2018 MSHSL Football State Tournament Preview

(courtesy of MSHSL)

BROOKLYN CENTER, Minn. --- The Minnesota State High School League’s football state tournament, held annually since 1972, begins a three-week run this week with quarterfinals in seven enrollment classes being played throughout the state.

The semifinals will be played at U.S. Bank Stadium over a three-day span from Nov. 15-17. The Prep Bowl Championships will conclude the state tournament on Nov. 23 and 24.

Here is a look at the matchups for the 2018 state football tournament:

The Schedule

Class Nine-Man

Quarterfinals

Friday, Nov. 9

NCE/U-H (10-0) vs. Cromwell-Wright (11-0) at Bemidji State University, 7 p.m.

Russell-Tyler-Ruthton (8-3) vs. Spring Grove (11-0) at New Ulm High School, 5 p.m.

Verndale (11-0) vs. Mountain Lake Area (10-0) at Buffalo High School, 7 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 10

Stephen-Arygle Central (11-0) vs. Mountain Iron-Buhl (9-2) at Bemidji State University, 6 p.m.

At U.S. Bank Stadium

Semifinals

Friday, Nov. 15 --- 11:30 a.m.

Saturday, Nov. 16 --- 9 a.m.

Prep Bowl Championship

Friday, Nov. 23 --- 10 a.m.

Class A

Quarterfinals

Saturday, Nov. 10

Otter Tail Central (10-0) vs. BOLD (11-0) at Alexandria High School, Noon

United South Central (10-0) vs. Blooming Prairie (11-0) at New Ulm High School, 1 p.m.

Mahnomen/Waubun (10-0) vs. Deer River (8-2) at Brainerd High School, Noon

Lester Prairie/Holy Trinity (8-3) vs. Springfield (7-4) at Shakopee West Junior High, 4 p.m.

At U.S. Bank Stadium

Semifinals

Saturday, Nov. 17 --- 9 a.m., 11:30 a.m.

Prep Bowl Championship

Saturday, Nov. 24 --- 10 a.m.

Class AA

Quarterfinals

Friday, Nov. 2

Pillager (10-1) vs. Paynesville Area (8-2) at Alexandria Area High School, 7 p.m.

New Richland-H-E-G (9-2) vs. Caledonia (10-0) at Burnsville High School, 7 p.m.

Barnesville (9-2) vs. Moose Lake-Willow River (8-2) at Brainerd High School, 7 p.m.

Minneapolis North (10-0) vs. Redwood Valley (10-0) at New Ulm High School, 8 p.m.

At U.S. Bank Stadium

Semifinals

Thursday, Nov. 15 --- 2 p.m.

Friday, Nov. 16 --- 11:30 a.m.

Prep Bowl Championship

Friday, Nov. 23 --- 1 p.m.

Class AAA

Quarterfinals

Saturday, Nov. 10

Pierz (10-0) vs. Annandale (9-1) at St. Cloud State University, 5 p.m.

Jordan (9-1) vs. Rochester Lourdes (11-0) at Hopkins High School, Noon

Perham (8-2) vs. Two Harbors (8-2) at Brainerd High School, 3 p.m.

Cannon Falls (5-6) vs. Fairmont (9-1) at Hopkins High School, 3 p.m.

At U.S. Bank Stadium

Semifinals

Saturday, Nov. 17 --- 2 p.m., 4:30 p.m.

Prep Bowl Championship

Saturday, Nov. 24 --- 1 p.m.

Class AAAA

Quarterfinals

Thursday, Nov. 8

St. Anthony Village (8-2) vs. St. Paul Johnson (6-4) at Park Center High School, 7 p.m.

Friday, Nov. 9

Delano (7-3) vs. SMB (10-0) at St. Cloud State University, 7 p.m.

Waseca (9-2) vs. Winona (10-0) at Farmington High School, 7 p.m.

Willmar (9-1) vs. Hermantown (9-1) at Monticello High School, 7 p.m.

At U.S. Bank Stadium

Semifinals

Thursday, Nov. 15 --- 4:30 p.m.

Friday, Nov. 16 --- 4:30 p.m.

Prep Bowl Championship

Friday, Nov. 23 --- 4 p.m.

Class AAAAA

Quarterfinals

Saturday, Nov. 10

Elk River (9-1) vs. Spring Lake Park (8-2) at TCO Performance Center, 5 p.m.

Chaska (8-3) vs. Owatonna (10-0) at TCO Performance Center, Noon

Bemidji (9-1) vs. Cambridge-Isanti (7-3) at St. Cloud State University, 8 p.m.

