CHICAGO — Mick Abel’s first pitch to Colson Montgomery missed badly, well wide of the zone. His second pitch to the Chicago White Sox shortstop was right over the heart of the zone. And Montgomery didn’t miss it, bashing a pitch left over the heart of the zone out to right field.

A day after Royce Lewis hit a grand slam, Montgomery returned the favor, his second-inning blast helping spoil Abel’s Twins debut in Chicago’s 7-3 win on Saturday night at Rate Field.

The grand slam capped a six-run inning for the White Sox and came immediately after the Twins’ rookie had issued a bases-loaded walk to bring home the go-ahead run. All told, the White Sox had three singles, a pair of walks and a home run in the second against Abel as they took firm control of the game. Five of the six runs they scored came with two outs.

Abel, acquired as part of the return from the Philadelphia Phillies for star closer Jhoan Duran, lasted three innings in his first start as a Twin.

Projected to be a rotation piece for the Twins moving forward, Abel began his Twins career in Triple-A, making three starts for the Saints before the Twins called upon him Saturday. It marked just the seventh start of his career for Abel, who was the 15th overall pick in the 2020 draft and is now among the Twins’ top pitching prospects.

After his departure, Thomas Hatch came on in relief and threw five strong innings, giving up just a solo home run and helping keep the game in check, but the Twins could never pull back even.

All three Twins runs came via the solo home runs — Kody Clemens hit one in the second inning, Matt Wallner his 17th of the season in the fourth and Lewis his second in as many days in the seventh.

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Almost Twins: Two new players could pass for each other

CHICAGO — It was just over three weeks ago that the Twins’ front office went on a trading spree, shipping players north, south, east and west as they tried to reshape and retool a roster that had been underperforming for nearly a full calendar year.

They received, in return, a handful of players years away from reaching the majors and some much, much closer.

Among that group, Mick Abel, considered to be the best pitching prospect received at the deadline and Taj Bradley, who has lost his top-prospect status because he has spent large parts of the past three seasons in the majors.

And yet, the Twins left those two in Triple-A, choosing to patch together the rotation for weeks around Joe Ryan, Bailey Ober and Zebby Matthews. No more.

Now, finally, the Twins are getting their first looks at two players whom they believe will be a big part of their rotation moving forward.

Abel, acquired for Jhoan Duran from Philadelphia, started the second game of the series against the Chicago White Sox on Saturday and Bradley, acquired for Griffin Jax from Tampa Bay, is in Chicago and is expected to start on Sunday.

“When you see something new and exciting in a lot of ways and guys that you feel like can really help you going forward for a long time, you’re going to show up to the field in a real good mood. And it’s also going to give you a lot to talk about and work with going forward, too,” manager Rocco Baldelli said.

The Twins opted to leave both of them in Triple-A to begin their stint in the organization, letting them settle in in a lower-pressure environment. Baldelli reached out to both, connecting over the phone to welcome them. Each made three starts with St. Paul before the Twins came calling.

Now, they’ll both have a chance to show the Twins what they can do over the final weeks of the season.

“I just think the ability to get my feet wet in a new organization, new philosophies, new adjustments that need to be made … the pitching side of things and how they look at the scouting reports and the stuff they value as a starting pitcher in their organization. It was great to do that in a less stressful environment,” Bradley said.

Bradley arrives

A day after Abel showed up in the Twins’ clubhouse, Bradley followed suit.

“It felt like a long time coming,” he said. “I was excited when I got the call.”

Bradley had spent most of the season in the majors with Tampa Bay before being optioned to Triple-A shortly before the trade deadline. He has made at least 21 starts in each of the past three seasons and this season, he has a 4.61 earned-run average through 111 1/3 innings.

His focus has been on refining his splitter, which he said he had always called his changeup.

“Everything else seems solidified, and they trusted it enough,” he said. “The split was just where they thought I could take my game to the next level.”

Briefly

The Twins and White Sox will wrap up their series in Chicago on Sunday, after which the Twins will travel to Toronto to finish their road trip.

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Day two of the Minnesota State Fair is in the books for me.

As usual, a band of merry tasters (this time including my newly minted 21-year-old and her boyfriend) sipped our way through most of the 70 new beverages offered by vendors.

