Friday Night Finale: Subdistrict Crowns Decided and Playoff Seeds Settled in East Metro
High school football's regular season concluded with several decisive victories and a dramatic last-second kick.
By Valentina Cruz ·
The clock hit zero on the Class 6A regular season Friday night, and across the East Metro, games that could have gone either way were decided by single plays or lopsided scores. Some teams capped seasons that had been building toward a specific goal, while others watched playoff seedings shift on the final snap of the night.
Roseville provided one of the clearest examples of a program reaching a milestone. The Raiders defeated Coon Rapids 24-14 to claim the Metro Maroon subdistrict title, finishing at 4-4, their best record since 2017. Senior quarterback Chase Browning accounted for 162 yards and three touchdown passes. "It's an amazing feeling," Browning said. "I don't even have words for it. We've all worked so hard. It's great to see it finally paying off."
Centennial's result was just as decisive on the scoreboard, and potentially just as significant for what comes next. The Cougars beat Anoka 38-6, a margin that likely secures a No. 3 seed in the Class 6A playoffs and could make them a team to watch deep into November. Anoka's total was the first time the team had been held to single digits this season.
Mounds View claimed sole possession of the Metro East subdistrict title after a tight contest with White Bear Lake. Trailing by two, the Mustangs went ahead on a one-yard run by quarterback Tanner Jude with 65 seconds remaining, and a two-point conversion stretched the lead to six. Preston Johnson then picked off a pass on the ensuing possession to seal a 22-16 victory. On defense, Mounds View limited White Bear Lake quarterback Wyatt Stachowiak to six completions on 24 attempts.
East Ridge wrapped its season with a 42-31 win over rival Woodbury. Logan Tretter ran for two touchdowns, and Elias Mather's interception return for a late score put the game out of reach.
Forest Lake's Mack Jurkovich was the top individual performer of the night, rushing for 245 yards and two touchdowns as the Rangers beat Stillwater 31-13. That result locks up a No. 2 seed in the Class 6A playoffs. Jurkovich, who is committed to St. Thomas, closed the regular season with 1,600 rushing yards. Park's Manny Vargas also stood out, scoring on a touchdown pass and a 75-yard punt return in the Wolfpack's 18-10 win over Eastview.
The most dramatic finish unfolded in the south metro, where Lakeville South's Dylan Nelson connected from 36 yards out with one second left to lift the Cougars to a 17-14 upset of Rosemount. The result complicates the seeding picture in the south metro for the Class 6A playoffs. With seedings and bracket positions still being sorted, the matchups ahead are not yet final.
The regular season is over, but the questions it raised are not. Which teams will advance deep into November, and how will the final seedings reshape the matchups that follow?
