2024 MN High School Football thread

I think the top 5 are clearly a little better early in the year. But teams are different at the end than the beginning.

The way the bracket is structured someone could get a draw that I only takes beating one of those top 5 to make the final and only 2 of those 5 to win the whole thing.
And lakeville north is banged up. I think shakopee has lost a key player or two also.

Pretty good chance champ comes from those 5, but this time last year literally no one was thinking about centennial.
I still think Lakeville North is a really shaky #1. They will most likely go 8-0 because their remaining schedule is soft but won't be surprised one bit if they are not in the mix for the title at the end of the year. Will continue to go to bat for Eagan as a team on the outside that could cause problems for the top teams. Probably not good enough to win it all but wouldn't want to run up against them in playoffs.

And are there so few good teams that Lakeville South at 2-3 is still getting top 10 votes? Anyone ranking them in their top 10 should not be allowed to vote.
 

And are there so few good teams that Lakeville South at 2-3 is still getting top 10 votes? Anyone ranking them in their top 10 should not be allowed to vote.
Their 3 losses are to the #1, #6, and #13 team by a combined 9 points.

They had #1 North beat before they gave up a TD in the final 20 seconds.
They were up on #6 Eagan heading into the 4th and lost due to a missed 2 point conversion.

Now on the flip side, they should have lost to Mayo last Friday.

Every team has the woulda, shoulda, coulda. They are not your typical 2-3 team and will be an extremely tough out in the playoffs.
 

Their 3 losses are to the #1, #6, and #13 team by a combined 9 points.

They had #1 North beat before they gave up a TD in the final 20 seconds.
They were up on #6 Eagan heading into the 4th and lost due to a missed 2 point conversion.

Now on the flip side, they should have lost to Mayo last Friday.

Every team has the woulda, shoulda, coulda. They are not your typical 2-3 team and will be an extremely tough out in the playoffs.
I would honestly take Lakeville South in a game against any of these teams:

7. Anoka, 3-2, 27
8. Blaine, 3-2, 17
9. (tie) Buffalo, 4-1, 16
9. (tie) Stillwater, 3-2,
 


I would honestly take Lakeville South in a game against any of these teams:

7. Anoka, 3-2, 27
8. Blaine, 3-2, 17
9. (tie) Buffalo, 4-1, 16
9. (tie) Stillwater, 3-2,
Yeah.....guess that makes sense. Speaks to the overall lack of quality at 6A though were a team that has 3 loses (even if they are to quality teams) could easily be taken head to head against teams in the top 10. I might have been a little harsh with my initial take on South getting votes :)

Will be interesting with playoffs when a couple of teams that have been really good in recent years (South, Rosemount) will be sitting there with lower seeds. Rosemount is having a down year but they are still not a team I would want to draw in the playoffs as a higher seed.
 


I would honestly take Lakeville South in a game against any of these teams:

7. Anoka, 3-2, 27
8. Blaine, 3-2, 17
9. (tie) Buffalo, 4-1, 16
9. (tie) Stillwater, 3-2,
Considering MG and Centennial are the last two Champions, I would not sleep on Anoka, Blaine, or Centennial. Who ever gets the 2 seed is and the right matchup will be in the final 8. North Metro gets overlooked every year.

We'll see the crossover games on October 17th and see a preview of what is to come.
 

Considering MG and Centennial are the last two Champions, I would not sleep on Anoka, Blaine, or Centennial. Who ever gets the 2 seed is and the right matchup will be in the final 8. North Metro gets overlooked every year.

We'll see the crossover games on October 17th and see a preview of what is to come.

I agree these are interesting match-ups:

Wayzata @ Anoka

Wayzata is better than last year, but clearly still not the standard we are used to. I'm not sure if Anoka is better than their team last year, but last year they man-handled a Wayzata team that had thrown in the towel on the season.

Shakopee @ Blaine


Last year was a crazy 56-52 last second win for Shakopee. Both teams appear better than they were last year.

