2026 Season Recaps
September 3, 2026 - Stillwater
Thursday night proved what I had anticipated: at times, our inexperience would have an opportunity to show. It certainly did show in a few moments, but that is not necessarily a bad thing. In fact, I appreciate what those moments revealed about this group. They gave us an opportunity to see their resilience and how they responded to adversity.
The night started the way any home opener should, with a long, winding tunnel created by our incredible youth program. Dave Malenke Youth Night brings an energy unlike any other week of the regular season, and the kids in the end zone during the first half certainly added to that atmosphere.
Defensively, we had just two starters playing the same position they played last year, along with one other returning starter playing a new position. That meant eight players were getting their first opportunity to truly cut their teeth against an offense that we knew could create some problems for our defense.
Stillwater had a player who was clearly a focal point of their offense, which created an additional challenge as we prepared on a short week. Our defense did an excellent job learning the necessary adjustments and then making plays on the field.
The defense also became the first group to score in the 2026 season. Adam Patefield did a tremendous job in coverage, sitting in the window of a slant route before intercepting the pass and scampering 57 yards for a touchdown. We will not talk about his post-touchdown celebration, though!
It was awesome to see the excitement from Adam, our youth program, and the entire defensive unit. I believe that play helped jump-start the defense and allowed them to play with even more confidence. We were able to record six sacks and two interceptions on the evening. Julian Cipala and Levi Bakker each recorded two sacks. Jake Hansegard and Austin Thyen did a great job using their speed to make plays, while Lucas Smith and Elias Tiah did an excellent job making adjustments and stepping up when opportunities presented themselves. Overall, I thought our defensive players did a great job playing fast, loose, and with confidence.
Offensively, we had eleven brand-new faces in the starting lineup, and at times, that inexperience showed. There were moments when the offense struggled, but there were also moments when it looked like we might be on rinse and repeat from the success of previous years.
The challenge this week, and moving forward, is to clean up missed assignments while continuing to make plays, move the chains, and finish drives. We were able to get inside the 5-yard line twice, which should result in two touchdowns. Unfortunately, we only came away with three points from those two possessions. Those are valuable learning opportunities, and our players will be better because of them. We need to learn from those mistakes and capitalize on those opportunities moving forward.
Offensively, we also had a new quarterback at the helm in Graham Greseth, and I thought he did a great job leading the group on the field. He made some impressive plays, and with some great catches by Lucas Bakker and Briggs Tarnowski, our passing game showed flashes of being very good. I cannot wait to watch this group continue to grow and become more confident in both their responsibilities and their ability to make plays.
Special teams had some ups and downs as well. Our kick-return team did a great job pinning the Stillwater offense deep in its own territory. However, our blocking on punts and extra points/field goals needs to be a point of emphasis this week. Sophomore Matthew Richardson also came through for us, knocking in a 32-yard field goal. It was exciting to see that the moment was not too big for the young man.
Next week provides another awesome test as we head down Highway 494 and make a stop in Eden Prairie. They are always very well coached, have big and physical players, and know how to win football games. I enjoy playing at Eden Prairie because of their rich tradition and outstanding facilities.
This week's game will once again be on a Thursday night, which means another short week of preparation. Our attention to detail and film work will need to be at an all-time high.
We are excited for another great challenge. Come join us next Thursday night in Eden Prairie for a blackout-themed night in the stands!
Fear The Leaf. Leave No Doubt. Find A Way.
September 10, 2026 - Eden Prairie
Thursday night, we traveled to Eden Prairie, a venue where we had not played a regular-season game since 2018. Eden Prairie is a program with tremendous history, a veteran coaching staff, and a talented roster. Preparing for an opponent like that throughout the week was exciting for both our players and coaches. This is also what makes our schedule so special. The Metro West Division will be a battle each and every week.
The first drive of the game featured both some highs and lows. We allowed a couple of big plays by their offense, but the hustle and effort of Elias Tiah and Austin Thyen helped create one of the biggest goal-line stands the Crimson defense has had in a very long time. That stand gave our defense a level of confidence that continued throughout the evening.
