It would have been easy to jump on Edina’s overflowing bandwagon after the Hornets laid a second straight hurtin’ on Eden Prairie on Friday night.
Maple Grove stands strong atop the Minnesota Top 20 football rankings, but we see you, Edina
The strength Edina showed in a big victory over Eden Prairie made the Hornets a tempting option for No. 1, but too much about Maple Grove is too strong.
The Minnesota Star Tribune
September 9, 2024 at 5:26PM
The shocking 35-14 rout signals Edina is for real. I was waiting to see how the Hornets filled the hole in the backfield that was yawning open following the graduation of 1,700-yard rusher John Warpinski. Warpinski’s emergence as a running threat last year was the catalyst for Edina’s run to the Prep Bowl.
Apparently, the Hornets are potent enough that a direct replacement for Warpinski’s yardage and 19 scores isn’t necessary. Senior running back Chase Bjorgaard is a fine runner, but as long as Edina has the scintillating passing combo of junior quarterback Mason West and senior wide receiver Meyer Swinney, there’s no reason to demand Bjorgaard produce stats similar to Warpinski’s.
Swinney and West hooked up eight times for 197 yards and four touchdowns Friday, toying with a typically stout Eden Prairie defense.
Usually, a victory over Eden Prairie would be ample cause to elevate the No. 2 team into the top spot, but No. 1 Maple Grove has looked too sharp to drop.
Maple Grove has outscored opponents 97-21 in two games. We’ll know whether the Crimson are as deep and talented as I believe them to be soon. They begin a three-game test when they travel to play at defending Class 6A champion Centennial on Friday, followed by home games against Anoka and Blaine.
Other thoughts on the Week 3 edition of the Minnesota Top 20:
It’s good to see Blaine back among the top large-school teams in the state. The Bengals are undefeated going into Friday’s matchup at Anoka thanks to 604 yards of total offense — 412 rushing — from fleet and evasive QB Sam Shaughnessy.
Class 5A is loaded. Elk River looks to again be the team to beat in the class, but teams such as Moorhead, Alexandria, Mankato East, Sauk Rapids-Rice, Waconia and the two Robbinsdale rivals, Armstrong and Cooper, will all have a say in who emerges on top of the class.
Week 3: the Minnesota Top 20
Includes previous ranking, most recent result and next game.
1. Maple Grove (2-0)
Related Coverage
Previous: 1. Last: def. Champlin Park 42-14. Next: Friday, at Centennial, 7 p.m.
2. Edina (2-0)
Previous: 2. Last: def. Eden Prairie 35-14. Next: Thursday, at Minnetonka, 7 p.m.
3. Lakeville North (2-0)
Previous: 4. Last: def. Rosemount 24-21. Next: Friday, at Lakeville South, 7 p.m.
4. Shakopee (2-0)
Previous: 7. Last: def. Prior Lake 28-21. Next: Thursday, at Wayzata, 7 p.m.
5. Minnetonka (2-0)
Previous: 8. Last: def. Wayzata 28-14. Next: Thursday, at home vs. Edina, 7 p.m.
6. Blaine (2-0)
Previous: NR. Last: def. Centennial 23-13. Next: Friday, at Anoka, 7 p.m.
7. Elk River (5A, 2-0)
Previous: 9. Last: def. Brainerd 50-14. Next: Friday, at St. Francis, 7 p.m.
8. Lakeville South (1-1)
Previous: 12. Last: def. Farmington 50-29. Next: Friday, home vs. Lakeville North, 7 p.m.
9. Eden Prairie (1-1)
Previous: 3. Last: lost to Edina 35-14. Next: Thursday, home vs. Prior Lake, 7 p.m.
10. Alexandria (5A, 2-0)
Previous: 13. Last: def. Monticello 24-6. Next: Friday, at St. Cloud Tech, 7 p.m.
11. Moorhead (5A, 2-0)
Previous: unranked. Last: def. Rogers 41-7. Next: Friday, home vs. Bemidji, 7 p.m.
12. Rosemount (1-1)
Previous: 11. Last: lost to Lakeville North 24-21. Next: Friday, home vs. Eagan, 7 p.m.
13. Stillwater (1-1)
Previous: 17. Last: def. Woodbury 34-15. Next: Friday, at East Ridge, 7 p.m.
14. Anoka (1-1)
Previous: 6. Last: lost to St. Michael-Albertville 24-21. Next: Friday, home vs. Blaine, 7 p.m.
15. Waconia (5A, 2-0)
Previous: NR. Last: def. St. Thomas Academy 35-7. Next: Friday, at Mankato West, 7 p.m.
16. Mankato East (5A, 2-0)
Previous: unranked. Last: def. Apple Valley 57-0. Next: Friday, home vs. Chaska, 7 p.m.
17. Wayzata (1-1)
Previous: 10. Last: lost to Minnetonka 28-14. Next: Thursday, home vs. Shakopee, 7 p.m.
18. Mankato West (5A, 1-1)
Previous: 14. Last: lost to Andover 28-21. Next: Friday, home vs. Waconia, 7 p.m.
19. Becker (4A, 2-0)
Previous: 20. Last: def. Providence Academy 13-9. Next: Friday, at Holy Angels, 7 p.m.
20. Centennial (1-1)
Previous: 5. Last: lost to Blaine 23-13. Next: Friday, home vs. Maple Grove, 7 p.m.
Also: Hutchinson (4A, 2-0), Prior Lake (1-1), Stewartville (3A, 2-0), Forest Lake (1-1), Owatonna (5A, 2-0).
Basketball Hall of Famer Gregg Popovich is recovering from what the San Antonio Spurs described as a mild stroke, though there is no timetable for the NBA's longest-tenured coach to return to the sideline.