Centennial @ Rosemount

Both are down considerably from their squads of a year ago that ended up in a 9-0 Centennial victory.
 

Maple Grove is going to absolutely destroy Coon Rapids this week. That's going to be an ugly, ugly game.
 

Yeah.....guess that makes sense. Speaks to the overall lack of quality at 6A though were a team that has 3 loses (even if they are to quality teams) could easily be taken head to head against teams in the top 10. I might have been a little harsh with my initial take on South getting votes :)
Not saying you're wrong and I am right or I am right and you're wrong. I was more thinking it is nice that the overall quality of 6A has risen so that we don't have the dominant team and there is more parity across the board. Seemed like for the last 25 years you could pretty much count on Eden Prairie vs. ______ in the finals.

I very easily could be wrong and just overall talent is down but I just viewed it as the quality of team has finally caught up to the top 2-3 teams.
 




Not saying you're wrong and I am right or I am right and you're wrong. I was more thinking it is nice that the overall quality of 6A has risen so that we don't have the dominant team and there is more parity across the board. Seemed like for the last 25 years you could pretty much count on Eden Prairie vs. ______ in the finals.

I very easily could be wrong and just overall talent is down but I just viewed it as the quality of team has finally caught up to the top 2-3 teams.
7 of the top 18 players in the 2025 MN class play at the 6A level. So 6A is a bit down in top end talent and of the 8 P4 Commits, 2 are from 6A

15 of 36 listed are from 6A

19 of 36 kids rated in MN are going to SDSU, USD, NDSU, or UND
 

7 of the top 18 players in the 2025 MN class play at the 6A level. So 6A is a bit down in top end talent and of the 8 P4 Commits, 2 are from 6A

15 of 36 listed are from 6A

19 of 36 kids rated in MN are going to SDSU, USD, NDSU, or UND
THEY'LL NEVER GET A JOB IN THIS TOWN!
-Sid
 

Not saying you're wrong and I am right or I am right and you're wrong. I was more thinking it is nice that the overall quality of 6A has risen so that we don't have the dominant team and there is more parity across the board. Seemed like for the last 25 years you could pretty much count on Eden Prairie vs. ______ in the finals.

I very easily could be wrong and just overall talent is down but I just viewed it as the quality of team has finally caught up to the top 2-3 teams.
I guess it is all kind of relative. In relation to each other there is a ton of parity in 6A. Compared to top teams around the country though the top Minnesota teams right now would most likely get demolished.

Feels like there is a real lack of high end talent in 6A right now and that would flow with Maxy Jrs post about the top rated players this season.
 



I guess it is all kind of relative. In relation to each other there is a ton of parity in 6A. Compared to top teams around the country though the top Minnesota teams right now would most likely get demolished.

Feels like there is a real lack of high end talent in 6A right now and that would flow with Maxy Jrs post about the top rated players this season.
100% agree with you on that. Minnesota talent cannot compete with Florida, Georgia, Texas, Ohio, Louisiana, etc...
 

Yeah.....guess that makes sense. Speaks to the overall lack of quality at 6A though were a team that has 3 loses (even if they are to quality teams) could easily be taken head to head against teams in the top 10. I might have been a little harsh with my initial take on South getting votes :)

Will be interesting with playoffs when a couple of teams that have been really good in recent years (South, Rosemount) will be sitting there with lower seeds. Rosemount is having a down year but they are still not a team I would want to draw in the playoffs as a higher seed.
Rosemount will be the 6
South could very much still end as the 3
 


<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The Minnesota State High School League Board of Directors has approved 1 through 8 seeding at state tournaments in baseball, softball, and girls and boys lacrosse. This is in alignment with previous moves in other team sports.</p>&mdash; John Millea (@MSHSLjohn) <a href="">October 3, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
 

Some games of interest this week (smaller schools) - 3 gms in 4A matching ranked opponents...
...the Fairmont/Marshall game could be interesting...

