Strib Varsity writers Jim Paulsen and Marcus Fuller predict the results of high school football games every week, and they’ll keep making those guesses right through the Prep Bowl. Paulsen made a big comeback by correctly predicting three results Friday that Fuller didn’t see coming, and they are even this season, each 33-16. Here are their picks and analyses for a three-day run of playoff games:

Thursday

Moorhead Spuds (6-4) vs. Centennial Cougars (9-1), at Spring Lake Park, 7 p.m.

Marcus says: Moorhead is 5-0 this season when junior quarterback Jett Feeney’s playing, so why should anyone bet against him? Feeney’s thrown for 956 yards with 14 touchdowns and just one interception in his three games back from injury. The Spuds beat Edina, Blaine and Woodbury, averaging 51 points per game. The best QB Centennial played this season was probably Andover’s Joseph Mapson, who beat the Cougars 22-16 on Sept. 19. Feeney’s on a different level than Mapson, especially as a passer. The pick: Moorhead 44, Centennial 35

Jim says: This is a classic matchup of contrasting styles. Moorhead attacks through the air while Centennial physically pounds on its foes. There’s no question that Feeney takes Moorhead to another level. His connection with WR David Mack is the most difficult to stop in the state. Centennial will need to play to its strength: control the ball, shorten the game and limit Moorhead’s possessions. The Cougars can’t afford to fall behind and play catch-up. They’re not built to outscore the Spuds. The pick: Moorhead 36, Centennial 26

Hill-Murray Pioneers (9-1) vs. Kasson-Mantorville KoMets (9-1), at Stillwater, 7 p.m.

Marcus says: This is basically a home game for Hill-Murray playing at Stillwater. The Pioneers’ stadium is about 15 minutes away in Maplewood. That might seem like an advantage, but Kasson-Mantorville has already proved itself on the road with a section championship win at Byron last week. Hill-Murray’s had an impressive year, especially relying on several underclassmen, including freshman QB Brayden Hartmann and sophomore running back Grady Buettner. The Pioneers’ average margin of victory is 29 points, but their only loss in a blowout to Byron speaks volumes. That’s more like the competition they’ll face vs. Kasson-Mantorville. The pick: Kasson-Mantorville 35, Hill-Murray 17

Jim says: The schedule a team plays and the competition it has faced all season make a big difference at this time of year. Hill-Murray has been the more complete team nearly every game it has played this season, save for the loss to Byron, then the No. 1 team in 4A. Certainly, Kasson-Mantorville has had the more rugged slate, facing Byron and Stewartville twice each. Two things jump out: Hill-Murray lists 19 freshman on its roster, including starting QB Hartmann. And there’s significant overlap between the Kasson-Mantorville football team and its Class 2A runner-up wrestling program. Wrestlers make great football players. The pick: Kasson-Mantorville 30, Hill-Murray 20

Totino-Grace Eagles (6-4) vs. Marshall Tigers (10-0), at Blaine, 6 p.m.

Marcus says: This isn’t the same Totino-Grace that finished 12-1 and Class 4A runner-up last season. The Eagles have lost four games this year, including losses against Hutchinson and Rocori by a combined score of 76-14 in the regular season. Marshall easily defeated Rocori (50-7 combined in two games) and Hutchinson (84-13 combined score) twice this season. The Tigers don’t have a roster loaded with superstar recruits, but they’re well-coached and formidable working together offensively and defensively. The pick: Marshall 31, Totino-Grace 10

Jim says: In years past, Marshall has faced difficulty in the postseason against teams with stronger seasonlong résumés. Not this year. The Tigers are battle-tested. They’ve run the table by beating teams like Rocori (twice), Hutchinson (twice), Orono, Fergus Falls and Delano. With Byron’s loss, No. 2 Marshall is the highest-ranked team remaining in Class 4A. The path to the Prep Bowl is laid out for the Bears. What better way to start than defeating a program like Totino-Grace, with its state-championship pedigree? The pick: Marshall 27, Totino-Grace 12

Friday

Maple Grove Crimson (10-0) vs. Lakeville South Cougars (8-2), at Eastview, 6 p.m.

Marcus says: The Crimson are on a quest to become the first repeat Class 6A state champion since Eden Prairie’s four-peat from 2011-14. I really can’t see anyone getting in their way, especially in the quarterfinals. Maple Grove leading rusher James Engle Jr. needed only 11 carries to rush for 157 yards and three touchdowns in last week’s demolition of East Ridge. Lakeville South’s defense is much more formidable with the past two opponents combining to score just 12 points. But the Cougars have to worry about Maple Grove quarterback Kaden Harney as well; he’s coming off a game in which he produced nearly 300 yards and four touchdowns of total offense. The pick: Maple Grove 28, Lakeville South 17

Jim says: Every week I wonder when — if, actually — Maple Grove will look vulnerable. After 23 straight victories, a team has to play a stinker once in a while, right? Not the Crimson. Their last victory by fewer than two touchdowns came in the 2024 Prep Bowl, 28-21 over Minnetonka. Could Lakeville South be the Crimson’s kryptonite? The Cougars are playing ridiculously good defense right now, and their running back duo of Griffin Dean and Nic Swanson, both 1,000-yard rushers, is the perfect pairing to help Lakeville South play keepaway. Both are good reasons to lean toward South, but I have yet to detect any chinks in Maple Grove’s armor. The pick: Maple Grove 34, Lakeville South 22

Lester Prairie Bulldogs (7-4) vs. Minneota Vikings (10-0), at Jordan, 5:30 p.m.

