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The excitement lasted to the end — and into overtime — in 1992

50 years in the making: St. Cloud Cathedral and Mahnomen made the final moments count.

By Ron Haggstrom

November 12, 2022 at 6:20AM

Lakeville coach Larry Thompson got the traditional treatment for his team’s 1992 championship. (Jerry Holt, Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

The Star Tribune is celebrating 50 years of high school football state tournaments one day at a time for 50 days.

Year: 1992

"Guys were crying on both sides of the field. The emotions just came out." — Mahnomen's Tony Athmann, after his team's double-overtime victory in Class B in 1992

It didn't matter to St. Cloud Cathedral and Mahnomen if it was settled late or took an overtime or two.

Nate Manderfeld threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to senior tight end Eric Overman with 1 minute, 20 seconds remaining and Jason Latzka booted the extra point, giving St. Cloud Cathedral a 7-6 victory over BOLD for the Class B championship in 1992. It was the first of back-to-back titles for the Crusaders.

"This means a lot to our fans and community," St. Cloud Cathedral coach Gary Fasching said. "Last year we were 1-8, but our fans stuck with us."

In a dark tunnel in the bowels of the Metrodome afterward, Manderfeld turned to his teammate and said, "I can't believe we are the state champions."

In the first overtime game in Prep Bowl history and the first double-overtime state championship game since 1974, Mahnomen edged Mankato Loyola 20-13 for the Class C crown. Quarterback Richard Haider scored the deciding touchdown on a 10-yard run.

"Guys were crying on both sides of the field," said Mahnomen's Tony Athmann, whose sack of Mankato Loyola quarterback Colin Rogness ended the game. "The emotions just came out."

Both teams scored on their possessions in the first overtime but couldn't covert their extra points. Mankato Loyola had an excellent chance to win it in the closing minute of regulation, when it had a first down on Mahnomen's 14-yard line with 44 seconds left. Rogness' pass into the end zone was intercepted.

"It's so hard. These guys played their hearts out," Mankato Loyola coach Jeff Dahline said. "There's nothing left to give."

In other finals:

Senior running back Matt Hammond rushed for 238 yards on 34 carries and scored two touchdowns, leading Lakeville to a 19-7 victory over Cretin-Derham Hall for the Class AA championship. Hammond had 47 yards on 11 carries on the decisive third-quarter drive, capped by his 1-yard touchdown run on a fourth-and-goal play.
Detroit Lakes intercepted five passes and held Farmington to 47 yards rushing in shutting out the Tigers 21-0 for the Class A title. Lakers junior quarterback Toby Steinmetz ran for two touchdowns and threw for the third.

Steinmetz credited the defense. "They've been there all year," he said. "Offensively we struggled at times, but they had three straight shutouts in the playoffs. What more can you ask for?"

Stephen won its first title in any sport with a 36-20 victory over Cromwell in Nine-Man. A few years later, it would join forces with Argyle and become dominant in the smallest classification.

State championship games

Class AA: Lakeville 19, Cretin-Derham Hall 7

Class A: Detroit Lakes 21, Farmington 0

Class B: St. Cloud Cathedral 7, BOLD 6

Class C: Mahnomen 20, Mankato Loyola 13 (2 OT)

Nine-Man: Stephen 36, Cromwell 20

Jason Ziegler (88) made sure everyone knew that Detroit Lakes had scored during the 1992 Class A final. (Jerry Holt, Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

St. Cloud Cathedral’s Eric Overman (80) led the celebration after his Crusaders rallied in the final minute for a 7-6 victory over BOLD in the Class B championship game in 1992. (Jerry Holt, Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)