Fall prep sports season heats up with big tournaments

Friday and Saturday will be the busiest days of the fall season so far. In addition to the usual slate of high school football games, three different sports will conduct their biggest tournaments of the regular season. Here's a quick overview of what's on tap this week

Apple Valley Eagle Invitational: Friday-Saturday, at Apple Valley High School. This is, bar none, the state's top high school volleyball tournament. Among the teams in the two-day, 16-team field are seven of the best in 3A: Eagan, Lakeville South, Hopkins, Shakopee, Lakeville North, Prior Lake and North St. Paul.

Edina John Rowe Invitational: The standard-bearer for regular-season prep tournaments. The No. 2, 2A Hornets host No. 1, 1A Blake as well as Eastview, Mahtomedi, Minnetonka, Mounds View, Rochester Mayo and Wayzata on Saturday. Quarter- and semifinals at various sites, finals at Edina Community Center.

Roy Griak Invitational: Massive in scope, with top collegiate teams in the morning and three levels of high school races in the afternoon. Saturday, at University of Minnesota Les Bolstad Golf Course. .

METRO TOP 10

1. Totino-Grace (3-0): The Eagles are methodically efficient: They average 6 yards per offensive play and wear teams down.

2. Lakeville North (3-0): The defense is rounding into shape with a line that forced Burnsville into repeated mistakes in a 28-7 victory.

4. Eden Prairie (2-1): Demise? Not on your life. Since 2013, the Eagles are 4-2 against Totino-Grace, 33-0 against everyone else.

5. Cretin-Derham Hall (3-0): An attacking defense carried the day for the third week in a row as the Raiders forced host Stillwater into six turnovers in a 42-21 road victory.

6. Blaine (3-0): OK, I'm a believer. Three more interceptions in a 42-14 rout at Centennial is just another example of a defense adept at forcing turnovers.

7. East Ridge (2-1): Lightning caused the cancellation of most of the second half in Friday's 31-0 victory over White Bear Lake, but Grant Ryerse did hit a school-record 52-yard field goal in the first half.

8. Minnetonka (3-0): The Skippers gave up just 142 yards of total offense in a 42-6 throttling of Shakopee.

10. Maple Grove (2-1): It's clear that the Crimson offense will need more than just Brad Davison: He's produced 82.5 percent of the team's total yards.