Marcus says: Lester Prairie’s four-game win streak included beating St. James and Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop, two opponents it played during the regular season. The Bulldogs, who avenged an earlier loss to St. James, have come a long way since their 0-3 start to the season. Nothing could prepare them to face top-ranked Minneota, which is vying for its fourth straight Class 1A state championship. The pick: Minneota 48, Lester Prairie 14

Jim says: No slight intended for Lester Prairie, but Minneota has been so dominant this season that I don’t foresee anything but a Vikings victory. Sure, winning streaks have to end sometime, but barring a catastrophe, Minneota’s run of 43 in a row is likely to grow to 44. Quarterback Tristen Sussner is completing 67% of his passes (82 of 123), 22 of them for touchdowns. Running back Kellen Bradley has run for 1,078 yards and 21 scores. That’s a tough duo to hold down. The pick: Minneota 46, Lester Prairie 16

Edina Hornets (6-4) vs. Eden Prairie Eagles (8-2), at Osseo, 6 p.m.

Marcus says: Eden Prairie and Edina met earlier this season, a 40-19 Eden Prairie victory that started much closer than the final score indicates. The Eagles were clinging to a 21-19 halftime lead, but they pulled away by outscoring the Hornets 19-0 in the second half. Edina quarterback Mason West can’t afford to throw three interceptions this time. The Hornets also need more from talented tailback Chase Bjorgaard, who rushed only 18 times for 41 yards in the first meeting. The pick: Eden Prairie 30, Edina 27

Jim says: Edina is coming off the biggest upset in Class 6A, defeating Forest Lake 31-30 on Friday. Will that provide enough momentum to spur the Hornets to another unexpected victory? Bjorgaard has been lights-out since Edina lost to Eden Prairie, and I expect another strong effort from him, but Eden Prairie just presents so many problems for foes. The Eagles have four runners with more than five rushing touchdowns: Andrew Johnson, Owen Konrad, Windlan Hall and Justice Bates. Defenses can’t shut them all down. The pick: Eden Prairie 27, Edina 17

St. Michael-Albertville Knights (5-5) vs. Minnetonka Skippers (8-2), at Farmington, 7 p.m.

Marcus says: STMA’s the best .500 team in Class 6A football after last week’s 14-0 upset against Rosemount. The Knights started the season 1-5 but have been a different team since junior Wyatt Mosher became a workhorse. He has five straight 100-yard rushing games, including 127 yards in the section final. Minnetonka’s offense should be at full strength with senior Caleb Francois returning to running back. Junior quarterback Caden Gutzmer still looked to be getting comfortable after recently coming back from injury. This is the perfect game to get going. The pick: Minnetonka 31, STMA 13

Jim says: Simply looking at their records, it would be easy to give Minnetonka the strong edge. While STMA has benefitted greatly from playing its Metro West schedule, Minnetonka has played largely the same slate. The Skippers came back down to earth slightly after a 6-0 start, but I think they’ve righted the ship with the return of Gutzmer. St. Michael-Albertville looked fast and physical in beating Rosemount on Friday, much improved from its earlier loss to Minnetonka. It won’t be as lopsided as it was in Week 2. The pick: Minnetonka 22, St. Michael-Albertville 14

Saturday

Spring Lake Park Panthers (10-0) vs. Alexandria Cardinals (9-1), at Monticello, 1 p.m.

Marcus says: The most impressive aspect of Spring Lake Park’s 10-0 season to me is the defensive side of the ball. The Panthers have held opponents to 11.5 points per game, including just 10 total points in the first quarter all year. Alexandria was a 29-yard field goal away from being undefeated this season; Chanhassen escaped with a 24-22 win in the opener. The Cardinals barely beat Monticello, 7-0, for their first victory, but they’ve averaged 46.9 points per game in their past eight games. They won’t be stopped here. The pick: Alexandria 48, Spring Lake Park 21

Jim says: I’ve loved how Alexandria has reloaded after losing All-World QB Chase Thompson to graduation. The Cardinals didn’t lament their loss, simply replacing him with another talented player in senior QB Talan Witt. There hasn’t been much of a drop-off. Thompson had 2,629 yards passing through 10 games. Witt has thrown for 1,742 after 10. The Cardinals are not just a pass-happy bunch. They have rushed for 2,328 yards and 35 touchdowns. Spring Lake Park’s vaunted defense will have its hands full. The Panthers have 21½ sacks this the season. They’ll need to get pressure on Witt. The pick: Alexandria 35, Spring Lake Park 24

Cretin-Derham Hall Raiders (7-3) vs. Chanhassen Storm (9-1), at Osseo, noon

Marcus says: Cretin-Derham Hall’s Izaak Johnson leads the state with 3,032 passing yards. His 425 yards and seven touchdowns through the air made last week assured the Raiders advanced to state with a 49-44 victory vs. Mahtomedi. Johnson has three straight 400-yard passing games, but one of them came in a 61-27 loss against Elk River. Can CDH’s defense slow another high-powered passing offense led by Chanhassen’s Nathan Ramler, who has 26 touchdowns and two interceptions this year? Chaska kept the Storm in check but couldn’t score in a 14-0 game. That won’t be an issue for CDH. The pick: Cretin-Derham Hall 28, Chanhassen 27

Jim says: I guess we’ll have to agree to disagree on this one, Marcus. While the Cretin-Derham Hall passing game has indeed been impressive, Chanhassen looks to be the more complete team. It will most certainly be a whale of an aerial show between Johnson and Ramler, but Chanhassen’s defense will be the difference-maker. The Storm have given up as many as 28 points only once all season and have made nine interceptions. That’s the exact number of picks Johnson has thrown. Making good decisions with his throws will need to be a priority. The pick: Chanhassen 32, Cretin-Derham Hall 21