2024 MN High School Football thread

There are certain choke points in USBS that are far worse than anything at HBS. I am sure many people don’t have to use those choke points. But for those that do, the experience of getting to your seats is a mess. Not even getting into the stadium, I am talking once you’re already in
Yeah, I mentioned those in another post...also some weirdly placed concessions that add to the congestion at those pinch/choke points. My friend's ST are in a section that I always miss...I think it 113? Walking the concourse, it goes from 112 to 114...there's a poorly signed separate stairwell that goes to his section.
 

Yeah, I mentioned those in another post...also some weirdly placed concessions that add to the congestion at those pinch/choke points. My friend's ST are in a section that I always miss...I think it 113? Walking the concourse, it goes from 112 to 114...there's a poorly signed separate stairwell that goes to his section.
it’s an immaculate stadium once you’re in your seat though. The best indoor stadium I’ve ever been to.

Hard to do the outer perfectly. Same lot as metrodome with 12k extra people
 

it’s an immaculate stadium once you’re in your seat though. The best indoor stadium I’ve ever been to.

Hard to do the outer perfectly. Same lot as metrodome with 12k extra people
It's on the same lot, but the new version is using more of the space on the east side (facing U campus) which was a pretty sizeable parking lot.

Roughly 25-30% more land being used for the structure itself? Just guessing.
 

It's on the same lot, but the new version is using more of the space on the east side (facing U campus) which was a pretty sizeable parking lot.

Roughly 25-30% more land being used for the structure itself? Just guessing.
I didn’t say footprint
Yes it’s a little bigger footprint
 

it’s an immaculate stadium once you’re in your seat though. The best indoor stadium I’ve ever been to.

Hard to do the outer perfectly. Same lot as metrodome with 12k extra people
I agree. The seats are pretty narrow though.
 





OK, I'll ask the obvious question. I have never been to a Vikings game in the new stadium. somehow, for a Vikings game, they manage to get 60,000+ people into and out of the stadium. and many of those people use the concourses to purchase concessions and/or go to the bathroom.

so how do the Vikings handle the issue of moving people into and around the building?

and if the Vikings can do it, why can't the MSHSL find a way to move people into and around the building - with much smaller crowds - that does not result in all of these issues?

from what Disco says, it sounds like a lack of planning. If the ushers can't tell people where they're supposed to go, that sounds like - to quote Strother Martin - "what we have here is failure to communicate."
Vikings are in and for a game and out. The area that’s a problem is for 2,000 people and you can’t fill it until the game before leaves the Delta club area. Remember, there’s 5 games, not one. Other side is a non issue
 



IMHO
on the Prep Bowl -
for the smaller classes (the ones I tend to follow the most)

9pl: Hills-Beaver Creek and Fertile-Beltrami -- both teams dominated their regular seasons. HBC (#4 ranked in state) avg 40.6 pts/gm on offense and allowed 8.8 pts on defense. closest regular-season game was a 12 pt win over a decent Mt Lake team. won their semi 26-20 over Mt Iron-Buhl (#2 ranked in state). HBC has won 1 State Title.

Fertile-Beltrami (#3 ranked in state) avg 54.6 pts on offense and 13.4 pts on defense. no close gms in regular season. won semi 60-33 over LeRoy-Ostrander (#5 ranked in state).

they do have a common opponent - Border West. HBC beat Border West 34-14. F-B beat Border West 60-32.

I make this a pick-em game.
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1A: Minneota vs Springfield. #1 vs #2-ranked teams in state. Minneota avg 56.3 pts and allowed 6.8 pts. closest game in Sect Finals over (#6 in state) BOLD 34-28. won semi-final over Parkers Prairie 45-0. Minneota has won 9 State Championships and been Runner-Up twice.

Springfield avg 34.2 pts and allowed 9.1 pts. close games - beat Murray County Central by 10 pts in regular season and again beat MCC by 10 pts in Section Finals. beat #4 in state Goodhue by 6 pts in State Quarters, and beat #3 in state Mahomen-Waubun by 14 pts in State Semis. Springfield has won 1 State title. finished 2nd to Minneota the last two seasons.

common opponent - Russel-Tyler-Ruthton. MInneota beat RTR 54-21. Springfield beat RTR 32-7.
have to go with Minneota. IMHO Minneota has advantage across both OL and DL. Springfield has some big-play potential if they have time to set up deep passes.
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2A: Jackson County Central vs Staples-Motley. JCC ranked #3 in State, Staples-Motley #10.
JCC avg 47.9 pts and allow 8.0 pts. no close games in regular season. won Semis over Kimball Area (#5 in state) 34-26. won Quarters over Norwood-Young America (#4 in State) 34-7. JCC has 1 State Title and 3 Runner-up finishes.

