State football champions will be crowned in seven classes Friday and Saturday as Prep Bowl XLI (41) is held at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.
Following is a look at each of the games, followed by more information.
Friday, Nov. 14
Class 1A
Springfield Tigers (12-1) vs. Minneota Vikings (13-0), 10 a.m.
Minneota is after a second straight state title in a championship game rematch. The Vikings beat the Tigers 28-21 last year. Minneota won three straight titles from 1986-1988 and went back-to-back in 2014-2015.
It’s the 12th appearance in Prep Bowl for Minneota and the sixth time the Vikings have faced another team from the southwest part of the state, having played Springfield (2022, 2023) twice, as well as Wabasso (2017), Dawson-Boyd (2014), Adrian (2009) and Sherburn-Dunnell (1976) for state championships.
Springfield is at Prep Bowl for the third time. In addition to the two meetings with Minneota, the Tigers won the Class 1A title in 2005.
For the season, Minneota is outscoring its opponents 51.2-7.6. The Vikings scored 50-plus points in six of their eight regular-season games.
The Tigers enjoy a 39.5-13.2 advantage. Springfield’s lone loss was 16-14 to Sleepy Eye United. The Tigers avenged that loss 36-18 in the Section 3A championship game.
Class 2A
Barnesville Trojans (13-0) vs. Eden Valley-Watkins Eagles (12-0), 1 p.m.
One of three Prep Bowl games matching unbeaten teams, the only one on Friday.
Defending champion Barnesville, which defeated Jackson County Central in the championship game for the second straight year, has six shutouts and has been outscoring its opponents 45.8-8.8. Eden Valley-Watkins has recorded three shutouts and is outscoring its foes 45.5-8.6.
In addition to last year’s title, Barnesville was second in 1978, 2010 and 2018.
EV-W won the 2005 Class 2A title and was runner-up in 2004 and 2016.
Class 4A
Rocori Spartans (10-2) vs. Hutchinson Tigers (10-2), 4 p.m.
Hutchinson coach Andy Rostberg has coached three state championship teams, but that only has him tied for the lead in his family.
His dad, Grady, won state titles in 1983, 1984 and 1998. Andy was the quarterback on the 1983 and 1984 state champions.
Since becoming head coach, Andy has won state titles in 2012, 2013 and 2021. His first attempt to move past his dad fell short last year when the Tigers lost to Simley 34-24 at Prep Bowl.
Chip Scoggins of the Star Tribune uncovered an amazing statistic involving Hutch in his ‘Football Across Minnesota’ column Tuesday.
The Tigers have not attempted a field goal since 2014. Hutchinson kicked an extra point early in the 2018 season but none since, converting 200 of 294 (68 percent) two-point conversions in that span.
Rocori has recorded five shutouts with one of those being an 11-0 win at Hutchinson on Sept. 22.
The Spartans are outscoring their opponents 20.3-12.6. The Tigers have a 35.5-11.6 edge.
Class 6A
Centennial Cougars (11-1) vs. Edina Hornets (9-3), 7 p.m.
Edina started the season 1-3 but has won six straight including 28-7 quarterfinal win over Eden Prairie to avenge of those losses. EP had won the first meeting 36-14.
It’s Edina’s fourth Prep Bowl appearance. Edina West won the 1978 Class AA title.
Centennial is in the championship game for the second straight year and fifth overall. The Cougars won the 1984 Class A crown.
The Hornets are scoring 32.2 points per game and allowing 17.8. Centennial is scoring 32.1 points and allowing 12.8.
Saturday, Nov. 15
Nine-Player
Kingsland Knights (13-0) vs. Nevis Tigers (12-0), 10 a.m.
Kingsland (Spring Valley/Wykoff) has made it to the state championship game in each of its four appearances. The Knights won Class B in 1985, Class AA in 2002 and was the runner-up in AA in 2003.
For the season, Kingsland averages 47.8 points and is allowing 16.8 with two shutouts.
Nevis scores 43.8 points and allows 8.1 points per contest. The Tigers have blanked three opponents and won one game by forfeit.
Nevis was the nine-man runner-up in 2017.
Class 3A
Stewartville Tigers (13-0) vs. Annandale Cardinals (12-0), 1 p.m.
The final matchup of unbeaten teams. Both have held teams to under 10 points per game.
Stewartville has been outscoring opponents 41.5-4.8 points per game with five shutouts. The Tigers shut out four straight opponents in one stretch. Stewartville has never won a state title, finishing second twice.
Annandale has scored 33.8 points per game while allowing 9.0 two 2 shutouts.
