Week 3 high school football was packed with great matchups, including Moorhead at Minnetonka, rivalry games in Mankato and Lakeville, and Chanhassen at Waconia.

• Minnetonka overwhelms Moorhead as the Spuds go without star quarterback Jett Feeney
• Nic Swanson leads Lakeville South to victory over rival Lakeville North
• Mankato East breaks 19-year losing streak to Mankato West
• Chanhassen bullies Waconia for second straight blowout victory
• How the Minnesota Top 25 fared in Week 3 high school football

Scroll through Strib Varsity’s scoreboard here to catch up on all the final scores.

You can watch Episode 4 of “Strib Varsity Live With Randy Shaver” here and watch replays of these four games:

• Bemidji vs Buffalo
• Triton vs Caledonia
• Waseca vs Fairmont
• Chanhassen vs Waconia

Updates from around Minnesota

Eden Prairie 40, Edina 14: A big Class 6A clash goes final. Call it an upset if you like. Eden Prairie, No. 12 in the Minnesota Top 25 and No. 8 in Class 6A, shut out Edina in the second half. Edina is No. 4 in the Top 25 and No. 4 in 6A.

Centennial 31, Champlin Park 10: Isaac Belinske-Strauss ran for three touchdowns and passed for one for Centennial, ranked seventh in Class 6A and ninth in the Minnesota Top 25. Champlin Park is 10th in Class 6A and 10th in the Minnesota Top 25.

Shakopee 49, Stillwater 28: Shakopee, ranked third in 6A, turned away a fellow member of the Minnesota Top 25. Shakopee is No. 3 in the Top 25, Stillwater No. 15.

Kasson-Mantorville 21, Stewartville 18: Kasson-Mantorville gave up a fourth-quarter touchdown run to Malik Abdi but held on and ended Stewartville’s 30-game winning streak. Stewartville last lost in the 2023 playoffs.

Brainerd 49, Sauk Rapids-Rice14: Ranked 10th in Class 5A, Brainerd rolled to 3-0.

Forest Lake 53, Park of Cottage Grove 0: Getting to 3-0 was no trouble for the Rangers, ranked sixth in Class 4A.

Final: Mankato East 28, Mankato West 7

The Cougars finished it off with a short-field touchdown by Anthony Lucero. The Kato Jug, the prize to the winner of the regular-season game each season, is in their hands after Mankato West held it for 19 years.

— Jp Lawrence

Updates from around Minnesota

Hermantown 42, Duluth East 22. Final. Martin Sleen rushed for 308 yards and three touchdowns for Hermantown.

Orono 48, Big Lake 6: Orono, No. 8 in Class 4A, handed Big Lake its first loss of 2025.

Fergus Falls 28, Becker 7: Fergus Falls, ranked sixth in Class 4A, remained undefeated. Becker, 10th in Class 4A, fell to 1-2.

Final: Chanhassen 41, Waconia 16

After falling behind to open the game, Chanhassen outscored Waconia 41-7 the rest of the night, including 20-0 in the second half.

— Marcus Fuller

Final: Lakeville South 28, Lakeville North 12

North had no answer for South’s Nic Swanson, who scored all four of South’s rushing touchdowns. North’s hope of starting another win streak in the rivalry game ends with last year’s victory, as the Cougars again come out on top in Lakeville.

—Cassidy Hettesheimer

Updates from around Minnesota

Eden Prairie 28, Edina 19: Gavin Walden scored on a 5-yard run late in the third quarter for Eden Prairie, now two scores ahead in this clash of Class 6A powers.

Zimmerman 14, Delano 2: Zimmerman, ranked ninth in Class 4A, is 3-0 after handing Delano its first loss of the season.

Otter Tail Central 34, Wadena-Deer Creek 14: Final score. Otter Tail Central improved to 3-0 while Wadena-Deer Creek fell to 1-2.

4Q: Lakeville South 28, Lakeville North 12

At this point, we could start copying and pasting these touchdown announcements, just changing the distance Nic Swanson rushed into the end zone. After junior running back Myles Krinkie spun and juked several Panthers defenders for a 17-yard run, who else but Swanson caps off the drive with a 5-yard rushing touchdown, his fourth score of the night.

— Cassidy Hettesheimer

4Q: Chanhassen 41, Waconia 16

Chanhassen scored its fifth rushing touchdown of the game, the third from Skyler Notermann, to add to its seemingly insurmountable lead in the second half. Waconia had a 40-yard field goal attempt blocked at the end of the third quarter.