Unfortunately, a miscue on our punt team created an easy touchdown for the Eagles, and we found ourselves behind 7–0. Both defenses continued to stymie the opposing offenses for the remainder of the first half, and that was the score heading into halftime.
After halftime, both teams continued to make impressive defensive stops. We were able to make two key stops against Eden Prairie in their own territory and continued to play well defensively. However, Eden Prairie caught us being a little too aggressive and hit a well-timed screen play that went the distance for a touchdown. Late in the third quarter, we found ourselves behind the eight ball, trailing 14–0.
From that point on, however, our offense began to find its rhythm. We put together an impressive 80-yard drive behind great pass protection and some well-thrown passes from quarterback Graham Greseth. The drive was capped off by a touchdown pass to Briggs Tarnowski, and you could certainly feel the momentum beginning to shift.
Eden Prairie's next possession appeared to be gaining momentum before a miscue landed the ball in the arms of Jake Hansegard. Our offense quickly capitalized, as the Greseth-to-Tarnowski connection struck again on a long pass down the sideline. Just like that, it was a tie ballgame with approximately six minutes remaining.
That is when the game became even more interesting. We had the Eagles facing a fourth-down play with less than two minutes remaining, but they were able to make a big play and eventually score a touchdown. Suddenly, we were down seven points with less than two minutes remaining and approximately 80 yards separating us from the end zone.
Our offense responded once again and drove the ball all the way into the red zone. Unfortunately, that is where the game came to an end, as an interception ended our final drive.
All in all, it was a great high school football game, and unfortunately, we ended up on the wrong side of the scoreboard. After the game, we had a conversation about the importance of the details, playing until the whistle, and remaining disciplined in our decisions. As players and coaches, we will get better because of this game.
I remain encouraged and excited about the trajectory of this football team. Losing is not fun at all, but I know our players will respond and come out even more focused this week.
This week brings another great opponent and a little familiarity for our program. Coach Vince, who has been an incredible addition to our staff, spent time wearing the green and white of the Mounds View Mustangs. Mounds View is an easy drive down 694, and I would love to see our stands filled with jerseys of all sorts and plenty of Crimson supporters.
It should prove to be another great week of Crimson Football.
September 18, 2026 - Mounds View Recap
Friday was definitely a night of highs and lows. We traveled to Mounds View to take on the Mustangs and had a great week of preparation leading into the game. This was the first week all season where I found myself thinking, We have this. We’ll be good.
Mounds View, to their credit, played us extremely well and found a way to challenge any confidence I had going into the game early. The two teams went back and forth throughout the first quarter, with both defenses coming up with some quick stops. Mounds View then capitalized on a mistake on our end, followed by two big plays, and before we knew it, the Mustangs had taken a 7–0 lead early in the second quarter.
The remainder of the first half became an exchange of three-and-outs. Before we knew it, we were heading into halftime trailing a team that I had felt very comfortable playing against going into the game.
At halftime, both sides of the ball had conversations about what needed to change. The best part was that our players didn’t look worried. Adjustments were made, and we were eager to see if those adjustments would be successful.
The second half started with Mounds View having the ball, and before we knew it, they were driving down the field. This was when our defense finally found a way to make a stop. The only problem was that we now had 80-plus yards to travel to score, and our offense had not shown to that point that we could move the ball that far and sustain a drive.
Problem solved.
The offense did an awesome job moving the ball down the field on a 16-play, 95-yard drive. Even with some mistakes along the way, we continued to execute and find ways to move the football. That confidence carried over into another 9-play, 81-yard drive.
Both drives were successful through the air and on the ground. Some big catches were made by Briggs Tarnowski, Lucas Bakker, Eldrick Tyus Vang, and Christos Bakritges. Our offensive line created running lanes that sophomore running back Luca Maciej took advantage of, making some key runs throughout the second half.
Defensively, we finished the game extremely strong. I was unbelievably proud of our defense because we created six three-and-outs. We also had seven players record five or more tackles. We finished the game with 12 tackles for loss, two turnovers, and one sack.
