In Minnesota’s largest school classification, which includes undefeated Maple Grove, Lakeville North, Minnetonka and Shakopee, no team has stamped itself the favorite.

By Jim Paulsen

The Minnesota Star Tribune

September 17, 2024 at 7:48PM

Lakeville North wide receiver Ayden Forsgren celebrates with tight end Sebastyen Fries and running back Sam Ripplinger after scoring the game’s first touchdown at Lakeville South in the first quarter Friday. (Alex Kormann/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Three weeks into the 2024 high school football regular season, questions come to mind with only four undefeated teams remaining in Class 6A.

Which team is a legitimate state championship contender? Which is a pretender?

Also, can anyone run the table? Does having a loss have any effect on a team’s chances for postseason success?

Last week’s results offered little clarity to the eventual paths of the teams that make up 6A, home to the teams that represent the 32 largest schools in the state.

In fact, the outlook might have gotten a little muddier.

Talent-laden Maple Grove has a strong claim on the top spot, but the Crimson looked vulnerable in their 21-14 victory at Centennial on Friday. Coach Adam Spurrell called the tight game “the best thing that could have happened to us,” and said the win prepared the Crimson “for the next five, six weeks of the season.”

Lakeville North might have the best chance in 6A to run the table. The Panthers are 3-0 after surviving a brutal season-opening stretch. The five remaining teams on their schedule have a combined 6-9 record.

Both Minnetonka and Shakopee, the other two undefeated teams, feature strong running games but have obstacle-strewn routes in front of them — including a head-to-head matchup at Minnetonka on Sept. 27.

Also in 6A, we’ve learned to never overlook Eden Prairie. Eleven state titles demand attention. Meanwhile, Lakeville South, the 2020 and 2021 Class 6A champion, has lost twice this season but by a total of seven points. Stillwater, with running back Emilio Rosario-Matias stepping forward (530 rushing yards and five touchdowns) and highly touted junior quarterback Nick Kinsey, is also dangerous.

A few teams with 2-1 records hoping to throw their helmets into the ring include Anoka, which travels to Maple Grove on Friday; Mounds View, which has given up 13 total points during its two-game win streak; and Eagan, which Friday beat Rosemount for the second consecutive season.

The Eagan Wildcats hope to avoid any similarities to 2023 when they face Lakeville South on Thursday. Last year, they shocked Rosemount but lost their next four games. Eagan’s schedule of opponents this season is identical to a year ago, just flipping game sites. Mounds View’s defense has a more daunting task Friday at Stillwater.

Let’s not forget about loaded Class 5A

While the big boys absorb much of the attention, we would be remiss if we failed to mention the depth at the top of Class 5A.

The class below 6A has perhaps the greatest number of quality teams in the state. Eight teams are undefeated, at least four of them with serious claims to being the best in class that would be difficult to argue.

The current No. 1-ranked team in Class 5A is Elk River, averaging 48 points per game.

Owatonna has been stingy, though, giving up only a touchdown in each of its three victories. In Section 8, high-powered Moorhead, led by stellar sophomore quarterback Jett Feeney, and Alexandria Area, an athletic squad allowing only four points per game, are headed for a showdown in Alexandria on Oct. 11, the next-to-last game of the regular season.