— Marcus Fuller

Updates from around Minnesota

Spring Lake Park 55, Park Center 18: Spring Lake Park, No. 6 in Class 5A, is 3-0.

Chaska 35, Hastings 14: It’s final. Matthew Welter scored four rushing touchdowns for Chaska, No. 8 in Class 5A.

4Q: Mankato East 21, Mankato West 7

With the offense yet again struggling, Mankato West got a break when a punt hit the heel of a Mankato East special-teamer. After the Scarlets recovered the loose ball, they got to the 29-yard-line. That’s when the Cougars defense roared to life, with Tyler Blaschko breaking up a pass in the end zone and Tyler Thilges sacking Scarlets quarterback Charlie Bobholz before the quarter’s close.

The Scarlets went for it on fourth down but could not convert.

— Jp Lawrence

Updates from around Minnesota

Minneapolis North 41, Minneapolis Southwest 24: North improved to 3-0 and is averaging just short of 50 points a game.

Tartan 55, Bloomington Kennedy 14: Tartan is 3-0 and scored more than 50 points for the second week in a row.

4Q: Lakeville South 21, Lakeville North 12

Nic Swanson’s first two touchdowns were short, gritty, muscled in. This time, the senior running back was all alone, streaking 47 yards for his third rushing touchdown of the night. Any time North seems to get it close, South and Swanson have an answer. The Cougars will have to keep finding answers for 11 more minutes if they want to see this one out.

— Cassidy Hettesheimer

Late 3Q: Mankato East 21, Mankato West 7

Scarlets quarterback Osborne Lorenz remained on the sideline as the second half commenced. Mankato West’s offense under backup quarterback Charlie Bobholz continued to struggle. The Cougars took advantage of a short field, a Blake Kamphoff 27-yard rush and an 18-yard Hayden Tischler touchdown catch to pull ahead 21-7. Mankato East is a quarter and change away from breaking the streak and claiming the Kato Jug.

— Jp Lawrence

Updates from around Minnesota

Elk River 50, St. Francis 14: The Elks, No. 2 in Class 5A, stopped at 50 points this time, lowering their average. They scored seven rushing touchdowns.

St. Thomas Academy 48, Burnsville 14: The Cadets, ranked third in Class 5A and 17th in the Minnesota Top 25, cruised at home after opening with two road victories.

3Q: Chanhassen 34, Waconia 16

The Storm has started to pull away in the third quarter after intercepting Karsen Herman’s pass in Waconia territory. James Kopfmann’s 21-yard catch set up another short TD run from Skyler Notermann.

— Marcus Fuller

3Q: Lakeville South 14, Lakeville North 12

Senior running back Konsta Mäenpää’s 50-yard rush set up the Panthers nicely on the host’s 14-yard line, before junior quarterback Max Eberle found the hands of senior tight end Brady Kemp, under the goalposts in the back of the end zone. But Lakeville South snuffed out the two-point conversion attempt on the goal line, keeping the lead with just over eight minutes left to play in the third quarter.

— Cassidy Hettesheimer

Final: Minnetonka 47, Moorhead 21

Playing an opponent with one significant piece missing, Minnetonka wasted no time establishing its superiority, talking a quick 20-point lead en route to victory.

Moorhead played without All-Minnesota quarterback Jett Feeney, who was injured in the Spuds’ victory over Woodbury. Minnetonka running back Caleb Francois ran for two touchdowns, caught another and threw for a score. Skippers quarterback Caden Gutzmer was superb, passing for more than 200 yards and a touchdown and also scoring on a short run.

— Jim Paulsen

3Q: Chanhassen 28, Waconia 16

Chanhassen quarterback Nathan Ramler connected on a 34-yarder with James Kopfmann. Ramler has eight TD passes now with zero interceptions.

— Marcus Fuller

4Q: Minnetonka 47, Moorhead 21

Minnetonka went on a 10-play, 72-yard drive that took 6:12, ending with a 2-yard scoring run by Caden Gutzmer. That may have been the dagger. Moorhead has been game and certainly hasn’t quit, but that was a statement drive by Minnetonka.

— Jim Paulsen

Updates from around Minnesota

Byron 42, Hill-Murray 6: Byron’s Elijah Rodemeyer has thrown three touchdown passes. That’s a lot of separation considering both teams hold rankings. Byron is No. 1 in Class 4A and Hill-Murray No. 6.

