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Metro football Top 10: A shake-up at the top

By Jim Paulsen, Star Tribune, 09/16/18, 7:33PM CDT

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Four of the top five teams in last week’s Metro Top 10 went down to defeat Friday night, resulting in a new look in the rankings.


Lakeville North linebacker Thomas Jensen and the Panthers have risen to No. 1 (Aaron Lavinsky/Star Tribune)

And then there were two.

Friday night was a wild night of football, one that saw a state record set for total points in a game and four of the top five teams in last week’s Metro Top 10 go down to defeat. There were nine undefeated teams in Class 6A going into the weekend, and only two, Lakeville North and Blaine, emerged unblemished. Minnetonka, Cretin-Derham Hall, Prior Lake, Edina, Champlin Park, Roseville and White Bear Lake all lost for the first time.

That means a significant shake-up in the metro rankings is in order, with a couple of newcomers making their season debuts.

Metro Top 10

1. Lakeville North (3-0): The Panthers showed the offensive firepower we expected at the season’s start, rolling up 537 total yards in a 62-34 rout of Farmington.

2. Blaine (3-0): As the only other undefeated team in Class 6A, the Bengals leap from No. 8 to No. 2. QB Jack Haring was spot-on Friday: 16-for-22, 292 yards, four TDs.

3. Eden Prairie (2-1): Three interceptions by the defense and TDs by five different players in a 35-12 victory over Prior Lake calmed the rising panic in Eagles Nation.

4. Wayzata (2-1): Of the 15 teams in 6A with 2-1 records, the Trojans have been among the most consistently balanced.

5. Minnetonka (2-1): Not going to abandon last week’s No. 1, but there’s work to be done in cutting down on costly mistakes.

6. Cretin-Derham Hall (2-1): The Raiders were flat in their first home game of the season, falling to underrated Woodbury 20-17.

7. Prior Lake (2-1): The Lakers were at Eden Prairie, which was fresh off its first loss, and were flattened. They face an identical scenario at Minnetonka this week.

8. Maple Grove (2-1): Two defensive touchdowns and a return to form by RB Evan Hull paced the Crimson over then-No. 1 Minnetonka 35-16.

9. East Ridge (2-1): The Raptors scored 118 points in eight regular-season games in 2017. They’ve already scored 111 this season.

10. Eastview (2-1): The Lightning defense has allowed just 21 points, the main reason they’re 2-1 for the first time since 2009.

Others worth a mention: Champlin Park (2-1), Roseville (2-1); Woodbury (2-1), Elk River (5A, 3-0), St. Thomas Academy (5A, 3-0), Cooper (5A, 3-0), Tartan (5A, 3-0).

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