That is the type of response we want to see from this football team. Things did not go exactly the way we wanted in the first half, but our players and coaches stayed composed, made adjustments, and came out in the second half ready to compete.
This week will provide another challenge as the Edina Hornets come into town for our Homecoming game. We now begin a stretch of five straight Metro West district games to finish the regular season.
Edina comes into the game at 1–2, with losses to Wayzata and Eden Prairie. They are a well-coached football team coming off a state championship season, and they will come into Crimson Stadium with plenty of confidence.
Our job is simple: take care of business on Friday night in front of a packed Crimson Stadium and give ourselves an opportunity to earn our third victory of the season.
Come pack Crimson Stadium, cheer loudly for our players, and bring some cash to help support the Randy Shaver Tackle Cancer Foundation. It should be a great night of Crimson Football, and we are looking forward to seeing everyone there!
Fear The Leaf, Leave No Doubt, Find A Way
Friday, September 18 - Edina Game Recap
Friday night was exactly what I hoped it would be.
The stands were packed with fans bringing tremendous energy and noise. The student section was filled with pink, and I am hopeful that we will reach our goal for the Randy Shaver Tackle Cancer fundraiser. More importantly, it was our players playing their tails off from beginning to end and executing the way I know they can do. And, lastly, it ended with a score that has become more customary for Maple Grove football.
The game started on an absolute high, with the first play being a pick-six by Chase Weber after Ben Williams helped deflect the ball. Before we knew it, without our offense even stepping onto the field, we already had a seven-point lead.
Defensively, we continued to ride that momentum by forcing seven straight punts in the first half while allowing only one first down. We kept Edina’s offense completely in check, giving up just four yards of total offense in the first half. Everyone on our defense was contributing—from the defensive line, to the linebackers, to the secondary. It was an absolute clinic on how to play a suffocating style of defense.
Offensively, our first drive sputtered out, but we were able to put points on the board with a 28-yard field goal from Matthew Richardson. We then had one throw that we would certainly like to have back, and one that we will learn from. From that point forward, however, the offense found its rhythm and scored on each of its next three drives.
Two of those drives featured great passes from Graham Greseth to Lucas Bakker, and the offense gained nearly 200 yards on those three scoring drives alone. It was fun to watch our offense execute with confidence and take advantage of what Edina was giving us within the scheme.
We finished the night with more than 400 yards of total offense, including more than 300 through the air. Throwing for that many yards has not necessarily been the norm for us, but our players and coaches did an outstanding job of recognizing what Edina was giving us and executing the game plan.
The game finished with a score that has become typical of Maple Grove football over the past several seasons, and it was difficult to get people to leave the field after the coaches talk and everybody had taken their pictures . Everyone wanted to soak in the moment—and they most certainly should have. Homecoming is meant to be fun, and Friday night certainly was.
On a side note, it was awesome watching all of the boys get dressed up for Homecoming and looking so sharp. Unfortunately, that only lasted a few minutes for some of them. Their version of dancing—which is really just jumping around—quickly turned into a full workout.
I was standing in the doorway allowing people to move between the cafeteria and the courtyard, and I have to admit, I was a little concerned by how much some of these boys were sweating during their “dancing.” I sent a text to our coaches' group chat suggesting that maybe Monday afternoon conditioning should just consist of playing music and letting them jump around for 15 minutes. You could tell the guys were absolutely having fun and it was a packed cafeteria. It was a blast, though, and those are the moments that make nights like Friday so special.
Now we turn our attention to another great test as the Moorhead Spuds and their No. 1 ranking come into town. They have a high-powered offense with a lot of great players, and we are looking forward to the challenge and excited to have the opportunity to play at home. Friday night should be another great night, and I am looking forward to this week’s preparation.
We also have Teacher Appreciation this week, and we cannot wait to have our students stand alongside the teacher who has made an impact on their learning and their lives. Our teachers play such an important role in the development of our student-athletes, and it will be special to recognize them Friday night.
