MINNEAPOLIS — The No. 6-seed Moorhead Spuds (8-4) defeated the No. 2-seed Lakeville South Cougars (9-3) 26-14 in the 2025 MSHSL Class 6A semifinals on Friday at U.S. Bank Stadium.
The win gives the Spuds their first trip to a championship game since they won the 1987 AA title.
Moorhead’s more balanced offense prevailed over Lakeville South’s run-heavy attack, and the Spuds used two 92-yard drives in the second half to pull away and seal the victory.
Throughout the game, Lakeville South’s defense focused its coverage on Moorhead’s playmaking receiver, David Mack. The plan to limit Mack was successful for three quarters, but the Spuds have multiple playmakers to take advantage of matchups throughout the field.
Moorhead junior wide receiver Zak Walker was the beneficiary on Friday night. He ran for a touchdown to tie the game at 14, and he caught one to taker the lead in the third quarter. He finished with seven receptions for 128 yards.
“They were doing a lot of unique things with [Mack] with double coverage, and we knew we could take advantage,” Moorhead quarterback Jett Feeney said. “Walker], he can win those 1-on-1 matchups all day.”
Moorhead typically wins in shootouts, but the Lakeville South defense was playing well through three quarters. The Cougars offense helped too by chewing clock with its run game. But as the game wore on, the Spuds run-defense played better, holding the Cougars to 89 rushing yards in the second half.
“We didn’t give up crazy explosive plays,” Moorhead head coach Kevin Feeney said. “That’s what we saw on film against Maple Grove was just [Griffen Dean] running down the field. We’ve had a lot of battles with Elk River when we were 5A, and I think that helped us understand what they were trying to do to us.”
That’s when Moorhead’s offense woke up, and the Spuds finished with 110 rushing yards and 228 passing yards.
Mack found his game on the final drive. He and Jett Feeney connected multiple times as the Spuds offense passed its way down the field to chew clock. He ended the drive the final touchdown to put the game out of reach for the Cougars.
This was Moorhead’s first season in Class 6A, and they’ll be in the Prep Bowl next week.
“In 6A football, there is a lot of big mass, and we don’t have that,” Kevin Feeney said. “We have to figure out a way to win in different ways. […] Our offensive line never gets enough credit for what they have to do.”
The Spuds, who have amassed over 4,000 miles of travel this season, will have one more trip, this one to U.S. Bank Stadium on November 21 in the Class 6A Prep Bowl against Edina. The Spuds defeated the Hornets 51-44 on October 15 this season.
“When you go through the battle-tested schedule we’ve been through, that pays dividends for this playoff run,” Kevin Feeney said.
Moorhead defeats Lakeville South in Minnesota high school football Class 6A semifinal: Live score recap — November 15
Moorhead won the coin toss and will differ to second half. Lakeville South will receive the opening kickoff.
Lakeville South lets the kickoff go to the end zone for a touchback, and the game is underway.
Moorhead's defense forces Lakeville South to punt on its opening drive. The Spuds will have the ball on their 32-yard line — 9:48 1Q
FUMBLE BY MOORHEAD! Spuds wide receiver Zak Walker fumbles after a quick catch, and Kaleb Williams recovers for the Cougars. Lakeville South will start a drive on the Moorhead 40-yard line — 9:40 1Q
Moorhead's defense shows up again. This time it stops Lakeville South on 4th-and-4 at the 19-yard line. The Spuds will take over on offense — 5:00 1Q
TOUCHDOWN MOORHEAD! Running back Taye Reich scores on a 2-yard touchdown run. The Spuds touchdown was setup by a 40-yard pass from quarterback Jett Feeney to Walker earlier in the drive. It's an 11 play, 81-yard scoring drive for the Spuds — Moorhead 7, Lakeville South 0 — 10:55 2Q
FUMBLE BY LAKEVILLE SOUTH! Lakeville South's Jeremiah Lebbi fumbles on the kickoff return, and Moorhead recovers and will have the ball on the Cougars' 29-yard line — 10:50 2Q
Now Lakeville South's defense forces a turnover on downs after a fumble. Feeney couldn't connect with David Mack on fourth down, and the Cougars will have the ball on their own 35-yard line 9:00 2Q
Lakeville South is driving. The Cougars are on the 5-yard line and have taken almost seven minutes on this drive already — 2:18 2Q
TOUCHDOWN LAKEVILLE SOUTH! Griffen Dean runs up the middle for a 2-yard touchdown. The touchdown caps a 14 play, 75 yard and seven minute drive for the Cougars to tie the game — Moorhead 7, Lakeville South 7 — 1:40 2Q
Moorhead only goes backwards on its next drive. The Spuds punt, and the Cougars have the ball on the Spuds' 37-yard line — 1:07 2Q
The Cougars take a couple shots at the end zone in the final minute, but the passes fall incomplete.
Halftime Team Stats
Moorhead receives the second-half kickoff and will start at its 20-yard line.
FUMBLE BY MOORHEAD! On the first play of the second half, Reich fumbles at the line of scrimmage, and Lakeville South recovers, so the Cougars will have the ball on Moorheads' 20-yard line. Carter Mayer forced and recovered the fumble for the Cougars.
TOUCHDOWN LAKEVILLE SOUTH! Running back Nic Swanson runs for a 2-yard touchdown shortly after the fumble recovery — Lakeville South 14, Moorhead 7 — 11:41 3Q
TOUCHDOWN MOORHEAD! Walker scores on a double-reverse from the 6-yard line. Feeney's 40-yard rush led to the touchdown for the Spuds. It was a 70-yard scoring drive — Moorhead 14, Lakeville South 14 — 7:10 3 Q
The Cougars drive is hampered by an unnecessary roughness penalty on second down. Lakeville South punts and pins Moorhead at the 8-yard line — 3:45 3Q
TOUCHDOWN MOORHEAD! Walker catches a 25-yard touchdown in the end zone. He caught a 40-yard pass earlier in the drive. PAT is no good — Moorhead 20, Lakeville South 14 — 0:49 3Q
Lakeville South punts, and Moorhead will have the ball at its own 31-yard line with an opportunity to lead by two possessions with a touchdown — 9:28 4Q
Moorhead can't muster a first down, and the Spuds punt , but it doesn't go far. The Cougars will start a drive on the 50-yard with just under nine minutes remaining.
Lakeville South punts after attempting a deep throw on 3rd-and-11. The Cougars have yet to complete a pass. Moorhead will start a drive on its 8-yard line — 5:43 4Q
Moorhead is burning clock. The Spuds are into the red zone with just under three minutes remaining. Feeney and Mack have connected multiple times on the drive.
Two critical penalties have hurt Lakeville South during this Moorhead drive. The Cougars were called for a late hit that frustrated the Lakeville South coaching staff, and now the Cougars were just called for a facemask.
TOUCHDOWN MOORHEAD! Feeney connects with Mack on a slant for a 5-yard touchdown. It ends an 11 play, 92-yard drive that took four minutes off the clock. The Spuds failed to convert the 2-point conversion attempt — Moorhead 26, Lakeville South 14 — 1:33 4Q
Moorhead forces a turnover on downs. Lakeville South quarterback Gavin Stuart was a yard short of converting on fourth down. The Spuds will kneel out the clock for the win.
FINAL: Moorhead 26, Lakeville South 14
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