The Cardinals have reached the title game for the first time in their six appearances.
Class 5A
St. Thomas Academy Cadets (10-2) vs. Chanhassen Storm (12-0), 4 p.m.
The two teams in the final game of the weekend have very similar averages.
The Cadets are scoring 38.8 points per game and the Storm 36.9. Both teams are allowing more points than teams reaching the championship game as both have been giving up 20.1 points.
STA has won one state title and has been runner-up five times. Chanhassen is in the finals in its first trip to state.
Prep Bowl records
When Jackson High School defeated Mahnomen 26-20 to win the state Class B title at the fourth Prep Bowl at the Metrodome in 1985, the Blue Jays set two records, one of which still stands.
JHS fumbled the ball a then-record six times. Silver Lake would fumble eight times in 1987 and St. Croix Lutheran matched that mark in 2017.
The Blue Jays lost five of those fumbles, which is still a record.
For some, the fumbles may have taken the lustre off the accomplishment.
“You hate to say that, because it makes it sound like we’re not too happy,” coach Tyrone Wacker told Doug Wolter of the Worthington Daily Globe. “But we’re the happiest team in the world right now.
“We executed our plays. We just dropped the danged ball.”
“We played in rain and snow, and we don’t fumble at all!” chimed in Wade, the Blue Jays quarterback, a few yards away.
JHS lost only nine fumbles in 13 games leading up to Prep Bowl.
Fairmont also owns a Prep Bowl record. Bryce Holm caught a record four touchdown passes in the Cardinals’ 34-32 Class 3A loss to St. Croix Lutheran in 2011.
State champs
Jackson County Central won the state Class 3A title, beating Becker 42-7.
Lucas Rosenbrook rushed for 201 yards on 24 carries. Ryan Place scooped up a fumble and took it 69 yards for a TD that gave the Huskies a 28-0 halftime lead.
Becker’s head coach was (and still is) Dwight Lundeen, father of Redwood Valley coach Matt Lundeen.
Big South schools in Prep Bowl
With district scheduling, there is no Big South Conference in football, but of the 15 schools (we’re including newcomers Belle Plaine and Tri-City United) in the conference for other sports, seven have played in Prep Bowl.
Number of appearances
Here are the number of Prep Bowl appearances for Big South Conference schools:
4: Jackson County Central (Jackson also had one)
3: Luverne
2: Fairmont
2: Pipestone Area
2: Windom
1: Blue Earth Area
1: St. Peter
No appearances
These BSC schools have never played in a Prep Bowl:
Belle Plaine
Marshall
New Ulm
Redwood Valley
St. James Area
Tri-City United (LeCenter played in two)
Waseca
Worthington
Scores
Here are the scores of Prep Bowl games involving current Big South Conference schools:
Blue Earth Area
2012 (3A): Blue Earth Area 30, Rochester Lourdes 7
Fairmont
2018 (3A): Rochester Lourdes 24, Fairmont 7
2011 (3A): St. Croix Lutheran 34, Fairmont 32
Jackson County Central
2015 (3A): Pierz 36, Jackson County Central 8
2001 (3A): Jackson County Central 42, Becker 7
1998 (3A): Foley 21, Jackson County Central 7
1997 (3A): Albany 55, Jackson County Central 7
Luverne
2008 (2A): Caledonia 47, Luverne 7
2007 (2A): Caledonia 14, Luverne 7
2006 (2A): Triton 70, Luverne 21
Pipestone
2017 (2A): Caledonia 57, Pipestone 6
2015 (2A): Caledonia 40, Pipestone 6
St. Peter
1995 (A): Detroit Lakes 30, St. Peter 15
Windom
2001 (2A): Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City 27, Windom 20
1996 (B): Breck 24, Windom 7
Prep Bowl scores
Here are scores from Prep Bowl each year since the format for the one-site state championship games began with the opening of the Metrodome in 1982.
From 1972-1981, state championship games were played at various sites.
