The Minnesota high school football season kicks off Thursday and Friday across the metro. Here’s a a selection of teams in the eastern metro, with more team-by-team previews to come throughout the week.

Centennial

2024 record: 4-5 (lost in first round of Class 6A playoffs)

Returning starters: 5 on offense, 3 on defense

Impact returnees: Justin Driver is a ball-hawking safety, while quarterback Isaac Belinski Strauss and running back Celeb Melser can engineer Centennial’s traditional rushing attack.

Shoutout to a lineman: Defensive tackle Josh O’Shea is a three-year starter and an all-district performer who forced three fumbles last year and could be one of the Cougars’ best defensive lineman ever.

Schedule: at Rosemount, at Osseo, at Champlin Park, vs. Andover, at Rogers, vs. Roseville, at Blaine, vs. Anoka

The skinny: Centennial features plenty of fresh faces this fall. But coach Mike Diggins noted the Cougars have improved team speed and likes how hard the group works. It’s possible Centennial could start slow, but it’s a program that’s always better by season’s end.

If Belinski Strauss and Melser can find success behind linemen such as Samuel Bianconi and Tyler Cook, the Cougars could be dangerous.

Eastview

2024 record: 2-7 (lost in first round of Class 6A playoffs)

Returning starters: 8 on offense, 4 on defense

Impact returnees: Junior corner Trey Sanders is one of the top defensive backs in the metro, while Harrison Weldon and Matty McGrath figure to post some gaudy receiving numbers.

Shoutout to a lineman: Center Aiden Petter is the leader of the Lightning. Eastview coach Wade Buckley said Petter was “instrumental in leading our off season lifting, and brings the energy every practice. Very cool to have an O lineman be our energy leader.”

Schedule: at Farmington, vs. Rosemount, at Eagan, vs. Roseville, vs. Coon Rapids, at Hopkins, vs. Eden Prairie, at Park.

The skinny: Eastview returns all of its skill position players, including quarterback QB Quinn Curry. JC Green, who also received quarterback snaps last year, is expected to have a big year at corner.

Blocking to set the table for those skill position players are not only returnees such as Petter and Kaden McCauley, but also look out for sophomore tackle Owen Bauer. The 6-foot-8 standout figures to help power Eastview’s running game, which should benefit the likes of Drew Bartosh, who aims to bounce back from a torn ACL suffered last season. Kicker Rylan Helvie is also a weapon with a big leg.

Buckley said his players haven’t missed an optional activity. That work ethic combined with the returning talent could make Eastview a threat even to the more traditional powers in subdistrict crossovers.

Park

2024 record: 2-7 (lost in first round of Class 6A playoffs)

Returning starters: 3 on offense, 9 on defense

Impact returnees: Matthew Kamande is a three-year starter dynamic enough to play multiple skill positions, while Keon Moody has produced at both linebacker and running back.

Shoutout to a lineman: Kellen Simmons is a junior who plays both ways and has a high ceiling.

Schedule: at White Bear Lake, vs. Stillwater, at Forest Lake, at Hopkins, vs. Wayzata, vs. Coon Rapids, at Roseville, vs. Eastview

The skinny: Still known for their work as pioneers by wearing guardian caps at every grade level, including in games, Park also sports a lot of fresh talent on this year’s team.

The Wolfpack are excited about potential contributions from receiver Kalab Miftah, safety Nolan Sease and running back Kody Alkens. And don’t sleep on the addition of new defensive coordinator Rob McCarthy, who has a lengthy collegiate coaching resume that includes head coach and defensive coordinator stints.

Roseville

2024 record: 3-6 (lost in first round of Class 6A playoffs)

Returning starters: 7 total

Impact returnees: Cortez Berry and Cohen Stephenson are third-year starters on the defensive line who will key that unit’s success.

Shoutout to a lineman: Center Axel Stephens is “Mr. Do Everything” for the Raiders. And his improvement since last fall is palpable.