Holy Angels 20, Robbinsdale Cooper 14: That’s a final, making Holy Angels 2-1. The loss was to Byron.

Maple Grove 35, Mounds View 7: No. 1 in the Minnesota and No. 1 in Class 6A, Maple Grove has matters under control.

Eden Prairie 21, Edina 19: Mason West weighs in with a touchdown pass just before halftime for Edina. Those rankings again: Edina, No. 4 in the Minnesota Top 25 and No. 6 in 6A; Eden Prairie 12th in the Minnesota Top 25 and eighth in Class 6A.

Halftime: Mankato East 14, Mankato West 7

East ends the half up by a touchdown. The Cougars had all the momentum in the world early on, but big gains in the air and on the ground were wasted thanks to penalties. The big question for the second half is the fate of Scarlets quarterback Osborne Lorenz, who pulled up with an injury. His replacement, backup quarterback Charlie Bobholz, scored on the next play, but it’s been tough sledding for the Scarlets since then.

— Jp Lawrence

4Q: Minnetonka 40, Moorhead 21

Moorhead’s offense has had the ball twice and scored twice. Quarterback Austin Dryburgh has gotten better in each possession and Minnetonka hasn’t put up much of a pass rush. Now the Spuds have to show they can stop Minnetonka.

— Jim Paulsen

Updates from around Minnesota

Eden Prairie 21, Edina 13: Eden Prairie regained the lead on a 41-yard run by Owen Konrad after Chase Bjorgaard scored on a 1-yard run for Edina.

Stewartville 12, Kasson-Mantorville 7: Stewartville pulls ahead as it tries to preserve its 30-game winning streak.

Halftime: Chanhassen 21, Waconia 16

There was no need for Chanhassen to show off its prolific passing attack when the running game couldn’t be stopped in the first half Friday. But Waconia used a fourth-down stand to end a streak of 21 straight points. The Wildcats got back into the game with a 28-yard TD pass from Karsen Herman to Alex Kirsch.

— Marcus Fuller

Late 2Q: Mankato East 14, Mankato West 7

After the gift of a kickoff fumble and a short field, the Scarlets could not find a way to score. Backup quarterback Charlie Bobholz thought he had a receiver open on a fourth-and-10 pass from the 30-yard line, only for Cougars’ defender Bennett Blom to jump the route and break up the play.

On the next drive, with the first half winding down, Cougars running back Blake Kamphoff broke through for a 27-yard touchdown run.

— Jp Lawrence

Halftime: Lakeville South 14, Lakeville North 6

Nic Swanson is having another standout night for the Cougars, already muscling in two rushing touchdowns to put Lakeville South ahead. If you can believe it, the senior captain had only 22 rushing attempts for 200 yards as a junior, waiting his turn behind a slew of talented senior backs. This season, he tallied more than that in the Cougars’ first game.

— Cassidy Hettesheimer

2Q: Mankato East 7, Mankato West 7

In a second quarter marred by penalties, Scarlets star Trevor Sheldrup finally broke through the Cougars defense, and Mankato West marched down the field. But a hush fell upon the stadium when Scarlets quarterback Osborne Lorenz pulled up with an injury and hopped to the sideline. Backup Charlie Bobholz on the next play threw a touchdown pass to wide receiver Ayden Betts to tie the score.

On the ensuing kickoff, Mankato West grabbed a live ball to steal a possession.

— Jp Lawrence

2Q: Lakeville South 14, Lakeville North 6

Despite the Panthers coming into the game with only 11 completed passes between two losses, junior quarterback Max Eberle mixed in a healthy dose of passing attempts as Lakeville North marched down the field on its first drive, helped on the ground by senior Roman Johnson and sophomore Zion Davis.

Johnson, a 6-3, 260-pound defensive lineman on the other side of the ball, somersaulted into the end zone to put the Panthers on the board. After blocking North’s extra point, the Cougars were able to answer quickly thanks to a kickoff return that put them at the Panthers 25-yard line.

Nic Swanson rushed for his second touchdown of the night, this one 6 yards.— Cassidy Hettesheimer

Updates from around Minnesota

Eden Prairie 14, Edina 7: Mason West passed 33 yards to Sammy Stephenson for Edina’s first points in this game pitting top-10 Class 6A teams.

