Minnesota
Minnesota Prep RB Breaks Records, Dethrones Defending State Champions
It was a night he will never forget, and neither will any of his teammates at Lakeville South High School.
Griffen Dean broke school records in both rushing yards and rushing touchdowns, leading the Cougars to a thrilling 49-31 victory in the Class 6A Minnesota high school football playoff quarterfinals over Maple Grove.
The win for Lakeville South ended the reign of Maple Grove, who won its second 6A state football championship in three years last season. The other title for Maple Grove came in 2021.
But this night belonged to Dean and the Cougars, as the junior had 292 yards and scored six touchdowns, accoridng to the Twin Cities Pioneer Press.
Lakeville South led by two at halftime, but Dean put his team on his shoulders, scoring three times, including on a 73-yard jaunt to the end zone. The Cougars scored 28 consecutive points in the half.
Up next for Lakeville South will be a meeting with Moorhead in the state semifinals from U.S. Bank Stadium on Friday, November 14. Moorhead advanced with a 35-21 victory vs. Centennial.
Dean, who has rushed for over 1,500 yards this season, and the Cougars have won three straight since a 20-15 loss to Rosemount in mid-October. They also own narrow wins over Edina and Prior Lake around a four-point setback to Shakopee in early September.
According to the report, Lakeville South scored on its first seven possessions of the game and did not attempt a pass all game long. Nic Swanson, who has over 1,200 yards rushing this year, added 167 on the ground, highlighted by a 72-yard run.
The Cougars went 6-4 last season after an 11-2 mark in 2023. They have not had a losing record since 2017.
In 2020 and 2021, Lakeville South won 21 consecutive games, going back-to-back as state champions. They made the semifinals in 2022, along with trips to the final four in both 2019 and 2018.
Maple Grove had won 23 consecutive games before the loss, going 13-0 last year to win the 6A state championship. They finished 2023 with a record of 7-3 overall and also went a perfect 13-0 in 2022.
Since the start of the 2021 season, Maple Grove has posted a record of 55-9 overall.
See how the bald eagle’s story shows its enduring symbolism
As the U.S. celebrates 250 years, the bald eagle endures as North America’s native sea eagle and national bird.
The common loon, Minnesota’s state bird, is more closely related to a penguin than a duck.
Despite loons predominantly living in the northern hemisphere and penguins mostly living in the southern hemisphere, researchers consider them to be genetic cousins. Taxonomic analyses placed them in an evolutionary cluster tracing back 40 million to 50 million years ago, along with herons and pelicans.
While loons and ducks share habitat on Minnesota lakes, they aren’t close relatives. Ducks are closer cousins to geese and swans.
After sharing a common ancestor, penguins and loons developed distinct characteristics. Loons can fly, but struggle to move on land; penguins can’t fly, but waddle on land. Penguins use flipper-like wings to swim; loons use webbed feet for underwater propulsion.
They have some similar features, however, including dense bones to help dive underwater and their tuxedo coloring.
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Fires in the past burned more frequently in western Canada, but recent years have seen that trend migrate eastward, with large fires now burning in Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic provinces, Prof Chasmer said, leading to more noticeable smoke in densely populated cities like Toronto and New York.
Minnesota United, the Liberia Lone Star National Football Team and SARX today announced that the international friendly against the Liberia National Team, scheduled for July 26, 2026, has been canceled.
While we were looking forward to welcoming the Liberia National Team and celebrating the strong ties between Minnesota’s Liberian community and our club, circumstances outside of our control have made it necessary to cancel the match. We appreciate the understanding of our supporters and wish the Liberia National Team all the best.
Fans who purchased tickets to the match will be refunded within approximately 3-10 business days.
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