**JCC playing without two injured starters - Roman Voss at QB & S, and Ben Gallagher at WR & CB. some services have Voss as #1 recruit in MN for his class. current QB is a senior who didn't play FB before this season......

Staples-Motley. S-M avg 37.8 pts and allow 14.2 pts. closest regular-season game 24-14 over Parkers Prairie. beat Osakis 36-30 in Section Final. beat Barnesville (#1 ranked in State) 46-44 in State Quarters. won Semis 36-24 over Chatfield (#2 ranked in State). Staples-Motley No State Titles, 1 Runner-up finish. before this season, last appeared in State Tournament in 2004.

this is a tough call. if JCC was healthy, I think they win fairly handily. But without Voss, it's a different story. Staples-Motley has knocked off the #1 and #2-ranked teams in the State in last two weeks and has played more close games. That might give them the edge.
After watching both the class A and 2A games

I feel you are spot on with the 2A game in your write up. But he class A game I don't think will be super close. Mahnomen racked up over 230 yards rushing on Springfield with its 3 yards and a cloud of dust split back veer and most of that in the 1st half. Minneota on the other hand has a FAR superior and dynamic run game along with being able to throw it a little. Minneota was able to shred the Parkers Prairie defense which also help Staples-Motley to a modest 24 points, something no 2A team has been able to do so far. I think Minneota rolls in this one
 

OK, I'll ask the obvious question. I have never been to a Vikings game in the new stadium. somehow, for a Vikings game, they manage to get 60,000+ people into and out of the stadium. and many of those people use the concourses to purchase concessions and/or go to the bathroom.

so how do the Vikings handle the issue of moving people into and around the building?

and if the Vikings can do it, why can't the MSHSL find a way to move people into and around the building - with much smaller crowds - that does not result in all of these issues?

from what Disco says, it sounds like a lack of planning. If the ushers can't tell people where they're supposed to go, that sounds like - to quote Strother Martin - "what we have here is failure to communicate."
Vikings are in and for a game and out. The area that’s a problem is for 2,000 people and you can’t fill it until the game before leaves the Delta club area. Remember, there’s 5 games, not one. Other side is a non issue
 

I was not impressed with the Becker QB. He is a left handed sophomore but appeared to be their weakest link. Lefties don’t always look pretty though Eire with their throwing motion
 

I agree. The seats are pretty narrow though.
I recall reading that the seats are on rails and could be compressed further to accomodate up too 70,000+ for events like the Super Bowl but I don't think the feature has actually been used.
 




In my opinion that game was probably the championship game (although Maple Grove/Minnetonka should be a good game as well). Maple Grove is proving they are the best team in the state and assuming they take down Minnetonka nobody can say they had an easy route to the title having to beat EP, Edina, Shakopee and Minnetonka to win the title. That is a brutal 4 game playoff stretch for the top seed.
I keep hearing people say this, but Minnetonka handled Shakopee and Edina head to head earlier in the year. The Shakopee game wasn’t even really competitive as Tonka got up early.

Tonka was also much more competitive against Maple Grove than Shakopee was.
 


I was not impressed with the Becker QB. He is a left handed sophomore but appeared to be their weakest link. Lefties don’t always look pretty though Eire with their throwing motion
The JR Sawyer Brown plays all over the field and on defense. He plays QB at times. They get the ball to playmakers.
 


Minnesota Star Tribune names 25 to All Minnesota Team. 60% are non Metro Players which is kinda cool. Hard to only name 25 players from 7 classes of football.

All-Minnesota Football Player of the Year: Armstrong’s Kevon Johnson​



Criteria
"The Minnesota Star Tribune selected 25 of the top football players from across the state this season to make up our first All-Minnesota football team. Players were selected based on performance and individual success, observed games by reporters and conversations with coaches and members of the media. We also polled coaches through nomination ballots. Players are listed by position:"
 

Minnesota Star Tribune names 25 to All Minnesota Team. 60% are non Metro Players which is kinda cool. Hard to only name 25 players from 7 classes of football.

