We’re halfway through the 2025 regular season of high school football, and several teams have an opportunity to improve to 5-0.

Strib Varsity is following big games happening Friday, including Armstrong at Spring Lake Park, Eden Prairie at Minnetonka and Grand Rapids at Hermantown, and we’ll have scores and updates from other games around Minnesota.

You can follow our live scoreboard and watch live streams of these three games:

• Maple Grove at Moorhead
• Spring Grove at Kingsland
• Marshall at Delano

Tune in at 9:30 p.m. for Episode 6 of “Strib Varsity Live With Randy Shaver”: In addition to scores and highlights, Shaver will deliver interviews with players, coaches and reporters in the field. And you won’t want to miss the Taco Bell Teams of the Night — two teams will be named to receive hundreds of tacos at practice next week.

4Q: Minnetonka 21, Eden Prairie 14

After being stopped just short of taking the lead on the previous drive, Caleb Francois answers with a 20-yard touchdown run to pull the Skippers ahead with 2:33 left in the game.

— Marcus Fuller

Updates from around Minnesota

North Branch 22, Duluth East 12: North Branch, No. 7 in Class 4A, runs its record to 5-0.

Edina 35, St. Michael-Albertville 14: Mason West to Jabari Strader for a touchdown happened twice in the third quarter, giving the Hornets a three-TD advantage.

4Q: Minnetonka 14, Eden Prairie 14

The Eagles couldn’t stop Minnetonka’s run game until arguably the biggest play of the game. On fourth-and-goal, Caleb Francois was kept out of the end zone at the 1-yard line. The score remains tied late in the final quarter.

— Marcus Fuller

3Q: Grand Rapids 27, Hermantown 20

Martin Sleen scored midway through the third quarter and Bode Madill’s kick was good, giving the Hawks their first lead of the game. Ethan Morgan scored on a 6-yard run at the end of the quarter for the Thunderhawks, who ran in a two-point conversion.

— Christa Lawler

3Q: Spring Lake Park 28, Armstrong 7

After not completing a pass in the first half, Spring Lake Park QB Nolan Roach completed two on the Panthers’ first drive of the second half. The biggie was a 59-yarder for a touchdown to senior receiver Calen Truckenbrod. Armstrong’s in a huge hole now.

— Jim Paulsen

Updates from around Minnesota

Forest Lake 25, White Bear Lake 3: Two third-quarter touchdowns for the Rangers have caused some separation. Forest Lake is No. 3 in the Minnesota Top 25 and in Class 6A.

Elk River 51, Cambridge-Isanti 19: It’s final, the Elks rolling. They’re 4-1 and ranked 14th in the Minnesota Top 25 and seventh in Class 5A.

Mounds View 14, East Ridge 0: Cayden Tran scored for the Mustangs, and East Ridge’s 3-1 record appears threatened.

Centennial 36, Rogers 0: That’s an early final score. Running time will do that. The Cougars, No. 9 in the Minnesota Top 25 and in Class 6A, made it a rout and improved to 4-1.

Halftime: Spring Lake Park 21, Armstrong 7

Armstrong’s first-half touchdown pass from Gabe Hall to Farelle Deline was the only bright spot in a very forgettable first half for Armstrong. The Falcons struggled to move the ball and Spring Lake Park dropped them for losses, often big losses, seven different times. And Armstrong had two huge penalties that both led to Spring Lake Park touchdowns: a roughing-the-kicker that rescued the Panthers from a fourth-and-31 hole and a roughing-the-passer penalty that led to another touchdown two plays later. All in all, not a good half for Armstrong.

Meanwhile, Spring Lake Park just had one of the best halftime shows I’ve seen all year. The annual Guy/Girl halftime dance show, combining the Spring Lake Park dance team and a selected group of boys. It’s a homecoming tradition and the dancers made for a fabulous halftime break.

— Jim Paulsen

Updates from around Minnesota

Mounds View 7, East Ridge 0: Quarterback Beckham Wheeler scored on a short run in the third quarter. East Ridge is 3-1 and getting votes in the Class 6A polls. Mounds View is 1-3.

Maple Grove 56, Moorhead 14: It’s a final in Moorhead, where Sam Jacobson’s 3-yard TD run provided the Crimson’s final points with 1:26 left. Maple Grove, No. 1 in the Minnesota Top 25 and Class 6A, is 5-0. Moorhead, seventh in Class 6A and 10th in the Top 25, falls to 3-2.

