Who is Ichabod Schnerd and what does he have to do with Maple Grove's football resurgence? He's better known as Blake Skaja, senior quarterback of the undefeated Crimson. He has completed almost 70 percent of his passes for 1,133 yards and 11 touchdowns, outstanding numbers for a first-year quarterback measuring all of 5-10, 170 pounds.
"He looks like Ichabod Schnerd," joked Crimson coach Matt Lombardi, who occasionally bestows the made-up name on players of Skaja's stature. "He's a skinny-minny."
Skaja (pronounced Sky-ya) admitted he doesn't awe with his presence under center, "especially after last year when you had Brady [Jacobs], who was 6-4 and had a rocket arm. I'm completely the opposite. I just go out and try to do whatever I can to get the ball in my receivers' hands. I know I'm not the best athlete, but I know they are."
Skaja's understated talents, along with his work ethic and zest for competition, personify a team that's gone from underachiever to one of the state's best. Already 5-1, the No. 7 Crimson moved to 6-0 when rival Osseo recently forfeited its Week 2 victory for using an ineligible player.
Even before they were retroactively ruled the winners, Maple Grove players took the 26-20 loss as a moral victory.
"Osseo players were jumping around like it was a big win and I told our players, 'That's good because there were years that wouldn't have been the case,' " Lombardi said.
Another plus, Lombardi said, was the manner in which the Crimson competed despite the absence of senior wide receiver Jake Wieneke, who missed the Osseo game because of an injury. Wieneke is 6-5 and his running and jumping make him a matchup nightmare for most teams. He has logged more than 100 yards receiving in three games and caught four touchdown passes against Centennial last week.
"Jake thinks that if there are six guys on him I can throw it to him and he'll catch it," Skaja said. "To be fair, that's probably true. He told me that he won't let a ball I throw to him get picked off, and he's kept his word."