2022 (U.S. Bank Stadium)
6A: Maple Grove 27, Rosemount 10
5A: Elk River 29, Mankato West 26
4A: Simley 34, Huttchinson 24
3A: New London-Spicer 27, Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton 26
2A: Barnesville 35, Chatfield 20
1A: Minneota 28, Springfield 21
9-man: Mountain Iron-Buhl 28, Spring Grove 25
2021 (U.S. Bank Stadium)
6A: Lakeville South 13, Maple Grove 7
5A: Mankato West 24, Mahtomedi 10
4A: Hutchinson 42, Kasson-Mantorville 14
3A: Dassel-Cokato 28, Plainview-Elgin-Millville 21
2A: Chatfield 14, West Central Area/Ashby 13
1A: Mayer Lutheran 20, Minneota 14
9-man: LeRoy-Ostrrander 58, Fertile-Beltrami 8
2020
No tournament: COVID-19 pandemic
2019 (U.S. Bank Stadium)
6A: Wayzata 35, Champlin Park 20
5A: Chaska 10, St. Thomas Academy 7
4A: Rocori 22, SMB 21 (OT)
3A: Pierz 28, Dassel-Cokato 27
2A: Caledonia 26, Minneapolis North 0
1A: Blooming Prairie 41, BOLD 15
9-man: Mountain Lake Area 22, Hancock 14
2018 (U.S. Bank Stadium)
6A: Lakeville North 28, Eden Prairie 21
5A: Owatonna 14, St. Thomas Academy 3
4A: SMB 44, Willmar 18
3A: Rochester Lourdes 24, Fairmont 7
2A: Caledonia 21, Barnesville 0
1A: Mahnomen/Waubun 22, BOLD 21
9-man: Spring Grove 40, Mountain Lake Area 18
2017 (U.S. Bank Stadium)
6A: Eden Prairie 38, Minnetonka 17
5A: Owatonna 63, Elk River 26
4A: Academy of Holy Angels 14, Cloquet 0
3A: Pierz 34, St. Croix Lutheran 21
2A: Caledonia 57, Pipestone 6
1A: Minneota 28, Wabasso 13
9-man: Spring Grove 32, Nevis 0
2016 (U.S. Bank Stadium)
6A: Totino-Grace 28, Eden Prairie 20
5A: Elk River 42, Spring Lake Park 14
4A: Benilde-St. Margaret’s 31, Winona 28
3A: Rochester Lourdes 42, St. Croix Lutheran 35
2A: Caledonia 61, Eden Valley-Watkins 12
1A: Minneapolis North 30, Rushford-Peterson 14
9-man: Grand Meadow 41, Cleveland/Immanuel Lutheran 21
2015 (TCF Bank Stadium)
6A: Osseso 14, East Ridge 13
5A: St. Michael-Albertville 28, St. Thomas Academy 21
4A: Becker 35, South St. Paul 14
3A: Pierz 36, Jackson County Central 8
2A: Caledonia 40, Pipestone 0
1A: Minneota 35, Minneapolis North 18
9-man: Grand Meadow 34, Underwood 20
2014 (TCF Bank Stadium)
6A: Eden Prairie 28, Totino-Grace 27
5A: Mankato West 42, Simley 19
4A: Becker 24, DeLaSalle 6
3A: Rochester Lourdes 35, New London-Spicer 14
2A: Holdingford 20, BOLD 18 (2 OT)
1A: Minneota 28, Dawson-Boyd 14
9-man: Grand Meadow 48, Edgerton/Ellsworth 0
2013 (Metrodome)
6A: Eden Prairie 28, Rosemount 7
5A: Owatonna 24, Brainerd 0
4A: Hutchinson 49, Academy of Holy Angels 7
3A: St. Croix Lutheran 48, New London-Spicer 44
2A: Chatfield 17, Minneota/Lincoln HI 7
1A: Mahnomen 46, Dawson-Boyd 13
9-man: Grand Meadow 28, Underwood 6
2012 (Metrodome)
6A: Eden Prairie 28, Lakeville North 7
5A: Totino-Grace 49, Owatonna 21
4A: Hutchinson 67, Holy Family Catholic 7
3A: Blue Earth Area 30, Rochester Lourdes 7
2A: Caledonia 25, Moose Lake/Willow River 22
1A: Mahnomen 20, Bethlehem Academy 14
9-man: Clinton-Graceville-Beardsley 40, Grand Meadow 22
2011 (Metrodome)
5A: Eden Prairie 13, Wayzata 3
4A: Rocori 17, Bemidji 10
3A: St. Croix Lutheran 34, Fairmont 32
2A: Caledonia 27, Moose Lake/Willow River 0
1A: Dawson-Boyd 35, Mahnomen 20
9-man: Edgerton/Ellsworth 36, Wheaton/Herman-Norcross 28