Let’s pack the stands again this week and make sure the Spuds know exactly what our home-field advantage can look and feel like.
Fear The Leaf. Leave No Doubt. Find A Way.
Friday, Oct 2 - Moorhead Game Recap
Friday night brought something that we are not accustomed to at Maple Grove: we were the underdog.
We were facing an opponent loaded with talent and carrying extremely high expectations. Because of that talent and those expectations, this was a high-profile game, and it was one that our players and coaches were excited to be a part of. I was very pleased with our preparation throughout the week. We knew that if we prepared the right way, we would give ourselves an opportunity to compete at a high level against a team that many in the media have already crowned as the team to beat in the state.
Before the game even started, everything felt a little fast-forwarded because of the 6:00 p.m. kickoff and our Teacher Appreciation recognition. I was proud of our players for being able to stay focused and handle everything that came with the night.
The game started with Moorhead moving the ball down the field and eventually scoring, something we knew was a possibility against an offense with as much talent as they have. Our offense responded with a quick scoring drive, highlighted by a long touchdown run from Luca Maciej. I thought our offensive line did an outstanding job playing together as a group, and their ability to work as one unit allowed us to be much more efficient offensively.
Our defense responded the next drive by forcing a fumble and recovering it deep in our territory. It wasn't the field position we wanted to give up, but our defense made sure it did not turn into points.
From there, both offenses continued to trade punches throughout the remainder of the first half. We were able to take a 21–20 lead into halftime after Luca scored on another long run and Briggs Tarnowski made an outstanding catch and effort to put our final touchdown on the board with only two seconds remaining.
It was great to be ahead at halftime, and more importantly, it proved something to our players: we can compete with an incredibly talented football team that many people believe is the best team in the state.
But the message at halftime was simple: the game is 48 minutes, not 24. I loved our excitement, but we needed to play better if we were going to walk away with a victory.
Unfortunately, the second half proved to be our undoing. We had two turnovers and a turnover on downs, and Moorhead was able to capitalize by scoring three more times. We couldn’t make enough plays when we needed them, and the final score was not what we wanted.
It was only the third time in the 2020s that we have lost a game at home.
That is a remarkable statistic, and it is one of the reasons I love playing in front of our home community and in an atmosphere that is hard to match at other schools. There is something special about playing at home, and our players understand how much that home-field advantage means to this program.
While we are disappointed with the result, I am extremely proud of the guys. This game showed our team that we can play with an incredibly talented opponent. It also showed us exactly where we need to continue to improve.
I fully believe that if our goal is to win a state championship, there is a very good chance that we will have to play Moorhead again. They have an offense that can keep them in any game, and we have a lot of things we need to learn from Friday night.
We had a great film session, and now it is about finding answers. We need to correct the things we didn't execute the way we wanted, improve the things that exposed us, and continue building on the things we did well.
This game also took a physical toll on us, and that means other players are going to have to step up. There are guys on this team who may not have had a major impact on a Friday night yet, but they are ready and eager for their opportunity. I am excited about that. Every season, there comes a point when your depth becomes extremely important, and I believe we have players who are ready to answer that challenge.
Now we turn our attention west on I-94 and head out to our friends in St. Michael-Albertville to take on the STMA Knights.
The Knights are always a well-coached football team, and from what we have seen in the film, they have been playing much better football over the last few weeks. We know we will have another challenge in front of us, and our guys will need to be ready for it.
This week also gives us the opportunity to get back to an early-morning practice. There is always something a little different about practicing under the lights before school, especially when the temperature is a little cooler in the morning. It is a fun change of pace for our players and coaches.
We will get back to work, continue to dominate the classroom as we are approaching the mid trimester mark, prepare the right way, and then go compete on Friday night.
One game does not define this team. We have work to do and I know our coaches and players are excited to get back to it.
#FearTheLeaf #LeaveNoDoubt #FindAWay
Friday, Oct 9 - STMA Game Recap: Responding to Adversity
I wish I had the right words to describe Friday night’s outcome. As coaches, we spend countless hours preparing our players for the challenges they will face on Friday nights, and sometimes those nights don’t unfold the way we envision.
