On his first play from scrimmage, Maple Grove running back Evan Hull took a handoff right and saw a gaping hole.
Once he reached the Roseville secondary, Hull was gone. His first carry in the second round of the Class 6A playoffs Friday went 80 yards for a touchdown.
“I went outside and I realized there was a cutback lane,” Hull said. “I saw nothing but green grass. Well, it should have been green grass, but it was all white.”
On a snowy night, he carried the ball 37 more times for 383 rushing yards and four touchdowns in Maple Grove’s 41-28 victory against Roseville.
“I feel pretty good for 38 carries,” the junior rusher said. “That is probably the most I’ve ever had.”
Hull ran 20 yards for his second touchdown of the first quarter before Roseville, playing at home, rallied to tie the score in the second quarter. Victor Yang scored on a 10-yard run, and quarterback Luke Bouchart connected on a 9-yard touchdown to Zachary Andrade.
Maple Grove (7-3) answered with two TDs before halftime, including a 3-yard scoring run by Hull for a 28-14 lead.
The Crimson extended the lead to 34-14 in the fourth quarter on a 41-yard touchdown by Justin Stolp.
Roseville (7-3) rallied late when Bouchart found Gary Smith for an 11-yard touchdown with seven minutes to play. Bouchart finished with 228 yards passing and three touchdowns.
But Hull added his fourth touchdown, on a 37-yard run.
“[Hull] is big and strong,” Raiders coach Chris Simdorn said. “Plus the speed and agility, he really is the complete package.”
Justin Stolp (34) breaks away from the last tackle enroute to the end zone. Stolp's touchdown gave Maple Grove a 20 point lead midway through the fourth quarter enroute to 41-28 victory at Roseville High School. Photo by Cheryl Myers, SportsEngine
First report
Evan Hull rushed for 388 yards and scored four times as Maple Grove defeated Roseville 41-28 on Friday in the second round of the Class 6A playoffs Friday in Roseville.
On the first play from scrimmage, Hull scored an 80-yard rushing touchdown on a run between right guard and tackle.
After another Hull score, Roseville (7-3) responded with two unanswered touchdowns to tie the game at 14-14. The second score was a 9-yard receiving touchdown by Zachary Andrade from Luke Bouchart.
Before half, Hull added another rushing touchdown for the Crimson (7-3) and Joe Raymon scored on a jet sweep with a minute left in the second quarter.
After a scoreless third quarter, Justin Stolp provided the game-clinching score for Maple Grove on a 41-yard touchdown run up the middle with 8:40 to play.
With Roseville trailing 41-21, Bouchart threw his third scoring pass, a 14-yard pass to Victor Yang with 3:38 to play. But that was as close as the Raiders got.
Maple Grove advances to the Class 6A state quarterfinals next week.
Check back later for more on the game.