2010 (Metrodome)
5A: Wayzata 31, Rosemoiunt 14
4A: Totino-Grace 34, Rogers 14
3A: Rochester Lourdes 41, Holy Family Catholic 13
2A: Caledonia 28, Triton 7
1A: New Ulm Cathedral 19, Bzarnesville 13
9-man: Cromwell 49, Lanesboro 42
2009 (Metrodome)
5A: Cretin-Derham Hall 16, Eden Prairie 5
4A: Totino-Grace 45, Sartell 7
3A: New London-Spicer 28, Glencoe-Silver Lake 21
2A: Waterville-Elysian-Morristown 33, Moose Lake/Willow River 22
1A: Minneota 42, Adrian 21
9-man: Stephen-Argyle Central 37, Nicollet 22
2008 (Metrodome)
5A: Wayzata 27, Blaine 7
4A: Mankato West 33, Northfield 14
3A: Glencoe-Silver Lake 42, DeLaSalle 21
2A: Caledonia 47, Luverne 7
1A: Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg 33, Royalton 22
9-man: Houston 22, Cliinton-Graceville-Beardsley 16
2007 (Metrodome)
5A: Eden Prairie 50, Cretin-Derham Hall 21
4A: Totino-Grace 13, Mahtomedi 8
3A: Glencoe-Silver Lake 56, DeLaSalle 20
2A: Caledonia 14, Luverne 7
1A: Goodhue 28, Adrian 7
9-man: Stephen-Argyle Central 43, Waubun 21
2006 (Metrodome)
5A: Eden Prairie 21, Lakeville South 14
4A: Totino-Grace 40, St. Thomas Academy 25
3A: Glencoe-Silver Lake 42, Becker 20
2A: Triton 70, Luverne 21
1A: Rushford-Peterson 20, New Ulm Cathedral 7
9-man: Stephen-Argyle Central 42, Wheaton 15
2005 (Metrodome)
5A: Wayzata 28, Cretin-Derham Hal 24
4A: Mahtomedi 27, Academy of Holy Angels 26 (OT)
3A: Becker 28, Albany 0
2A: Eden Valley-Watkins 21, Caledonia 7
1A: Springfield 21, Goodhue 16
9-man: Stephen-Argyle Central 45, Cromwell 15
2004 (Metrodome)
5A: Minnetonka 23, Wayzata 14
4A: Totino-Grace 27, Sartell 6
3A: East Grand Forks 31, Becker 14
2A: Pierz 39, Eden Valley-Watkins 14
1A: Rushford-Peterson 20, Otter Tail Central 6
9-man: Stephen-Argyle Central 25, Bertha-Hewitt 6
2003 (Metrodome)
5A: Lakeville 34, Hastings 9
4A: Totino-Grace 57, Hutchinson 13
3A: Glencoe-Silver Lake 21, Delano 0
2A: Breck 51, Kingsland 14
1A: Goodhue 20, Medford 8
9-man: Stephen-Argyle Central 39, Hillcrest Lutheran Academy 7
2002 (Metrodome)
5A: Eden Prairie 21, Champlin Park 0
4A: Mankato West 17, Mahtomdei 7
3A: Plainview/Elgin-Millville 24, Glencoe-Silver Lake 21
2A: Kingsland 35, Norwood Young America 7
1A: Rushford-Peterson 14, Mountain Lake/Butterfield-Odin 7
9-man: Verndale 21, Nicollet 14
2001 (Metrodome)
5A: Hastings 28, Blaine 9
4A: Detroit Lakes 36, Mankato East 34
3A: Jackson County Central 42, Becker 7
2A: Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City 27, Windom 20
1A: McLeod West 30, Pillager 22
9-man: Hillcrest Lutheran Academy 37, Ada-Borup 7
2000 (Metrodome)
5A: Eden Prairie 24, Cretin-Derham Hall 14
4A: Cambridge-Isanti 24, St. Thomas Academy 14
3A: Glencoe-Silver Lake 21, Albany 0
2A: Triton 31, Otter Tail Central 12
1A: Sleepy Eye 13, Warren-Alvarado-Oslo 12
9-man: Westbrook-Walnut Grove 42, Cromwell 20
1999 (Metrodome)
5A: Cretin-Derham Hall 42, Hastings 21
4A: Mankato West 35, Cambridge-Isanti 28
3A: DeLaSalle 28, St. Michael-Albertville 7
2A: Waterville-Elysian-Morristown 34, West Central Area 0
1A: Cook County 14, LeCenter 6
9-man: Stephen-Argyle Central 18, Nicollet 8
1998 (Metrodome)
5A: Woodbury 28, Champlin Park 7
