Private schools have had a nice little run at the top of Class 4A, winning the last three state titles.
A fourth seems likely this fall — if not preordained.
The collection of schools known as SMB (St. Paul Academy, Minnehaha Academy and Blake) is the defending champion and boasts more future Division I players (six? seven? eight? more?) this season than some programs have had in their histories.
If SMB (currently unbeaten and ranked No. 1 in Class 4A in the latest Associated Press statewide poll) doesn’t win a second consecutive title — a big IF — a couple other metro privates figure to be in the mix.
Benilde-St. Margaret’s won its only state championship in 2016. Holy Angels won its lone title the following year. Both are ranked in the top six in Class 4A. Both were undefeated heading into last Friday, when Holy Angels lost a 41-34 shootout to Robbinsdale Cooper to fall to 3-1. The Red Knights, meanwhile, kept rolling with a 48-21 romp past Bloomington Jefferson, improving to 4-0. Benilde-St. Margaret's is 2-0 and Holy Angels 1-1 in the Suburban Red Subdistrict.
The teams meet Friday in our Top Game of the Week, with the winner likely to keep moving up the polls and in the Suburban Red standings.
Holy Angels features junior quarterback Theo Doran, who ranks among the state’s leaders with his 813 passing yards. Top receiver Tristin Wiggins has racked up 315 yards on just 11 receptions. The Stars’ 34 points last week marks their lowest output of the season.
Benilde-St. Margaret’s can put up the points, too. The Red Knights have outscored opponents 142-42, with sophomore Camden Royal accounting for five rushing touchdowns (and 479 yards) and quarterback Nick Peterson throwing five TD passes among his 28 completions for 400 yards. Joe Marinaro, a 215-pound running back, also excels on defense. He was named the Hub’s defensive Top Performer of the Week after making 11 solo tackles — including two sacks — in a 14-7 triumph over Chanhassen on Sept. 13.