Draw of Eden Prairie-Wayzata pushes game into Dome

The Metrodome is the traditional site of the state football semifinals and Prep Bowl, but a new wrinkle in a new round has been added this year. When Eden Prairie and Wayzata meet in a highly anticipated Class 5A quarterfinal tonight, the game will be played inside the Metrodome. Other than that matchup and two smaller-class games at the Fargodome, all state quarterfinals are being held outdoors.

Officials from the Minnesota State High School League, looking ahead to the possibility of an Eden Prairie-Wayzata matchup, thought it wise to find a facility large enough to handle what should be the biggest crowd of all the quarterfinal games. Discussions with the University of Minnesota about using TCF Bank Stadium didn't work out, but TCF is a possibility for state quarterfinals in the future.

Eden Prairie and Wayzata have been ranked among the best in 5A since before the season began. Eden Prairie (10-0) in the only unbeaten 5A team and has been No. 1 in the Star Tribune Metro Top 10 all season. Defending state champ Wayzata (9-1) was No. 1 in the statewide Associated Press poll until the Trojans ended the regular season with a 3-0 overtime loss to Minnetonka. Eden Prairie rolled past Minnetonka 38-7 last week.

The last meeting between Eden Prairie and Wayzata came in the 2006 regular season, when the Eagles defeated Wayzata 28-3. Eden Prairie won state titles in 1996, 1997, 2000, 2002, 2006 and 2007 and Wayzata did so in 2005 and 2008.

Class 4A  This division is loaded with powerful, traditionally strong teams. Mankato West beat Northfield in last year's Prep Bowl, and they will meet again tonight at Lakeville North. Mankato West is unbeaten, as are Totino-Grace, St. Thomas Academy and Sartell.

Totino-Grace is no stranger to recent championships, owning 4A crowns from 2003, 2004, 2006 and 2007. The Eagles face Rogers, a first-time state entrant, tonight at Maple Grove. St. Thomas Academy, which was the state runner-up in 2006 and is 10-0 this year, plays Mahtomedi tonight at Woodbury; Mahtomedi was the 4A runner-up in 2002 and 2007 and state champ in 2005. The other 4A game pits unbeaten Sartell against Bemidji at St. Cloud State on Saturday.

Class 3A The most anticipated matchup of the season in this class will take place tonight at Macalester College when three-time state champion Glencoe-Silver Lake faces DeLaSalle. Those teams met in the past two Prep Bowls, with Glencoe-Silver Lake winning 56-20 in 2007 and 42-21 last year. Both are unbeaten in 2009.

GS-L has posted seven shutouts this season, but today's game should be the toughest test for the Panthers' defense. DeLaSalle quarterback Evan Williams is averaging 240 rushing and 135 passing yards this season; he has 31 running touchdowns and 10 touchdown passes.

The remaining 3A games are Saturday, and two other unbeaten teams will try to extend their season. New London-Spicer (11-0) meets Minneapolis North at St. Cloud State and Kasson-Mantorville (11-0) faces Waseca at Lakeville North. In the other quarterfinal, Mora and Pequot Lakes square off in Duluth.

Class 2A Two unbeaten teams got a head start Thursday night when Moose Lake-Willow River beat Hawley 41-35 in overtime at the Fargodome. The team to watch might be Caledonia, the two-time defending state champ. The Warriors' average score this season is 41-4; they meet Waterville-Elysian-Morristown tonight in Rochester.

Also undefeated is Eden Valley-Watkins, which plays Pierz for the second time this season. Those teams finished first and second in the Central Minnesota Conference, with Eden Valley-Watkins beating the Pioneers 36-7 in Week 3. The other quarterfinal will be played at Gustavus Adolphus in St. Peter, where Luverne -- the state runner-up the past three years -- meets Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop.

Class 1A  This division is filled with new faces. Six teams were not at state last year, two are first-time qualifiers and three are back after long droughts. In a game between unbeaten teams, Minneota and Barnesville play Saturday in Morris. Barnesville is at state for the first time since 1978 and Minneota is making its first appearance since 1994. In another battle of unbeatens, first-time qualifier East Central faces Fosston in Duluth. Elsewhere, Blooming Prairie (last appearance in 1983) faces unbeaten New Ulm Cathedral in Rochester and Adrian meets first-time qualifier St. Bernard's in St. Peter.

Nine-Man A familiar name returns to state in Stephen-Argyle, which saw a five-year championship streak end last season. The Storm defeated Orr 45-6 Thursday at the Fargodome.