Throughout the week, we talked to our players about the type of team STMA would be. We knew the Knights would be well-prepared, energized, and excited about the opportunity to compete against Maple Grove. Monday was spent moving some pieces around to account for injuries from the previous week. However, that also meant another player would have an opportunity to step into a bigger role, and that is something we always want our players to embrace. I felt Tuesday’s practice was productive, but I walked away from Wednesday without the feeling that we had taken another step forward. As a coach, that is never an easy feeling when you know Friday night is approaching. We spoke after the game how important the preparation leading into the game impacts the actual performance.
When the game began, STMA did a good job moving the ball down the field and scoring on its opening drive. We needed to make adjustments on the sideline, settle our players, and find a way to respond. Unfortunately, an offensive three-and-out and a special teams miscue, putting our defense in a difficult position once again. With the Knights starting inside our 10-yard line, it took only two plays for us to find ourselves trailing 14-0. It was a difficult start, and we had put ourselves in a hole that would require a tremendous amount of effort to climb out of.
The remainder of the first half featured both teams trading defensive stops. Our players continued to compete, and just before halftime, we began to see a small window of opportunity. Unfortunately, we ran out of time before we could turn that momentum into points, and we headed into the locker room still trailing by 14.
Halftime gave us an opportunity to talk through what we were seeing on the field, both from the players’ perspective and from the coaches’ perspective. One moment that stood out to me was when our players took the initiative to hold a brief player-only meeting. I was proud to see them stepping into leadership roles and taking ownership of what was happening. In a difficult moment, that was an encouraging sign of the character and leadership we want to continue building within this program.
The second half began much like the first, with both teams trading punts. Then, STMA found the football on the ground and returned the fumble more than 40 yards for a touchdown. Suddenly, we were trailing 21-0 against a team we believed we could compete with and beat. From that point forward, the game continued to present challenges. We turned the ball over several more times, and those mistakes made it increasingly difficult to find our way back into the game. Our defense continued to battle and make stops, but we could not put everything together on the offensive side of the ball. Before we knew it, the final whistle had blown, and we were looking up at the wrong side of the scoreboard.
Losing is never easy, but this one carried an added sting. It marked the first time since 2019 that our program had lost back-to-back games. That is not a statistic we take lightly, but it also does not define who we are or who we have the potential to become. I firmly believe that we can play with and beat any team in the state. We spoke with our players Friday night and reinforced that message again on Saturday morning. We have to continue doing things the right way, even when the results are not what we want. We need to be better in everything we do, from our preparation and attention to detail during the week to our execution and response to adversity on Friday nights.
I believe that when we commit ourselves to that standard, the results will follow. We cannot control everything that happens during a game, but we can control our preparation, our effort, our attitude, and the way we respond when things get difficult. I am confident our players will accept this challenge and commit themselves to being better than they were the day before. Adversity has a way of revealing what a team is made of, and now we have an opportunity to show exactly who we want to be.
This next week will move quickly. With parent-teacher conferences on Monday, we will take the opportunity to visit some of our elementary classrooms and spend time reading with the students. It is always special for our players to give back to the community that supports them throughout the season. We will also practice later in the evening under the lights, and I hope the change in routine brings a renewed sense of energy and urgency to our preparation.
Our final regular-season opponent will be Wayzata, a team that has found new confidence under its new head coach. We know they will be motivated, and it will be our responsibility to match their intensity, physicality, and desire to compete. We cannot afford to wait for the game to bring energy to us. We need to create that energy ourselves throughout the week and carry it onto the field.
Wednesday will also be a special evening as we recognize our senior players and managers during Senior Night. This is always one of the most meaningful moments of our season. It gives our seniors and their families an opportunity to reflect on the journey that brought them to this point, from their earliest days playing youth football to their years representing Maple Grove at the high school level. There are countless hours, sacrifices, memories, and people who have helped shape that journey. Senior Night is a reminder that football is about much more than the game itself. It is about the relationships we build, the lessons we learn, and the people who stand beside us along the way.