This year’s flavor themes were pineapple, cherry and passion fruit, with plenty of other fruits in the mix. As usual, I’m begging beverage makers to get us some more beer-flavored beer. I think it really says something that one of the few local beers that wasn’t infused with something — a crisp lager from Falling Knife Brewing at Ballpark Cafe — was sold out when we tried to get one at the end of the night.

Here are our reviews, helpfully sorted by location, and in the order we tasted them. That’s important because we tend to get more punchy as the day goes on and we’re stuck trying yet another too-sweet slushy.

At Shanghai Henri’s and Summit On-A-Stick

Located at the International Bazaar, north section

The first beverage tasting of the day at the 2025 Minnesota State Fair. (Courtesy of Clare Fleming)

Grandstand Lime Up: This was billed as a light- to medium-bodied lager, but we all agreed it was watery, grainy and even a little flat. A few of our tasters said they preferred Bud Light Lime, which I don’t think was meant as a compliment. 4.5% ABV; brewed in St. Paul by Summit Brewing Company.

At Shanghai Henri’s

Located at the International Bazaar, north section

Shanghai Sunset: My bestie Lisa loves things that taste red (yes, artificial coloring has a flavor), so she loved this peach and tropical fruit sparkling hard cider that is finished with a few dashes of grenadine. The rest of us were pretty ambivalent. 5% ABV; brewed in Stillwater by Lift Bridge Brewing Company.

Apple Cider Pumpkin Spice: I’m usually not a big fan of Pumpkin Spice, but in this case it was subtle enough that I could get on board. One of our tasters said they could picture drinking one on a cool night around a bonfire. 6% ABV; made in Duluth, Minn., by Duluth Cider.

Code Shred: Lisa loved this neon red monstrosity, but the rest of us just wanted the taste out of our mouths. I thought it tasted like those red wax lips we used to get at the candy store. Other tasting notes? Red Spree candy and cough syrup. 5% ABV; brewed in Stillwater by Lift Bridge Brewing Company.

At Aldo’s Burgers, Sabino’s Pizza Pies, Rooted & Wild (Snack House) and Swine & Spuds

Located in the Lee & Rose Warner Coliseum

Aloha Pineapple Haze: Thinking back on the day, this subtly pineapple-flavored hazy IPA was one of my favorites. Crushable. 5% ABV; 33 IBUs; brewed in Minneapolis by Pryes Brewing Company.

Blushing Dragon Slushie: (Found only at Rooted & Wild (Snack House) and Swine & Spuds) This cider slushie advertised strawberry, pomegranate and dragon fruit flavors, none of which we could detect. Still, it was far from the worst slushie we tasted, so if you want one of those, this is a good option. 6% ABV; made by Minneapolis Cider Company.

At Andy’s Grille

Located on the south side of Carnes Avenue between Chambers and Nelson streets

Orange Bliss: I can take or leave a smoothie ale — the thick texture is not what I’m looking for in a refreshing beverage — but this straight-up Dreamsicle-flavored beer was pretty darn good. 6.1% ABV; 20 IBUs; brewed in Minneapolis by Pryes Brewing Company.

The Pineapple Upside-Down Cake Slushy at Andy’s Grille at the 2025 Minnesota State Fair. (Jess Fleming / Pioneer Press)

Hurricane: To be fair (pun intended), I no longer enjoy a regular hurricane, but I know what it’s supposed to taste like, and this is not it. Most of us thought it tasted like medicine, but my daughter, who has not had a well-made hurricane, said, “That tastes like freshman year. I kind of like it.” And no, I don’t want to know what that means. 6% ABV; brewed in Vadnais Heights by Big Wood Brewery.

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake Slushy: This was insanely sweet, but it did taste exactly like a pineapple upside-down cake. And the bent cherry sucker inside was a cute touch. 5% ABV; brewed in Stillwater by Lift Bridge Brewing Company.

At Cafe Caribe

Located on the south side of Carnes Avenue between Chambers and Nelson streets

Bolo Guava Mojito Hard Seltzer: We universally liked this refreshing, mint-forward seltzer, which one taster described as “Spindrift with alcohol.” (Gluten-free) 5% ABV; brewed in Minneapolis by Bauhaus Brew Labs.

Pineapple WHIPlash: So early in our tastings, this was already the third pineapple concoction. Butterfly pea flower is added to this hard seltzer to give it a purple color, which made little sense to us, but the flavor was decent. One of our tasters said she could drink a pitcher of it on her own, which is pretty high praise, as she’s not a big drinker. 5% ABV; brewed in Minneapolis by Sociable Cider Werks.

