2023 MN High School Football season

[MaxyJR1]

I know we discussed this before, but I don't recall the answer.

There is no free/reduced lunch program, because all lunch is free now (save your political comments people). How will they be able to use that going forward as a factor?

They still ask all families to apply every year because funding is based on it for a multitude of programs. It's still being used for subsidies for sports fees, etc.

 

[balds]

6a games of interest to me this week:
Rosemount vs lakeville north - rosemount looked worse than I thought they would and lakeville north looked better in week 1
Both 1-0

Eden prairie vs Edina - Edina soph QB gets a big test. Eden prairie heavy favorite but interesting to me. Both 1-0.

Mayo 1-0 vs Eagan 0-1
Edina threw all over Eagan. Mayo wideout is legit. Can the new 6a team move to 2-0?

Prior lake vs shakopee
Good defense vs good offense. Both 1-0, huge game for seeding in the west metro.

PL really struggled to move the ball against Forest Lake in a 7-6 win. Forest Lake got down there several times and had a fumble, a failed 4th down and then failed on a two point conversion with 3 minutes left.

Shakopee beat Hopkins 72-16.

Not sure how good Forest Lake and Hopkins are, but based on week one Shakopee appears like a favorite to beat PL.

 

[disco]

PL really struggled to move the ball against Forest Lake in a 7-6 win. Forest Lake got down there several times and had a fumble, a failed 4th down and then failed on a two point conversion with 3 minutes left.

Shakopee beat Hopkins 72-16.

Not sure how good Forest Lake and Hopkins are, but based on week one Shakopee appears like a favorite to beat PL.

I think Forest Lake is supposed to be good again. They had one guy on the Star Tribune metro dream team.

I'll be at the Wayzata - Minnetonka game this Friday. Should prove interesting as to where these two teams are, Minnetonka winning big last week and Wayzata losing big.

 

[Some guy]

I know we discussed this before, but I don't recall the answer.

There is no free/reduced lunch program, because all lunch is free now (save your political comments people). How will they be able to use that going forward as a factor?

They still tabulate it

It may be harder to tabulate now as their is less benefit to declaring it

 

[Some guy]

PL really struggled to move the ball against Forest Lake in a 7-6 win. Forest Lake got down there several times and had a fumble, a failed 4th down and then failed on a two point conversion with 3 minutes left.

Shakopee beat Hopkins 72-16.

Not sure how good Forest Lake and Hopkins are, but based on week one Shakopee appears like a favorite to beat PL.

I would agree but for how big they are Hopkins is the worst team that plays 11 man football in Minnesota

I mean many 1A schools could beat them

At least based on last year

Last year 0-9
Average score 56-6
That forest lake team prior lake played beat Hopkins 72-7

 

[disco]

I would agree but for how big they are Hopkins is the worst team that plays 11 man football in Minnesota

I mean many 1A schools could beat them

At least based on last year

Last year 0-9
Average score 56-6
That forest lake team prior lake played beat Hopkins 72-7

Hopkins is a disaster in Football.

This is the first year they are having a tackle program starting in sixth grade. Which coincides with the switch to a middle school system - the last large metro school to do so.

 

[Some guy]

Hopkins is a disaster in Football.

This is the first year they are having a tackle program starting in sixth grade. Which coincides with the switch to a middle school system - the last large metro school to do so.

I don’t think they made a very good head football hire

It happens

Eagan for 4 years had an awful head coach
Forest lake had a bad one or two.

Need good coaches

Their current coach has had trouble putting together a staff. They have a 10 man staff.
Everyone else is going to have a 16-25 9-12 staff.

And I’m just talking quantity. Not even considering quality yet

 

[Spaulding!No!]

Proctor Rails?

 

[disco]

Proctor Rails?

Yep. Their motto is "Drive the Spike."

No, I'm not even kidding. Saw a yard sign this weekend.

 

[disco]

I don’t think they made a very good head football hire

It happens

Eagan for 4 years had an awful head coach
Forest lake had a bad one or two.

Need good coaches

Their current coach has had trouble putting together a staff. They have a 10 man staff.
Everyone else is going to have a 16-25 9-12 staff.

And I’m just talking quantity. Not even considering quality yet

One of whom I played with. I read their website/coaching philosophy when he was coach.
I just rolled my eyes.

 

[Wally]

Andover is protected a bit by not having a freeway go through town. Cuts down on some of the development, but they continue to grow.

I believe that Andover refuses met council money so they can keep out multi family housing. That's what someone who lives there told me.

 

[GopherRock]

Proctor Rails?

Yup, so named because the town was built by the Duluth, Missabe and Northern Railroad next to their marshalling yard.

 

[Maverick_52]

Mankato West @ Andover will be the Prep Spotlight Game of the week streamed for free at startribune.com tomorrow night.

 

[short ornery norwegian]

some conference movement news - SW MN edition

I know this does not impact football scheduling, but Belle Plaine has announced that it will be joining the Big South Conference starting in 2024.

that will move the Big South to 15 members. Tri-City United had earlier announced that it would be moving to the Big South in '24. both schools are currently members of the Minnesota River Conference.

Other Big South Conference schools:
Marshall
Jackson County Central
Luverne
Pipestone
Worthington
Redwood Valley
Windom
St. James
St. Peter
New Ulm
Blue Earth
Fairmont
Waseca

 

[Some guy]

I think Forest Lake is supposed to be good again. They had one guy on the Star Tribune metro dream team.

I'll be at the Wayzata - Minnetonka game this Friday. Should prove interesting as to where these two teams are, Minnetonka winning big last week and Wayzata losing big.

Forest lake is much improved as of last year

 

[Gopher 461]

I'll be at the Edina at EP game. EP looks like the real deal this year after some off years with some really big athletes road grading their rushers.

