Players to watch from each team in Minnesota’s girls flag football state tournament

Fifty-one Minnesota teams participated in the Vikings’ girls flag football league this spring, following up last year’s four-team pilot season.

Rosemount came out on top last June. On Monday at TCO Stadium in Eagan, a new champion will be crowned.

Teams qualified for state via an eight-game regular season and two section playoff matches. Now, meet a player from each team who is expected to make an impact in Monday’s gantlet of quick 5-on-5 games, whittling down to a 7 p.m. championship.

Stats are sourced from team reports on RacSports, and players are ordered by their teams’ tournament seeding.

No. 1 Mahtomedi (10-0) • senior

Albers leads the Zephyrs in receiving yards, with her season total of 757 fifth-best in the state. She’s caught 12 touchdown passes and a team-high seven extra points and added a rushing touchdown.

No. 2 La Crescent-Hokah (10-0) • senior

Klinski is an offensive engine in the air and on the ground for the Lancers. She averaged 10.5 yards per carry, totaling 727 yards and nine touchdowns. She also snagged 23 touchdown passes and became the Lancers’ first player to receive a full-tuition NAIA scholarship offer for flag.

No. 3 Anoka (10-0) • junior

The St. Thomas softball commit leads the state with 53 passing touchdowns — 10 more than the next-closest player — and 2,381 passing yards, with the best completion rate (60.71%) of any player with at least 200 passing attempts.

No. 4 Minnetonka (10-0) • sophomore

Chose has come up with clutch interceptions for the Skippers, snagging a Bloomington pass in overtime in the regular season and another on Waterville’s extra-point attempt to take the lead in the section playoffs. Chose’s flag-pulling has made her an all-around defensive pillar for Minnetonka.

No. 5 Park of Cottage Grove (10-0) • senior

Brinkman is a two-way aerial threat for Park. She has 34 receptions for 373 yards and six touchdowns and is the Wolfpack’s No. 1 target on extra points. She also has seven interceptions.

No. 6 Centennial (9-1) • senior

Committed to Minnesota Duluth for soccer, Helvig ranges among running back, quarterback and safety for the Cougars. Put her on the field just about anywhere, and she’ll make an impact for Centennial.

No. 7 Simley (8-2) • sophomore

As she simultaneously helped Simley’s softball team win a section title this spring, Christopher led the Spartans’ offense with 338 rushing yards, plus 291 yards receiving and, on defense, 17 flag pulls.

No. 8 Bloomington (8-2) • senior

Headed to Wisconsin-River Falls to play basketball, Miller returned an interception for a pick-six in Bloomington’s section playoff win over Fairmont. She’s both a secondary presence on defense and a frequent passing target of junior quarterback Allie Sheehan.

No. 9 Burnsville (7-3) • senior

When not playing basketball, softball or tennis for the Blaze, Krumwiede is leading the state in rushing, with 1,250 yards and 15 touchdowns on the ground. She’s also added eight receiving touchdowns.

No. 10 Two Rivers (7-3) • senior

Double-booked with the school’s graduation, Halverson had to miss Two Rivers’ section playoff win, but she heads into the state tournament with 57 receptions for 737 yards and 18 touchdowns.

No. 11 Eagan (6-4) • sophomore

Larson, who also participates in tackle football, track and trap shooting for Eagan, quarterbacked the Wildcats to a section championship win over Rosemount, the winner of last year’s four-team state tournament. With sharp, accurate passes under pressure, Larson threw for 1,866 yards and 39 touchdowns.

No. 12 Sartell (5-5)

The Sabres volleyball program’s record holder for digs in a single season, Schumann has put her diving skills to work on defense this spring, reaching for a team-high 28 flag pulls.

View the tournament schedule here.