Frozen Espresso Martini Hard Seltzer: Given that there are a lot of espresso martini fans in our group, we were excited for this slushie, but our hopes were dashed with the first sip. Weird, sour and chalky, one group member said it tasted like day-old espresso. I thought that was generous. 5% ABV; brewed in Stillwater by Lift Bridge Brewing Company.

At Coasters

Located on the southeast corner of Carnes Avenue and Liggett Street

Caramel Corn Cream Ale: This taster’s note cracked me up, and pretty much sums up what we thought: “I’m not getting any of those words: Not caramel, not corn, not cream, not at all.” 4.8% ABV; brewed in Stillwater by Lift Bridge Brewing Company.

Rockin’ Rosé: This awful idea (rosé wine with Pop Rocks on top) generated a lot of funny quips. My favorites: “There is nothing rockin’ about that rosé.” and “Reminds me of a box of rosé I left out for a few months.” Really, just gut rot in a glass. 12% ABV; made in Cannon Falls by Cannon River Winery.

Sgt. Pepper Slushie: Tastes exactly like Dr. Pepper, in slushie form. If you like Dr. Pepper (and I do), get it. 5% ABV; brewed in Stillwater by Lift Bridge Brewing Company.

At The Frontier

Located on the south side of Carnes Avenue between Liggett and Chambers streets

Blueberry Lemon Cream Ale: The lemon overpowered the blueberry in this grainy, bitter beer that had a very Lemon Pledge nose. 4.9% ABV; 15 IBUs; brewed in Minneapolis by Fulton Brewing.

Huckleberry Haze IPA: The Gen Xers had a lot of huckleberry jokes, the best of which was, “That is not my huckleberry.” Herbal, medicinal and just plain odd, this beer had us wondering if anyone actually tastes these beers before unleashing them on fairgoers. 6.5% ABV; brewed in Stillwater by Lift Bridge Brewing Company.

At LuLu’s Public House and West End Brews

Located at West End Market, west section

Blackberry Bramble: The watered-down blackberry flavor of this cocktail-inspired seltzer left us unimpressed. 5% ABV; brewed in New Ulm, Minn. & River Falls, Wis., by August Schell Brewing in collaboration with Tattersall.

POG Party: We were divided on this one, which drew the following comments: “I would walk through the Fair for this,” and “This is not a party I want to attend.” I thought it was grainy and had some off-tasting sour flavors. 4.8% ABV; brewed in Stillwater by Lift Bridge Brewing Company.

At LuLu’s Public House

Located at West End Market, south of Schilling Amphitheater

Cherry Rhubarb Crumble: Everyone loved this very fruity (in a good way), sour cider. I’d consider drinking a whole one, even! 5.9% ABV; brewed in Minneapolis by Sociable Cider Werks.

Hot Honey Play Grade Cream Ale: A) I usually hate cream ale. B) I despise honey in beer. C) By some sorcery, I actually liked this! Good job, Bauhaus; even the spice-averse were fans. 5.5% ABV; brewed in Minneapolis by Bauhaus Brew Labs.

Peach Dipped Pale Ale: We did not like this. One taster said, “It smells like a haunted swimming pool,” and another followed with, “Tastes like one, too.” 5.9% ABV; 50 IBUs; brewed in Minneapolis by Indeed Brewing.

Tropical Treat: I think we were really getting tired of the too-sweet slushies by now, because my notes just say, “This tastes like Red Bull. In a bad way.” 5% ABV; brewed in Stillwater by Lift Bridge Brewing Company.

Tropical Island Sour: This is tropical, and it is a (funky, barnyardy) sour. If you like that, get this. 4.8% ABV; brewed in Minneapolis by Pryes Brewing Company.

Cucumber Melon Refresher: Some tasters thought they detected the flavor of artificial sweetener, but I just thought it was bland. Best quote from my notes: “This tastes like a Jolly Rancher left in water overnight.” 4% ABV; brewed in New Ulm, Minn., by August Schell Brewing.

Hot Honey Mead: I know there are people out there who like mead, but I will never understand why. One taster said, “This tastes like hot honey, but like I licked it off a Band-Aid.” 6% ABV; brewed in Minneapolis by Sociable Cider Werks.

Boozy Root Beer Float: Exactly like a root beer popsicle. I loved this. 5% ABV; brewed in Stillwater by Lift Bridge Brewing Company.

