Week 10 southeastern Minnesota High School Football Power Rankings

Nov. 3—What more can we say about Caledonia? The 2026 version of the Warriors is giving off similar vibes to its dominant teams of a decade ago. They have allowed 44 total points all season. They recorded their fifth shutout of the year on Saturday, a 34-0 Section 1-2A semifinal win against Rushford-Peterson, a team that had taken the Warriors to overtime in the season opener on Sept. 4. Caledonia can score — its 42.2 points per game leads the section and is the third-best mark in the state in Class 2A — but its defense sets it apart. The Warriors lead Class 2A with a 4.9 points allowed per game average, which is fourth-best in the state regardless of class, behind only Pierz (Section 7, Class 3A, 3.7 papg); Hills-Beaver Creek (Section 3, 9-Player, 4.4 papg); and Cook County (Section 7, 9-Player, 4.8 papg).

Last Week: Beat Rushford-Peterson 34-0 in Section 1-2A semifinals.

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Up Next: Section 1-2A championship game, vs. Dover-Eyota, 7 p.m. Friday, at Paul Giel Field, Winona.

You like points? Byron put up 62 of ’em on Saturday. You like defense? Byron allowed 0 points on Saturday. The Bears made quick work of Winona in a Section 1-4A semifinal game and are a win away from reaching the Class 4A state tournament for the third time in four years. Byron has allowed 28 total points in its past five games, and hasn’t surrendered double-figures since beating Faribault 77-14 in Week 4. Up next for the Bears: a chance to avenge a narrow loss to rival Kasson-Mantorville in last year’s section championship game.

Last Week: Beat Winona 62-0 in Section 1-4A semifinals.

Up Next: Section 1-4A championship game, vs. Kasson-Mantorville, 7 p.m. Friday, at Mayo High School.

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The Southland boys basketball team qualified for a state tournament for the first time ever last winter. It hasn’t been “forever” for the Rebels’ football team, but 36 years probably feels like it. The Rebels have a chance this week to win a section football championship for the first time since 1990. To do it, though, they’ll have to go through defending section champ Fillmore Central. Southland pulled off a 22-20 win against the Falcons on Sept. 11, which snapped Fillmore Central’s 16-game regular-season winning streak. The Rebels are on a roll, though, having scored at least 45 points in each of their past five games.

Last Week: Beat Lewiston-Altura 45-20 in Section 1-1A semifinals.

Up Next: Section 1-1A championship game, vs. Fillmore Central, 7 p.m. Friday, at Dover-Eyota High School, Eyota.

The Bombers keep humming along. Since their only loss this season — 34-7 at Chatfield in Week 3 — they have averaged 45.8 points per game and have outscored their six opponents by an average of 23.6 points per game. Cannon Falls is clicking in all three phases; at one point early in the second quarter of its 38-7 Section 4, Class 2A semifinal win over Central on Saturday, the Bombers had scored three touchdowns but had only run two offensive plays. They scored on their first two plays from scrimmage, and had a 94-yard Trey Schoenfelder punt return for a TD in between.

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Last Week: Beat Central 38-7 in Section 4-2A semifinals.

Up Next: Section 4-2A championship game, vs. Goodhue, 7 p.m. Friday, at Triton High School, Dodge Center.

It’s not often a team seems to be, ahem, flying under the radar when it is a defending section champion and has just one loss, that coming by just two points, against a team that has also lost just once. The Falcons have somewhat quietly just kept winning since suffering their lone setback this year, a 22-20 defeat at Southland on Sept. 11. Those teams will meet again this week, with the Falcons looking to get to state for the second straight season and the fourth time in five years. Southland has the section’s best offense (43.1 ppg), but Fillmore Central counters with the section’s best defense (10.6 ppg allowed).

Last Week: Beat New Richland-H-E-G 28-6 in Section 1-1A semifinals.

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Up Next: Section 1-1A championship game, vs. Southland, 7 p.m. Friday, at Dover-Eyota High School, Eyota.

After an 11-day break from game action following their only loss so far this season, the Panthers started slow but snapped to life after halftime in Saturday’s 35-6 win against La Crescent-Hokah. Pine Island, the defending Section 1-3A champion, is a tough matchup for opponents because of its depth. The Panthers aren’t overly big along the lines, but they are physically strong and agile. They can hand the ball to multiple backs, all with different strengths (six players carried the ball for them in their win against the Lancers).

