Minnesota Week 1 Recap: Upsets, Top Performers, First Impressions

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It was an extra memorable kickoff to the prep football season here in the Great State of Minnesota, as the chaotic and unpredictable weather inserted itself as an extra wrinkle and obstacle that 9man to 6A teams had to overcome on Thursday. However, teams across the state battled through the adversity, and we had an exciting, hard-fought night of competition that shifted into another great day of football on Friday. Between the two days, nearly 170 games kicked off across the state, and <em>PrepRedzoneMN </em>has the most comprehensive recap and breakdown of the Week 1 action in the Land of 10,000 Lakes. The top upsets, scores, and results, the best individual performances, and my first impressions from the Week 1 action. Dig in! </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>--</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"large"} --> <p class="has-large-font-size">Noteworthy Results &amp; Scores</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Top Team Performances/Results of Week 1</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><em>Wayzata 17, Lakeville South 14</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>My biggest takeaway, result, and storyline of the first week of action in the Land of 10,000 Lakes comes out of Class 6A. In a big shakeup of the 6A standings, the <em>Wayzata Trojans </em>upset Top-5 <em>Lakeville South </em>17 to 14 on Thursday night. This says more about Wayzata than Lakeville South, as the Trojans were largely discounted and as the kids say "slept on" as of this preseason. Well, overlooked no longer, as the <em>Trojans </em>took down one of the best programs in the state with a gritty, team-heavy performance that saw players such as WR <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='924341' first='Sam' last='Booh']</strong>, RB <strong>Kyle Boutwell</strong>, kicker <strong>Nate Negash,</strong> and QB <strong>Oscar Shoap </strong>step up and deliver when needed. The <em>Trojans </em>returned a ton of size and varsity experience, with some serious athleticism coming up through the non-varsity squads as of last year, so things could be coming together for <em>Wayzata</em>. Going to be a fun rest of the year for both of these teams, as <em>Wayzata </em>looks to put something special together and <em>Lakeville South</em> looks to rebound in Week 2. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><em>LeRoy-Ostrander</em> 35, <em>Kingsland </em>26</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The defending 9man state runner-ups go down! In the second biggest headline from the first week of action in Minnesota, <em>LeRoy-Ostrander </em>came into <em>Kingsland High School,</em> who return a bulk of their talent from their 2023 near state title run, and beat the <em>Knights </em>on the road for a massive shakeup in the 9man ranks. I haven't been shy about saying that this is the most competitive and talented 9man race of the last decade, and it was fun to see some fireworks come out of Week 1, unless you're a <em>Kingsland </em>fan. <em>LeRoy-Ostrander </em>returned some big-time talent themselves, namely MSU-Mankato commit <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='945346' first='Cam' last='Hungerholt']</strong>, who popped off for 5 TDs in the win. <strong>Hungerholt </strong>is a walking explosive play, posting eye-popping stat lines since he entered the varsity ranks, and he was the lynchpin in the win. <em>Kingsland </em>has a ton of time to bounce back and lick their wounds, and I'd expect them to still be competing deep into November as the season progresses. However, people have to respect the <em>Cards</em> and their state title capability, and we have a lot more fireworks coming in 9man this fall. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">AAAA Results </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Becker 51, Hill-Murray 0 </em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Becker </em>came out swinging in week 1, beating a <em>Hill-Murray </em>squad that returned some serious talent, and putting the hurtin' on 'em too. The <em>Bulldogs </em>earned Head Coach Dwight Lundeen's 400th victory in the win, and once again asserted themselves as a title contender in Class AAAA. <strong>Owen Angell</strong> rushed 10 times for 121 yards and a TD, <strong>Cody Klatt </strong>rushed for two scores, and QB <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1602739' first='Sawyer' last='Brown']</strong> went 11-11 for 208 yards and 2 TDs in the win. <strong>Kaden Nicholas</strong> has a good day as well. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Orono 35, Zimmerman 14</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Good win by <em>Orono </em>here. Scoring 35 points on <em>Zimmerman's </em>defense is a big deal too. I thought <em>Zimmerman</em>, who have some of the most interesting 2026 and 2027 prospects in the state, would have brought this a little tighter, but <em>Orono</em>, who have an experienced and talented QB in <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1204490' first='Charlie' last='Cordes']</strong> as well as a plethora of talent around him. Looked like a diverse, team win by the <em>Spartans</em>, who also benefitted from a 90-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by sophomore <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1629924' first='Owen' last='Paulsen']</strong>. For <em>Zimmerman</em>, <strong>Thomas McEachern</strong> rushed 14 times for 123 yards and 2 TDs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Providence Academy 14, Byron 3</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Was definitely surprised by this scoreline. Two Gopher commits to going head-to-head as well in DL commits <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='552396' first='Abu' last='Tarawallie']</strong> (who missed all of his junior season to injury) and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='831981' first='Colin' last='Hansen']</strong> (who we watched earn the Gopher offer at camp this June). <em>Providence </em>is tougher than I expected, and they're led by a confident and steady signal-caller in senior <strong>Magnus Hansen</strong>. I'll be keeping a close eye on how the rest of the season goes for both teams. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Detroit Lakes 41, Rocori 14</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Have loved this home &amp; away non-conference matchup between these two 4A powers, and last year's matchup was a close one as<em> Detroit Lakes </em>walked away with a 27-25 win. This year ended with the same team winning, but was far less competitive. <em>Rocori</em>, who is without 2026 OT <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='591732' first='Andrew' last='Trout']</strong>, a Gopher commit with clear NFL talent, so I'm sure that played a part, but both teams lost and returned significant talent, so I'm surprised this one wasn't closer. As with any James Herberg-led squad though, look for <em>Rocori </em>to battle back and respond. Lot of football left in Class 4A. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><em>Academy of Holy Angels 34, Minneapolis North 31</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I watched this game live for <em>PrepRedzoneMN </em>on Friday, and the ensuing recap is live on the site, so I won't get into it too deep here. However, I want to give <em>North </em>their flowers and props in scheduling a non-conference matchup with a team a classification above there own. There were very few, if any, other matchups between teams in two different classes last week, and it's not an easy decision to make as a coaching staff, nor one to get fired up about if you're a player. However, as they say, to be the best you have to beat the best, and nonconf matchups like these pay off in the postseason. <em>AHA </em>had some serious muscle and size on their roster, and although <em>North </em>is smaller than I've seen them in years prior, they are physical, coordinated, and athletic, with a knack for big plays, and I could see them making some noise in Class AAA as the season goes on. AAA is looking tough at the top end, but you should never discount the <em>Polars</em>. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><em>Moorhead</em> 55, <em>Spring Lake Park </em>25</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I think the <em>Spuds </em>are going to be serious 5A state title contenders in 2024. This score is a good indicator, as <em>SLP </em>returned some serious talent and athleticism but were outmatched by the <em>Spuds</em>. <em>Moorhead</em>, led by 2027s <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1194605' first='Jett' last='Feeney']</strong> - a very promising young QB prospect who already looks like a D1 kid - and RB <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1288313' first='Taye' last='Reich']</strong> - the most athletic young RB prospect I've seen out of MN in a while, and are aided by size, varsity experience, and playmaking ability across the board. Headlined by North Dakota commit <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1204473' first='Owen' last='Thielges']</strong>, <em>Moorhead </em>has what it takes to go deep, and I like them early, as well as <em>Elk River</em>, when talkin' 5A contenders. I'm sure there will be more <em>Spuds</em> news coming out of NW Minnesota. