Moorhead football moves up to No. 1 in Class 5A state polls following win over Alexandria

The marquee matchup of the high school football season, Moorhead, the No. 2-ranked team Class 5A, at 5A’s No. 1-ranked Alexandria, was a battle for supremacy in the state’s second largest classification, and it lived up to its advanced billing.

With less than two minutes remaining, Alexandria moved into position for a game-winning field goal. It was no good. Final score: Moorhead 36, Alexandria 34.

Now, there’s a new team atop 5A (here’s a look at last week’s poll).

The rankings are compiled by the Minnesota Star Tribune’s Jim Paulsen from votes submitted by a panel of 12 media members across Minnesota, and distributed statewide by the Associated Press.

First-place votes in parentheses, record, total points

Class 6A

1. Maple Grove (11), 7-0, 110

2. Shakopee, 6-1, 95

3. Minnetonka, 6-1, 88

4. Edina, 5-2, 72

5. Lakeville North, 6-1, 68

6. Anoka, 5-2, 53

7. Eden Prairie, 4-3, 40

8. Blaine, 5-2, 26

9. Forest Lake, 5-2, 17

10. Eagan, 4-3, 15

Also receiving votes: Mounds View 12, East Ridge 3, Lakeville South 2

Class 5A

1. Moorhead (10), 7-0, 108

2. Owatonna (1), 7-0, 92

3. Alexandria, 6-1, 79

4. Andover, 6-1, 77

5. Robbinsdale Armstrong, 7-0, 74

6. Elk River, 6-1, 63

7. Two Rivers, 7-0, 36

8. Mankato West, 4-3, 29

9. Robbinsdale Cooper, 6-1, 18

10. Bemidji, 5-2, 14

Also receiving votes: Mankato East 10, Chanhassen 3, Monticello 1, St. Thomas Academy 1

Class 4A

1. Becker (10), 7-0, 109

2. Totino-Grace (1), 7-0, 100

3. Princeton, 7-0, 82

4. Byron, 6-1, 73

5. Orono, 6-1, 72

6. Providence Academy, 5-2, 45

7. Marshall, 6-1, 41

8. (tie) Hill-Murray, 6-1, 29

8. (tie) Rocori, 5-2, 29

10. Hermantown, 6-1, 21

Also receiving votes: Duluth Denfeld 2, Kasson-Mantorville 1, North Branch 1

Class 3A

1. Stewartville (11), 7-0, 110

2. Dassel-Cokato, 7-0, 99

3. Pequot Lakes, 7-0, 82

4. Albany, 7-0, 81

5. Waseca, 6-1, 58

6. Fergus Falls, 7-0, 51

7. Morris/Chokio-Alberta, 7-0, 45

8. Fairmont, 6-1, 41

9. Pine Island, 6-1, 20

10. Annandale, 6-1, 17

Also receiving votes: Two Harbors 1

Class 2A

1. Barnesville (9), 7-0, 107

2. Chatfield (2), 7-0, 99

3. Jackson County Central, 7-0, 86

4. Norwood Young America, 7-0, 72

5. Barnum, 7-0, 59

6. Kimball Area, 7-0, 58

7. Eden Valley-Watkins, 6-1, 34

8. Cannon Falls, 6-1, 30

9. Holdingford, 6-1, 22

10. Caledonia, 5-2, 16

Also receiving votes: Staples-Motley 9, Rush City 8, Triton 3, Moose Lake/Willow River 1.

Class 1A

1. Minneota (11), 7-0, 110

2. Springfield, 7-0, 95

3. Mahnomen/Waubun, 7-0, 87

4. Goodhue, 7-0, 81

5. Upsala/Swanville, 7-0, 65

6. BOLD, 6-1, 56

7. Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa, 6-1, 31

8. Blooming Prairie, 6-1, 24

9. Fillmore Central, 6-1, 24

10. Red Lake County, 6-1, 11

Also receiving votes: Dawson-Boyd 7, West Central Area 5, Ada-Borup West 2, Adrian/Ellsworth 2, Deer River 2.

Nine-Player

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

2. Mountain Iron-Buhl (4), 7-0, 99

3. Fertile-Beltrami (1), 7-0, 89

4. Hills-Beaver Creek, 7-0, 79

5. LeRoy-Ostrander/LP, 7-0, 57

6. Spring Grove, 7-0, 55

7. Fosston, 7-0, 47

8. Hancock, 7-0, 38

9. Cherry, 6-1, 16

10. Goodridge/Grygla, 6-1, 7

Also receiving votes: Cromwell-Wright 5, Kingsland 4, Renville County West 1.