Chanhassen and Spring Lake Park were football programs that took much different paths to the Prep Bowl.

Chanhassen was the No. 1-ranked team in Class 5A in early September.

At that time, Spring Lake Park was flying under the radar with a ranking outside of 5A’s top five, but it finished No. 2 in the final poll.

Spring Lake Park still saw itself in the underdog role Saturday night against a recent state champion, but it defeated Chanhassen 24-21 at U.S. Bank Stadium for the program’s first Prep Bowl title in 34 years.

“We went through a gantlet of a state tournament,” Spring Lake Park coach John Stewart said. “[Alexandria] was a top gun. [St. Thomas Academy] was a top gun. Chanhassen was the favorite from the get-go. All along we just kept challenging the kids about giving your best this week.”

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It wasn’t just the team’s confidence that carried over for Spring Lake Park from last week’s big upset of No. 1 St. Thomas Academy.

“There was an outpouring of support there today,” Stewart said of the Spring Lake Park community. “There was an outpouring of support in the semifinal. People I don’t even know were finding my email and sending well-wishes.”

The Panthers (13-0) rushed for 400 yards last week and 255 yards Saturday, when junior quarterback Nolan Roach produced 162 rushing yards and three total touchdowns. It was their first state football championship since they defeated Rocori in the Class A final in 1991.

“When you have 30 seniors, and 19 starters are seniors, you kind of just want to do it for them,” said Roach, who also had 190 yards rushing in the semifinals. “Just being able to go out there and finish it for them is awesome.”

Chanhassen (11-2) beat defending 5A champion Elk River in the semifinals but was denied a second state title in three years.

Until the turnaround this year after consecutive four-win seasons, the Panthers hadn’t had a winning season since 2022. Because of the 30 seniors on the roster, they believed this would be the year.

The final margin was the closest the game had been since before Roach took over in the first half with three touchdowns, including scoring runs of 38 and 47 yards.

In the second quarter, Chanhassen tied the game 14-14 on Ramler’s 16-yard touchdown pass to West Virginia commit Kade Bush, and Roach soon proved dangerous with his arm as well. Spring Lake Park led 21-14 at halftime after his 38-yard scoring strike to Kaden Konkler.

The Panthers were one spot ahead of Chanhassen at No. 2 in the final Class 5A poll, but they hadn’t been to the Prep Bowl since a runner-up finish in 2016.

Meanwhile, Chanhassen returned key players from the 2023 championship such as offensive lineman and Iowa commit Owen Linder, and Bush, who caught the game-winning touchdown in overtime two years ago. Bush also had the go-ahead score in last week’s semifinals, a 42-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.

Spring Lake Park led 24-14 going into the fourth quarter on Saturday, but it got tight after the Panthers managed only a 25-yard field goal in the second half.

Chanhassen’s final drive started at the 1-yard line. Ramler converted third down with a scramble and completed a 19-yard pass to near midfield. Spring Lake Park’s targeting penalty on the pass play pulled Chanhassen even more within striking distance.

Ramler, who threw for 240 yards, looked for Bush on fourth-and-10 from the Spring Lake Park 33-yard line, but there would be no comeback. His pass was intercepted by Cade Skelly with six seconds left.

It wasn’t exactly David taking down Goliath, but Spring Lake Park proved doubters wrong one last time.

“This is what you dream of,” Skelly said. “You just picture yourself as a little kid in that situation. Time is running down. It’s up to you to make that stop.”