Maple Grove vs. Eden Prairie was the best matchup of Thursday night’s slate and arguably the best of the weekend. The Eagles ended up taking the heavyweight contest 21-14 after the Crimson made a strong attempt at a comeback that saw them score twice in four minutes before a last-second attempt to tie the game was unsuccessful. Within the various microcosms of the 6A showdown, Tarnowski set himself apart as a true game-changer and the best player for Maple Grove’s offense on Thursday night, finishing with 4 catches for 123 yards and 2 TDs in the loss. From the film from the game, Tarnowski made an excellent catch on a 50/50 deep ball that he plucked and high-pointed right over the heads of a helpless Eden Prairie DB. Tough body position and ball location for Tarnowski to high point and work vertically, but he did, and did so very successfully, juggling the rock a bit before reeling the ball in, keepin his feet and chugging forward into the endzone. The 2028 WR also got wide open on a goal line slant, perfect pitch and catch for a well-deserved, easy TD. Also got open on a deep sit down route, perfectly finding space in the Eden Prairie coverage and adding another 10-15 yards after the catch once he stuck his cleat in the ground and worked upfield. This kid is one of the best wideouts in 6A in 2026. Buy stock early.

Another under-the-radar yet instant-impact transfer from the 6A ranks, WR Briggs Tarnowski made the move from Rogers to Maple Grove for his upperclassmen campaign. The kid has been working his tail off the past couple offseasons, leading to some eye-catching, green athletic numbers and a couple good in-person evaluation points under his belt with PRZMN as well.

Tarnowski got off to a strong start in Week 1, going Beast Mode after the catch for Maple Grove’s lone offensive score of the evening. Check out the contact balance, burst, playmaking ability, and overall will on this catch, carry, and score! Should be a big season for Tarnowski, who is ready for the spotlight, especially if he continues to cement himself in a WR1 role for the Crimson.