Senior Charles Langama, former Maple Grove football coach Matt Lombardi said, is on a one-name basis around school.

Known to the public as Chuck, Langama "is like Madonna in the hallways of Maple Grove. He is known for his first name, and he just draws people in," said Lombardi, who left the Maple Grove job after last season and took the defensive coordinator position at Minnetonka.

Langama, who stands 5-9 and carries 190 pounds, strengthened that reputation last season, when he was the Crimson's leading rusher with 1,425 yards and 21 touchdowns on 153 carries, and he also caught five TD passes. But he suffered a broken ankle in pregame warmups heading into the regular-season finale against Minnetonka.

The air escaped Maple Grove's balloon. The Crimson defeated the Skippers 27-13, and they won their playoff opener the following week, but Maple Grove's season ended in the second round.

"His injury hurt the psyche of the team," Lombardi said.

Without Langama, a Star Tribune first-team All-Metro pick last season, Maple Grove's offense lost its engine.

"We were treating him like a pitcher for the playoffs," Lombardi said. "We kept him on a pitch count in terms of his carries. But as it turned out, he never got the chance."

That chance is coming again.

Longtime teammate and friend Michael Wagner said: "He's the guy. He'll get 20 to 30 carries per game. When it's fourth-and-1, everyone knows he's getting the ball."

Wagner has a role in this that goes beyond teammate. His grandmother started making banana chocolate chip muffins to hand out to players after youth football games. They were Michael's favorite goodies. On one occasion, Langama was left alone in the back seat with a container of muffins. Turns out, he liked them, too.

Langama received muffins after he scored four touchdowns in a 41-28 comeback victory against eventual Class 6A Prep Bowl state champion Centennial in last season's third game. He scored three touchdowns in the final quarter, which began with Maple Grove trailing.

Langama carried 33 times for 234 yards in that game — a level he hopes to reach again this season through hard work, rehabilitation and lessons learned.

"Always have your knees over toes when you're lunging," said Langama, who is committed to North Dakota for college. "It strengthens the area."

As so often happens for high school athletes, Langama's body healed faster than his mind. "Tentative" best described his first action after rehabilitation. His full recovery and trust in his body will be essential to Maple Grove's championship chance under new coach Adam Spurrell. The season opens Thursday at Osseo.

Highlights on Maple Grove's schedule include playing Sept. 13 at Centennial and closing the season Oct. 17 at Minnetonka — against Lombardi's defense.

Thursday's prep football schedule

Friday's prep football schedule

Maple Grove enters 2024 as a highly regarded team. The Crimson went 7-3 in 2023, closing with a 34-25 loss to Edina in the second round of the Class 6A tournament as Langama sat out.

Now Langama is back, and Lombardi knows from close range how much that matters.

"He's a great young man, a special kid," Lombardi said. "I'm rooting for Chuck any day of the week, except when we play them."

Maple Grove's game against Lombardi, who produced more than 100 victories in 14 seasons as Crimson coach, is business, not personal, Wagner said.

"We're everybody's Super Bowl," Wagner said. "And I like having a target on our backs. I appreciate that because it keeps us on our toes."

Correction: The result of a 2023 game was corrected. Maple Grove defeated Minnetonka 27-13.

Correction: The result of a game was corrected. Maple Grove defeated Minnetonka 27-13 late in the 2023 season.