Ahead of the Week 8 games, Centennial and Lakeville South moved into the upper echelon in Class 6A.

Class 6A’s Maple Grove stands alone as a unanimous top pick in the seven football classes.

James Engle lifted Maple Grove over St. Michael-Albertville, Lakeville South caught a break vs. Edina, and Woodbury and Marshall rallied.

Four of the top 10 teams — Shakopee, Centennial, Elk River and Chanhassen — lost on a night when weather weighed in across the state.

The class-by-class state rankings ahead of Week 4’s games otherwise stayed firm at their peak.

Minneapolis North is off to its best start since 2022, when it finished 9-1. The Polars are tied for No. 5 in Class 3A with Holy Family.

Games will be played on Sunday, allowing athletes to double-dip and play flag football alongside spring sports such as softball, lacrosse or track.

No. 2 state-ranked Moorhead and its juggernaut offense averaging more than 50 points per game makes the 100 or so mile trip down Interstate 94 to play at No. 1 Alexandria and its wealth of athletic talent.

The strength the Hornets showed in a big victory over Eden Prairie made them a tempting option for No. 1, but too much about the Crimson is too strong.

The assignment is to produce a state football ranking that crosses classes. Complicating that — or making it more intriguing? — is that it is very difficult for smaller schools to keep up in the numbers game.