Holy Angels, 35-15. The Tigers shut out Byron, 21-0. South No. 1 seed Totino-Grace (11-0) shut out Hill-Murray 24-0 and will take on North No. 3 seed Orono (9-2) next Friday. The Spartans advanced with a 49-21 win over Hermantown.
• In Class 9-Player North games, No. 1 seed Mountain Iron-Buhl (12-0) handled Stephen-Argyle Central 38-6 and No. 2 seed Fertile-Beltrami (11-0) defeated Cromwell-Wright Area 48-7. South No. 2 seed Hills-Beaver Creek (11-0) advanced with a 34-14 victory over Border West.