Three more games, three more guesses: Prep Bowl and prognosticators hit final day

Three more games to play means three more games to pick for writers Jim Paulsen and David La Vaque.

Jim and David compete annually to see who can correctly predict the most winners of high school football games, and they're taking that through Saturday's three Prep Bowl games, the last competition of the 2023 season.

It's never easy, but it's made more complicated because five of the six teams playing Saturday are undefeated. Their picks and their analysis:

Jim says: It's tough to compare teams in this class, coming from markedly different regions of the state. Kingsland was no-nonsense in its semifinal victory over Fertile-Beltrami, with Beau Wiersma and Kaaleem Reiland combining to rush for 412 yards. Can the Tigers slow Kingsland's running game? The pick: Kingsland 36, Nevis 30

David says: The Knights lack the explosiveness of Nevis, which can score on the ground and through the air. And Nevis' defense has been grudging, giving up just two touchdowns in the postseason — and none last week. Nevis brings respect back to northern Minnesota football. The pick: Nevis 28, Kingsland 7

Jim says: The whole point of this is to find reasons for belief in each team, but this game feels like a coronation for Stewartville. Quarterback Ayden Helder, a Mr. Football finalist, starts throwing touchdown passes the minute he gets out of bed, 40 in all this season. That's probably overkill since Stewartville's defense doesn't often give up points. Annandale is diverse but overmatched. The pick: Stewartville 30, Annandale 12

David says: The Tigers' semifinal performance sold me. Down 7-6 at halftime and struggling to gain offensive traction, Stewartville got a huge lift from its defense with a pick-six. Then Helder and his boys got rolling. The Tigers are a complete team and can beat you in a variety of ways. The pick: Stewartville 29, Annandale 21

Jim says: Kudos to the never-say-die spirit of St. Thomas Academy, which could have packed it up after falling behind Alexandria 23-0 in the semifinals before scoring 42 unanswered points to rally to victory. I don't expect the same swings against Chanhassen. The Storm have spent the season proving they deserve to be ranked No. 1 in Class 5A, beating all comers in multiple ways: with potent offense, shutdown defense and individual excellence. St. Thomas Academy won't throw anything at Chanhassen the Storm haven't already experienced. The pick: Chanhassen 36, St. Thomas Academy 28

David says: Perhaps it's not possible to look past a showdown of arguably the state's two best running backs: Savion Hart of St. Thomas Academy and Chanhassen's Maxwell Woods. But let's try to recognize the other difference-makers. For Chanhassen, note quarterback Brayden Windschitl, receiver Daxton Bush and linebacker/tight end Sam Macy, to name a few. The Cadets boast quarterback Maximus Sims, receiver Luke Dobbs and kicker Declan Wilson. Any of those half-dozen young men is capable of a game-altering moment. The pick: Chanhassen 31, St. Thomas Academy 24