At the beginning of its season, the St. Thomas Academy football team wrote “state championship” on the board, wanting to get back to the school’s winning ways.

The Cadets, after Friday, are back in the state title game for the first time since 2006.

St. Thomas Academy held previously unbeaten Moorhead scoreless in the second half, and Mac Brown scored a late touchdown to help the Cadets top the Spuds 17-14 in the Class 5A semifinal. St. Thomas Academy (11-1) advances to the Class 5A championship next Saturday at TCF Bank Stadium.

“It’s everything we thought of at the beginning of the season,” Brown said. “There’s no words to describe how happy we all are.”

Brown scored from 12 yards out in the fourth quarter on his first and only carry of the night. The senior wide receiver found the end zone with 5 minutes, 26 seconds left to put the Cadets up for good.

Moorhead committed a pair of fourth-quarter turnovers as its offense sputtered.

Moorhead (11-1) took an early 7-0 lead on a 2-yard run by Sam Grove. The Cadets responded in the second quarter on Woody Hubbell’s 6-yard rushing touchdown. 

The Spuds regained the lead on an 80-yard touchdown run by senior Devante Delbrune, which came one play after St. Thomas Academy missed a field goal.

Moorhead reached the state tournament for the first time since 2012. The Spuds defeated Andover 47-44 last Saturday to advance to the semifinal.

A big second-half effort by St. Thomas Academy’s defense helped the Cadets knock off undefeated Moorhead 17-14 in the Class 5A semifinal Friday at Minnetonka High School.

St. Thomas Academy trailed 14-10 at the half, but a fourth-quarter touchdown run by senior Mac Brown with 5:26 to play gave the Cadets the lead for good. Moorhead got the ball back with 2:07 to play after blocking a St. Thomas Academy kick, but the Spuds turned the ball over on downs.

Moorhead (11-1) took an early 7-0 lead on a 2-yard touchdown run by Sam Grove. The Cadets responded in the second quarter when Woody Hubbell found the end zone on a 6-yard run to make it a 7-7 tie.

The Spuds regained the lead on an 80-yard touchdown run by senior Devante Delbrune. That touchdown came one play after St. Thomas Academy missed a field goal.

The Cadets (11-1) advance to the Class 5A championship next Saturday at TCF Bank Stadium.

Check back later for more on the game.