The matchup that's been building anticipation for weeks is upon us as the final two unbeaten teams in Class 6A battle this week. Eden Prairie (6-0, 2-0), the consensus No. 1 in the latest Class 6A Associated Press poll, hosts No. 2 Minnetonka (6-0, 3-0) this Friday.
The Eagles continued their stampede through the big-school field, taking down Shakopee 35-6 last week. The Skippers edged Edina (5-1, 1-1) by the thinnest of margins last Friday, beating the No. 3 Hornets 28-27. Edina's schedule doesn't get any easier as the Hornets face seventh-ranked Maple Grove (4-2, 0-2) which is coming off a 14-6 win over No. 9 Lakeville North (4-2, 3-0).
Metro North subdistrict competitors, No. 3 Totino-Grace and No. 4 Centennial, replaced Edina and the Crimson's places in the poll by picking up wins last week. The Eagles (5-1, 3-1) rolled through Osseo 28-13, while the Cougars (5-1, 4-1) picked up a 29-28 win against Blaine.
Rogers shook up the Class 5A poll by upending previously top-ranked and defending state champion, Elk River, 24-20 last week. The Royals (4-2, 4-1) gained consideration in the poll at No. 11, while the Elks (5-1, 4-1) slipped to No. 6 entering a matchup that'll be crucial in the league title race with North Central Blue subdistrict frontrunner, No. 9 Andover (5-1, 5-0).
Owatonna overtook the top spot by continuing its destruction in southern Minnesota. The Huskies (6-0, 3-0) visit fifth-ranked Northfield (6-0, 5-0) in a meeting that'll determine which team takes the Big Southeast Red subdistrict title and the top seed in Section 1.
Chaska, ranked second, and No. 3 Robbinsdale Cooper are the only other teams left undefeated in Class 5A. Chaska (6-0, 3-0) is coming off its highest offensive outing of the season in a 44-30 win over Waconia, while Robbinsdale Cooper (6-0, 2-0) rolled Richfield 67-6 last week.
Nine teams in the Class 4A poll haven't lost a game entering the final two weeks of the season.
Top-ranked Winona (6-0, 3-0) posted a 32-8 victory over Mankato East last week, while No. 2 Marshall (6-0, 6-0) defeated St. Peter 37-7. Third-ranked Benilde-St. Margaret's (6-0, 4-0) knocked down previously fourth-ranked, Holy Angels (5-1, 3-1) to No. 8 following a dramatic 20-19 finish.
Hutchinson, ranked fourth, routed Princeton 54-7, while No. 5 Rocori (6-0, 4-0) beat Big Lake 30-14. The Tigers (6-0, 5-0) visit the Spartans this week to determine which team will control the lead in the North Central White subdistrict.
St. Croix Lutheran, ranked the top team in Class 3A, remained unbeaten as the Crusaders (6-0, 5-0) clinched their first shutout of the season in a 35-0 finish at St. Paul Highland Park. Second-ranked Pierz (6-0, 5-0) shut out Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted for the final three quarters in the Pioneers' 52-7 win.
Third-ranked Sibley East (6-0, 5-0) also notched its first shutout in a 25-0 victory over Norwood-Young America. No. 4 Spectrum (6-0, 5-0) trounced St. Agnes 46-7.
Defending Class 3A champion, Rochester Lourdes, slid from No. 2 to No. 5 after the Eagles (5-1, 4-1) fell to No.6-4A Kasson-Mantorville 34-14. Glencoe-Silver Lake (5-1, 3-1) climbed from ninth to No. 6 following its third straight win last week; a 20-14 victory over Dassel-Cokato.
The top four ranked teams in Class 2A remain unbeaten, while No. 7 Redwood Valley (5-1, 4-1) fell out of the top five after a 26-24 loss to No. 11-3A Jackson County Central.
Top-ranked Caledonia (6-0, 5-0) posted its first shutout of the season in a 36-0 decision over Dover-Eyota. Barnesville, ranked second, beat Crookston 40-20, while Midwest White subdistrict rival, No. 4 Hawley, shut out Frazee (a team playing in its first game of the fall after forfeiting its first four games) 48-0. The Nuggets (6-0, 4-0) visit the Trojans (6-0, 4-0) to decide which team will take the league title and the No. 1 seed in Section 8.
In the metro, No. 3 Minneapolis North (6-0, 5-0) ran roughshod through Brooklyn Center 54-0 a week ago. Triton, ranked fourth, ran up the score in a 41-14 victory over Cannon Falls. The Cobras have averaged 54.5 points per game since falling to the No. 1 Warriors in Week 2. Fifth-ranked Pipestone Area (5-1, 4-1) cracks the top five this week following a 45-0 demolition of Martin County West.
Goodhue shocked the Class 1A rankings with a 36-0 shutout of the former No. 1-ranked team, Rushford-Peterson. The No. 1 Wildcats (6-0, 5-0) now hold a half a game lead over the No. 9 Trojans.
Wabasso (6-0, 4-0) held steady at No. 2 after claiming its third shutout in four weeks in a 38-0 romping of New Ulm Cathedral. Braham (6-0, 5-0), ranked third, beat East Central 28-6, while No. 4 Minneota (6-0, 4-0) posted a season-high 64 points in a 64-7 finish at Springfield.
Fifth-ranked BOLD (6-0, 5-0) barreled through Montevideo 58-6, while No. 6 Ottertail Central (6-0, 4-0) beat Breckenridge 33-6.
Top-ranked Spring Grove and previously third-ranked Houston met last Friday, and the Lions (6-0, 5-0) emerged victorious 26-6 to remain atop the 9-Man totem and knocked the Hurricanes (5-1, 4-1) down to the No. 7 spot. Spring Grove faces Section 1 rival, No. 5 Spring Grove (5-1, 4-1), this week.
Cromwell-Wright, ranked second, scored 27 points unanswered through three quarters in the Cardinals' (6-0, 4-0) win 27-6 win over Isle. No. 3 Stephen-Argyle (6-0, 6-0) stormed through the Northern Freeze 47-12.
Fourth-ranked Verndale (6-0, 6-0) rolled Hancock 61-18, while No. 6 Red Rock Central (6-0, 6-0) rallied late in its 20-14 victory over Mountain Lake.
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