On Friday and Saturday, teams from all over the state will be in the Twin Cities to see which seven finish the season with a state championship trophy. The Class 6A and 5A finals each involve two teams from the metro area. You've heard about them, and you'll hear more. Here's what to know about the five classes that involve outstate teams:
Greater Minnesota indeed: A look at five outstate Prep Bowl matchups
The smaller classes feature seven undefeated teams and plenty of difference-making athletes.
November 23, 2023 at 11:37PM
Class 4A
Hutchinson (10-2) vs. Rocori (10-2): Two programs all too familiar with each other, having met during the regular season the past seven years. No. 3-ranked Rocori shut out the Tigers 11-0 on Sept. 22. The Spartans (12.6 points per game) and No. 2 Hutchinson (11.6) are stingy defensive teams. They combined for only 433 yards of offense in the first meeting. Expect Rocori senior Will Steil and Hutchinson junior Nathan Thode to have their names called plenty on both sides of the ball.
Class 3A
Annandale (12-0) vs. Stewartville (13-0): Expect defenses to matter most in this matchup of unbeaten teams. No. 1 Stewartville has allowed only 40 points in its past 11 victories, registering six shutouts, four of them consecutively. No. 3 Annandale has scored more than 25 points only twice in its past six games. Tigers senior quarterback Ayden Helder has thrown 40 touchdown passes this season, 16 to junior wide receiver Parker Wangen. Quarterback Nick Walter and running back Connor Lampi, both seniors, are going to have to be at their best for Annandale.
Class 2A
Barnesville (13-0) vs. Eden Valley-Watkins (12-0): Top-ranked Barnesville is the defending state champion and is poised to repeat. The Trojans are in their seventh consecutive state tournament, including three title-game appearances, and spread their rushing attack among four players. No. 3 Eden Valley-Watkins, which won its only state title in 2005, will count on senior quarterback Nolan Geislinger. He will look to expose a Barnesville defense that hasn't been as stout in the state tournament.
Class 1A
Minneota (13-0) vs. Springfield (12-1): It would be tough to fathom a championship game without No. 1 Minneota. The Vikings have been in this position 10 previous times, leaving with eight titles. Junior running back Ryan Meagher has rushed for 2,025 yards and 35 touchdowns while senior quarterback Ryan Dalager has thrown for 1,691 yards and 24 touchdowns for an offensive unit that averages 51.2 points. No. 7 Springfield will have its hands full trying to keep pace. That will fall on the shoulders of senior quarterback Jakob Nachreiner, who has thrown for 3,205 yards and 52 touchdowns.
Nine-Player
Kingsland (13-0) vs. Nevis (12-0): No. 5 Kingsland has reached the state tournament four times, all of which ended in the championship game, winning titles in 1995 and 2002. Senior running back Beau Wiersma, who has 2,117 rushing yards and 38 touchdowns, and sophomore quarterback Kaaleem Reiland lead a physical Knights squad. No. 3 Nevis has been riding its stellar defensive unit in the playoffs. It hasn't allowed more than one score in its four games, including a 12-8 victory over top-ranked defending state champion Mountain Iron-Buhl. It will take one more effort like that for the Tigers to leave with their initial state championship.
Six players plus head coach Garrett Raboin and assistant coach Ben Gordon are from Minnesota. The tournament’s games will be televised starting Monday.
