Who takes it indoors? Prognosticators face the elements one last time

It turns out the more important the high school football game, the better guess staff writers Jim Paulsen and David La Vaque make about the outcome. They picked five before the last round, and each of them went 4-1. In their annual competition, David is 28-13, Jim 24-17. For the state quarterfinals they have tried to predict the winners of seven games, two Thursday, two Friday and three Saturday. This will be the last time in 2022 that they have to consider weather conditions; semifinals and finals are played in U.S. Bank Stadium. Their picks and analysis:

Class 6A, Centennial Cougars (8-2) vs. Rosemount Irish (10-0), 7 p.m. Thursday at Stillwater

David says: Hope Stillwater residents hit their drug stores early to stock up on bandages and ice packs, because those items will be popular when this game leaves marks on both the winner and loser. Last team standing wins. The pick: Rosemount 17, Centennial 14

Jim says: This is old-school football, two teams looking to knock each other into next season. The difference is that Rosemount has shown a potent offense, averaging 41.8 points in its past five games. Centennial needs to keep the Irish off the scoreboard. The pick: Rosemount 20, Centennial 12

Class 6A, Shakopee Sabers (7-3) vs. Eden Prairie Eagles (8-2), 7 p.m. Thursday at Park Center

David says: Eden Prairie lost the first meeting of these teams this season as Shakopee's offense took the ball and refused to share. The Eagles will start faster this time and make themselves hard to catch. The pick: Eden Prairie 28, Shakopee 22

Jim says: How much revenge do teams actually seek? It's a story line that often gets overplayed. Truth is, the team that keeps mistakes down and executes is usually the winner. That's Eden Prairie's forte. The pick: Eden Prairie 28, Shakopee 18

David says: November football outdoors typically doesn't favor passing offenses. Good thing Stillwater is showing it can run. Both Thomas Blair and Emilio Rosario Matias topped 100 yards rushing last week. The pick: Stillwater 21, Lakeville South 17

Jim says: Explosive running back Carson Hansen showed off serious receiving skills in South's victory over White Bear Lake. That's an added element Stillwater has to account for. Not to mention that South picked off five passes last week, a concern for Ponies QB Max Shikenjanski. The pick: Lakeville South 30, Stillwater 27

Class 6A, East Ridge Raptors (7-3) vs. Maple Grove Crimson (10-0), 7 p.m. Friday at Chanhassen

David says: Maple Grove's defense and special teams units added touchdowns last week. And the Crimson remain bullish against passing offenses like East Ridge's. The pick: Maple Grove 31, East Ridge 14

Jim says: How often does a team pull off two upsets in a row? East Ridge got past physical Prior Lake on a late touchdown and a two-point conversion. Maple Grove has just a little too much of everything. The pick: Maple Grove 35, East Ridge 21

David says: Both teams lean on fabulous running backs. Since two is better than one, the Cadets' Love Adebayo and Savion Hart get the nod. The pick: St. Thomas Academy 28, Mahtomedi 21

Jim says: Solid running backs, yes, but let's not forget about St. Thomas quarterback Maximus Sims, a gladiator who throws one of the best balls in the state. He should be a household name, but he doesn't need to be. The pick: St. Thomas Academy 32, Mahtomedi 14

Class 5A, Robbinsdale Armstrong Falcons (8-2) vs. Rogers Royals (8-3), noon Saturday at Osseo

David says: In their past three playoff games, the Royals have outscored opponents 27-14 in the fourth quarter. Credit RB Anthony Powell and his offensive line for wearing teams down. The pick: Rogers 21, Armstrong 14

Jim says: This just might be Rogers' last Class 5A state tournament. Word is the Royals could bump up to 6A next year. Armstrong is possibly the fastest team Rogers will face, but Powell, with his 1,635 yards and 22 touchdowns, evens things out. The pick: Rogers 37, Armstrong 32

David says: In their 55-21 victory against the Spuds earlier this season, the Elks parlayed a big first half into a rout. Elk River starts fast again and avoids an upset. The pick: Elk River 44, Moorhead 14