When St. Thomas Academy last commanded the statewide football spotlight, the Cadets lost a 14-3 slugfest to Owatonna last November in the Class 5A championship at U.S. Bank Stadium.
Eleven months and almost a full regular season later, Owatonna and St. Thomas Academy are both unbeaten and ranked No. 1 and 2, respectively, in the statewide Associated Press poll from Oct. 9. The teams appear to be on a collision course for a title game rematch, but not if No. 8-5A Chaska has any say in the matter in our Top Game of the Week.
St. Thomas Academy (7-0, 4-0) features Danny McFadden, a running back with 875 yards and 13 touchdowns. If the name McFadden has a familiar ring, well, it should. Danny is the fifth and final McFadden brother to play for the Cadets — the last four of them at running back. Last season, older brother Brendan McFadden rushed for more than 1,800 yards and a whopping 36 touchdowns.
The Hawks (6-1, 4-0) have shut out three opponents and allowed more than seven points just twice. Their lone loss was a 32-14 setback to No. 4-5A Robbinsdale Armstrong on Sept. 20.
Chaska, led by quarterback Grif Wurtz (836 passing yards and seven rushing TDs) and Matthew Kuntz (667 rushing yards and seven TDs), was the No. 2 seed in last year’s state tournament when it lost 42-27 to Owatonna in the quarterfinals.
Neither team is particularly battle tested entering the regular-season finale. St. Thomas has played just one team, Coon Rapids at 4-3, with a winning record. The Cadets’ seven opponents have a combined 17-32 mark. Armstrong was Chaska’s lone opponent with a winning record. The Hawks’ other six opponents are a combined 17-25.