Minnesota Top 25: Strib Varsity’s statewide football ranking, state tournament edition

Minnesota Top 25: Strib Varsity’s statewide football ranking, state tournament edition Strib Varsity Prior Lake vaults into the top 10 after eliminating Moorhead, while Champlin Park takes over at No. 1 and several lower-class contenders enter the rankings. Comment Gift Share By Jim Paulsen The Minnesota Star Tribune November 9, 2026 at 4:14 PM Fourth-seeded Prior Lake’s 19-14 victory over No. 1 Moorhead in the Class 6A second round on Friday led to a major reshuffling of Strib Varsity’s Minnesota Top 25. It also opened the door for other Class 6A contenders. “Moorhead was beatable, and that showed,” Minnetonka coach Mark Esch said on “ Strib Varsity Live With Randy Shaver ” after his team’s 26-21 win over Blaine on Friday. “I know [Moorhead] lost a key player, but anything can happen in 6A football. It’s a roller coaster.” For Prior Lake, the win put the Lakers into the state tournament for the first time since 2017. The Lakers started the season 0-4 but have won six consecutive games. “We started tough, and we had a lot of inexperienced guys that were gonna come around eventually and lost a couple of real tough, close ones early,” Prior Lake coach Matt Gegenheimer said on Strib Varsity Live With Randy Shaver after the game. “At some point the kids just gained more confidence and really started believing in what we do each and every day … focused more on the process of it all versus the outcome, and they just started winning games." Note: The remaining editions of our statewide rankings will include only teams still alive. Teams listed today are preparing for the upcoming state quarterfinals. Minnesota Top 25: State tournament edition All teams are Class 6A unless otherwise noted. 1. Champlin Park (10-0) Previous: 2. Last: def. Wayzata 48-13 ADVERTISEMENT advertisement The Rebels have plenty of offensive talent, but the key to their success has been their defense. They give up just 8.8 points per game. 2. Shakopee (9-1) Previous: 4. Last: def. Maple Grove 31-0 Related Coverage Minnesota’s high school football state tournament brackets released Football Friday night rewind: Prior Lake upsets No. 1 Moorhead; Centennial, Shakopee and Lakeville South advance Football These are the teams headed to the football state tournament Football The Sabers are playing well when it really matters. 3. Centennial (8-2) Previous: 13. Last: def. Eden Prairie 31-13 advertisement Count me among the many who didn’t see their decisive victory over Eden Prairie coming. 4. Minnetonka (8-2) Previous: 9. Last: def. Blaine 26-21 The Skippers aren’t winning by huge margins, but they’ve won five in a row. 5. Minneota (1A, 10-0) Previous: 8. Last: def. Dawson-Boyd, 21-12 advertisement advertisement I’ve been wanting to put the Vikings among the Top 5 all season. Much deserved. 6. Monticello (5A, 10-0) Previous: 5. Last: def. Elk River 23-0 In a season of notable victories, shutting out Elk River with a state-tournament berth on the line might be Monticello’s most notable. 7. Rosemount (7-3) Previous: Not ranked. Last: def. St. Michael-Albertville 35-7 advertisement advertisement The Irish get giant-killer Prior Lake in the Class 6A quarterfinals. They barely beat the Lakers 15-14 earlier this year. I expect another close game. 8. Prior Lake (6-4) Previous: 24. Last: def. Moorhead 19-14 The Lakers’ victory Friday was the “wow” of the season. 9. Lakeville South (7-3) Previous: 23. Last: def. Mounds View 41-34 advertisement advertisement That’s 92 points in the last two games for the suddenly explosive Cougars. 10. Forest Lake (8-2) Previous: 17. Last: def. Eagan 29-14 Running back Mack Jurkovich played at linebacker for the Rangers and racked up three sacks and eight tackles. 11. Cretin-Derham Hall (5A, 10-0) Previous: 7. Last: def. Mahtomedi 14-7 advertisement advertisement On a night of unexpected losses, the Raiders found a way to avoid the same fate with an interception in the final 27 seconds. 12. Mankato West (5A, 10-0) Previous: 6. Last: def. Waconia 21-14 The Scarlets really don’t deserve to drop six spots. But for this edition of these rankings, I’m reserving most of the Top 10 for Class 6A. 13. Orono (4A, 10-0) Previous: 10. Last: def. Zimmerman 43-7 advertisement advertisement The Spartans just keep rolling. It seems they never have an off-game. 14. Willmar (4A, 10-0) Previous: 11. Last: def. Marshall 22-12 Beating Marshall for the second time this season shows me that the Cardinals might be the best team in Class 4A … 15. Grand Rapids (4A, 10-0) Previous: 15. Last: def. Hermantown 38-7 advertisement advertisement … with the possible exception of the Thunderhawks, who’ve given up just 13 total points in their last four games. 16. Byron (4A, 9-1) Previous: 16. Last: def. Kasson-Mantorville 45-13 RB Jordan Heimer ran for 138 yards and three TDs for the Bears in the final. 17. Hill-Murray (4A, 9-1) Previous: 20. Last: def. Simley 42-7 advertisement advertisement This is the fifth straight year the Pioneers have reached the state tournament quarterfinals. 18. Annandale (3A, 10-0) Previous: 19. Last: def. Foley 28-18 Coach Matt Walter doesn’t release much statistical info on his team. The Cardinals are the best-kept secret in the state. 19. Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton (3A, 10-0) Previous: Not ranked. Last: def. Perham 26-20 advertisement advertisement Perham’s two losses this season were to DGF. 20. Pierz (3A, 10-0) Previous: Not ranked. Last: def. Pequot Lakes 54-15 The Pioneers are the highest-scoring team in the state, averaging 54.6 points per game. 21. Caledonia (2A, 10-0) Previous: Not ranked. Last: def. Dover-Eyota 32-0 advertisement advertisement The Warriors have gone five consecutive games without allowing a touchdown. 22. Aitkin (2A, 9-0) Previous: Not ranked. Last: def. Moose Lake-Willow River 15-0 Two second-half touchdowns lifted the Gobblers to victory after a scoreless first half. 23. Redwood Valle y (2A, 10-0) Previous: Not ranked. Last: def. Kimball Area 41-18 advertisement advertisement The Cardinals have won by at least 20 points in nine of their 10 games. 24. Springfield (1A, 10-0) Previous: Not ranked. Last: def. Sleepy Eye United 49-27 Quarterback Parker Kuehn has been terrific, passing for 2,610 yards and 38 TDs. Both totals place him in the top 3 in the state. 25. Hills-Beaver Creek (Nine-Player, 10-0) Previous: Not ranked. Last: def. Edgerton 38-28 advertisement advertisement Friday’s victory was the closest an opponent has come to defeating the defending state champion Patriots since 2024. Dropped from the rankings These are the teams that were eliminated from the playoffs on Friday: 1. Moorhead (6A), 3. Eden Prairie (6A), 12. Blaine (6A), 14. Mounds View (6A), 18. Eagan (6A), 22. Elk River (5A) and 25. Waconia (5A). Share Comment About the Author Jim Paulsen Reporter Jim Paulsen is a high school sports reporter for the Minnesota Star Tribune. See More advertisement advertisement More From Football Minnesota’s high school football state tournament brackets released Football Friday night rewind: Prior Lake upsets No. 1 Moorhead; Centennial, Shakopee and Lakeville South advance Football These are the teams headed to the football state tournament Football advertisement advertisement