Schedule: vs. Woodbury, at Mounds View, vs. East Ridge, at Eastview, vs. Hopkins, at Centennial, vs. Park, at Coon Rapids

The skinny: Defense will again be what Roseville hangs its hat on. Along with Berry and Stephenson, Will VanVorst will patrol from the safety spot, while Amos Hanson, Aiden Venne and Cam Finney are part of a strong linebacking core.

Excitement is building for junior Chase Browning at quarterback after he put forth a strong offseason. The Raiders have rebuilt their program on the work, and coach Andy Stephenson doesn’t believe any group has exemplified that more than this one.

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Many students returning to Minnesota classrooms this year will find new restrictions in place on cellphone use.

A number of schools implemented policies on cellphones last year, but this year is the first that districts are mandated to have one.

District-wide policies provide consistency for schools and staff, said Jamil Payton, principal of Johnson Senior High School in St. Paul.

“One of the things that came up when we started around this time last year … was some teachers were like, ‘I’m down to do this, but everybody’s got to do it,’” Payton said. “‘I don’t want to be the teacher that’s going hard on this policy — or not just policy, I mean these expectations — but then when a student goes to the next class, the teacher lets them have their phones out, and then when they come back to me, they’re like, ‘Well, so-and-so let me have my phone out.’”

A “Phone Cubby” waits to be installed in a classroom at Oak-Land Middle School in Lake Elmo on Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)

At St. Paul Public Schools, the use of personal electronic devices is not permitted during school hours, but high schools can develop their own plans. At Johnson Senior High School, students will need to place their phones in phone pouches near the teacher’s desk and can use their phones only during passing time and lunch.

Parents need to sign off on the policy as part of back-to-school forms and signs will be up in school buildings spelling out the new rules.

Executive Chief of Schools Andrew Collins said at a SPPS board meeting Tuesday that he thinks there’s a “high level of confidence and readiness” on the new regulations.

Student behavior, attendance

White Bear Lake Schools rolled out their cellphone policy for the 2024-25 school year, which requires that students put their phones in cellphone sleeves at the front of the classroom at the start of class.

“It’s just a constant battle because students, again, as over the summer, they’re not going to have much restricted use, and we’re going to have to deal with that when school starts again,” said Russ Reetz, White Bear Lake High School principal. “So it’s going to be another major campaign on our behalf to remind students of our expectations and help wean them off that screen time.”

It was a “really successful year,” with fewer fights and social media-related conflicts among students during the school day, Reetz said. Improved behavior also meant less resources that staff were using to respond to what was happening, he said.

“Our attendance went up, our grades,” Reetz said. “We saw students doing better in the classroom, higher GPAs. And so all of that we attribute back to the fact that we didn’t have the distraction of the phone in the students’ hands.”

Students also seemed to use their phones less even when they were allowed to have them, such as lunch or passing time for high schoolers, said Nate Beulah, White Bear Lake High School associate principal.

Without cellphones, students can’t reach their friends unless they’re in class with them, which may play a part in attendance, Beulah said.

“If you can’t reach them, you can’t teach them. And so I think the cellphone policy offers the opportunity to have more kids in class initially, and then we engage them,” Beulah said. “We kind of turn the dream machine on, light the fire, and that’s the way we keep them in the class.”

‘They know we’re serious’

Stillwater Public Schools, which started its school year this week, doesn’t allow any cellphone use during the school day, including during lunch or passing time. For Stillwater High School science teacher Stacy Bartlett, that has meant less time telling students to put their phones away.

“In banning the cellphones, we’re painting everybody with the same broad brush,” Bartlett said. “And the benefit to it is, I don’t have to ask the students to put away their cellphone. They know that we’re serious, and I know they know we’re serious because they haven’t had their phones out. But we also missed the opportunity to model and teach when is it appropriate to have that cellphone out. The other side of that coin is that if the cellphones aren’t banned, then it’s going to be taken advantage of, the fact that there is some wiggle room in there. So we’ll see how it goes. But so far, it’s been really nice to not have to be fighting that battle.”