At The Blue Barn

Located at West End Market, south of the History & Heritage Center

A-OKAY HAZY IPA: One of us called this a “neutrally refreshing” hazy, and we all liked it. Bonus points for being a beer-flavored beer! 6.5% ABV. Brewed in Minneapolis by Venn Brewing.

Aloha Ice: It’s tropical, it’s sweet, it’s a slushie. It’s … fine. 5% ABV; brewed in Minneapolis by Freehouse Brewery.

Backyard Bloody Mary: I was expecting to hate this, but it’s like a cleaner, more refreshing michelada, and I’m probably going to have another one or two this Fair. Super tasty. 5% ABV; brewed in Minneapolis by Freehouse Brewery.

Cherry Apple Pie Cider: Honestly, this tastes like cherry pie. If you want that in your beverage, get this. 6% ABV; made in Duluth, Minn., by Wild State Cider.

Prickly Pear Sour: We all liked this refreshing, almost cucumbery beer. Blue Barn is hitting it out of the park this year! 4.4% ABV;  brewed in Minneapolis by Freehouse Brewery.

Strawberry Summer Spritz: Except for this one, which tasted of fake strawberry flavoring. 6.3% ABV; wine made in Scandia by Rustic Roots Winery.

At West End Brews

The Soft Serve Royal Raspberry Beer at West End Brews at the 2025 Minnesota State Fair. (Courtesy of Renee Miller)

Located at West End Market, south of Schilling Amphitheater

Soft Serve Royal Raspberry Beer: The sorcery behind this soft-serve beer cannot be overstated. It sat on our table in the sun for a full 10 minutes before it started to melt. But all of that would not matter one iota if it didn’t taste great, and it does! Pryes’ fruited Berliner was the perfect choice to make into a frozen treat. I can’t wait to see what they do next year. 4.8% ABV; 6 IBUs; brewed in Minneapolis by Pryes Brewing Company

Aloha Lemonade at RC’s BBQ at the 2025 Minnesota State Fair. (Jess Fleming / Pioneer Press)

At RC’s BBQ

Located on the north side of Dan Patch Avenue between Liggett & Chambers streets

Aloha Lemonade: This blue sparkling seltzer tastes pretty much exactly like the gummy shark it’s garnished with. The youngsters loved it. 5% ABV; brewed in Stillwater by Lift Bridge Brewing Company.

At The Hideaway Speakeasy

Located in the Veranda, Grandstand upper level, northwest section

Galaxy Groove: The stand uses a gun to make giant bubbles atop this American pale ale and serves it with a space-themed rubber ducky. My favorite tasting note: “I think they spent all their money on the duck. They should have spent it making the beer good.” 5.5% ABV; 45 IBUs; brewed in Boston by Samuel Adams Boston Beer Co.

The Galaxy Groove beer at The Hideaway Speakeasy inside the Grandstand at the 2025 Minnesota State Fair. (Jess Fleming / Pioneer Press)

THE STINGER!: This mango-habanero margarita-inspired wine drink was shockingly not bad! It could have used more habanero flavor in my opinion, but that’s splitting hairs. 7% ABV; wine made by Cannon River Winery.

At Mancini’s al Fresco

Located on the north side of Carnes Avenue between Nelson and Underwood streets

Blood Orange Bellini: Probably the strongest drink we tried, this was overly sweet, so much so that I couldn’t bring myself to try another sip. One taster said, “Gimme a Bartles and Jaymes any day of the week over this.” 12% ABV. Made by Cannon River Winery.

Breezy Melon Squeezy: Sigh. We got no yuzu or watermelon in this kölsch, which I was actually kind of excited for. The best we could say about it was that it was miles better than the bellini. 5% ABV; 15 IBUs; brewed in Minneapolis by Indeed Brewing.

At Dino’s Gyros

Located on the north side of Carnes Avenue between Nelson and Underwood streets

Lil’ Sour Buddies: This does taste exactly like a Sour Patch Kid. It’s not for me, but I think lots of people like Sour Patch Kids, so maybe they will like this. 5% ABV; brewed in Stillwater by Lift Bridge Brewing Company.

Picklerita: This tastes like a sweet pickle, but I agree with my kid, who said, “I’m team dill pickle.” 5% ABV; brewed in Stillwater by Lift Bridge Brewing Company.

