Maxwell Woods fields a bouncing kick at his 15-yard line, between the left hash mark and sideline. He immediately angles toward the far sideline. Woods uses a stiff-arm to fend off the lone would-be tackler who touches him.
He darts down the right sideline 30 yards later in front of his Chanhassen bench. Players who believe they have an angle on him are proven wrong over the final 55 yards, resulting in an 85-yard touchdown.
Later, with the game on the line, it’s time to use Woods’ defensive skill set. He’s inserted at cornerback and, in man-to-man coverage, breaks up a pass intended for his opponent’s leading receiver.
This all happened when he wasn’t rushing for 101 yards or scoring TDs on a run and a reception in his team’s 28-22 Class 5A quarterfinal victory over Mahtomedi.
Woods, a senior, is a dynamic running back, a shutdown defensive back, a scary special-teams player and the Star Tribune’s Metro Player of the Year.
“He is a difference-maker on the field,” Orono coach Joe McPherson said. “He is a great player.”
Woods isn’t the biggest running back/cornerback/return specialist at 5-10, 175 pounds. He isn’t the fastest, clocking in at 4.55 seconds in the 40-yard dash. None of that is apparent on the field.
“A game-changing player,” Belle Plaine coach Dave Frisell said. “He can do it all from the backfield, slot and in the secondary.”
Woods is a big reason the top-ranked Storm (12-0) made their first state tournament appearance this season and will meet ninth-ranked St. Thomas Academy (10-2) for the Class 5A championship Saturday at U.S. Bank Stadium. Half of Chanhassen’s victories have been one-score games, including the past three.
“Maxwell is as competitive a player as I have been around in 22 years of coaching, and his work ethic matches, fueling his success,” Chanhassen coach Cullen Nelson said. “Maxwell plays his best in big moments. He has really stayed within himself this season and grown as a leader.”
Woods, also a success at basketball and track, has spun out of the grasp of tacklers or dragged them with him while rushing for 1,629 yards on 196 carries and 18 touchdowns this season. He has caught 13 passes for 254 yards and five touchdowns and averages 47.9 yards per kick return with two touchdowns.
He’s not taking the credit.
Past winners of Metro Player of the Year
“I would not be doing this without our great offensive line. I really appreciate all of them,” Woods said. “They are the ones giving me the hole or seam to burst through. They deserve all the credit.”
On defense, he has made 29 tackles, two for loss, forced two fumbles and broken up 10 passes. Once he’s in the game at cornerback, teams tend to throw the other way for obvious reasons.
“I love playing defense,” Woods said. “Our coaches have prepared us well for all situations. That is why we are so resilient.”
A North Dakota State recruit, Woods craves one more victory this season.
“We have come together as one this year,” Woods said. “We have one more thing to accomplish, a state championship. It would mean so much for our team, coaches, school, fans and community. This season has felt special to all of us.”