Kasson-Mantorville 7, Stewartville 6: It’s a tight one between Stewartville, ranked third in Class 4A, and Kasson-Mantorville, ranked fifth.

Andover 20, Coon Rapids 0: Joseph Mapson has passed for a TD and run for one for the Huskies, ranked 14th in the Minnesota Top 25.

Maple Grove 14, Mahtomedi 0: No. 1 in the Minnesota Top 25 and Class 6A is off to a two-TD lead. Here’s a highlight:

2Q: Chanhassen 14, Waconia 9

Arkansas recruit Kade Bush is one of Chanhassen’s best receivers, but he took a pitch and ran into the end zone for a 7-yard touchdown run to begin the second quarter as the Storm take the lead for the first time tonight.

— Marcus Fuller

Halftime: Minnetonka 33, Moorhead 7

Stats (unofficial)

• Minnetonka: QB Caden Gutzmer, 11-for-12, 200 yards, one TD; RB Caleb Francois, six carries, 24 yards, two TDs rushing, three catches for 77 yards and one TD, 1-for-1 with one TD passing.
• Moorhead: QB Austin Dryburgh, 10-for-15 for 119 yards and one TD, two interceptions; WR David Mack three catches for 69 yards and one TD.

— Jim Paulsen

Mid 1Q: Mankato East 7, Mankato West 0

The Mankato West offense couldn’t respond on its opening drive. The Cougars defense is stifling Mankato West running back Trevor Sheldrup.

— Jp Lawrence

End 1Q: Lakeville South 6, Lakeville North 0

With a rushing-heavy game, the first quarter breezed by. Lakeville South punched it in on an opening 65-yard drive, punctuated by a 3-yard rushing touchdown by senior Nic Swanson.

— Cassidy Hettesheimer

1Q: Waconia 9, Chanhassen 7

The Storm weren’t down for long after a poor start. They put together a 12-play, 80-yard drive to get within striking distance after Skyler Notermann’s 1-yard touchdown run.

— Marcus Fuller

Updates from around Minnesota

Eden Prairie 7, Edina 0: Justice Bates scored on a 2-yard run for the Eagles, ranked 12th in the Minnesota Top 25 and eighth in Class 6A. Edina is No. 4 in the Minnesota Top 25 and No. 6 in 6A.

Chaska 14, Hastings 0: Matthew Welter scored his second touchdown for Chaska, both on short runs.

Byron 21, Hill-Murray 6: Vincent Chaney has scored for Hill-Murray, after a second TD by Byron’s Elijah Rodemeyer.

1Q: Waconia 9, Chanhassen 0

Chanhassen opened the game with a botched kickoff and started on its own 1-yard line, which led to a safety on the first pass play. Waconia used that early momentum to get a big pass from Karsen Herman to Will Kirsch for 43 yards.

One play later, Jacob Ess scored on a 1-yard run.

— Marcus Fuller

1Q: Mankato East 7, Mankato West 0

The Cougars flew down the field on their first drive, going 80 yards in five minutes. Wide receiver Lucas Gustafson made three huge catches on the drive, including the touchdown pass. Wide receiver Hayden Tischler also made a big catch on fourth down to keep the drive going.

— Jp Lawrence

Updates from around Minnesota

Elk River 38, St. Francis 0: Braedon Becker scored the latest touchdown, in the second quarter. We’ll let this one rest until it’s final.

Byron 14, Hill-Murray 0: Brevin Brakke scored from a yard out, and the top-ranked Bears are rolling in a matchup of top-10 Class 4A teams.

2Q: Minnetonka 26, Moorhead 7

Moorhead wide receiver David Mack showed why he’s such highly-regarded recruit. He was the difference-maker on the Spuds’ scoring drive. He took a simple crossing route and turned it into a 39-yard gain. Five plays later, he caught a short pass and eluded the entire Minnetonka defense for a 12-yard score.

Minnetonka answered immediately. The Skippers scored on a 20-yard halfback pass from Francois, a former quarterback, to Cody Braun. The deception fooled the entire Moorhead defense, committed to stopping a Francois run.

— Jim Paulsen

Updates from around Minnesota

Byron 7, Hill-Murray 0: Elijah Rodemeyer passed 37 yards to Gabe Coshenet to give the Bears a lead. Byron is No. 1 in Class 4A and Hill-Murray No. 6.

