Class 6A
With 49 points and four first-place votes, Totino-Grace continues its reign at the top for the fourth straight edition of the Associated Press’ Minnesota State High School Football Rankings. The Eagles are a perfect 5-0 after taking down Blaine 21-14 last week. Totino-Grace has Champlin Park (4-1) on the schedule for this Friday, a team that comes into the matchup with momentum after winning a 36-35 thriller over Osseo last week. If Totino-Grace gets through this week unscathed, don’t be surprised if they finish out the season No. 1, with Centennial (2-3) and Coon Rapids (0-5) as their final two regular season opponents.
Lakeville North is second with one first-place vote and 45 points. The Panthers earned the “city championship” after defeating Lakeville South 35-0 last week. They face Eastview (2-3) this week, but looming on the schedule is Rosemount, the No. 4 ranked team in Class 6A, who the Panthers face in their regular season finale on Oct. 19. If they want a shot at the East Metro District White Division title when facing Rosemount, the Panthers need to remain undefeated for the next two weeks.
Eden Prairie remains third with 39 points in this week’s poll. Since falling to Totino-Grace to open the season, the Eagles have been dominant, and last week’s 20-0 win over Minnetonka gives Eden Prairie even more confidence. They’ll need it when they hit the road to face Prior Lake (3-2), which beat Edina 30-0 last week.
Rounding out the top five is East Ridge with 32 points. Since falling to Lakeville North to in their first game, the Raptors have rebounded with four wins. East Ridge has only allowed 14 points in its last three games, so there is shutout potential for the Raptors when facing Forest Lake this week, which has only scored 35 total points this season.
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Class 5A
Elk River holds steady at No. 1 in class 5A, with four first-place votes and 66 points. The Elks (5-0) are rolling through strong opponents in the home stretch of the season, beating Buffalo 63-23 after knocking off former No. 1-4A St. Michael-Albertville 43-6 two weeks ago. But Rogers, this week’s opponent, is no slouch. The Royals are coming off back-to-back shutouts, and their only loss was to St. Michael Albertville.
Mankato West moves up from third to second in this week’s poll with 62 points and a pair of first place votes, thanks to a 34-0 win over crosstown rival Mankato East. Expect the Scarlets to remain in the top five next week after facing Red Wing (0-5) this Friday.
Spring Lake Park falls one spot to No. 3, with 58 points and one first-place vote. The Panthers beat DeLaSalle 62-14 last week, and will hit the road to battle Robbinsdale Armstrong (3-2) on Friday.
Checking in at No. 4 is Mahtomedi, which earned 47 points in the poll after last week’s 37-14 win over Hastings last Friday. Expect the undefeated Zephyrs to keep pace with South St. Paul (5-0) atop the East Metro District, Red Division standings this week, as they host North St. Paul.
Chanhassen rounds out the top five with 42 points. An unstoppable Storm offense which has averaged 44.8 points per game faces an immovable Chaska defense (15 ppg allowed) this Friday.
Class 4A
South St. Paul checks in atop the Class 4A rankings for the second consecutive week, earning 77 points and six first place votes. The Packers have relied on a strong rushing attack (264.2 yards per game) and a shutdown defense (19.8 points per game allowed) this season. If the Packers want to remain at the top, they’ll have to stifle Tartan’s passing attack this Friday, which is responsible for nine of Tartan’s 13 offensive touchdowns this year.
Coming in at No. 2 is Hutchinson, with 73 points and a first-place vote. The Tigers downed Dassel-Cokato 35-7 last week, but face a tough opponent Friday in No. 4-3A Litchfield, a team that averages 341.7 yards per game offensively.
Marshall is third in Class 4A, with one first-place vote and 66 points. The Tigers haven’t scored fewer than 42 points in a game this season, but strength of schedule has held them back from the top two positions. That could improve, however, with a matchup against Mankato East (3-2), this Friday and Belle Plane (4-1) on the schedule for Oct. 19.
Rounding out the top five is Mound Westonka at No. 4 with 46 points, and Winona in fifth with 45 points.
