Just 2.6 miles, much of it the famed Hazeltine National Golf Club (home of several major championships and a recent Ryder Cup), sits between the southwest metro’s Chanhassen and Chaska High Schools. Typically, not much separates the schools’ football programs, either.
The teams have met 11 times since 2011 and Chaska holds a 6-5 edge in victories. Chaska won last season’s matchup 24-21 in dramatic fashion, with Chanhassen pulling in front on a touchdown pass with 62 seconds left only to see the Hawks answer with a scoring pass to win.
Both teams are off to impressive starts this fall. Chanhassen (1-0) beat Bloomington Jefferson 24-6 in its opener behind 107 rushing yards and three touchdowns from senior running back Rolando Alvarez.
Chaska (0-1), a Class 5A state tournament qualifier last season, opened the new season beating St. Louis Park 23-0 behind three touchdown runs from senior quarterback Grif Wurtz and a field goal by Nic Snuggerud — who caught last year's game-winning touchdown against the Storm.
There’s more than neighboring bragging rights on the line. The teams play each season for The Jug, a traveling trophy (it’s an old, moonshiners-style stoneware vessel, complete with a cork) that became a fun and integral part of the series in 2011.