Five unexpected undefeated starts to the high school football season:
Perfectly surprising: Five 3-0 football teams you didn't expect to be undefeated
From the exurbs to the suburbs to both of the Twin Cities, there's optimism in places where that's not the norm.
September 21, 2022 at 5:51AM
St. Paul Harding/Humboldt (3-0)
On their own, each school was prone to demoralizing defeats and an alarming lack of players. The cooperative, now in its second year, has not only won at a greater rate then expected but has caused community pride to swell.
Minneapolis Henry (3-0)
It's been a swirl of turbulence on Minneapolis' north side, with the push to change the name of the school and a rise in neighborhood violence. But the football team has been a shining light. Senior RB Newmann Thomas has 10 TDs and 574 rushing yards.
Richfield (3-0)
Coach Kris Pulford has orchestrated a remarkable turnaround, bringing about sudden improvement even amid a pandemic. The Spartans, who were 1-26 from 2017 through 2019, are averaging nearly 40 points per game.
Forest Lake (3-0)
Doormat no more, the Rangers started the season with an impressive victory over traditional Class 6A power St. Michael-Albertville and have built on that momentum. First-year coach (Brad Beeskow), fresh stadium (Ranger Stadium, finished in 2021), big-time results.
St. Francis (3-0)
The Saints were expecting a big year last year before standout QB (and basketball player) Cody Pennebaker transferred to Park Center. They're undefeated a year later instead.
Six players plus head coach Garrett Raboin and assistant coach Ben Gordon are from Minnesota. The tournament’s games will be televised starting Monday.