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">More Notable Scores </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Pillager </em>18, <em>Osakis </em>16</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Barnum </em>9,<em> Moose Lake-Willow River</em> 6</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Prior Lake </em>22, <em>Forest Lake</em> 19</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>St. Paul Johnson</em> 38, <em>St. Paul Highland Park</em> 35</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Stewartville </em>24, <em>Waseca </em>6</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Watertown-Mayer</em> 42, <em>Austin </em>35</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Spring Grove </em>20, <em>Alden-Conger/Glenville-Emmons</em> 18</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Wabasha-Kellogg </em>21, <em>Kenyon-Wanamingo</em> 20</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Barnesville</em> 24, <em>Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton </em>15</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Perham </em>14, <em>Hawley</em> 12</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Farmington </em>28, <em>Mounds View</em> 26 (OT) </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Centennial</em> 42, <em>Coon Rapids</em> 0 (Good to see the defending champ bounce back with a good win. The <em>Cougs </em>lost some talent after their 6A title run) </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"large"} --> <p class="has-large-font-size">Top Individual Performances </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Top-10 Performances of Week 1 </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='743296' first='Taye' last='Manns'] </strong>(<em>Duluth Denfeld</em>) Senior. RB. - Playmaking senior <strong>Manns </strong>popped off for 20 carries, 254 yards, and 6 TDs against <em>Mora </em>for one of the best individual performances in the entire state. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1204067' first='Daniel' last='Jackson'] </strong>(<em>Alexandria</em>) Senior. K/P. - Golden Gophers commit <strong>Jackson </strong>drilled a 54-yard field goal in a win against <em>Chaska</em>, now tied for the second-longest FG in state history </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='743274' first='Kevon' last='Johnson']</strong> (<em>Robbinsdale Armstrong</em>) Senior. RB. - In the <em>Falcons </em>42-15 win over <em>St. Francis</em>, <strong>Johnson </strong>ran 21 times for 308 yards and 4 TDs </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='551376' first='Justice' last='Moody']</strong> <em>(St. Paul Johnson</em>) Junior. WR. - Explosive playmaker <strong>Moody </strong>caught 6 passes for 202 yards and 6 TDs, plus an interception, in a shootout with <em>St. Paul Highland Park </em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='945346' first='Cam' last='Hungerholt']</strong> (<em>LeRoy-Ostrander)</em> Senior. ATH. - A Minnesota State-Mankato commit, Hungerholt went 14 for 29 for 170 yards and 3 TDs, rushed 29 times for 181 yards and 2 TDs, and tallied 6 tackles </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1240284' first='Gavin' last='Gall'] </strong>(<em>St. Cloud Tech</em>) Senior. WR/DB. - The <em>PrepRedzoneMN </em>Showcase MVP caught 8 passes for 127 yards and 2 TDs, as well as 5 tackles and an interception, went 5/5 on extra points, 1/1 on field goals, and even added a 58 yard punt against <em>Cambridge-Isanti</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='246017' first='Maxwell' last='Erb'] </strong>(<em>Bloomington Jefferson)</em> Senior. QB. - In the <em>Jags </em>win vs. <em>New Prague</em>, <strong>Erb </strong>completed 10 passes on 18 attempts for 304 yards and 4 TDs</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='743258' first='Elijah' last='Adzimahe']</strong> (<em>North St. Paul</em>) Junior. QB. - The junior played a big role in <em>NSP </em>beating <em>St. Paul Como Park</em>, as he threw for 296 yards and 6 TDs and added 14 carries for 115 yards on the ground</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='348733' first='Brecken' last='Keoraj'] </strong><em>(Elk River)</em> Senior. ATH. - Athletic playmaker <strong>Keoraj </strong>ran for 274 yards and 3 TDs on only 10 attempts as the <em>Elks </em>beat up on defending state champs <em>Chanhassen</em>. Also had two tackles</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1048735' first='Deagan' last='Gondeck']</strong> (<em>Sauk Rapids-Rice)</em> Senior. DB. - <strong>Gondeck </strong>picked off three passes in <em>SRR's </em>40-14 drubbing of <em>Irondale</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Honorable Mentions </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1194605' first='[player_tooltip player_id='1194604' first='Jett' last='']' last='Feeney']</strong> (<em>Moorhead</em>) Sophomore. QB. - In a whooping of <em>SLP</em>, sophomore sensation <strong>Feeney </strong>went 21-31 through the air for 271 yards and 5 TDs</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Samuel Shaughnessy</strong> (<em>Blaine</em>) Senior. QB. - UMD commit <strong>Shaughnessy </strong>played three quarters in a win against <em>STMA</em>, posted 326 all-purpose yards and 2 TDs with a 87% completion clip</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='592118' first='Noah' last='Asuma'] </strong>(<em>Cherry</em>) Junior. RB. - Star two-sport athlete <strong>Asuma </strong>carried the rock 17 times for 205 yards and 2 TDs in a 39-0 win over <em>Blackduck </em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Dylan Scanlan</strong> (<em>Stewartville</em>) Senior. RB. - vs. <em>Waseca</em>, in a