The Minnesota high school football season kicks off Thursday and Friday across the metro. Here’s a look at the Metro East subdistrict, with more team-by-team previews to come throughout the week.
East Ridge
East Ridge quarterback Cedric Tomes (3) stiff arms Park defesive back Kody Aikens for a short gain during the second half of the at Park High School in Cottage Grove Thursday, Aug. 29, 2024. East Ridge won 28-14. (Craig Lassig / Special to the Pioneer Press)
2024 record: 5-4 (lost in first round of Class 6A playoffs)
Returning starters: 7 on offense, 6 on defense
Impact returnees: Quarterback Cedric Tomes is a Gophers basketball commit who’s also the point guard of the Raptors’ offense. Threw for 10 touchdowns and ran for 10 more last fall. Henry Bern is a three-year defensive starter who can play linebacker or on the line and sports an offer from St. Thomas.
Shoutout to a lineman: Hayden Galvan is a returning starter capable of playing all five positions across the offensive line thanks in part to his high football IQ.
Schedule: at Minnetonka, vs. Hopkins, at Roseville, vs. White Bear Lake, vs. Mounds View, at Forest Lake, vs. Stillwater, at Woodbury
The skinny: Raptors coach Dan Fritze raves about the connectivity of his group and the quality of their character. On the field, the team’s versatility shines through, with Ben Knaup oscillating between offensive line, defensive line and … running back, and Jack Wennerberg, Nick Gerhardt and Matthew Brennan among those who can play both ways.
Tight end Andrew Tharaldson and running back Vince Hurley are also among offensive playmakers.
Forest Lake
2024 record: 7-3 (lost in second round of Class 6A playoffs)
Returning starters: 8 on offense, 7 on defense
Impact returnees: Defensive lineman Howie Johnson, a Gophers commit who tallied 32 tackles for loss in 2024, and running back Mack Jurkovich, who ran for 1,165 yards and nine scores as a sophomore.
Shoutout to a lineman: Senior Jack Chelgren is a returner on the offensive front.
Schedule: vs. Prior Lake, at Anoka, vs. Park, vs. Woodbury, at White Bear Lake, vs. East Ridge, at Mounds View, at Stillwater.
The skinny: The Rangers return 100% of their skill player production from last fall, a nearly impossible feat in high school sports. Highlighting that list is quarterback Connor Johnson. Forest Lake’s entire defensive line returns, as do three senior linebackers (Nate Schleif, Cullen Christenson and AJ Degerstrom). Even uber-talented kicker Jayden Onuonga is back.
So much experience to build off last year’s stellar season creates a high bar for this Rangers season.
Said Rangers coach Brad Beeskow: “This is a hungry group that is ready to take the next step.”
Mounds View
2024 record: 8-3 (lost in Class 6A state quarterfinals)
Returning starters: 3 on offense, 3 on defense
Impact returnees: An all-district performer, Godson Rufus-Okomhanru is a special receiver/running back on offense who is also critical to the Mustangs’ defense. One of the premier two-way players in the state.
Shoutout to a lineman: Junior Max Hoerneman.will play both ways and touts a high motor and a relentless work ethic.
Schedule: at Lakeville South, vs. Roseville, at Maple Grove, vs. Stillwater, at East Ridge, at Woodbury, vs. Forest Lake, vs. White Bear Lake.
The skinny: There may be some assumption the Mustangs will take a step back sans do-it-all star quarterback Jacob Sampson. But Beckham Wheeler is next up, and the 6-foot-4 signal caller has a strong frame, can move, had a strong offseason and has taken on a leadership role in the program.
Mounds View graduated 18 seniors from last year’s standout squad. This year’s juniors and seniors went a combined 3-13 on their freshmen teams.
Yet coach Aaron Moberg has a firm belief in this group and its work ethic.
“We will be young, but I believe these guys are on a mission to write their own special story,” Mobert said. “They are a joy to coach and develop.”
