MINNEAPOLIS -- Going into the Class 4A prep football state championship game on Friday night at US Bank Stadium, the ROCORI Spartans football team would be faced with a tall task while aiming to claim their second state crown in program history (2011).
The Spartans went into the contest on the home field of the Minnesota Vikings for one last game in the 2019 prep football season on Friday, facing the undefeated and Class 4A defending champion St. Paul Academy/Minnehaha Academy/Blake in the winner-take-all showdown in Minneapolis.
And nearing the end of the game, on the biggest stage of the year to that point, ROCORI found itself down by seven points in overtime with the season and the state title coming down to a few final plays on offense.
But every player, coach and fan on the side of the Spartans went all in. And that resulted in them bringing it all home, winning the Class 4A state title in dramatic overtime fashion.
Down seven in overtime and ROCORI being faced with a fourth and goal with the game on the line, Spartans quarterback Jack Steil found Jayden Phillipi on a 15-yard touchdown pass that pushed it to a one-point game.
Instead of tying the game and trying to force a second overtime following an extra point field goal kick, Spartans head coach James Herberg decided to go for the win in overtime, going for two following the touchdown.
The rest is history after that call went from the coaching staff to Steil and the rest of the Spartans on the field at US Bank Stadium.
Steil ended up finding Andrew Anderson on a two-point conversion pass, giving ROCORI a 22-21 victory over the defending champions and previously undefeated SMB squad to bring home the second state championship in Spartans football history.
Your 2019 Class 4A state champions, the ROCORI Spartans!! #ALLiN pic.twitter.com/UEmBbph4Y9
— ROCORI SPARTAN FB (@rocorifootball) November 30, 2019
The Spartans battled back, however, with Steil putting ROCORI on the board first at the end of the opening quarter with a three-yard rushing touchdown, resulting in things being knotted up at 7-7 after one quarter of play.
Coming out of halftime with the game still tied at 7-7 in Minneapolis, Steil recorded a five-yard touchdown rush in the third quarter to provide the Spartans with a 14-7 advantage moving into the fourth and final quarter.
With about nine minutes remaining in the game, SMB tied things back up at 14-14 and forced overtime at US Bank Stadium in the winner-take-all game.
In overtime, well, you know what happened from there.
□ WHAT A FINISH □
— Minnesota Prep Spotlight (@MNPrepSpotlight) November 30, 2019
The @rocorifootball Spartans are crowned Class 4A state champions after a two-point conversion in overtime!
(via @prep45sports)pic.twitter.com/S1yn1POh7N
Brady Linn finished with nine rushes for 40 yards, Luke Humbert had three rushes for 14 yards, Anderson added three catches for 69 yards, Phillipi had two catches for 18 yards and one touchdown, Colton Baumgarten had two catches for 16 yards and Tucker Haakonson pitched in with one catch for eight yards for the Spartans.
Defensively, ROCORI was solid as well and forced SMB into a few turnovers in the opening half that provided the Spartans with some key opportunities during the first two frames. Haakonson kicked things off with yet another big-game interception in the first half, while Steil ended up recovering a fumble for the Spartans to help force SMB into a total of two turnovers in the contest.
Camdyn Bauer finished with eight tackles to pace the ROCORI defensive unit, with Steil, Isaac Massmann and Haakonson each adding five tackles a piece for the Spartans.
With the win, ROCORI finished the 2019 season with an overall record of 11-2, claiming its second state championship in program history in dramatic overtime fashion.
Canadian tuxedos. Bleached mullets. One very dirty shirt. We learned all about @rocorifootball 's unique traditions.... pic.twitter.com/GbGLKlcDSZ
— Prep45 Sports (@prep45sports) November 30, 2019
And they certainly went all in on Friday night at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.
"It's doing everything you can. If you're going to do something, you're going to make sure you go all in and above and beyond what's asked of you," Herberg said after the game. "Credit to these guys for following that motto and they're going to be incredible men once they leave ROCORI High School. I wish we could hit pause and continue this."
Steil completed a 15-yard touchdown pass to Jayden Phillipi on 4th and goal on the final play of overtime to set up a chance to win the game over the undefeated Wolfpack. For subscribers: https://t.co/rliP3hjJr0
— St. Cloud Times (@sctimes) November 30, 2019