Team 134 /
ELK RIVER STAR NEWS SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2025 | 21
Sports www. facebook. com / elkriverstarnews
The Star News welcomes your sports news and story ideas. Send to editor. erstarnews @ apgecm. com or 506 Freeport Ave., Suite A, https:// twitter. com / starnewsmn Elk River, MN 55330.
Team 134 /
From Page 20
stood strong and protected the lead, which culminated in an interception of Harris by senior defensive back Peter Vidmar.
Ramler and the Storm took a few knees and ran out the clock to advance to the Class 5A prep bowl for the second time in three seasons.
Storm head coach Cullen Nelson said he knew there was going to be something that Chanhassen hadn’ t seen yet from the Elks offense. Nelson and the Storm are now one win away from the program’ s second state championship in school history.
“ Being able to trust our fundamentals and try to eventually learn how to stop it without some magical answer,” Nelson said.“ Thankfully, we were able to do it at the end with the goal-line stand. I’ m proud of the way the kids responded.”
Elks head coach Steve Hamilton said he’ s proud of Team 134 for playing well despite not being able to defend their state title and attempt to add a fourth championship to Elk River’ s trophy cabinet( 2016, 2022, 2024).
“ We didn’ t have one game this year where we had everybody,” Hamilton said.“ It started in week one. When we played Monticello the first time, we had 10 starters out. We got some guys back, but then Levi [ Harris ] gets banged up... Carsyn [ Kleffman ] gets hurt. We were running out of cowboys there. For them to get us here to U. S. Bank [ Stadium ] shows how awesome these seniors are. I don’ t know if I’ ve ever had a year where we had so many kids down.”
ERIK JACOBSON
Elk River quarterback Levi Harris looks on as Chanhassen players celebrate their end zone interception that sealed the Storm’ s 22-19 Class 5A victory over the Elks at U. S. Bank Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 15.
WHAT’ S NEXT The Elks and Team 135
will look different in the fall of 2026. Harris graduates, as do running back Jackson Freeman, defensive back Dylan Ramert, kicker Aiden
Christianson, and defensive linemen Simon Bicek and Alex Jensen.
Get Started for
Only $ 29
Trial Membership of Four Classes Uniform Included!
Call or sign up online today.
Enroll now!
dojokarate. com 10 convenient locations, including: Elk River: 763-441-2467
PHOTOS BY ERIK JACOBSON
At left: Elk River quarterback Levi Harris races down the sideline on a 98-yard touchdown run to put the Elks up 6-0 versus Chanhassen in the Class 5A semifinal on Saturday, Nov. 15. Above: Elk River running back Braedon Becker fights off Chanhassen defender Logan Smith on a 37-yard touchdown run that gave the Elks a 19-15 lead in the third quarter of the Class 5A semifinal on Saturday, Nov. 15.