It had to happen sometime.
Maple Grove, which had won its first 21 games this season, finally lost. And it took a superb pitching effort to accomplish it.
Coon Rapids junior Alex Wojciechowski pitched a complete-game five-hitter, striking out seven and walking one, to lift the Cardinals to a 4-1 victory over the Crimson in the Section 5, Class 3A winners' bracket final Friday at Midway Stadium.
Wojciechowski, Logan Shore and Kent Sipola each had two hits for Coon Rapids (18-5), which won the Section championship in 2010.
Maple Grove, which had defeated Coon Rapids twice during the regular season, will play Irondale in the losers' bracket final Monday at Midway Stadium at 6 p.m. The winner will then move on to play Coon Rapids for the section championship Wednesday, also at Midway.