Updates from around Minnesota

Mahnomen/Waubun 14, Red Lake County 0: Mahnomen/Waubun is up by two TDs in this clash of undefeated, top-10 Class 1A teams. Mahnomen/Waubun is ranked third and Red Lake County eighth.

Bemidji 30, Brainerd 6: Bemidji seems to have the Babe’s Bell trophy in hand. Brainerd is 3-1 and No. 10 in Class 5A. Bemidji is 2-2.

Halftime: Minnetonka 14, Eden Prairie 14

Both teams ran the ball with efficiency as expected. But Caleb Francois stole the show after his early turnover. He has 185 yards rushing and two TDs at the half.

— Marcus Fuller

Halftime: Spring Lake Park 21, Armstrong 7

Suddenly, the game got wide open. The Panthers got 14-yard run from E.J. Monluo to take a 14-0 lead. Armstrong answered with a 41-yard touchdown strike from Gabe Hanson to Farelle Deline to cut the deficit to 14-7. The Panthers got it back when Colin Welch returned the kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown. It was his second long kickoff return of the evening. He had returned the opening kickoff 79 yards.

— Jim Paulsen

2Q: Grand Rapids 19, Hermantown 13

The Hawks scored to start the second quarter on Grant Johnson’s 39-yard run. The Thunderhawks responded when Oliver Spahn scored on a 13-yard run. Hermantown’s Martin Sleen scored on a 13-yard run, but the Hawks missed the extra point.

— Christa Lawler

Updates from around Minnesota

Edina 21, St. Michael-Albertville 14: Mason West, Edina’s quarterback, caught a TD pass from wide receiver Jabari Strader. STMA got a rushing TD from Wyatt Mosher.

Maple Grove 49, Moorhead 14: James Engle’s 30-yard TD run — his fifth TD of the night —extended the Crimson’s lead to 49-14 with 6:36 left in the third quarter.

2Q: Eden Prairie 14, Minnetonka 14

Eagles quarterback Jackson Bakkum completed his first pass of the game, a 12-yard touchdown to Braden Minta to tie the score for the second time. Eden Prairie made the big play on third-and-8 late in the first half.

— Marcus Fuller

Updates from around Minnesota

Minneapolis Southwest 28, Minneapolis Roosevelt 0: Kyler Thom has thrown three touchdown passes for Southwest.

Breckenridge 28, Otter Tail Central 0: Riley Kappes has two TD passes in this matchup of undefeated Class 1A teams. Breckenridge is ranked seventh and Otter Tail Central ninth.

Maple Grove 42, Moorhead 14: The Crimson scored on the first possession of the second half, getting another TD run from James Engle.

2Q: Minnetonka 14, Eden Prairie 7

It’s been the Caleb Francois show since his early interception. The Iowa State recruit looked unstoppable again on a 53-yard touchdown run against a stacked box. The Skippers take the lead for the first time in the game.

— Marcus Fuller

Updates from around Minnesota

Edina 14, St. Michael-Albertville 7: Chase Bjorgaard scored his second rushing TD for the Hornets. STMA got a rushing TD from Elijah Lewis in the final seconds of the first quarter.

Forest Lake 8, White Bear Lake 0: A second-quarter touchdown has Forest Lake ahead. The Rangers are ranked third in Class 6A.

2Q: Spring Lake Park 7, Armstrong 0

A break and a long run and suddenly Spring Lake Park leads 7-0. The Panthers took advantage of a roughing-the-kicker penalty on a punt (it was fourth-and-31) to get a first down. Two plays later, running back Marqueal Mitchell exploded for a 74-yard touchdown.

— Jim Paulsen

1Q: Grand Rapids 13, Hermantown 0

The Thunderhawks have held offensive control through most of the first quarter. Mason Johnson scored on a 4-yard run to get Grand Rapids on the board, then Marcus Thiel followed, scoring on an 11-yard run.

— Christa Lawler

Updates from around Minnesota

Maple Grove 35, Moorhead 14: The Crimson got the ball back at the Spuds 22 on an interception by Ryder Skanson. James Engle’s 17-yard TD run extended the Crimson lead to 35-14 with 30 seconds left in the half.

Mahnomen/Waubun 7, Red Lake County 0: Brody Ihotka rushed for a touchdown in this game pitting undefeated Class 1A teams. Mahnomen/Waubun is ranked third and Red Lake County eighth.

