Chaos comes to the state football rankings; new No. 1s abound

Staying at the top became a challenge nearly half of Minnesota's top-ranked football teams couldn't overcome.

Three teams ranked first in their class in the rankings last week aren't there in the rankings this week. The polls, compiled by the Star Tribune's Jim Paulsen from votes by a panel of media members, show new No. 1s in Class 6A, Class 4A and Class 1A.

Maple Grove replaced Eden Prairie atop Class 6A after the Eagles lost Thursday to Rosemount. That got Rosemount up to No. 3 in Class 6A. Prior Lake is No. 2. Those teams are in the same order in Paulsen's Metro Top 10.

Hutchinson's loss to Becker left the top spot open in Class 4A, and Rocori, a rare 5-0 team because of a victory in Zero Week, moved in.

In Class 1A, BOLD took the No. 1 ranking because of Minneota's loss to Lakeview.

STATE RANKINGS

Updated Sept. 28, 2022

Based on votes of media members from across Minnesota and compiled by the Star Tribune's Jim Paulsen. Includes first-place votes in parentheses, record and total voting points.

Class 6A

1. Maple Grove (8) 4-0, 80; 2. Prior Lake 4-0, 70; 3. Rosemount 4-0, 61; 4. Stillwater 4-0, 53; 5. Eden Prairie 3-1, 50; 6. Lakeville South 3-1, 45; 7. Woodbury 4-0, 31; 8. Shakopee 3-1, 24; 9. Forest Lake 4-0, 17; 10. Minnetonka 3-1, 11. Others receiving votes: None

Class 5A

1. Mankato West (8) 4-0, 89; 2. St. Thomas Academy (1) 4-0, 79; 3. Elk River 4-0, 71; 4. Mahtomedi 4-0, 66; 5. Chanhassen 4-0, 47; 6. Robbinsdale Armstrong 4-0, 42; 7. Rochester Mayo 4-0, 41; 8. Spring Lake Park 3-1, 27; 9. Sauk Rapids-Rice 4-0, 14; 10. St. Francis 4-0, 11. Others receiving votes: St. Paul Harding/Humboldt (4-0) 7, Waconia (3-1) 2

Class 4A

1. Rocori (7) 5-0, 88; 2. Stewartville (2) 4-0, 85; 3. Simley 4-0, 67; 4. Hutchinson 3-1, 54; 5. Mound Westonka 4-0, 50; 6. Marshall 4-0, 46; 7. Grand Rapids 4-0, 35; 8. Becker 3-1, 31; 9. North Branch 4-0, 18; 10, Detroit Lakes 4-0, 15. Others receiving votes: Holy Angels 3-1) 8, Kasson-Mantorville (3-1) 4, Princeton (3-1) 4.

Class 3A

1. Cannon Falls (8) 4-0, 89; 2. Esko (1) 4-0, 77; 3. Pierz 4-0, 69; 4. Milaca 4-0, 57; 5. Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton 4-0, 54; 6. Dassel-Cokato 3-1, 39; 7. Aitkin 4-0, 38; 8. Plainview-Elgin-Millville 4-0, 32; 9. Waseca 3-1, 20; 10. Watertown-Mayer 3-1, 13. Others receiving votes: Minneapolis Henry (4-0) 4, Rochester Lourdes (3-1) 4, New London-Spicer (3-1) 2.

Class 2A

1. Chatfield (7) 4-0, 87; 2. Minneapolis North 4-0, 74; 3. Caledonia (2) 4-0, 73; 4. Barnesville 4-0, 66; 5. Jackson County Central 4-0, 53; 6. Pipestone Area 4-0, 44; 7. Eden Valley-Watkins 4-0, 37; 8. Kimball Area 4-0, 21; 9. Concordia Academy 4-0, 18; 10. (tie) Norwood YA 4-0, 7; 10. (tie) St. Clair/Loyola 4-0, 7. Others receiving votes: Blue Earth Area (3-1) 5, Rush City (4-0) 3.

Class 1A

1. BOLD (5) 4-0, 82; 2. (tie) Lester Prairie 4-0, 58; 2. (tie) New York Mills (1) 4-0, 58; 4. (tie) Mahnomen/Waubun 4-0, 53; 4. (tie) Mayer Lutheran (2) 3-1, 53; 6. Fillmore Central 4-0 46; 7. Lakeview (1) 4-0, 44; 8. Deer River 4-0, 39; 9. Minneota 3-1, 34; 10. Ottertail Central 4-0, 17. Others receiving votes: Martin County West (4-0) 8, Red Lake County Central (4-0) 2, Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg (3-1) 1.

Nine-man

1. Wheaton/Herman-Norcross (4) 4-0, 80; 2. Fertile-Beltrami (2) 4-0, 71; 3. Lanesboro (1) 4-0, 65; 4. Mountain Iron-Buhl 4-0, 61; 5. Hills-Beaver Creek 4-0, 58; 6. Spring Grove (1) 4-0, 45; 7. Verndale (1) 4-0, 45; 8. Renville Co. West 4-0, 36; 9. Kittson Co. Central 4-0, 24; 10. Cherry 4-0, 6. Others receiving votes: Hancock (3-1) 4, Norman Co. East/U-H (4-0) 2.

The panel of media voters: Randy Shaver, KARE-11 TV; Joe Brown, West Central Tribune, Willmar; Pat Ruff and Alex VandenHouten, Rochester Post Bulletin; Ron Haggstrom, Star Tribune; David La Vaque, Star Tribune; Chad Courrier, Mankato Free Press; Brian Jerzak, prepredzone.com; Jim Paulsen, Star Tribune; Jace Frederick, St. Paul Pioneer Press; Gary Giombetti, Mesabi Tribune.