 

[Some guy]

I'll be at the Edina at EP game. EP looks like the real deal this year after some off years with some really big athletes road grading their rushers.

I have heard their line is as good as it’s been. EP is my number one

 

[8151]

some conference movement news - SW MN edition

I know this does not impact football scheduling, but Belle Plaine has announced that it will be joining the Big South Conference starting in 2024.

that will move the Big South to 15 members. Tri-City United had earlier announced that it would be moving to the Big South in '24. both schools are currently members of the Minnesota River Conference.

Other Big South Conference schools:
Marshall
Jackson County Central
Luverne
Pipestone
Worthington
Redwood Valley
Windom
St. James
St. Peter
New Ulm
Blue Earth
Fairmont
Waseca

That is an interesting group of teams. I would like to see some games. Marshall might rule for a while.

 

[disco]

some conference movement news - SW MN edition

I know this does not impact football scheduling, but Belle Plaine has announced that it will be joining the Big South Conference starting in 2024.

that will move the Big South to 15 members. Tri-City United had earlier announced that it would be moving to the Big South in '24. both schools are currently members of the Minnesota River Conference.

Other Big South Conference schools:
Marshall
Jackson County Central
Luverne
Pipestone
Worthington
Redwood Valley
Windom
St. James
St. Peter
New Ulm
Blue Earth
Fairmont
Waseca

That's geographically enormous.

 

[State of Football]

Andover also has had seven appearances in the state boys basketball tournament in just 20 years of existence.

Have they won a quarterfinal game ever? Hence easy section…

I don’t think they made a very good head football hire

It happens

Eagan for 4 years had an awful head coach
Forest lake had a bad one or two.

Need good coaches

Their current coach has had trouble putting together a staff. They have a 10 man staff.
Everyone else is going to have a 16-25 9-12 staff.

And I’m just talking quantity. Not even considering quality yet

Hopkins need to encourage their basketball athletes to play football or require their basketball coach to recruit like he does for basketball.

 

[MaxyJR1]

I believe that Andover refuses met council money so they can keep out multi family housing. That's what someone who lives there told me.

There is truth to it. Not sure if it's still the case, but it has been in the past as they were a City pushing for Met Council reform in 2016 to give Cities more power in decision making.

 

[MplsGopher]

Hasn't Lake Elmo resisted the Met Council for a long time?

 

[short ornery norwegian]

That's geographically enormous.

most sports use divisions or pods for scheduling to limit some of the travel.

 

[short ornery norwegian]

Oh - actual HS football news - of the sad variety.

Westbrook-Walnut Grove has announced that it will suspend its season after tonight's game with Nicollet. WWG is a 9-player team in SW MN. They lost their opener to LeRoy-Ostrander 63-0.

the program has been struggling with low numbers. they had 20 players listed on the roster, with no seniors. 7 of the 20 were Freshmen, so that leaves 13 Juniors and Sophomores.

obviously, this impacts the 6 teams that were remaining on the schedule. due to some scheduling quirks with that district, there were some bye weeks, so I know that Mt Lake Area and Heron Lake-Okabena/Fulda have added a game against each other that was not on the original schedule. but other teams will only play 7 games in the regular season.

been seeing more and more of this in recent years. programs getting to a point where they feel they cannot compete or do not want to put younger players at a risk of injury.

and consolidation is not always the answer. 1st, you have to find another program willing to consolidate - which some programs are not willing to consider because it would push them into a higher class.

it's unfortunate.

 

[Maverick_52]

Mankato West @ Andover tonight Prep Spotlight game of the week streaming at startribune.com.

Not familiar with Andover but players to watch for Mankato West:

Senior QB Bart McAninch #7 (6'1, 205) committed to Bemidji State

Senior WR Jalen Smith #3 (6'1, 190) committed to Minnesota

Junior WR Maurice Staley #10 (6'2, 185) 7 catches, 130 yards 2 TD's last week. Father played at Tennessee with Peyton Manning

Senior WR/S Brody Koberoski #4 (6'1, 195) committed to Augustana

Senior OL/DL Greg Medil #59 (6'4, 270) committed to Army

Senior OL/DL Gage Schmidt #57 (6'4, 290) PWO from North Dakota State, scholarship offers from St Thomas, Augustana, MSU Mankato, Sioux Falls, Northern State, SMSU, Winona State

Junior OL/DL Axel Lorenz #53 (6'2, 280)

Junior TE/DE Denim Blackstad #87 (6'3 225)

 

[disco]

Hopkins need to encourage their basketball athletes to play football or require their basketball coach to recruit like he does for basketball.

Well, this sentence made no sense whatsoever.

 

[State of Football]

Well, this sentence made no sense whatsoever.

It's a long standing assumption as to why Hopkins basketball is successful and football isn't. Hopkin's best basketball teams have had a number of nonresidents / transfers. And it may be a poorly written attempt at humor...

 

[disco]

It's a long standing assumption as to why Hopkins basketball is successful and football isn't. Hopkin's best basketball teams have had a number of nonresidents / transfers. And it may be a poorly written attempt at humor...

There's a reason Hopkins hoops is referred to as Minneapolis West. But realistically, if they kept their own kids in district, it wouldn't have to be.

 

[disco]

I looked at the rosters for the 6th, 7th and 8th grade teams for Hopkins. It's bleak. They are only fielding one team from each grade with about 20 kids each. Meanwhile Edina has 3-4 teams, Wayzata 4-5 teams, Minnetonka has 5-6 teams per grade, and Maple Grove has 3-4.

St. Louis Park literally has more kids in their feeder program than Hopkins. You have to build a culture of kids wanting to play the game.

 

[State of Football]

Mankato West makes a statement. Irondale with 2 D1 players and continue to be awful.