Southeast Minnesota Shines Again In New State Football Rankings
The Associated Press Minnesota state high school football rankings are out for this week, and Southeast Minnesota was again well-represented in the rankings.
Blooming Prarie was the lone school in the area to be ranked #1, but a total of 13 teams cracked the Top 10 in their respective class, and another three received votes in the Top 10 in this week's poll. The polls are voted upon by a statewide panel of prep sports writers.
Spring Grove and Lanesboro remain ranked, but Spring Grove fell to #4 and Lanesboro from tied at 4th down to #5. LeRoy-Ostrander is a new team that received votes in the poll. The Cardinals have outscored their two opponents 95-34 this season.
There is no doubt that Section 1 9-MAN is loaded again this year with teams like Spring Grove, Lanesboro, LeRoy-Ostrander and Grand Meadow. Who ever wins this section will have earned it!
Class 9-MAN
School - Total Points - Previous Week
1. Mountain Lake Area (5) (2-0) 58 1
2. Mountain Iron-Buhl (2-0) 47 3
3. Verndale (1) (2-0) 38 T4
4. Spring Grove (1-0) 36 2
5. Lanesboro (2-0) 32 T4
6. Hills-Beaver Creek (2-0) 24 6
7. Win-E-Mac (2-0) 22 9
8. Hancock (2-0) 14 8
9. Blackduck (2-0) 11 NR
9. Edgerton (2-0) 11 10
Others receiving votes: Warren-Alvarado-Oslo 8, Sleepy Eye St. Mary's 7, Fertile-Beltrami 6, LeRoy-Ostrander 6, Wheaton Herman Norcross 4, Renville County West 3, Nevis 2, NCE-UH 1.
No teams in Southeast Minnesota cracked the Top 10, but Randolph did recieve votes this week. A week ago, Fillmore Central and Rushford-Peterson each recieved votes, but after the two team's tough battle last Friday night they fell from the poll. Randolph has outscored their two opponents 98-0 on the season.
Class A
1. Mahnomen-Waubun (4) (2-0) 40 1
2. Murray County Central (2-0) 34 2
3. Minneota (2-0) 32 3
4. Browerville-Eagle Valley (2-0) 26 4
5. BOLD (2-0) 22 T5
6. Dawson-Boyd (2-0) 21 T5
7. Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop (2-0) 14 7
8. Tracy-Milroy-Balaton (2-0) 9 T8
8. Polk County West (2-0) 9 NR
10. Pine River-Backus (2-0) 5 T10
Others receiving votes: Mayer Lutheran 4, Randolph 2, Ada-Borup 2.
Blooming Prairie is #1 once again this week, with Caledonia at #7 and Goodhue at #9 to round out teams in Southeast Minnesota. Triton received votes, falling from #5 in last week's polls after a very close 21-20 loss to Chatfield.
Chatfield takes on Caledonia on FUN 104.3 Friday night and it sure will be a game to watch in Week 3 action.
Class AA
1. Blooming Prairie (5) (2-0) 50 1
2. Blue Earth Area (2-0) 43 3
3. Pipestone (2-0) 40 4
4. Redwood Valley (2-0) 31 6
5. Kimball (2-0) 26 T8
6. Minneapolis North (1-1) 17 2
7. Caledonia (1-1) 14 7
8. West Central Ashby (2-0) 12 T8
9. Goodhue (2-0) 11 NR
10. Pelican Rapids (2-0) 9 NR
Others receiving votes: Moose Lake-Willow River 6, Maple River 6, Paynesville 4, Royalton 3, Triton 3.
Cannon Falls, Lake City, and Plainview-Elgin-Millville all stayed in the Top 10 this week. The Bulldogs, Tigers, and Bombers will all play against each other in the regular season, which of course will have a BIG impact on what the playoff seeds look like come October. Lake City has a date with Rochester Lourdes this week, while Cannon Falls will take on Pine Island. PEM will take on Zumbrota-Mazeppa.
Class AAA
1. Pierz (5) (2-0) 64 2
2. Annandale (1) (2-0) 63 T3
3. Cannon Falls (2-0) 53 T3
4. Lake City (2-0) 44 5
5. Litchfield (2-0) 36 T7
6. Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton (2-0) 32 6
7. Fairmont (2-0) 24 T9
8. Albany (1-1) 19 1
9. Waseca (2-0) 15 T7
10. Plainview-Elgin-Millville (2-0) 13 T9
Others receiving votes: Milaca 10, Dassel-Cokato 6, Perham 5, Aitkin 1.
Kasson-Mantorville really put themselves on the map after a big win over Winona on the road in week 2. That win helped them hold on to the #3 ranking. Winona fell to #7, while Stewartville jumped into the rankings for the first time at #9 after a 56-0 win over Albert Lea in Week 2. The Tigers will take on Faribault, who also jumped into the rankings at #10 after their 2-0 start, Friday night in Stewartville.
Class AAAA
1. Hutchinson (7) (3-0) 70 1
2. Becker (2-0) 63 2
3. Kasson-Mantorville (2-0) 56 T3
4. Rocori (2-1) 43 5
5. Mound-Westonka (2-0) 38 7
6. Fridley (1-1) 20 8
7. Winona (1-1) 19 T4
8. SMB-Wolfpack (2-0) 17 T10
9. Stewartville (2-0) 11 NR
10. Orono (1-1) 9 NR
10. Faribault (2-0) 9 NR
Others receiving votes: Columbia Heights 7, Holy Angels 5, Jordan 5, Willmar 5, Hermantown 3, Cloquet 3, Simley 2.
Mankato West contines to be at the top of the rankings, while Rochester Mayo jumped in at #9 for the first time this season. The Spartans are 2-0 with impressive wins over Owatonna and Northfield.
Class AAAAA
1. Mankato West (4) (2-0) 58 1
2. Moorhead (2) (2-0) 51 2
3. Andover (2-0) 49 4
4. Spring Lake Park (2-0) 40 T5
5. St. Thomas Academy (2-0) 35 T5
6. Mahtomedi (2-0) 24 7
7. Rogers (2-0) 17 10
8. Chaska (2-0) 16 8
9. Elk River (1-1) 15 3
9. Rochester Mayo (2-0) 15 NR
Others receiving votes: Robbinsdale Armstrong 5, Sauk Rapids-Rice 4, Chanhassen 1.
Again, it is still early in the season and anything can happen. Yet, after 2 weeks we have seen some teams really show that they will be difficult opponents when the Section Playoffs kickoff.