Chaska 7, Hastings 0: Matthew Welter ran 2 yards for a touchdown for Chaska in a matchup of 2-0 teams.

2Q: Minnetonka 20, Moorhead 0

Moorhead moved the ball a bit on its next possession, getting into Minnetonka territory, but turned the ball over on downs. Minnetonka came right down and scored on three plays, with Caden Gutzmer threading a 46-yard pass to Caleb Francois over the middle. The pass went between two Moorhead defenders, and Francois ran untouched into the end zone.

The extra point was missed, making the score 20-0.

— Jim Paulsen

Updates from early starts around Minnesota

Elk River 16, St. Francis 0: Jackson Freeman ran 38 yards for a TD for the Elks, and Levi Harris went in from 37 yards. Both teams are 2-0, but Elk River is averaging 55 points a game, the Saints about half that. Elk River is ranked seventh in both the Minnesota Top 25 and Class 5A.

Fridley 15, Columbia Heights 0: Both teams are 0-2, so it’ll be a better night for one of them

1Q: Minnetonka 14, Moorhead 0

The Skippers cruised on their first drive, taking the opening kickoff and going 80 yards in six plays. Much of it came thanks to quarterback Caden Gutzmer. He took a read-option 20 yards off right tackle, then hit Caleb Francois for 17 yards and Quinton Restrepo for 21 to the Moorhead 3. Francois carried the ball over from 3 yards out.

The Skippers increased the lead to 14 points following an interception by linebacker Brady Young. Francois capped the possession with a 1-yard run. That’s two TDs already.

— Jim Paulsen

Pregame: Moorhead at Minnetonka

Moorhead makes its second trip to the Twin Cities in two weeks. The Spuds won at Woodbury a week ago and face an even tougher test tonight at Minnetonka because QB Jett Feeney is not in uniform. The highly-recruited junior sat out the second half of last week’s victory, too.

Moorhead coaches dispelled the rumor that Feeney has a broken collarbone, but he’s replaced tonight by Austin Dryburgh, a 6-7 junior. Still no word on what Feeney’s injury is, but he’s in street clothes.

No matter, Minnetonka defensive coaches told me. Even with Feeney out, Moorhead presents problems.

“The way they spread the offense out is tough. Just getting our kids lined up in the right position,” Minnetonka defensive coordinator Matt Lombardi said.

Lombardi is also concerned about the youth of his defense. The Skippers have 11 new starters this season. Be that as it may, the Skippers defense has been tough, giving up just seven total points over the first two games.

Spuds coaches told me the trip to Minnetonka was much less trying because of its location on the west side of the metro. They told me the trip across the Cities, with all of the summer road construction, was the worst part of the journey.— Jim Paulsen

Pregame: Lakeville North at Lakeville South

Checking in with 90 minutes to kickoff here in rainy Lakeville. Just over 2 miles separates Lakeville North and South, and we’re set up at South tonight for another installment of the crosstown Class 6A rivalry.

I was here last year to see Lakeville North end its five-year losing streak to South with a last-gasp passing touchdown to win it 35-31. But this year, both North (0-2) and South (1-1) have relied more on their rush game, though the hosting Cougars have found more success, in large part thanks to senior Nic Swanson (325 yards, two touchdowns) and junior Griffen Dean (193 yards, one touchdown).

North has scored just two touchdowns this year, but hey, it’s a rivalry game — anything goes.

— Cassidy Hettesheimer

Pregame: Mankato West vs. Mankato East

This could be the year that an almost 20-year-old cross-city losing streak ends. The Mankato East Cougars are facing off tonight against their rival, the Mankato West Scarlets, at Blakeslee Stadium on the Minnesota State Mankato campus. For 19 years, Mankato West has kept the Kato Jug, the prize for the winner of the annual regular-season football game between the city’s two public high schools.

This year, Mankato East comes into the game with a 2-0 record. Mankato West is 1-1 after losing the season opener to Mahtomedi. Of course, the students at Mankato East also thought last year was their chance to see their first Jug Game victory, but Mankato West won 28-7 in an October upset. Two weeks later, Mankato East defeated West 35-15 in the Class 5A playoffs.

The Jug Game is traditionally one of the largest annual events in this city of about 45,000. The origins of the rivalry date to Mankato East’s founding in 1973. East at one point dominated the series, winning 22 of the first 33 games.

— Jp Lawrence