Tartan (8-2) vs. St. Thomas Academy (10-0) at Shakopee West Junior High, Noon

At U.S. Bank Stadium

Semifinals

Friday, Nov. 16 --- 2 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 17 --- 7 p.m.

Prep Bowl Championship

Saturday, Nov. 24 --- 4 p.m.

Class AAAAAA

Quarterfinals

Thursday, Nov. 8

Eden Prairie (8-1) vs. Minnetonka (6-4) at Chanhassen High School, 7 p.m.

Blaine (10-0) vs. Eastview (6-4) at White Bear Lake High School, 7 p.m.

Friday, Nov. 9

Woodbury (9-1) vs. Lakeville South (5-5) at Osseo High School, 7 p.m.

Lakeville North (10-0) vs. St. Michael-Albertville (7-3) at TCO Performance Center, 7 p.m.

At U.S. Bank Stadium

Semifinals

Thursday, Nov. 15 --- 7 p.m.

Friday, Nov. 16 --- 7 p.m.

Prep Bowl Championship

Friday, Nov. 23 --- 7 p.m.

Tickets Adult Student

Quarterfinals $11 $7

Semifinals (per session) $16 $10

Prep Bowl (per session) $16 $10

Prep Bowl Pass $26 $20

Official ball: Spalding-Alpha

Brackets and results: Posted on the League’s website at www.mshsl.org

Social Media: Follow the tournament on the League’s Facebook page and on Twitter at @MSHSL and @MSHSLJohn .

Credentials: A news media credential is required to cover all rounds of this event.

Streaming: School Space Media will stream all quarterfinal and semifinal games. Find the live stream at www.prepspotlight.tv . There is no charge to view the games. The Prep Bowl Championship games will be streamed live and free of charge by 45TV at www.prep45.com

2018 State Tournament Preview

Class Nine-Man

• Spring Grove is the returning champion in search of a successful title defense. Senior quarterback Alex Folz powers the Lions on the ground and through the air. He has rushed for 2,106 yards and scored 33 touchdowns, and has also thrown for 1,805 yards and 24 TDs. Cromwell-Wright, Russell-Tyler-Ruthton, Mountain Lake Area, Stephen-Argyle, and Verndale also make return appearances from the 2017 tournament.

Class A

• A new champion will emerge in the Class A field. In fact, Mahnomen/Waubun is the only returning team from the 2017 tournament. Mahnomen is one of the most decorated high school teams in Minnesota football history with eight state championships and five runner-up finishes. In 2013, Mahnomen won the second of two consecutive Class A crowns. BOLD, Olivia, was the runner-up in 2014. Blooming Prairie is making its eighth state tournament appearance. Deer River is in the state tournament for the first time since 1999. Springfield was the Class A champion in 2005.

Class AA

• Caledonia has dominated the Class AA field with the past three consecutive championships and eight since 2007. Junior quarterback Noah King has thrown for 1,522 yards and senior running back Nick McCabe has rushed for 1,272. During the 2017 tournament, the Warriors outscored the opposition 144-22 in three games. Caledonia has won 50 consecutive games. Minneapolis North, Paynesville Area, Barnesville and Moose Lake/Willow River return from the 2017 field.

Class AAA

• Defending champion Pierz returns in search of its third Class AAA championship since 2015. The Pioneers are powered by senior running back Reese Kapsner who has rushed for nearly 1,500 yards and scored 21 touchdowns. Rochester Lourdes is the only other undefeated team in the field. The Eagles bowed out in

the quarterfinals in 2017. Rochester Lourdes won Class AAA championships in 2010, 2014 and 2016. Jordan and Fairmont also are making return trips from last season.

Class AAAA

• A new champion will emerge from here as well. Only Winona is a return entrant from the 2017 tournament. The Winhawks lost to eventual Class AAAA champion, Holy Angels, in the semifinals. St. Paul Johnson is making the first appearance for a St. Paul City Conference school since 1981 when the Governors also qualified. St. Paul Harding was the Class AA runner-up in 1973. St. Anthony Village is making its first state tournament appearance since 1999. SMB, a co-op of Minnehaha Academy, Hope Academy, St. Paul Academy and Summit School, and The Blake School, features junior quarterback Jalen Suggs as its primary playmaker. Suggs, a student at Minnehaha Academy, is one of the nation’s sought-after point guards in basketball. Willmar is making its first state tournament appearance since 1988.

Class AAAAA

• Owatonna is the defending Class AAAAA champion and returns looking for its third championship since 2013. The Huskies are powered by University of Minnesota commit Jason Williamson, a senior running back, who has rushed for more than 2,300 yards and scored 34 touchdowns. Elk River, the Class AAAAA champion in 2016 and runner-up in 2017, also returns. The Elks averaged nearly 470 yards per game of offense. Tartan, located in Oakdale, is making its first-ever state tournament appearance. The Titans face St. Thomas Academy in the quarterfinals. Spring Lake Park, the runner-up to Elk River in 2016, returns as well.