Crimson Families and Friends, we need you one more time this regular season in our stadium! Come out Wednesday night, celebrate our seniors, bring your energy, and help make our home-field advantage a real advantage for our players. When our team takes the field, we want them to feel the support of the entire Maple Grove community behind them.
#FearTheLeaf #LeaveNoDoubt #FindAWay
Wednesday, Oct 14: Wayzata Recap: Finding Our Rhythm at the Right Time
MEA week typically marks the end of the regular season, but with Labor Day falling so late this year, it turned out to be only Week 7. For us, it was our regular-season home finale and, therefore, Senior Night. We had the opportunity to recognize and honor all of our players, managers, cheerleaders, and dancers.
Senior Night is always an incredible evening because it gives us a chance to recognize not only the students who have dedicated so much of their time to our program, but also the parents who have invested so much in their children along the way. Senior Night is special regardless of the role a player has within our program. Many of these young men have gone through the same grind, experienced the same difficult days, and shared in the same incredible highs. They have all contributed to the journey in their own way, and it is important that we take the time to recognize that commitment.
Wayzata came into our stadium with the “feel” of a team on a business trip. All of their players wore the same player gear for their 15-minute ride to Maple Grove, and you could sense that they were playing with a chip on their shoulder and looking to respond to the previous week's results. Fortunately for us, our players came into the evening eager to prove that our loss to STMA was the exception rather than the norm.
We made a move by shifting a player from defense to offense, and he provided a spark with a newfound energy and confidence. Luke Smith also ran the ball extremely well to get us going early. That new jolt carried over to the entire offense, and we were able to build a 27–3 lead by halftime. Our defense played well, while the offense scored on four consecutive possessions.
At halftime, we talked with the players about what we were seeing and how we anticipated Wayzata might adjust in the second half. More importantly, we challenged our guys to play another 24 minutes at a high level. We wanted to see us continue to execute, compete, and prove that we can be one of the best teams in the state.
The second half played out exactly as we had hoped. Our offense added a couple more scores, and our defense continued to play at a high level. Defensively, we created three turnovers, with contributions coming from a number of different players. It was a true collective effort, and it was awesome to watch so many guys step up and make plays.
Offensively, we were led by a breakout performance from Liam Hamilton, who finished with 180 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Our offensive line did an excellent job creating movement up front, allowing Liam to find opportunities at the second level and make plays. As a team, we finished with 275 rushing yards.
Wednesday night gave us a glimpse of the Maple Grove football we have come to expect: a balanced effort, physical play, and execution at a high level. We walked away with a 41–9 victory, and our JV players were able to finish the game on defense.
My one regret from the evening was not getting our JV offense onto the field. I am extremely proud of our players that help make up our JV and the way they have continued to step up throughout the season. They have accepted important roles on Friday nights, made our team better throughout the week, and continued to compete and play well on Saturdays. Their contributions matter, and they deserve recognition for the work they put into our program.
I truly believe this team is starting to peak at the right time. Next week gives us another opportunity to prove that as we travel to Minnetonka for what should be a tremendous football game. Minnetonka is a familiar opponent, thanks to our relationship with Coach Lombardi, several members of his staff, and the youth football programs that have competed against one another in the LMAA for years. There is a great deal of familiarity between the two programs, which makes this matchup even more exciting.
It will be a tremendous test to close out the regular season, and I expect the atmosphere and intensity to feel a lot like a playoff game. The winner will secure the No. 3 seed from the West District, making this an important opportunity for both teams. The following day, we will learn where we land in the playoff bracket, and then the real fun begins.
We are approaching the time of year when every possession, every assignment, and every opportunity matters just a little bit more. Our guys understand what is in front of them, and we are excited about the challenge ahead.
So, please join us this week in Minnetonka and bring everything you have from the sideline. Our players will give everything they have on the field, and we need our Crimson community right there with them. Let's finish the regular season the right way, continue building momentum, and get ready for what lies ahead.
Leave No Doubt. Fear The Leaf. Find A Way.