Maple Grove, Moorhead sit atop Class 6A and 5A high school football rankings in final regular-season media polls

Becker, Stewartville, Barnesville, Minneota and Nevis were voted No. 1 in respective polls for Class 4A through nine-player classifications.

The Minnesota Star Tribune
October 21, 2024 at 2:15PM
Elk River’s Carsyn Kleffman breaks away for a touchdown against Class 5A foe Alexandria on Oct. 16. Elk River won 44-34, pushing it higher in the 5A rankings. (Renée Jones Schneider/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

The final regular-season class-by-class high school football rankings were revealed Monday, just before the playoffs begin across Minnesota.

For Classes 5A through Nine-Player, the first round of playoffs will be held Tuesday. Class 6A, which has 32 teams and represents the largest schools in the state, will begin first-round play on Friday, Oct. 25.

The rankings are compiled by the Minnesota Star Tribune’s Jim Paulsen from votes submitted by a panel of 12 media members (Randy Shaver, Talk North; Gary Giombetti, Mesabi Daily News; Ron Haggstrom, Minnesota Star Tribune; Jamey Malcomb, Duluth News Tribune; Joe Brown, West Central Tribune; Brian Jerzak, PrepRedZone; Steve Thomson, WCCO Radio; Chad Courrier, Mankato Free Press; David La Vaque, Minnesota Star Tribune; Pat Ruff, Rochester Post Bulletin; Jace Frederick, St. Paul Pioneer Press; Jim Paulsen, Minnesota Star Tribune) and distributed statewide by the Associated Press.

Here’s a look at last week’s poll.

Minnesota high school football state rankings

First-place votes in parentheses, record, total points

Class 6A

1. Maple Grove (12), 8-0, 120

2. Shakopee, 7-1, 107

9. Mounds View, 6-2, 26

10. Blaine, 5-3, 14

Also receiving votes: Anoka 11, Lakeville South 7, East Ridge 3

Class 5A

1. Moorhead (10), 8-0; 117

2. Owatonna (2), 8-0, 108

3. Robbinsdale Armstrong, 8-0, 96

4. Elk River, 7-1, 83

5. Andover, 7-1, 59

6. Two Rivers, 8-0, 57

7. Alexandria, 6-2, 44

8. Mankato West, 5-3, 39

9. Robbinsdale Cooper, 7-1, 28

10. Bemidji, 6-2, 16

Also receiving votes: Mankato East 9, Chanhassen 1, Monticello 1, Rochester John Marshall 1

Class 4A

1. Becker (11), 8-0, 119

2. Totino-Grace (1), 8-0, 109

3. Princeton, 8-0, 94

4. Byron, 7-1, 81

5. Rocori, 6-2, 56

6. Providence Academy, 6-2, 54

7. Marshall, 7-1, 48

8. Hill-Murray, 7-1, 37

9. Orono, 6-2, 33

10. Hermantown, 7-1, 26

Also receiving votes: Holy Angels 2, North Branch 1

Class 3A

1. Stewartville (12), 8-0, 120

2. Pequot Lakes, 8-0, 102

3. Albany, 8-0, 95

4. Waseca, 7-1, 79

5. Dassel-Cokato, 7-1, 71

6. Fergus Falls, 8-0, 64

7. Annandale, 7-1, 41

8. Fairmont, 6-2, 29

9. Morris/Chokio-Alberta, 7-1, 27

10. Two Harbors, 7-1, 16

Also receiving votes: Holy Family 8, Pine Island 5, Minneapolis North 3

Class 2A

1. Barnesville (9), 8-0, 115

2. Chatfield (3), 8-0, 109

3. Jackson Co. Central, 8-0, 94

4. Norwood Young America, 8-0, 74

5. Kimball Area, 8-0, 72

6. Barnum, 8-0, 68

7. Eden Valley-Watkins, 7-1, 49

8. Caledonia, 6-2, 28

9. Rush City, 8-0, 24

10. Staples-Motley, 8-0, 13

Also receiving votes: Holdingford 6, Moose Lake-Willow River 2, Pillager 1, St. Agnes 1, Triton 1

Class 1A

1. Minneota (12), 8-0, 120

2. Springfield, 8-0, 103

3. Mahnomen/Waubun, 8-0, 92

4. Goodhue, 8-0, 90

5. Upsala/Swaville, 8-0, 68

6. BOLD, 7-1, 63

7. Blooming Prairie, 7-1, 36

8. Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa, 7-1, 33

9. Fillmore Central, 7-1, 32

10. Red Lake County, 7-1, 19

Also receiving votes: Deer River 3, Adrian/Ellsworth 1

Nine-Player

1. Nevis (7), 8-0, 115

2. Mountain Iron-Buhl (4), 8-0, 106

3. Fertile-Beltrami (1), 8-0, 94

4. Hills-Beaver Creek, 8-0, 81

5. LeRoy-Osatrander/Lyle-Pacelli, 8-0, 73

6. Spring Grove, 8-0, 63

7. Fosston, 8-0, 50

8. Hancock, 8-0, 42

9. Cherry, 7-1, 20

10. Goodridge/Grygla, 7-1, 12

Also receiving votes: Kingsland 4

about the writer

about the writer

Jim Paulsen

Reporter

Jim Paulsen is a high school sports reporter for the Star Tribune. 

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