A cut above the rest: Five metro teams to watch in high school football this season

Coach Mike Grant's squad hasn't appeared in the Prep Bowl finale in Class 6A since 2018. It's only the program's second three-year absence — there wasn't a state tournament in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic — since the turn of the century. Eden Prairie's two setbacks last season came at the hands of the Prep Bowl finalists, Lakeville South (42-7) and Maple Grove (35-3). Those two losses should provide plenty of incentive for the perennial power, which returns eight offensive and six defensive starters this season.

The Class 6A defending state champion hasn't lost a game the past two seasons. The Cougars return seven offensive starters, including 2,000-yard rusher and senior Iowa State commit Carson Hansen, from a squad that scored at least 40 points in seven games in 2021. If coach Ben Burk's team has a weakness, it could be on defense, where only three starters return. "We have high expectations," Burk said. "Our offense and defense are both very capable if we're healthy."

The Crimson were the Prep Bowl runners-up in Class 6A to Lakeville South, falling 13-7 in the 2021 final. Like the Cougars, coach Matt Lombardi's squad welcomes back more offensive starters (eight) than defensive (four). Five returnees who have started on the offensive line are back, plus senior tight end Sam Peters, who has committed to the Gophers. "We will be a good team this year," Lombardi said. "Our defensive front seven will be our biggest thing to retool."

Coach Matt Gegenheimer's teams have had a difficult time living up to expectations in recent memory. The Lakers have hovered around .500 the past seven seasons, and never have exceeded seven wins in that span. Is this the season they return to prominence behind two Gophers commits, offensive tackle Greg Johnson and defensive end Martin Owusu? "We have a good group of returning starters [six on each side of the ball]," Gegenheimer said. "We will have some new faces, but I like the progress they made this offseason."

The Ponies program has been on the rise since senior Max Shikenjanski took over at quarterback. They have run into trouble against opponents outside of their district, something that must be corrected to produce success in the playoffs. That will put plenty of pressure on Shikenjanski and his teammates come late October.