Stillwater
Stillwater running back Emilio Rosario-Matias runs for a 70 yard touchdown during the first half of the at Stillwater High School in Oak Park Heights Friday, Aug. 29, 2024. (Craig Lassig / Special to the Pioneer Press)
2024 record: 4-5 (lost in first round of Class 6A playoffs)
Returning starters: 5 on offense, 2 on defense
Impact returnees: Running back Emilio Rosario Matias, who ran for 1,207 yards and 12 touchdowns last fall and defensive lineman Khalid Afuye, an Iowa State commit who tallied 61 tackles in 2024.
Shoutout to a lineman: Nolan von Behren is a captain who played nine positions for the Ponies last season, including long snapper.
Schedule: vs. Maple Grove, at Park, vs. Shakopee, at Mounds View, at Woodbury, vs. White Bear Lake, at East Ridge, vs. Forest Lake
The skinny: Nick Kinsey’s family move means Stillwater is transitioning at quarterback a year early. But the Ponies do have another arm ready to roll. Jack Runk played wide receiver as a sophomore, but the all-state shortstop could be the latest special Stillwater signal caller.
The Ponies’ early season schedule does them no favors – Stillwater hosts defending state champion Maple Grove to open the season Thursday and welcomes Shakopee, a state semifinalist from a year ago, in Week 3.
But Stillwater again figures to be a major player in the Metro East when the subdistrict schedule begins, and Ponies coach Beau LaBore called this year’s team a “very team-entered group that loves football.”
White Bear Lake
White Bear Lake quarterback Oluwatomi Animasaun (5) takes the snap in the third quarter of the high school football game between Roseville and White Bear Lake at White Bear Lake High School in White Bear Lake on Friday, Oct. 11, 2024. (Matt Blewett / Special to Pioneer Press)
2024 record: 3-6 (lost in first round of Class 6A playoffs)
Returning starters: 4 on offense, 5 on defense
Impact returnees: Senior quarterback Tomi Animasaun enters his third year under center. He threw for nearly 1,500 yards last season. Linebacker Vince Kazmierczak is a big, strong kid who could go both ways for the Bears.
Shoutout to a lineman: Center Josh LaPean lived in the weight room in the offseason, putting on 40 pounds to get himself into a position to play.
Schedule: vs. Park, at Coon Rapids, vs. Farmington, at East Ridge, vs. Forest Lake, at Stillwater, vs. Woodbury, at Mounds View.
The skinny: White Bear Lake is built on team speed, particularly this season. The Bears are flush with athletes, which is evident in the backfields. On defense, the Bears have the likes of ballhawking safety Lincoln Bacha and stout corners Ty Mueller and Braylon Minor. Offensively, the skill position speed of Easton Miles and junior running back Brian White lll, who ran for 144 yards against Stillwater last year before going down with an injury the following week, should present opposing defenses with problems.
Woodbury
2024 record: 2-7 (lost in first round of Class 6A playoffs)
Returning starters: 7 on offense and 6 on defense
Impact returnees: Junior Nolan Freymiller is a tight end and safety who played H-back last year but will be all over the field this fall. Junior running back Mark Mathis is back healthy and, when that’s the case, he’s extremely explosive.
Shoutout to a lineman: Senior defensive end Ethan Olson is one of Woodbury’s two captains and, as coach Andy Hill put it, “has really embodied everything a high school football program hopes to be.”
Schedule: at Roseville, vs. Moorhead, at Hopkins, at Forest Lake, vs. Stillwater, vs. Mounds View, at White Bear Lake, vs. East Ridge
The skinny: Woodbury was a hyper-young team a year ago and, frankly, that’s still true to some degree this year, as the Royals have a strong core of juniors to complement their current senior class.
In that sense, the Royals are building something. Woodbury coach Andy Hill said the Royals recorded their sheer volume and attendance numbers in their offseason strength program were the best they’ve been in his 15 years at the helm.
Related Articles
Wisconsin high school football: A look at Western Wisconsin teams heading into 2025
The late George Thole’s lasting legacy in Stillwater: He motivated, he joked, he won, he cared.
High School Football: Triton’s Pierce Petersohn picks Penn State over UMN
Leave a Reply