1Q: Minnetonka 7, Eden Prairie 7

Minnetonka running back turned quarterback Caleb Francois redeemed himself with an electrifying 66-yard TD run to tie the score with under four minutes to play in the first quarter.

— Marcus Fuller

1Q: Spring Lake Park 0, Armstrong 0

Spring Lake Park could very much regret this start. The Panthers have begun all three of their possessions in Armstrong territory, including at the 21 after a 79-yard return on the opening kickoff, but they have failed to move the ball. Armstrong’s defense has been tough.

— Jim Paulsen

1Q: Eden Prairie 7, Minnetonka 0

The Skippers were within striking distance, but Caleb Francois threw an interception that was returned 60 yards by Isaiah Kelly. Eden Prairie turned the turnover into a 2-yard touchdown run by Andrew Johnson for a 7-0 lead.

— Marcus Fuller

Updates from around Minnesota

Bemidji 8, Brainerd 0: Bemidji is in first in the game for Babe’s Bell. Brainerd is 3-1 and 10th in Class 5A. Bemidji is 2-2.

Maple Grove 28, Moorhead 14: Taye Reich’s 4-yard TD run got the Spuds within 21-14 with 3:17 left in the first half, but the Crimson responded immediately with a 60-yard TD run from James Engle to make it 28-14 with 2:35 left in the half.

Minneapolis North 32, St. Paul Johnson 0: Tyshone Jenkins has scored two more rushing TDs for the Polars, so he’s up to three and this one is a blowout.

Edina 7, St. Michael-Albertville 0: Chase Bjorgaard ran one in for the Hornets, who are 2-2 but still getting votes in the Class 6A poll.

Pregame: Armstrong at Spring Lake Park

It’s the little things you never concern yourself with until they’re gone, and then you obsess over them. Spring Lake Park’s scoreboard is having some issues and they won’t be able to list down and distance tonight. I count on that when I’m covering a game and multitasking. I’m sure there will be at least a dozen times tonight when I look up to check down and distance and they won’t be there.

I’m already unnerved.

— Jim Paulsen

Updates from around Minnesota

Maple Grove 21, Moorhead 7: Maple Grove opened the scoring with 10:38 left in the first quarter on Beaux Thyen’s 35-yard punt return and Preston Berg’s PAT. Moorhead tied it on an 8-yard pass from Austin Dryburgh to David Mack and the PAT from Ibrahaim Abdi. Josh Thompson’s 25-yard TD run and the PAT by Berg broke gave the Crimson a 14-7 lead with 3:14 left in the first quarter. Senior James Engle’s 20-yard TD run and the PAT by Berg gave the Crimson a 21-7 lead with 1:42 left in the first quarter.

Minneapolis North 19, St. Paul Johnson 0: Ninth-grader Tavon Stoll and junior Tyshone Jenkins scored on short runs, and Quantayvious Roberts returned an interception for a TD. The Polars are 4-0 and usually get their touchdowns on passes by quarterback Logan Lachermeier, who leads the state in touchdown passes with 17 coming into the game.

Cook County 27, Northome/Kelliher 0: Cook County, which received votes in the Nine-Player poll but didn’t make the top 10, improved to 4-0.

Pregame: Grand Rapids at Hermantown

I’m here at Hermantown, where Grand Rapids is visiting and aiming to hand Hermantown its first loss of the season. Grand Rapids (3-1) comes into the game following a 41-21 win over Duluth East in which it generated 311 yards rushing. The Thunderhawks’ loss was to Bemidji. Hermantown (4-0) averages 350 yards rushing per game, most of those by junior running back Martin Sleen. He had 376 yards and six touchdowns last week in the Hawks’ 41-21 win over Cloquet.

It’s the homecoming game for Hermantown, and the 1997 team will be inducted in the school’s Football Hall of Fame at halftime. It’s still sunny with a slight breeze, and fans are starting to trickle in from a bit of tailgating.

— Christa Lawler

Pregame: Armstrong at Spring Lake Park

A few weeks ago, I wrote a piece on the best places to watch a high school football game in Minnesota. I plum forgot to include Spring Lake Park. I have a fondness for football fields that are tucked in behind the school rather than surrounded by parking lots. It just adds to the connection with the school community. Spring Lake Park is looking to validate its 4-0 start. Even the Panthers faithful admit they haven’t been strongly tested in first half of the season. That’s given them the chance to work on their passing game, which has often come up short when they need it in the postseason.

Armstrong was surprised by Buffalo last week, and I get the feeling it’ll come out with something to prove.

— Jim Paulsen