Class AAAAAA

• Eden Prairie returns as the defending champion. In 2017, the Eagles won its state-best 11th MSHSL championship. The Eagles’ lone loss this season was to Lakeville North, 14-0, in Week 2. Eden Prairie’s quarterfinal matchup is with Minnetonka. Eden Prairie defeated Minnetonka 38-17 in last season’s Prep Bowl Championship game, and then 23-16 in Week 7 this season. Lakeville North averages nearly 380 yards of offense per game. Leading the way is senior running back Brian Curtis, Jr., who has nearly 1,700 rushing yards. The Panthers’ defense is allowing fewer than 200 yards per game. St. Michael-Albertville is also making a return from last season’s tournament.

UND student-athletes collecting food donations

GRAND FORKS, N.D. – University of North Dakota student-athletes have begun collecting non-perishable food items as part of the annual Summit League Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) initiative known as the “Food Fight Challenge.”

The league-wide community service project challenges each Summit League school to host a food drive during select Summit League games. Fans can bring their non-perishable food items to those select events or to the main athletics office in the Hyslop Sports Center. All items will be donated to both the Grand Forks Salvation Army and UND’s Food Pantry.

Donations can also be made online at YouGiveGoods.com/undfoodfight.

UND will host two separate food drives during the 2018-19 academic year. The current fall drive will run through Nov. 3, while the spring collection will take place from Jan. 9 to Jan. 15.

Chick-Fil-A will donate a portion of their sales on Monday, Oct. 29 from 5-8 p.m. and Hornbacher’s and Applebee’s will do the same on Thursday, Nov. 1 from 11 a.m. to midnight. Customers simply have to mention to their server that they are supporting UND’s Food Fight.

Below are the home events to which fans may bring their non-perishable food items:

Fall Collection: Oct.28 – Nov. 3

10/28 – Women’s Basketball vs Bemidji State

10/30 – Women’s Basketball vs Minnesota Crookston

10/31 - SAAC Halloween Bash

11/1 - Volleyball vs Western Illinois

11/2 - UND Fan Luncheon

11/2 - Hockey vs Wisconsin

11/3 - Volleyball vs Purdue Fort Wayne

11/3 - Hockey vs Wisconsin

Spring Collection: Jan. 9 – Jan. 15

1/9 – Women’s Basketball vs Omaha

1/10 – Men’s Basketball vs Omaha

1/11 - UND Fan Luncheon

1/11 - Hockey vs Colorado College

1/12 – Men’s Basketball vs Western Illinois

1/12 - UND-SDSU Track & Field Dual Meet

1/12 – Hockey vs. Colorado College

1/13 – Women’s Basketball vs Western Illinois

MN Boys’ and Girls’ State Cross Country Meet Preview

BROOKLYN CENTER, Minn. – The 2018 State Cross Country Meet will be conducted on Saturday, November 3, at St. Olaf College in Northfield. Here is a look at the meet: 

FAST FACTS

The schedule: Class AA boys – 10 a.m.; Class AA girls – 11 a.m.; Class A boys – 1 p.m.; Class A girls – 2 p.m. All races are 5,000 meters and an awards ceremony will be conducted approximately 30 minutes after each girls’ race.

Tickets: Free admission

Team and individual results: Posted on the League’s website at www.mshsl.org

Social media: Follow the meet on the League’s Facebook page and on Twitter at @MSHSL and @MSHSLJohn.

TEAM PREVIEW

Boys

Class A – The Perham Yellowjacket return in search of their second consecutive and seventh overall team title. In addition to Mora, nine other teams from the 2017 field also return: St. James Area, which includes students from Butterfield-Odin, runner-up; Mankato Loyola/Cleveland, third; Lac qui Parle Valley/Dawson-Boyd, fourth; North Shore, a co-op between Cook County of Grand Marais and Two Harbors, fifth; Greenway/Nashwauk-Keewatin, seventh; West Central Area of Barrett, eighth; Staples Motley, 10th; Mora, 11th; and Heritage Christian Academy, which includes students from West Lutheran of Plymouth, 13th.

Class AA – The two-time defending champions from Wayzata return in search of more gold. If they win, it would be their 10th title overall. Nine other teams from 2017 also return: Stillwater Area, runner-up; Edina, third; Mounds View, fifth; Red Wing, seventh; Buffalo, ninth; Forest Lake, 10th; Willmar, 12th; St. Michael-Albertville, 13th; and Cloquet, 16th.

