Who's No. 1? It's unanimous: Eden Prairie, Chanhassen and Becker in the largest football classes

Those three teams received all of their classes' first-place votes in the weekly poll.

October 10, 2023 at 12:42PM
Clockwise from top left: Eden Prairie swarmed a Minnetonka QB; Becker coach Dwight Lundeen; Chanhassen’s Daxton Bush busted loose. (Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Voters aren't leaving much room for doubt about the No. 1 football teams in Minnesota's three largest classes this week.

It's unanimous that Eden Prairie is No. 1 in Class 6A, Chanhassen is No. 1 in 5A and Becker No. 1 in 4A. The Star Tribune's Jim Paulsen gathers votes from media members representing regions of the state, and all 11 who voted this week had those three teams in the top spot in their classes.

It likely won't be a week when any of those teams get tested. Eden Prairie plays Rochester Mayo (2-4), Chanhassen plays school district rival Chaska (3-3) and Becker plays Big Lake (0-6).

A challenge does await No. 1. Mountain Iron-Buhl, the defending Nine-player champion and ranked first at 6-0, will take on No. 3 Cherry (6-0) on Thursday.

State rankings

First-place votes in parentheses, record, total points

CLASS 6A

1. Eden Prairie (11), 6-0, 110

2. Maple Grove, 5-1, 89

3. Lakeville North, 5-1, 88

4. Minnetonka, 5-1, 71

5. Lakeville South, 5-1, 59

6. (tie) Centennial, 5-1, 55

6. (tie) Stillwater, 5-1, 55

8. Rosemount, 4-2, 30

9. Buffalo, 5-1, 21

10. Woodbury, 4-2, 10

Also receiving votes: Anoka 9, Edina 4, Shakopee 2, Eastview 1, Forest Lake 1

CLASS 5A

1. Chanhassen (11), 6-0, 110

2. Rogers, 6-0, 98

3. Mankato West, 5-1, 85

4. Alexandria, 6-0, 79

5. Sauk Rapids-Rice, 6-0, 58

6. St. Thomas Academy, 5-1, 53

7. Andover, 5-1, 47

8. Brainerd, 5-1, 37

9. Robbinsdale Armstrong, 5-1, 19

10. Bloomington Jefferson, 5-1, 12

Also receiving votes: Moorhead 3, St. Paul Central 2, Owatonna 1, Two Rivers 1

CLASS 4A

1. Becker (11), 6-0, 110

2. Orono, 6-0, 99

3. Princeton, 6-0, 81

4. Totino-Grace, 5-1, 77

5. Hutchinson, 4-2, 51

6. Byron, 5-1, 39

7. Kasson-Mantorville, 5-1, 36

8. Mound-Westonka, 5-1, 34

9. Rocori, 5-1, 21

10. (tie) Detroit Lakes, 5-1, 20

10. (tie) North Branch, 5-1, 20

Also receiving votes: Hermantown 10, Chisago Lakes 3, Hill-Murray 2, Minneapolis Henry 2

CLASS 3A

1. Stewartville (7), 6-0, 106

2. Esko (4), 6-0, 103

3. Annandale, 6-0, 87

4. Litchfield, 5-1, 68

5. Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton, 5-1, 60

6. Dassel-Cokato, 5-1, 42

7. Minneapolis North, 5-1, 41

8. Waseca, 5-1, 38

9. Fairmont, 5-1, 32

10. Pequot Lakes, 5-1, 12

Also receiving votes: Rochester Lourdes 8, Rockford 7, Two Harbors 1

CLASS 2A

1. Barnesville (7), 6-0, 105

2. Caledonia (3), 6-0, 99

3. Eden Valley-Watkins, 6-0, 86

4. Jackson Co. Central, 6-0, 71

5. St. Agnes (1), 6-0, 67

6. Barnum, 6-0, 46

7. Chatfield, 5-1, 44

8. Norwood Young America, 6-0, 39

9. Cannon Falls, 5-1, 25

10. Osakis, 5-1, 12

Also receiving votes: Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg 4, Moose Lake-Willow River 3, Maple River 2, Upsala/Swanville 2

CLASS 1A

1. Minneota (9), 6-0, 107

2. Fillmore Central (1), 6-0, 98

3. Mahnomen/Waubun (1), 6-0, 82

4. BOLD, 5-1, 69

5. Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa, 6-0, 54

6. Ada-Borup/West, 5-1, 36

7. Mayer Lutheran, 5-1, 24

8. (tie) Bethlehem Academy, 5-1, 13

8. (tie) Upsala/Swanville, 5-1, 13

10. Sleepy Eye United, 5-1, 9

Also receiving votes: Kenyon-Wanamingo 8, Parkers Prairie 8, Braham 6, Goodhue 5, Lester Prairie 2, Tracy-Milroy-Balaton 1

NINE-PLAYER

1. Mountain Iron-Buhl (10), 6-0, 109

2. Fertile-Beltrami (1), 6-0, 96

3. Cherry, 6-0, 92

4. Nevis, 6-0, 75

5. Ottertail Central, 6-0, 61

6. Kingsland, 6-0, 53

7. Hills-Beaver Creek, 6-0, 32

8. Leroy-Ostrander, 5-1, 24

9. Ogilvie, 5-1, 20

10. Spring Grove, 5-1, 19

Also receiving votes: Border West 8, Edgerton 8, Stephen-Argyle 5, New Ulm Cathedral 3

The rankings were determined by a group of voters representing media across the state. Each No. 1 vote is worth 10 points, No. 2 9 points, No. 3 8 points, down to No. 10 worth 1 point. The rankings are compiled by the Star Tribune's Jim Paulsen (612-437-9926 cell/text), james.paulsen@startribune.com).

about the writer

about the writer

Jim Paulsen

Reporter

Jim Paulsen is a high school sports reporter for the Star Tribune. 

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