Short on numbers but long on talent, Minneapolis North made an emphatic statement in Saturday night's Class 1A state semifinal with Braham. The Polars used their crippling speed to burn past the Bombers 61-30 and clinch a spot in next week's championship game.

North quarterback Tyler Johnson, a Minnesota recruit, finished the first half with 174 yards and two touchdowns on 11 carries. As a passer, he completed 4 of 12 attempts for 91 yards, a touchdown and an interception before halftime when the win was still in the balance.

It was a bit of vindication for the unbeaten Polars, who saw their run end last year with a 28-12 loss to Dawson-Boyd in the state semifinals.

"Losing last year hurt, and it definitely served as motivation for us all season," Johnson says. "Tonight, we knew how to handle it."

If Braham was committed to keeping a lid on Johnson, North was happy to employ its other weapons. Kori Randle had a touchdown and Patrick Dempley added two in the first half as the Polars wrapped things up early. 

One minute into the second quarter, Dempley stepped in front of a Bombers' pass in the North end zone and returned the ball 103 yards for a pick-6, and Braham was never the same. It was the second straight trip into the redzone that resulted in an interception as the Bombers struggled to keep pace.

"Tyler is our leader, but to get where we are now, we have to have a group of athletes," Polars coach Charles Adams said. 

"We find ways to get the other athletes the ball and give them space, and it has worked," he added. "Speed is important, and you can see it on offense, and on defense, we use our speed to get to the quarterback and cause pressure. Our speed is a big part of what makes us successful." 

Johnson said he's happy to share the ball and take what the defense will give him.

"If opposing defenses want to spy on me, then it will open doors for my teammates," Johnson said. "It continues to get better as the season goes on."

Late in the second quarter, Johnson scored two rushing touchdowns as North pushed its lead past the 35-point mark. In the third frame, Johnson added a punt return for touchdown to his resume, giving him four TDs via three different methods on the night.

After a third quarter that took 65 minutes to complete, the fourth quarter's running clock helped hasten the end of Braham's season. 

North advances to face defending champion Minneota, which punched its ticket back into the state title game with a 27-19 victory over Goodhue Saturday afternoon in Prior Lake.

The Polars are seeking their first state football championship. Johnson said that wrapping up his senior season in such fashion would be a storybook ending before he moves across town to play for the Gophers next year.

"It would mean a lot to make school history," he said. "But also, we have one week of practice, no matter what. One more week with this group of people, and we are going to finish strong together."

North takes on Vikings' team that is still very much the champs, and Adams is trusting his team will keep that in mind.

"We still have one game left, against a veteran team that know's what it takes (to win a championship)," Adams said. "They're the champs, they've been there before, and we haven't. We need to make sure that we handle our own business."

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