Contenders are plenty and clear choices few for top spots in Minnesota Top 20 high school football ranking

The past weekend of high school football was certainly eventful for the state’s top teams — at least, the top teams as I see them.

There was plenty of movement among the teams in the Minnesota Top 20, but it was not exactly seismic in proportion. It was more a reshuffling, with a few teams coming back down to Earth while others made enough noise to catch attention.

Maple Grove, Lakeville North and Shakopee strengthened their cases to be No. 1 with tight victories. Minnetonka and Mankato West both put up big second-half rallies to beat undefeated teams. Edina, one week after loudly stomping on Eden Prairie, gave up four touchdowns in 15 minutes, 12 seconds spanning the third and fourth quarters in an eyebrow-raising, 35-28 loss to Minnetonka.

Class 5A showed off its depth of quality, placing three undefeated teams among the top nine and six teams in the Top 20 overall.

Anoka and Stillwater enjoyed “don’t forget about us” victories over Blaine and East Ridge, respectively, and, for the second year in a row, Eagan jumped into the mix with a Week 3 victory over Rosemount. Centennial showed itself to be a prideful defending Class 6A champ by nearly putting a huge black smudge on Maple Grove’s record, losing by a fourth-quarter touchdown.

Class 4A, typically dominated by Becker and Hutchinson, saw a new team, Totino-Grace, step forward with a one-point overtime victory at Hutchinson.

All this tells us to make sure we’re paying attention every week. With no dominant team, anyone has a chance each time teams step on the field.

1. Maple Grove (3-0)

Previous: 1. Last: def. Centennial 21-14. Next: Friday, home vs. Anoka, 7 p.m.

2. Lakeville North (3-0)

Previous: 3. Last: def. Lakeville South 35-31. Next: Thursday, at Farmington, 7 p.m.

3. Shakopee (3-0)

Previous: 4. Last: def. Wayzata 17-7. Next: Friday, home vs. Eden Prairie, 7 p.m.

4. Minnetonka (3-0)

Previous: 5. Last: def. Edina 35-28. Next: Friday, at Prior Lake, 7 p.m.

5. Elk River (5A, 3-0)

Previous: 7. Last: def. St. Francis 51-14. Next: Friday, home vs. Andover, 7 p.m.

6. Edina (2-1)

Previous: 2. Last: lost to Minnetonka 35-28. Next: Friday, at Wayzata, 7 p.m.

7. Eden Prairie (2-1)

Previous: 9. Last: def. Prior Lake 40-13. Next: Friday, at Shakopee, 7 p.m.

8. Alexandria (5A, 3-0)

Previous: 9. Last: def. St. Cloud Tech 63-0. Next: Friday, home vs. Sartell, 7 p.m.

9. Moorhead (5A, 3-0)

Previous: 10. Last: def. Bemidji 57-28. Next: Friday, at Brainerd, 7 p.m.

10. Anoka (2-1)

Previous: 13. Last: def. Blaine 27-14. Next: Friday, at Maple Grove, 7 p.m.

11. Stillwater (2-1)

Previous: 12. Last: def. East Ridge 24-6. Next: Friday, home vs. Mounds View, 7 p.m.

12. Lakeville South (1-2)

Previous: 9. Last: lost to Lakeville North 35-31. Next: Thursday, at Eagan, 6 p.m.

13. Blaine (2-1)

Previous: 12. Last: def. Lost to Anoka 27-14. Next: Friday, home vs. Osseo, 7 p.m.

14. Eagan (2-1)

Previous: unranked. Last: def. Rosemount 29-14. Next: Thursday, home vs. Lakeville South, 6 p.m.

15. Rosemount (1-2)

Previous: 11. Last: lost to Eagan 29-14. Next: Thursday, at Rochester Mayo, 7 p.m.

16. Mankato West (5A, 2-1)

Previous: 17. Last: def. Waconia 17-14. Next: Friday, at Chaska, 7 p.m.

17. Becker (4A, 3-0)

Previous: 17. Last: def. Holy Angels 14-0. Next: Friday, home vs. Willmar, 7 p.m.

18. Owatonna (5A, 3-0)

Previous: unranked. Last: def. New Prague 19-7. Next: Friday, home vs. Northfield, 7 p.m.

19. Rochester John Marshall (5A, 3-0)

Previous: unranked. Last: def. Northfield 28-6. Next: Friday, home vs. Mankato East, 7 p.m.

20. Totino-Grace (5A, 3-0)

Previous: unranked. Last: Def. Hutchinson 21-20. Next: Friday, home vs. Benilde-St. Margaret’s, 7 p.m.

Also: Armstrong (5A), Waconia (5A), Centennial, St. Michael-Albertville, Orono (4A), Duluth Denfeld (4A), Two Rivers (5A)