All-Minnesota Football Player of the Year: Armstrong’s Kevon Johnson​



Criteria
"The Minnesota Star Tribune selected 25 of the top football players from across the state this season to make up our first All-Minnesota football team. Players were selected based on performance and individual success, observed games by reporters and conversations with coaches and members of the media. We also polled coaches through nomination ballots. Players are listed by position:"
They should have done 25 from each class.
 





Minnesota Star Tribune names 25 to All Minnesota Team. 60% are non Metro Players which is kinda cool. Hard to only name 25 players from 7 classes of football.

All-Minnesota Football Player of the Year: Armstrong’s Kevon Johnson​



Criteria
"The Minnesota Star Tribune selected 25 of the top football players from across the state this season to make up our first All-Minnesota football team. Players were selected based on performance and individual success, observed games by reporters and conversations with coaches and members of the media. We also polled coaches through nomination ballots. Players are listed by position:"
I don't agree that 2 Sophmores from Moorhead deserved to make it, especially given they are 5A, playing a pass dominant spread offense and play weak teams. This list should be upperclassmen with rare exceptions for generational talents and physical specimens.
 

You’d be asking the metro paper to find people who have seen players in every class play.
I’d be willing to bet guys like Jim Paulsen have seen less than half of 6a play a game
Id be willing to be they haven’t seen some of the guys they put on this 25 man roster


Which is crazy because every game in the state is filmed and easily shared
 

I don't agree that 2 Sophmores from Moorhead deserved to make it, especially given they are 5A, playing a pass dominant spread offense and play weak teams. This list should be upperclassmen with rare exceptions for generational talents and physical specimens.
Can't say I disagree. Will be interesting to see if they are 6A next year with enrollment numbers. They didn't make state 5A.

The Blaine QB for an example, put up big numbers all year. Four losses were to the final four teams in 6A. He's up for Mr. Football and named to the Vikings All State team. No one saw him because media only cared about Maple Grove in the North and he got hurt on the 8th play of the state quarterfinal vs Minnetonka.

He accounted for 73% of offensive yards and 67% of TD's
7 yards per carry
60% completions 14 TD's and 5 Ints.
Broke Blaine's single season and career rushing marks. Was starting CB as a Junior and moved to QB due to injury.
 
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I’d be willing to bet guys like Jim Paulsen have seen less than half of 6a play a game
Id be willing to be they haven’t seen some of the guys they put on this 25 man roster


Which is crazy because every game in the state is filmed and easily shared
Still remember him a few years ago tweeting how the officials gifted a TD in a game to a team that was not a catch. Basically ripping HS officials. Later watched the play on Prep Sports Extra, where the film showed a clear catch and "great call by the officials."
 

Can't say I disagree. Will be interesting to see if they are 6A next year with enrollment numbers. They didn't make state 5A.

The Blaine QB for an example, put up big numbers all year. Four losses were to the final four teams in 6A. He's up for Mr. Football and named to the Vikings All State team. No one saw him because media only cared about Maple Grove in the North and he got hurt on the 8th play of the state quarterfinal vs Minnetonka.

He accounted for 73% of offensive yards and 67% of TD's
7 yards per carry
60% completions 14 TD's and 5 Ints.
Broke Blaine's single season and career rushing marks. Was starting CB as a Junior and moved to QB due to injury.
Hearing more and more rumors

Buffalo, Burnsville, Mayo down to 5a
Andover, rogers, Moorhead up

Have heard this from two sources now.
 

Hearing more and more rumors

Buffalo, Burnsville, Mayo down to 5a
Andover, rogers, Moorhead up

Have heard this from two sources now.
Now will they stay at 5 districts or go to 4 is the question. Those are all NW schools. Maple Grove stay north or move?

Possible alignment. Park is separated from Woodbury and East Ridge otherwise I think I have school districts together.

North
Moorhead
STMA
Rogers
Anoka
Andover
Blaine
Coon Rapids
Champlin Park

East
Mounds View
Forest Lake
Centennial
White Bear Lake
Stillwater
Woodbury
Roseville
East Ridge

South
Park
Eastview
Lakeville North
Lakeville South
Rosemount
Eagan
Farmington
Prior Lake

West
Minnetonka
Eden Prairie
Edina
Hopkins
Shakopee
Wayzata
Maple Grove
Osseo
 




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