Editor's Note: This week's Associated Press rankings are based on performances through Week 7, but in some instances, we used Week 8 results to add context, given Week 8 has already been played due to MEA weekend.
Eden Prairie, ranked No. 1 in the Class 6A Associated Press poll, weathered its toughest challenge of the season in former No. 2 Minnetonka, defeating the Skippers (7-1, 3-1) 39-21 last Friday. The Eagles (8-0, 4-0) faced newly appointed No. 2 Edina (6-2, 2-2), and beat the Hornets 35-10 to claim the Metro West subdistrict title on Wednesday. Minnetonka (7-1, 3-1), ranked fourth, beat Burnsville 42-8 in its regular season finale.
Third-ranked Centennial (7-1, 5-1) mounted a 14-point comeback in the fourth quarter of its 28-21 win over Champlin Park in Week 7, while fellow Metro North subdistrict contender, No. 6 St. Michael-Albertville, trounced Stillwater 35-6. The Knights (7-1, 5-1) clinched a share of the league title defeating Osseo 35-6 this week.
In the Metro East subdistrict, No. 6 Roseville jumped out to a 14-point lead in the first half of the Raiders' (6-2, 4-2) 28-14 win over Mounds View. Tenth-ranked Cretin-Derham Hall (6-2, 6-0) beat White Bear Lake 35-14 last week clinched the subdistrict crown with a 19-14 win over Roseville in its regular season finale.
Rosemount rose to No. 7 in the poll after dropping its first two games of the season. The Irish (6-2, 5-1) allowed just two touchdowns through five straight wins through last week, including a 37-0 shutout of Burnsville last week. The Irish dropped their Wednesday game versus Shakopee, 19-14.
Blaine, ranked ninth, broke into the top 10 after the Bengals (5-3, 3-3) upending previously third-ranked Totino-Grace 28-16 last week, which knocked the Eagles (5-3, 3-3) down to No. 8
Third-ranked Northfield (8-0, 5-0) knocked off former No. 1, now eighth-ranked Owatonna (7-1, 4-1) 21-17 last week, making room for Chaska (8-0, 4-0) to assume the space atop the Class 5A totem. The Hawks continued their perfect season by bulldozing Bloomington Jefferson 42-24 in Week 7.
Robbinsdale Cooper (8-0, 4-0), ranked second, rolled North St. Paul 48-7 as the only other undefeated team in Class 5A. Defending champion, No. 4 Elk River (7-1, 6-1), bounced back from its first loss of the season with a 69-54 victory over No. 10 Andover (6-2, 6-1).
Fifth-ranked Apple Valley (7-1, 4-0) scored 21 unanswered points at the start of its 38-14 win over Hastings, while No. 6 Mankato West (7-1, 4-1) demolished Faribault 62-6.
Ranked No. 1 in Class 4A, Winona (8-0, 5-0) posted its widest margin of victory (52 points) in a 56-8 win against Red Wing last week. Marshall (8-0, 8-0), ranked second, beat Tri-City United 55-12.
Third-ranked Benilde-St. Margaret's (8-0, 5-0) was firing on all cylinders in its 74-14 victory over Richfield. Rocori (8-0, 6-0), ranked fifth, downed No. 9 Hutchinson 16-7 to take the Tigers' previous ranking.
Kasson-Mantorville, ranked sixth, edged Pine Island 35-21. The KoMets (8-0, 7-0) clinched the Southeast Red subdistrict title outright with the win.
Top-ranked St. Croix Lutheran (8-0, 5-0) proved itself against Class 4A competition by defeating No. 12-4A Mound Westonka 48-23 last week. Pierz (8-0, 7-0), ranked second, scored 35 straight points before Paynesville could answer in a 42-6 victory last Friday.
Sibley East held its place at No. 3 after the Wolverines (8-0, 7-0) secured their second straight shutout in a 29-0 final over Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop. Fourth-ranked Spectrum (7-1, 6-0) defeated Concordia Academy 60-20 last week.
Fifth-ranked Glencoe-Silver Lake (7-1, 5-1) snuck past No. 9 Annandale (5-3, 3-3) 35-31.
Third-ranked Hawley's 48-30 win over No. 7 Barnesville, previously ranked second, made room for several teams to move up the Class 2A poll. The Nuggets (8-0, 6-0) climbed up a spot along with No. 2 Minneapolis North (8-0, 6-0) which beat St. Paul Como Park 42-22.
Caledonia, the top team all season, continued its run through southern Minnesota as the Warriors (8-0, 6-0) beat Cannon Falls 40-8. Fourth-ranked Triton (7-1, 6-1) outscored Lewiston-Altura by seven points in each quarter in a 42-14 victory.
Fifth-ranked Redwood Valley (7-1, 6-1) posted 38 first-half points in its 48-28 throttling of Windom.
The top seven teams in Class 1A remained unbeaten after picking up wins in Week 7, leading to few moves from last week's poll. Top-ranked Goodhue (8-0, 7-0) used a 30-point first quarter to defeat Kingsland 44-6.
Wabasso, ranked second, notched its fourth shutout of the fall as the Rabbits (8-0, 6-0) sped past Murray County Central 32-0, while No. 3 Braham (8-0, 7-0) posted a 36-6 victory over Barnum.
BOLD's 54-0 shutout against Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City earned enough respect among pollers to climb one spot as the No. 4 Warriors (8-0, 7-0) jumped ahead of No. 5 Minneota despite the Vikings (8-0, 6-0) posting a gaudy 84-7 victory over Lakeview.
Spring Grove proved its top rank once again by defeating defending 9-Man champion, No. 13 Grand Meadow (6-2, 5-2), 33-20 last week. The Lions (8-0, 7-0) can complete a perfect regular season on Wednesday with a win over LeRoy-Ostrander.
Cromwell-Wright, ranked second, only needed the first half to put away Onamia in a 57-8 romping. The Cardinals (8-0, 6-0) played for the 9-Man North White subdistrict title against Wrenshall Wednesday, winning 39-8.
Stephen-Argyle surpassed its regular season win total from a season ago as the Storm (7-1, 7-1) outlasted a firefight with Wauban in a 46-44 nail-biter. Verndale (8-0, 8-0) shut out Bertha-Hewitt in the final three quarters of its 35-8 win to remain at No. 4 in the poll.
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