4A: Hutchinson 21, Owatonna 20
3A: Foley 21, Jackson County Central 7
2A: Mahnomen 27, BOLD 26
1A: Cook County 38, Adrian 32 (2 OT)
9-man: Verndale 18, Cromwell 12
1997 (Metrodome)
5A: Eden Prairie 32, Blaine 28
4A: Northfield 28, Detroit Lakes 0
3A: Albany 55, Jackson County Central 7
2A: Pelican Rapids 34, Waterville-Elysian 32
1A: Cook County 13, Adrian 12
9-man: Verndale 18, Cromwell 12
1996 (Metrodome)
AA: Eden Prairie 23, Blaine 22
A: Mora 7, Northfield 3
B: Breck 24, Windom 7
C: Chatfield 12, Hawley 7
9-man: Cromwell 46, Verndale 44
1995 (Metrodome)
AA: Stillwater 31, Rochester Mayo 7
A: Detroit Lakes 30, St. Peter 15
B: Kingsland 22, Breckenridge 3
C: Chatfield 12, Hawley 6
9-man: Cromwell 26, LeRoy-Ostrander 18
1994 (Metrodome)
AA: Anoka 34, Alexnadria 7
A: Sartell 24, Northfield 21
B: Triton 40, Becker 21
C: Chatfield 34, Red Lake Falls 14
9-man: Kittson Central 36, Verndale 16
1993 (Metrodome)
AA: Apple Valley 29, Rochester John Marshall 7
A: Detroit Lakes 21, Northfield 14
B: St. Cloud Cathedral 28, Zumbrota-Mazeppa 6
C: Mahnomen 43, Minneota 23
9-man: Chokio-Alberta 35, LeRoy-Ostrander 0
1992 (Metrodome)
AA: Lakeville 19, Cretin-Derham Hall 7
A: Detroit Lakes 21, Farmington 0
B: St. Cloud Cathedral 7, BOLD 6
C: Mahnomen 20, Mankato Loyola 13 (OT)
9-man: Stephen 36, Cromwell 20
1991 (Metrodome)
AA: Burnsville 10, Lakeville 7
A: Spring Lake Park 20, Rocori 0
B: BOLD 14, Deer River 0
C: Mahnomen 42, Mankato Loyola 0
9-man: Chokio-Alberta 7, Grygla/Goodridge 6
1990 (Metrodome)
AA: Anoka 19, Elk River 14
A: Fridley 34, Sartell 12
B: BOLD 15, DeLaSalle 14
C: Mahnomen 27, Becker 7
9-man: Hills-Beaver Creek 28, Argyle 21
1989 (Metrodome)
AA: Burnsville 21, Stillwater 7
A: Albany 41, Totino-Grace 32
B: Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop 27, Perham 15
C: Waterville-Elysian 14, Mahnomen 7
9-man: St. Clair 47, Albrook 12
1988 (Metrodome)
AA: Blaine 25, Cretin-Derham Hall 24
A: Lakeville 35, Staples-Motley 28
B: Breckenridge 21, Morris 7
C: Minneota 42, Rushford 28
9-man: Hallock 35, Stewart 24
1987 (Metrodome)
AA: Moorhead 13, Winona 7
A: Cambridge 28, Lakeville 14
B: Granite Falls 43, Ely 20
C: Minneota 27, Grand Meadow 7
9-man: Silver Lake 30, Verndale 14
1986 (Metrodome)
AA: Apple Valley 35, Osseo 6
A: Cambridge 24, Stewartville 0
B: Watertown-Mayer 29, Granite Falls 6
C: Minneota 52, Sherburn-Dunnell 19
9-man: Argyle 32, Silver Lake 7
1985 (Metrodome)
AA: Burnsville 27, Apple Valley 21
A: New Prague 16, Mora 12
B: Jackson 26, Mahnomen 20
C: Glyndon-Felton 38, Zumbrota 14
9-man: Westbrook 45, Norman County West 18
1984 (Metrodome)
AA: Stillwater 36, Burnsville 33
A: Hutchinson 32, Centennial 7
B: Granite Falls 13, Breckenridge 7
C: Harmony 20, Glyndon-Felton 14
9-man: Norman County West 37, Silver Lake 20
1983 (Metrodome)
AA: Coon Rapids 34, Bloomington Jefferson 31
A: Hutchinson 36, Park Rapids 14
B: Jordan 27, Breckenridge 0
C: Southland 28, Bird Island-Lake Lillian 0
9-man: Silver Lake 27, Norman County West/Climax 12
1982 (Metrodome)
AA: Stillwater 34, Owatonna 27
A: Brooklyn Center 30, East Grand Forks 8
B: LeCenter 12, Mahnomen 6
C: Truman 16, Belgrade 14
9-man: Westbrook 34, Hillcrest Lutheran Academy 12