Last Week: Beat La Crescent-Hokah 35-6 in Section 1-3A semifinals.

Up Next: Section 1-3A championship game, vs. Zumbrota-Mazeppa, 7 p.m. Friday, at KMTelecom Stadium, Kasson.

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Zumbrota-Mazeppa snapped one streak on Saturday. If they can snap another on Friday, they’ll head to a place they haven’t been in three decades, the high school football state tournament. With their 30-14 win against Winona Cotter on Saturday, Z-M earned its first trip to the section championship game in 10 years. Waiting for the Cougars there will be rival Pine Island. Z-M played the Panthers to a 10-point game in the regular season. The Cougars enter the section final on a seven-game winning streak, and with the top offense (38.7 points per game) and defense (7.0 points allowed per game) in the section. Z-M has recorded five shutouts this season and is averaging 45.0 ppg in seven games since its loss to Pine Island.

Last Week: Beat Winona Cotter 30-14 in Section 1-3A semifinals.

Up Next: Section 1-3A championship game, vs. Pine Island, 7 p.m. Friday, at KMTelecom Stadium, Kasson.

Sure, the Wildcats have a stingy defense, at 10.2 points per game allowed it’s the best in Section 4, Class 2A, by more than 10 points per game. Sure, they can score, too, their 39.1 ppg average leaving them as one of just two teams in the section to average more than 15.1 ppg this fall. The only team in the section to average more? That’s the Cannon Falls Bombers, who score just 1.0 ppg more (40.1), and they’re Goodhue’s opponent in Friday’s section final. The Wildcats seek their third straight trip to state, having reached the Prep Bowl last year. They also get a shot to avenge their Week 6 loss to Cannon Falls, a tight 36-30 game.

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Last Week: Beat Randolph 56-12 in Section 4-2A semifinals.

Up Next: Section 4-2A championship game, vs. Cannon Falls, 7 p.m. Friday, at Triton High School, Dodge Center.

Dover-Eyota has two losses this season. It avenged one on Saturday night in the Section 1-2A semifinals, beating visiting Rochester Lourdes 27-7. The Eagles had all three phases of their game going, scoring a rushing TD, two passing TDs and on a kickoff return for a TD. The Eagles defense forced three turnovers. They’ll need all those phases to click again on Friday, when they face No. 1-ranked Caledonia in the Section 1-2A final. D-E is looking for its first trip to state since 2000.

Last Week: Beat Lourdes 27-7 in Section 1-2A semifinals.

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Up Next: Section 1-2A championship game, vs. Caledonia, 7 p.m. Friday, at Paul Giel Field, Winona.

The KoMets have shown a flair for the dramatic in big games over the past two seasons. They’ve also shown a poise necessary to win those games. They did it again on Saturday, running their field-goal unit onto the field with the final 10 seconds running out, before Walker Fjerstad booted a 20-yard field goal as time expired to help K-M beat Stewartville 10-7 to reach the Section 1-4A final. K-M has won five of its past six games, and has allowed more than 7 points in a game just once in that stretch.

Last Week: Beat Stewartville 10-7 in Section 1-4A semifinals.

Up Next: Section 1-4A championship game, vs. Byron, 7 p.m. Friday, at Mayo High School.

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—Lanesboro (8-2): The top-seeded Burros average 39.6 points per game and have allowed just 16 total points through two Section 1, 9-Player playoff games.

—Stewartville (7-2): The Tigers saw their season end with a last-second field goal against Kasson-Mantorville for a second straight year. They allowed more than 19 points in a game just once this year.

—Spring Grove (7-3): The Lions will play for the Section 1, 9-Player title on Friday. They’ve reached the Prep Bowl the last three times they’ve been to state (2017, ’18, ’22).

—Rochester Century (5-5): The Panthers have won three in a row, including upsetting No. 1-seeded Owatonna. Three of Century’s five losses this season are by one score.

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—Blooming Prairie/Hayfield (7-3): The first-year co-op takes a four-game winning streak into Friday’s Section 2, Class 2A title game against Waterville-Elysian-Morristown.

—Winona Cotter (7-3): The Ramblers seniors have plenty to be proud of, compiling a 16-5 record over their final two seasons.

—Rushford-Peterson (7-3): The Trojans are building under second-year coach Robbie Strand. After a three-win season last year, R-P won seven games this fall and averaged 32.9 points.