Week 3 Game Report: Maple Grove vs Mounds View

Maple Grove 49 (3-0) vs Mounds View 14 (1-2)   Maple Grove is rolling, and I'm not sure who can stop them. In my eyes, the Crimson are the clear frontrunners to take home the coveted state title, and with games like this, it's not hard to see why. The Crimson are uber talented everywhere, and will travel next week to take on another Top-10 opponent in the Edina Hornets (2-1), who've received some national attention this year. Mounds View has had two insanely tough opponents in its first two games, but looks to even up its record with a home win next week over Stillwater (1-2).   Maple Grove:   QB: [player_tooltip player_id='489731' first='Kaden' last='Harney'], 6'3" 195 lbs, Maple Grove 2025   SDSU commit [player_tooltip player_id='489731' first='Kaden' last='Harney'] has been electric this season, and has emphasized why he's one of, if not the best, QBs in the state. He went 8/11 (72.7%) last Friday night, for a season high 201 passing yards, another season high 3 passing TDs, and a season high 154.4 passer rating. He also saw a ton of success on the ground, rushing for a handful of season bests. 62 rushing yards, 2 rushing TDs, on a fantastic 10.3 ypc, round out what was a fantastic performance for the Maple Grove signal caller.   RB: [player_tooltip player_id='402073' first='James' last='Engle'], 5'8" 180 lbs, Maple Grove 2025   Mankato State commit [player_tooltip player_id='402073' first='James' last='Engle'] had one of the best all-around rushing showings in Week 3. Engle took 25 carries for a whopping 172 yards, which means he averaged a great 6.9 YPC on a sizeable sample. He also caught a pass for a 43-yard TD midway through the second quarter. Engle is a true bellcow and consistently manages to impress me. He, too, is a very plausible Mr. Minnesota Football candidate through the first portion of the season.   FB: [player_tooltip player_id='924230' first='Jeffrey' last='Nordvold'], 6'1" 215 lbs, Maple Grove 2026   Fullbacks aren't extinct yet, and Nordvold is living proof of it. The Minnesota-Duluth commit has been making his presence felt through both the air and the ground this season, and in particular had a monster receiving game against Mounds View. He carried the rock a handful of times for 24 yards and a TD, but most of his workload came on the three passes he caught for 91 yards and a TD. The Crimson offense is loaded with talent, and Nordvold is just another weapon in their vast arsenal.   OLB: [player_tooltip player_id='1533914' first='Beaux' last='Thyen'], 5'9" 175 lbs, Maple Grove 2026   One of the most impactful defensive starters from a season ago, Thyen has been one of the most all-around productive members of the Crimson defense through the first three games. He had season highs in multiple defensive categories, including solo tackles (7), total tackles (8), and TFLs (3). He also brought down his second interception of the year. He's a quick and physical defender who can lay the wood and make QBs miserable. I'm excited to see where the rest of the season takes him, and where he'll end up next fall.   LB: [player_tooltip player_id='592225' first='Ryder' last='Skanson'], 6'1" 215 lbs, Maple Grove 2026   It has to be miserable to play against Air Force commit [player_tooltip player_id='592225' first='Ryder' last='Skanson']. On what you could consider an off-night in terms of total tackles, Skanson still was tied for first on the Crimson with 8. He did, however, notch two season highs with 2 TFLs and 2 pass-breakups throughout the night. This kid is uber-productive and is confidently both the best linebacker in the state and one of the best overall athletes.   DB: Luke Smith, 5'11" 180 lbs, Maple Grove 2027   Luke Smith is having himself a breakout season; in fact, I think this is the first time he's found his way onto the PRZ radar. He's had three straight games of more than 5 tackles, and against Mounds View, he finished with 6 total and his first pass-breakup of the season. He's got no tape and no Twitter, so the extent of his prowess is going to remain a mystery for the time being, but he's definitely a guy to keep an eye out for.   Mounds View:   QB: [player_tooltip player_id='447798' first='Beckham' last='Wheeler'], 6'5" 205 lbs, Mounds View 2026   Despite playing some tough teams in the first 3 weeks, Wheeler has been playing pretty well, a trend that continued against one of the top defenses in the state. He went 12/26 (46.2%) for 116 yards and a TD through the air, with an additional interception. Despite his size, Wheeler is mobile and does present a threat with his legs. For the second straight game, he went positive with rushing yards and scored on his legs. Wheeler has a lot of upside, and I'm excited to continue to watch him work through the next 5 weeks.   RB: Cayden Tran, 5'9" 180 lbs, Mounds View 2026   Tran has been the Mounds View bellcow through the first 3 weeks, and he's seen his workload increase to a season high of 17 touches last Friday. He rushed for 83 yards, close to his season high, and caught a ball for 9 yards. Tran currently holds one offer from WIAC powerhouse UW-River Falls, and if his workload continues to build, I see more MIAC/WIAC offers rolling through over the next couple of weeks.   DB/WR: [player_tooltip player_id='923854' first='Ben' last='Mugisa'], 5'10" 175 lbs, Mounds View 2026   Mugisa received an offer from one of the best D2 teams in the country this summer in Mankato State, and he's been playing up to that standard since. In Week 3, Mugisa was doing it all for the Mustangs. He led Mounds View in receptions (4), receiving yards (43), and caught the only TD through the air. He also had a carry for 2 yards, and had another season high in total tackles (4). Expect Mugisa to continue to produce throughout the remainder of his senior year.   DB: [player_tooltip player_id='1586297' first='Preston' last='Johnson'], 6'2" 170 lbs, Mounds View 2027   Johnson is a 2027 athlete whom I'm very excited about. He's got a promising frame as well as solid speed, and his production has been increasing steadily throughout the season, culminating in a lot of season highs for the junior. He had the second most tackles on his team (7), which almost doubled his total from the previous two games. He also had his first pass-breakup of the season. I think Johnson has a lot of upside as a prospect, and I'll be watching him the rest of the season.   LB: Luke Hinkel, 5'10" 200 lbs, Mounds View 2027   Hinkel has been playing exceptionally well throughout the first 3 weeks, and he's led his team in tackles multiple times already. Against a potent Crimson offense, Hinkel had an impressive 11 total tackles, with 10 of them being solo. He also had 2 TFLs and one fumble recovery. He's averaging about 10 total tackles per game right now, a great collection of stats for your first season on varsity. Keep an eye out for Hinkel as he keeps balling through his junior year.   LB: Liam Berlien, 6'1" 185 lbs, Mounds View 2026   In Berlien's debut season as a varsity starter, he's managed to improve in each game week-to-week. Against Maple Grove, he recorded a season high in total tackles (5) and forced a fumble that ended up being the only turnover for the Mustangs on the night. I hope he continues to produce and drops some new film over the course of the season!

Maple Grove 49 (3-0) vs Mounds View 14 (1-2)