big AAA matchup, <strong>Scanlan </strong>carried the rock 20 times for 136 yards and 2 TDs</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1288386' first='Tommy' last='Subah']</strong> (<em>Burnsville</em>) Sophomore. WR. - vs. <em>Rochester Mayo</em>, <strong>Subah's </strong>introduction to varsity football went well, as he caught 7 passes for 123 yards and 2 TDs in the loss</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1194604' first='Jett' last=''] Olson </strong>(<em>Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg)</em> Senior. RB. Going to be a big year for <strong>Olson</strong>, who only played three quarters last week against <em>Deer River,</em> posting 9 carries for 96 yards, 4 receptions for 187 yards, 3 total TDs, and two tackles</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Braden Schulz </strong>(<em>Faribault</em>) Senior. RB. - In <em>Faribault's</em> win against<em> St. Anthony Village,</em> <strong>Schulz </strong>rushed for over 200 yards and 3 TDs</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1363926' first='Cooper' last='Crandall']</strong> (<em>International Falls)</em> Senior. RB/DB. - Crandall is going to be a stat-machine in 2024, and he got off to a good start in Week 1, posting 20 carries for 284 yards and 4 TDs, as well as two receptions for 22 yards and another score. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Jeff Ratliff </strong>(<em>SMB</em>) Senior. LB/RB. Against <em>Mound Westonka</em>, <strong>Ratliff </strong>popped off for 7 carries for 153 yards and 2 TDs, as well as a sack on defense</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='641223' first='Zach' last='Welch']</strong> (<em>Anoka</em>) Senior. RB/LB. - In <em>Anoka's </em>competitive win over <em>Champlin Park</em>, <strong>Welch </strong>rushed 23 times for 217 yards, as well as 25 receiving yards. and 2 TDs on a 9.4 YPC average</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Ayo Ogundeji </strong>(<em>Nevis</em>) Senior. RB. - One of the most explosive players in the small school ranks, <strong>Ogundeji </strong>went for 210 yards and a TD on the ground, as well as 7 solo tackles and 2 fumble recoveries</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1204385' first='Landon' last='Quist']</strong> (<em>Pipestone Area</em>) Senior. ATH. - The 6'5, 200 lber. passed for 268 yards and 4 TDs, and scored one himself, in a 15 pt. win against <em>Blue Earth</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='591990' first='Caleb' last='Francois']</strong> (<em>Minnetonka</em>) Sophomore. ATH. - A 2026 standout, <strong>Francois </strong>rushed 12 times for 247 yards and 3 TDs (20.6 YPC), and also went 2-4 for 2 more TDs and 52 yards through the air as <em>Tonka </em>beat <em>White Bear Lake</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='924232' first='Riley' last='Asmus']</strong> (<em>Morris Area/Chokio-Alberta)</em> Junior. ATH. - In a 46-27 win, <strong>Asmus </strong>caught 6 passes for 111 yards and 2 TDs and added 4 tackles and a sack on defense</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='321165' first='Alex' last='Blume']</strong> (<em>Perham</em>) Senior. ATH. - In a big win against <em>Hawley</em>, <strong>Blume </strong>completed 11 passes on 18 attempts for 161 yards and a TD. He also rushed for 41 yards and a TD, intercepted two passes, broke up a pass, and finished with four tackles</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1202008' first='Garlo' last='Gee']</strong> (<em>Austin</em>) Senior. RB/LB. - In a close loss to<em> Watertown-Mayer</em>, <strong>Gee </strong>scored 5 TDs, highlighted by 30 rushes for 226 yards and 4 TDs</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='924228' first='Jacob' last='Hartman']</strong> (<em>Minneapolis Southwest)</em> Junior. WR/DB. - The <em>Lakers</em> junior, in a loss to <em>Two Rivers</em>, caught 4 passes for 106 yards and a TD and added 8 tackles and an interception on defense</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1204473' first='Owen' last='Thielges'] </strong>(<em>Moorhead</em>) Senior. WR/DB. - The North Dakota commit scored 2 TDs, picked off a pass, and posted 6 tackles in only three quarters of action against <em>SLP </em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Desmond Moody</strong> (<em>Hopkins</em>) Junior. RB. - In a shootout against <em>Shakopee</em>, <strong>Moody </strong>rushed for 105 yards, added 20 yards through the air, and scored two TDs</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='660460' first='Noah' last='Theis']</strong> (<em>St. Cloud Tech</em>) Senior. QB. - <em>Tech Tiger </em>quarterback <strong>Theis </strong>threw at a 78% completion clip as he went 11-14 through the air for 197 yards and 4 TDs</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='582149' first='Eli' last='Klimek']</strong> (<em>Nevis </em>) Senior. LB. - <strong>Klimek </strong>posted 21 tackles in the 9man showdown between <em>Nevis </em>and <em>Sebeka</em>. <em>Nevis </em>got the W</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->