In the different districts and schools, students sometimes test boundaries – like wearing wireless headphones in a way that obscures them from the teacher or by bringing an extra phone to school.

‘Beneficial on a number of different levels’

At Hill-Murray School, a private school in Maplewood, some students initially tried to get around the use of Yondr pouches – a pouch that locks magnetically and is unlocked at the end of the school day.

But students don’t really fight the policy anymore, said Hill-Murray School President Melissa Dan, and school officials have seen an increase in student engagement and better behavior and performance.

It’s also improved safety and security in the school because students can’t covertly take videos of others without their permission, Dan said.

It’s still too early for districts and education officials to know the full effects of cellphone policies in schools in areas, but a number of administrators say they’ve seen positive effects.

“I think the group that appreciated it the most is the student body,” Beulah said. “Once we’re able to remove some of the barriers, distractions, or however you might see that, the classroom just looks, feels and sounds different. And when you walk into a classroom, the learning is happening and you see kids helping kids and it’s really beneficial on a number of different levels, but I’ve seen the most gratitude from the student body.”

Mary Divine contributed to this report. 

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School districts across the state have adopted policies on student cellphone use after the Legislature mandated them last year.

With school about to begin for many districts — and already in session in some — districts are letting parents and students know what to expect regarding cellphones.

The Pioneer Press reached out to 10 of the largest public schools in Ramsey, Washington and Dakota counties — as well as Hill-Murray School, a private school in Maplewood — to get information on their policies and how to find out more.

A student with a cellphone after school dismisses for the day at Oak-Land Middle School in Lake Elmo on Wednesday, Aug. 20. Oak-Land is part of the Stillwater Area Public Schools District, where officials decided in March to adopt a phone-free school day policy starting this school year. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)

Ramsey County

Mounds View Public Schools

The Mounds View Public Schools board passed its cellphone policy in March following feedback from a cellphone advisory group, as well as surveys and community conversations.

Students in elementary schools cannot use cellphones at any time during school hours. Middle and high schoolers can use their cellphones during school hours that don’t include scheduled class time or other school-related activities, meaning phones can be out during passing times, recess or lunch.

Because of the range of student ages, discipline is based on individual situations.

To see more about the policy, go to mvpschools.org/about/news/cellphones.

North St. Paul-Maplewood Oakdale School District

At the high school level, cellphones are not allowed in any learning spaces, such as classrooms, flexible learning spaces or the school gymnasium. In those spaces, they should be away and silenced or turned off. However, students can have their phones out during passing time or at lunch.

At the middle school level, cellphones are put away during the entire school day, including lunch and passing time.

Students will have their phones taken away if they have them out during class time, and they will be returned at the end of class on the first offense. If used a second time, the device would need to be picked up at the end of the school day. With any further use, a parent would need to pick up the cellphone and administrators may schedule a meeting to come up with a support plan for the student.

The district sent out information on the cellphone policy last fall along with other back-to-school guidelines. The district doesn’t have any rules preventing students from wearing smartwatches, though there are some protocols for high schoolers to remove them during exams.

To see an example, go to north.isd622.org/about/cell-phone-policy.

Roseville Schools

District officials in Roseville Schools developed their cellphone plan at the start of the 2024-25 school year.

At the middle school level, students must keep any electronic devices other than their school-issued iPad in their locker during the entire school day, including during passing time and lunch. Earbuds can be used with teacher permission but only during class time. High schoolers can use their cellphones and other devices like tablets and headphones during their lunch period and passing time, but they must be silenced and put away during class time; teachers will have bins for storage.

Phones are confiscated if a student does not follow expectations and can be collected at the end of the day. If violations continue, the student’s family will be contacted.