Girls

Class A – Eight teams, including the defending champions from Perham, return to this year’s team competition. If the Yellowjackets win, it would be their third title overall. The other returning teams are: Cotter of Winona, runner-up; Luverne, sixth; Jordan, ninth; Lac qui Parle Valley/Dawson-Boyd, 10th; Belle Plaine, 11th; North Shore, 13th; and West Central Area, 15th.

Class AA – The Wayzata Trojans are looking for their second consecutive championship. If they win, it would be their fifth title overall. Twelve additional teams return from the 2017 field: Edina, runner-up; St. Michael-Albertville, third; Willmar, fourth; Forest Lake, fifth; Farmington, sixth; Marshall, seventh; Andover, eighth; Lakeville South, ninth; Rosemount, 10th; White Bear Lake Area, 11th; Alexandria Area, 12th; and Stillwater Area, 13th.

INDIVIDUAL PREVIEW

Boys

Class A – Sophomore Geno Uhrbom of Greenway/Nashwauk-Keewatin, who placed third last year, leads a field of four returning Top 10 finishers. The others are: junior Cooper Lennox of Mora, eighth; junior Jacob Bright of Staples Motley, ninth; and junior Harris Anderson of Math & Science Academy of Woodbury, 10th.

Class AA – Acer Iverson, a senior from Roseville Area, is the highest returning qualifier. Iverson earned runner-up honors in 2017. Five additional Top 10 finishers return: senior Luke Labatte of Rosemount, third; senior Maxwell Manley of Edina, fifth; junior Nicholas Scheller of Chanhassen, sixth; senior Addison Stansbury of Stillwater Area, seventh; and senior Caleb Haugland of Minneapolis Washburn, 10th.

Girls

Class A – Two-time defending champion, sophomore Tierney Wolfgram of Math & Science Academy of Woodbury, returns in search of more gold. She will be joined by all nine of the additional Top 10 finishers from last year: eighth-grader Lauren Ping of Cotter, runner-up; sophomore Grace Ping of Cotter, third; sophomore Morgan Gehl of Murray County Central/Fulda, fourth; ninth-grader Tenley Nelson of Luverne, fifth; senior Makenna Thurston of LCWM/Nicollet, sixth; sophomore Marissa Whitehead of Martin County West/Martin Luther, seventh; junior Ava Hill of Mesabi East of Aurora, eighth; senior Kayla Christopherson of Pacelli of Austin, ninth; and sophomore Emma Fashert of Annandale, 10th.

Class AA – Defending champion, senior Emily Covert of Minneapolis Washburn, leads a field of eight returning Top 10 finishers. The other returning runners are: Farmington sophomore Anna Fenske, runner-up; Wayzata junior Emma Atkinson, third; Lakeville South junior Brianne Brewster, fifth; Farmington senior Lauren Peterson, sixth; Wayzata junior Caroline Sasson, seventh; St. Michael-Albertville ninth-grader Ali Weimer, ninth; and St. Paul Highland Park ninth-grader Molly Moening, 10th.

2017 STATE MEET RECAP

Boys

Class A – The Perham Yellowjackets claimed their sixth championship with 118 points. St. James Area placed second with 148 points and Mankato Loyola/Cleveland was third with 154 points. Matt Steiger of La Crescent claimed top individual honors with a time of 15:44.73. The victory was an improvement for Steiger, who placed second in 2016. Defending champion Declan Dahlberg of Mounds Park Academy of St. Paul and Geno Uhrbom of Greenway/Nashwauk-Keewatin, placed second and third, respectively.

Class AA – Khalid Hussein of Wayzata, who earned runner-up honors in 2016, won the individual competition with a time of 15:22.54. Acer Iverson of Roseville Area placed second and Luke Labatte of Rosemount was third. Wayzata earned its second consecutive and ninth overall team championship with 37 points. Stillwater Area finished in second place with 79 points and Edina placed third with 107.

Girls

Class A - Perham earned its second team crown, finishing with 86 points. Cotter was second with 87 points and Annandale placed third with 131 points. Tierney Wolfgram of Math & Science Academy of Woodbury claimed her second individual title and set a Class A record with her time of 17:31.56. Lauren Ping of Cotter claimed runner-up honors and Grace Ping of Cotter placed third. 

Class AA – Emily Covert of Minneapolis Washburn earned her first individual title with a time of Class AA record time of 17:30.07. The win was an improvement for Covert, who finished eighth in 2016. Defending champion Anna Fenske of Farmington placed second and Emma Atkinson of Wayzata was third. In the team competition, the Wayzata Trojans earned their fourth championship with 51 points. Edina was second with 72 points and St. Michael-Albertville was third with 102 points.

(info courtesy of MSHSL)