Minnesota Top 25: Strib Varsity’s statewide football rankings as playoffs play out
The first full week of the postseason led to Moorhead’s quick rise and not much else.
By Jim Paulsen
The Minnesota Star Tribune
Because of the way the playoffs are formatted — high seeds playing lower seeds, if they play at all — the first week of the postseason yielded more drubbings than drama. Expect things to change this week, when section finals in the six smallest classes and the second round of the Class 6A playoffs take center stage. Here’s the new Minnesota Top 25:
1. Maple Grove (9-0)
Previous rank: 1 Last: def. Eastview 56-7
The Crimson played a warmup game before being forced to solve the dilemma posed by East Ridge and Cedric Tomes.
2. Centennial (8-1)
Previous rank: 2 Last: def. Hopkins 48-12
Centennial’s reward for winning big? A date with brawny Shakopee on Friday.
3. Rosemount (8-1)
Previous rank: 3 Last: def. Park of Cottage Grove 56-14
The game was over by halftime, the Irish building a 56-point lead.
4. Lakeville South (7-2)
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Previous rank: 4 Last: def. Wayzata 35-12
The Cougars ran wild on Wayzata, rolling up 386 rushing yards.
5. St. Thomas Academy (5A, 9-0)
Previous rank: 5 Last: def. Apple Valley 39-13
The most underrated running back in the state, Dominic Baez, produced three rushing TDs vs. Apple Valley.
6. Minnetonka (7-2)
Previous rank: 6 Last: def. Anoka 34-16
The Skippers would likely concur: Anoka was the best winless team in Minnesota.
7. Eden Prairie (7-2)
Previous rank: 7 Last: def. Lakeville North 50-7
The Eagles celebrated coach Mike Grant’s 400th career victory by putting up a half-hundred.
8. Forest Lake (8-1)
Previous rank: 8 Last: def. Coon Rapids 57-7
Time to familiarize yourself with senior WR/LB Kevin Ndirangu. He was a force on both sides of the ball Friday.
9. Byron (4A, 9-0)
Previous rank: 9 Last: def. Winona 40-0
QB Eli Rodemeyer passed for 185 yards and four TDs against Winona.
10. Chanhassen (5A, 8-1)
Previous rank: 10 Last: def. Mankato West 46-22
Storm QB Nathan Ramler finally threw an interception, proving he is human after all.
11. Moorhead (5-4)
Previous rank: 23 Last: def. Blaine 38-21
With Jett Feeney back and throwing darts, the Spuds are clearly much better than their record indicates.
12. Spring Lake Park (5A, 9-0)
Previous rank: 12 Last: def. Cooper 28-12
Colin Welch, 5-9 and 132 pounds, returned another kickoff for a touchdown, proving that football is not just a game for big fellas.
13. Jackson County Central (2A, 9-0)
Previous rank: 13 Last: def. Windom 67-0
RB Gage Johnson accounted for 26 first-half points by himself Saturday.
14. Alexandria (5A, 8-1)
Previous rank: 14 Last: def. Sauk Rapids-Rice 56-20
That’s eight in a row for the Cardinals, who scored touchdowns on their first eight drives.
15. Minneota (1A, 9-0)
Previous rank: 15 Last: def. MACCRAY 62-0
After allowing 37 points through the first two games, the Vikings defense has given up 15 total points since.
16. Marshall (4A, 9-0)
Previous rank: 16 Last: def. Hutchinson 35-7
It just feels weird to see Hutchinson get dominated. In two games, Marshall’s Tigers have outscored Hutchinson’s Tigers 74-13.
17. Annandale (3A, 9-0)
Previous rank: 17 Last: def. Pine City 66-0
I don’t think the Cardinals have peaked yet. Their two-QB system of senior Mike Koval and junior Braylon Fobbe keeps producing at a high rate.
18. Champlin Park (8-1)
Previous rank: 18 Last: def. Roseville 28-0
The Rebels built a four-touchdown halftime lead, then got plenty of valuable postseason playing time for their backups.
19. Minneapolis North (3A, 9-0)
Previous rank: 21 Last: def. Breck 58-7
The Polars are TNT personified. They’re a threat to score every time they touch the ball.
20. Pine Island (3A, 9-0)
Previous rank: 19 Last: def. Lake City 48-6
What can’t RB Nick Thein do? He rushed for 206 yards and four TDs Saturday and completed his only pass for another.
21. Monticello (5A, 8-1)
Previous rank: 20 Last: def. St. Francis 42-11
The Magic are peaking at the right time behind three-headed RB beast Cale Holthaus, Garett Bauer and Cole Mueller.
22. Elk River (5A, 7-2)
Previous rank: 21 Last: def. Cambridge-Isanti 61-22
Saturday’s game was tied 22-22 in the second quarter before the Elks put the hammer down.
23. Mahtomedi (5A, 8-1)
Previous rank: 22 Last: def. St. Paul Highland Park 62-13
The Zephyrs face Cretin-Derham Hall in the Section 4 final Saturday, a rematch of a one-point Mahtomedi win Oct. 10.
24. Shakopee (6-3)
Previous ranking: unranked Last: def. Stillwater 26-14
The Sabers trailed Stillwater by 14 points after the first quarter but rallied with two late TDs.
25. Hill-Murray (4A, 8-1)
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