9-person: #7 Spring Grove (5-0) at Kingsland (4-1)
--#9 Fosston (5-0) at Park Christian (4-1)

1A: Staples-Motley (5-0) at Parkers Prairie 4-1)
-- Mille Lacs (4-1) at (#9 in 2A) Barnum (5-0)
--#7 Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa (4-1) at Browerville-Eagle Valley (4-1)

2A: Kimball Area (5-0) at #6 Holdingford (5-0)
-- #9 Cannon Falls (4-1) at Triton (4-1)

3A: (#10 in 4A) Marshall (4-1) at #3 Fairmont (5-0)
-- Luverne (5-0) at (2A) Pipestone (5-0)

4A: #6 Byron (4-1) at #9 Kasson-Mantorville (4-1)
-- #1 Becker (5-0) at #7 Rocori (4-1)
--#3 Orono at #4 Providence Academy (4-1)
 

Some games of interest this week (smaller schools) - 3 gms in 4A matching ranked opponents...
...the Fairmont/Marshall game could be interesting...

9-person: #7 Spring Grove (5-0) at Kingsland (4-1)
--#9 Fosston (5-0) at Park Christian (4-1)

1A: Staples-Motley (5-0) at Parkers Prairie 4-1)
-- Mille Lacs (4-1) at (#9 in 2A) Barnum (5-0)
--#7 Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa (4-1) at Browerville-Eagle Valley (4-1)

2A: Kimball Area (5-0) at #6 Holdingford (5-0)
-- #9 Cannon Falls (4-1) at Triton (4-1)

3A: (#10 in 4A) Marshall (4-1) at #3 Fairmont (5-0)
-- Luverne (5-0) at (2A) Pipestone (5-0)

4A: #6 Byron (4-1) at #9 Kasson-Mantorville (4-1)
-- #1 Becker (5-0) at #7 Rocori (4-1)
--#3 Orono at #4 Providence Academy (4-1)
Looks like some good games
 

Some games of interest this week (smaller schools) - 3 gms in 4A matching ranked opponents...
...the Fairmont/Marshall game could be interesting...

9-person: #7 Spring Grove (5-0) at Kingsland (4-1)
--#9 Fosston (5-0) at Park Christian (4-1)

1A: Staples-Motley (5-0) at Parkers Prairie 4-1)
-- Mille Lacs (4-1) at (#9 in 2A) Barnum (5-0)
--#7 Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa (4-1) at Browerville-Eagle Valley (4-1)

2A: Kimball Area (5-0) at #6 Holdingford (5-0)
-- #9 Cannon Falls (4-1) at Triton (4-1)

3A: (#10 in 4A) Marshall (4-1) at #3 Fairmont (5-0)
-- Luverne (5-0) at (2A) Pipestone (5-0)

4A: #6 Byron (4-1) at #9 Kasson-Mantorville (4-1)
-- #1 Becker (5-0) at #7 Rocori (4-1)
--#3 Orono at #4 Providence Academy (4-1)
Who did Marshal lose to?
 


I think the top 5 are clearly a little better early in the year. But teams are different at the end than the beginning.

The way the bracket is structured someone could get a draw that I only takes beating one of those top 5 to make the final and only 2 of those 5 to win the whole thing.
And lakeville north is banged up. I think shakopee has lost a key player or two also.

Pretty good chance champ comes from those 5, but this time last year literally no one was thinking about centennial.
That might be the understatement of the year! I heard they are getting 1 back this week, and he hasn't played at all this year (4 are done for sure--ACLs).
 




8 guys with injury is not uncommon
9 with the hammy. However, 9 starters and 5 maybe 6 lost for the season is rare. I played and coached for 36 years and have never seen a team lose that many starters in 4 weeks. (4 of those 5 or 6 guys that are lost for the season have been gone since game 2)
 





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