Winona rose three spots from seventh place last week thanks to last week’s No. 4-3A Fridley falling St. Croix Lutheran 41-6. The Winhawks host Faribault (3-2) this Friday, while Mound Westonka faces Minneapolis Patrick Henry (4-1). The White Hawks have given up no more than seven points in each of their last four games.
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Class 3A
After a 41-6 shellacking of No. 8-4A Fridley last week, St. Croix Lutheran maintains its No. 1 slot in the Class 3A polls, earning 69 points and six first-place votes. Expect a similar result for the Crusaders this week then they hit the road to do battle with Minneapolis Southwest.
Jackson County Central checks in at No. 2, with 59 points and a first-place vote. Four of the Huskies’ five wins this season have only been by one score, but Martin County West (0-5), shouldn’t pose as an issue for Jackson County Central. A win this week would keep the Huskies at the top of the rankings, as well as the South Central District, White Division standings.
Rochester Lourdes ranks third with 58 points, up from fourth in last week’s poll. The Eagles take their perfect record to winless La Crescent this Friday.
Rounding out the top five are Litchfield and Pierz in fourth and fifth with 48 and 29 points, respectively.
Defending 3A champions Pierz is back in the top five after suffering a Week 2 defeat to Maple Lake.
Undefeated Litchfield has a difficult task this week in hosting No. 2-4A Hutchinson, though a loss probably wouldn’t drop the Dragons out of the top ten entirely.
Class 2A
Caledonia continues its run atop the Class 2A polls, with 60 points and all six first-place votes. After a 47-0 win over Zumbrota-Mazeppa last week, the Warriors upped their average points per game total to 42.8. This average is poised to rise this Friday against winless Winona Cotter.
Barnesville remains No. 2 with 54 points, thanks to a 22-21 comeback win over No. 6-3A Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton last week. The Trojans have another strong opponent on the road this week in Hawley (4-1).
Undefeated teams Pillager and Redwood Valley are tied for third place with 42 points each.
Ridge Hunstad, who has averaged 140.2 yards per game for Pillager, and the rest of the Huskies offense should maintain its position in next week’s polls after a showdown with winless Red Lake.
Coming off consecutive road victories, Redwood Valley faces Pipestone Area (2-3) this Friday. The Cardinals have not won by fewer than 15 points this year.
Coming in at No. 5 is Eden Valley-Watkins, the lone 4-1 team in the top five. After a 35-20 loss to Pierz two weeks ago, the Eagles hope to continue building momentum with a second straight win when they face Howard Lake-Waverly-Winstead this Friday.
Class 1A
Minneota maintains its stranglehold on the top spot in Class 1A, with seven first-place votes and 79 points. With a high-powered offense that averages 387.2 yards per game the Vikings are again the heavy favorite this week against Tracy-Milroy-Balaton.
Minneapolis North and BOLD are tied for second, with 65 points apiece, though BOLD did receive a first-place vote. The Warriors earned their third straight shutout after a 29-0 win over Montevideo last week. A fourth straight shutout won’t be easy this week against Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City, which averages 20.4 points per game.
Rounding out the top five is Rushford-Peterson in fourth with 54 points, and Hinckley-Finlayson in fifth with 48 points.
9-Man
Grand Meadow’s reign atop the 9-Man rankings was dealt a serious blow this week, as the Superlarks are tied with Spring Grove for the top spot in the 9-Man rankings with 60 points each (tie breaker goes to Grand Meadow with five first-place votes).
After an 80-34 win last week over West Lutheran, the Superlarks play the first of two consecutive road games at LeRoy-Ostrander.
Spring Grove, which averages a blistering 58.4 points per game, heads to Mabel-Canton this Friday.
In third place is Waubun with 56 points and a first-place vote. Waubun could keep pace with
Norman County East/Ulen-Hitterdal atop the West District, North 2 Division standings with a win over Cass Lake-Bena (0-5) this week.
Rounding out the top five is Cleveland (48 points), and Edgerton-Ellsworth (37 points).
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