The frustrated frown on Gary Trent Jr.’s face grew deeper as the game went on. Coach Zach Goring’s arms spent much of the second-half folded tightly in front of him, realizing there was little he could do. This game was supposed to be a steppingstone to Apple Valley’s third Class 4A state championship in the past four years, but for the Eagles, it was more like an endless slide.

Hopkins, the only team to beat Apple Valley this year, did it again and this time it was emphatic, routing the Eagles 84-60 to advance to Saturday’s big-school championship game against Lakeville North. It will be a rematch of the 2014 title game, won by the Panthers 84-82.

“We knew in the past three years, Apple Valley has lost to Park Center and Champlin Park and come back to beat them [in the championship game],” said Royals guard Vinnie Shahid, referring to the Eagles' stated desire to avenge their only loss. “We had a big grudge on our shoulders.”

Grudge, chip, whatever. Hopkins had it in spades. The Royals (30-1) raced out to an 18-7 lead, shocking Apple Valley. Guard Xavier Johnson was the catalyst, scoring 11 of his game-high 24 points in that salvo.

“We want to attack,” Hopkins coach Ken Novak Jr. said. “We’re an attacking team.”

Apple Valley (29-2) responded like a defending champion does, chipping away at the Hopkins lead and getting it down to one point, 34-33, by halftime. 

“It wasn’t really a shock that they punched us in the mouth, but we fought back,” said Trent, who finished with 23 points but made just nine of his 28 shots.

Hopkins started the second half the way it started the game, going on a 14-4 run to bump the lead back to 11 at 48-37. And that ended what was left of Apple Valley’s fight. Shahid scored seven points in that burst and finished with 16 points, as did Amir Coffer, the Metro Player of the Year.

“We were just a step slow in everything we did tonight,”Goring said. “Sometimes you have games like that.”

This wasn’t how it was supposed to go, not on Brock Bertram’s birthday. The 7-foot senior center was intended to be the focal point of Apple Valley’s offense, an inside-out approach that would open up space for its special twosome of Gary Trent Jr. and Tre Jones.

Guess Hopkins didn’t get that memo.

The Royals, playing fast and fearlessly, as has been their style all season, ambushed Apple Valley from the outset en route to an 84-60 victory in the Class 4A semifinals Thursday at Target Center.

Apple Valley saw the game not only as a stepping stone to its third Class 4A championship in the last four years but a chance to exact some revenge on Hopkins, the only team to beat them this year.

Instead, it was nearly a carbon-copy of that first meeting, with Trent and Jones cold from the floor, Bertram an afterthought and Hopkins coming at them in waves.

Hopkins hit the ground running to begin the game with guard Xavier Johnson playing the role of rabbit. The Royals pushed the ball up court at every opportunity, racing out to an 18-7 lead with Johnson scoring 11 of those points.

Apple Valley’s rallied soon after, however and chipped away at the Hopkins lead. Apple Valley finished the half on an 11-4 run and trailed by a single point, 34-33, at halftime.

The halftime break came at just the right time for Hopkins. The Royals replayed their first-half success, opening the half with a 14-4 run to rebuild their lead to 11, 48-37. To make matters worse for Apple Valley, defensive stalwart Kirksey was sent to the bench for a lengthy stretch with four fouls.

Hopkins, its depth and athleticism paying dividends, pulled away and extended the lead through the rest of the game.

Hopkins (30-1) will play Lakeville North in the Class 4A championship game for the second time in three years. The Royals lost to the Panthers 84-82 in 2014.