When we look back at 2000 now, we see a lot of legend

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

Year: 2000

"That's why they say defense wins championships." — Sleepy Eye coach Dean Deibele

It will be a lasting image from an undefeated championship season, replayed and retold. It was one of the most highly anticipated Prep Bowl games in history.

With Cretin-Derham Hall driving for a potential game-tying touchdown, Eden Prairie sophomore Greg Winegarden stepped in front of a receiver and intercepted Joe Mauer's pass at the 7-yard line with 1 minute, 10 seconds remaining. With the Eagles crowd in a frenzy, Winegarden returned the interception 82 yards before being tackled at the 10-yard line.

"I knew we needed a big play, and I just happened to be in the right place," Winegarden said.

It was the final big play in another remarkable performance by the Eden Prairie defense. Winegarden's interception was the exclamation point in Eden Prairie's 24-14 victory over defending state champion Cretin-Derham Hall in the Class 5A finals.

Mauer had a 25-2 record in his final two seasons, with 5,528 passing yards and 73 touchdowns. He turned down a football scholarship from Florida State to sign with the Minnesota Twins.

"I'll go home and sit in the basement and realize how special this is," Eden Prairie coach Mike Grant said after the Eagles overcame a 14-0 first-quarter deficit. "It's a sense of relief."

Sleepy Eye's defense also provided a sense of relief in the in the Class 1A championship.

Sleepy Eye stopped Warren-Alvarado-Oslo senior tailback Brett Lindenberg short of a first down on back-to-back plays from its 19-yard line — the last time with 38 seconds remaining— to preserve a 13-12 victory. It was Sleepy Eye's lone championship. Lindenberg rushed for 183 yards and two touchdowns on 33 carries.

"Lindenberg is really something," Sleepy Eye coach Dean Deibele said. "Our defense just did a great job on those last two plays."

Lindenberg, who rushed for 2,383 yards in 2000, was stopped short of a first down on a third-and-1 call by Sleepy Eye linebacker Marty Hoffmann, and then was collared by linebacker Isak Rasmus on a fourth-down sweep around the right end.

"This is what every coach dreams about, someday winning the final game of your season to be champions," Deibele said.

In other finals:

• Phil Porta, a 5-11, 165-pound halfback making just his third start of the season, rushed for 117 yards on 22 carries and scored three touchdowns as Cambridge-Isanti scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns to beat St. Thomas Academy 24-14 for the Class 4A crown. Bluejackets defensive end Jesse Rask made three sacks and caused two turnovers.
• In Nine-Man, senior running back/linebacker Isaiah Wahl rushed for 172 yards and four touchdowns, leading Westbrook-Walnut Grove to a 42-20 victory over Cromwell. He also made 16 tackles, 14 solo, to finish the season with 179 tackles.

State championship games

Class 5A: Eden Prairie 24, Cretin-Derham Hall 14

Class 4A: Cambridge-Isanti 24, St. Thomas Academy 14

Class 3A: Glencoe-Silver Lake 21, Albany 0

Class 2A: Triton 31, Otter Tail Central 12

Class 1A: Sleepy Eye 13, Warren-Alvarado-Oslo 12

Nine-Man: Westbrook-Walnut Grove 42, Cromwell 20