To see more about policy, go to rahs.isd623.org/about/student-family-handbook and select “Electronics Policy” under the “General Information” section.

St. Paul Public Schools

St. Paul Public Schools’ policy states that the use of personal electronic devices will not be permitted during school hours and such devices must either remain at home or in lockers or be turned off and put away. That includes cellphones, tablets, laptops, smartwatches, gaming systems and earbuds.

As part of the approved cellphone policy, high schools can develop their own documented plans with school stakeholders for grades nine and above that must be reviewed annually.

While most SPPS high schools do allow cellphone use during passing time, some, such as Central Senior High School, Creative Arts Secondary and Gordon Parks High School, do not allow cellphones during any part of the school day.

To learn more about the policy, go to spps.org/families/students-rights-responsibilities.

White Bear Lake Schools

Students at White Bear Lake Schools follow a “bell-to-bell” cellphone policy, which was rolled out for the 2024-25 school year, with cellphone use allowed for high school students only during lunch and passing periods. During class time, high school students must have their phone silenced or turned off and they are placed in phone caddies at the front of the classroom. Parents can still email or message their student through school-provided laptops.

Students are given one warning before the phone is taken away for the remainder of the day and the next day and parents are contacted. If there are repeated issues, administrators may meet with the student and parents to come up with a solution.

District officials held sessions with incoming seniors to develop the policy and surveyed parents. A letter sent out to families ahead of the 2024-25 school year informed them of the district’s cellphone policy.

The policy isn’t expected to change going into this coming school year, but the high school will be adding “compliancy walks,” where members of the administration team check on classrooms to ensure staff and students are following the policy.

To see more about the policy, go to tinyurl.com/mt5u4tft.

Hill-Murray School

At Hill-Murray School in Maplewood, one of the largest private schools in the metro area with around 1,095 students, students keep their phones in Yondr pouches. The pouches magnetically lock and students are not allowed to open them again until the end of the school day.

The policy was implemented last school year and students have generally come to accept it, according to district officials. Having Yondr pouches has worked better for the district than previous cellphone rules and district officials say they have seen better behavior and performance among students.

To learn more about the policy, go to hill-murray.org/perspectives/new-cell-phone-policy/.

Dakota County

Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District

The Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District adopted a cellphone policy in June for its roughly 7,100 students.

Elementary and middle-school students, who account for nearly 70% of the district’s students, are prohibited from using personal electronic communication devices on school premises from the first bell to the final bell of the day, including lunch and recess.

High school students are prohibited from using their devices during instructional time, but they may be used during passing times and lunch periods, though it is discouraged.

High school students may wear smartwatches, but notifications must be silenced, and they are not allowed to use communication apps or features that are prohibited on other devices.

For students of all ages, personal electronic communication devices are to be kept in designated areas and silenced. And devices are not to be used to engage in bullying, cyberbullying, harassment or discrimination. Devices are also not to be used at any time in locker rooms or bathrooms.

To see more on the policy, go to tinyurl.com/3fusujhc.

Lakeville Schools

The school board of Lakeville Schools updated and approved cellphone policies in February.

For the more than 5,000 elementary students and roughly 2,800 middle-school students in the district, “cellphones and other personal electronic devices should remain silent and out of sight during the school day.”

For the nearly 4,000 high school students, cellphones and other personal electronic devices, including earpieces, are to remain silent and out of sight during classes. They may, however, be used “appropriately and respectfully before and after classes, in hallways, or outside of the school building when classes are not in session.”

Students of all ages are not permitted to use electronic devices in a disruptive manner or for the “transmission or viewing of inappropriate content, violation of others’ privacy rights, cheating, harassing or bullying behavior.”

Furthermore, “Students shall not record, photograph, or video other students or school employees on school property, on a school bus, or at a school-sponsored event without their permission, except for activities considered to be open to the public.”

For more information on the policy, go to tinyurl.com/mw3nb7mh.

Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan

Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan is the largest Dakota County school district with nearly 30,000 students enrolled.

In March, the district’s school board adopted a cellphone policy that codified existing practices.

Middle schools and elementary schools in the district, which account for 18,000 students, require cellphones to be off and out of sight for the instructional day, including passing time, recess, lunch and field trips.

For the roughly 9,000 high school students, cellphones are permitted before and after the instructional day, during passing times and at lunch, provided they are not used in a disruptive manner.

For students of any age in the district, cellphones are not to be used to cheat, bully or harass. Additionally, cellphones are never to be used in bathrooms or locker rooms. The district policy also extends to “other personal electronic devices” students may have.

To see an example of the policy, go to tinyurl.com/yc2yys9x.

Washington County

South Washington County Schools

South Washington County Schools policy, implemented last year, says that at the high school level, cellphones, smartwatches and other similar devices are not allowed to be used in classrooms or instructional spaces, including the media center, or during lockdowns or fire drills. They also cannot be used to take photos or videos without permission, as is the case for many districts in the metro area. However, students can use cellphones during passing time or lunch.

At the middle school level, students must keep their electronic devices — including cellphones, smartwatches, AirPods and other wearable devices capable of messaging or calls — in their lockers or the main office.

Parents are encouraged to contact the school office if they need to reach their student.

To learn more about the policy, go to sowashco.org/families/cell-phones.

Stillwater Public Schools

At Stillwater Public Schools, later school start time for high school students begins this year, the school year starts a week earlier, and no cellphones are allowed for students at school.

District officials decided in March to adopt a phone-free school day policy starting this school year. All schools in the district are phone- and device-free for all students pre-K to 12 from the first bell of the day until the last.

The policy, which covers phones, earbuds, smartwatches and other personal devices, applies to instructional time, lunch periods, recess, school-sponsored programs, events or activities, or any other time during the designated school day.

Students who bring devices to school are responsible for turning them in at their school office — or store them elsewhere, depending on the school — at the start of the day; they will be stored in a locked cabinet or lockbox until the end of the day.

If a student is seen using a phone, smartwatch, earbuds or other device during the school day, school officials will confiscate the device and store it in the school’s main office until a parent comes to school to pick it up. Repeat violations will lead to a required parent conference and a response plan.

Parents who need to contact students can call the main office and have a message relayed to the student; parents of secondary students can email their students on their school-issued devices. If a student needs to contact their parent during the school day, a phone will be available in the main office.

To learn more about the policy, go to stillwaterschools.org/our-district/school-board/district-policies/phone-free-policy.

Mary Divine and Talia McWright contributed to this report. 

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Authorities in Wyoming have suspended search and rescue efforts for a Minnesota hiker who’s been missing for more than three weeks.

Grant Gardner, 38, of Lakeville, was last heard from on the evening of July 29. He texted his wife to let her know he reached the top of Cloud Peak — at an elevation of more than 13,000 feet — in a rugged wilderness area in north-central Wyoming.

Gardner said the climb was more taxing than he expected, and that he was planning to head to a lower elevation for the night. He hasn’t been heard from since.

Authorities launched an extensive air and ground search for Gardner. But in an update this week, Big Horn County Sheriff Ken Blackburn said crews are now moving to a search-and-recovery operation.

The sheriff called it a “heartbreaking and difficult decision” made in consultation with Gardner’s family.

“Our teams have exhausted all resources and personnel over the last 20 days. With weather conditions and other factors updated in our search models, we have to face the reality that the most optimistic survival odds have run out,” Blackburn wrote.

While the approach is changing, authorities reiterated that the search for Gardner has not ended. Blackburn said those efforts will resume as time and evidence allow.

“Many team members feel like they have lost a battle by not finding Grant at this time, however, it was not for a lack of effort on anyone’s part,” the sheriff wrote. “We hope clues will surface that will help bring a final closure to this tragedy in due time.”

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