Greek Goddess: I wanted more anise in this ouzo- and pomegranate-infused hard seltzer. It was, of course, divisive, because so many people hate that black licorice flavor. I am not one of them. I think if you’re going there, you should go all the way. 5% ABV; brewed in Stillwater by Lift Bridge Brewing Company.

Strawberry Lemonale: This was chalky and tasted like fake strawberries. Avoid. 4.8% ABV; brewed in Two Harbors by Castle Danger Brewing.

Aegean Dream Blood Orange and Sea Salt Lager: I’m down with a little salt in my beer, but this was overkill. This quote made me laugh: “There’s a tear in my beer!” 4.7% ABV; brewed in Minneapolis by Indeed Brewing.

Pomegranate Spritz: I thought this was pretty good and pomegranate-y, but others thought it was a little too bitter. Your call. 5.5% ABV; made in Duluth, Minn., by Wild State Cider.

At The Hangar

Located on the northeast corner of Underwood Street and Murphy Avenue

Strawberry Rhubarb Runway: We could actually taste the rhubarb in this classic sour, which the sour-beer-lovers in our group liked, but the rest of us did not. 4.8% ABV; 5 IBUs; brewed in Minneapolis by Pryes Brewing Company.

Pink Prickly Pear Agave Altitude: Given all the different flavors we got from the different prickly pear drinks, I wonder if I even know what prickly pear tastes like. This mildly sweet cider was just OK. 6% ABV; brewed in Minneapolis by Sociable Cider Werks.

Bad Apple Honeycrisp Lager: If you have to add fruit to a beer, this is how you do it. Appley, light and dry, this lager is just what we want at the Fair. 4.4% ABV; brewed in St. Paul by Bad Weather Brewing Company.

At Giggles’ Campfire Grill

Located on the southeast corner of Lee Avenue and Cooper Street, at The North Woods

Silver Rosé: We did not like this wine, which tasted more like watered-down red wine than a proper rosé. Someone compared it to church wine, which I think fits the bill. 13.1% ABV; wine made in Dellwood, Minn., by 7 Vines Vineyard.

Strawberry Blaze: The spice-lovers in our group liked this jalapeno strawberry blonde, which had a very green-pepper nose. “It smells like a veggie tray,” one of our tasters correctly quipped.  4.5% ABV; 15 IBUs; brewed in Amana, Iowa, by Millstream Brewing Co.

At Ball Park Cafe, O’Gara’s at the Fair and Bandstand Concessions

Midway Sunset Mocktail: One taster nailed it with this quote: “You know what I like about that? It’s not just juice! It’s an actual mocktail that tastes great.” 0% ABV; crafted in Minneapolis by Earl Giles Distillery.

At O’Gara’s at the Fair

Located on the southwest corner of Dan Patch Avenue and Cosgrove Street

Dragon Fruit Cider: This pretty pink drink tastes just like dragonfruit, and we’d definitely drink a whole one. 5.2% ABV; made in Duluth, Minn., by Wild State Cider.

Irish Sticky Toffee Pudding: The dark-beer lover in our group liked this, but the rest of us thought it tasted a bit too much like a Tootsie Roll. 5.6% ABV; 13 IBUs; brewed in Minneapolis by Pryes Brewing Company.

O’Perol Spritz: This was more orange than Aperol, which was unfortunate. Too sweet, not bitter enough. 6.6% ABV; made in Scandia by Rustic Roots Winery in collaboration with Earl Giles Distillery.

Pineapple Peach Hazy Pale Ale: Yet another vaguely fruity, too-grainy beer. 4.8% ABV; brewed in Two Harbors, Minn., by Castle Danger Brewing.

Shamrock Slushie: This bright green drink tastes like a Shamrock Shake and a grasshopper had a baby. This quote cracked me up: “This is not something I’d want to throw up later.” 5% ABV; brewed in Stillwater by Lift Bridge Brewing Company in collaboration with Earl Giles Distillery.

At Ball Park Cafe

Located on the east side of Underwood Street between Dan Patch and Carnes avenues

Liquid Superdelic: Although one of our slightly inebriated tasters thought this one looked like chicken stock in a plastic cup, the rest of us thought it was a solid, velvety hazy IPA that we would seek out again. 6% ABV; brewed in Minneapolis by Modist Brewing.

Metrodome IPA: We thought this flavorful hazy was a winner, just like the 1987 and 1991 Twins. 6.5% ABV; brewed in St. Paul by BlackStack Brewing.

Mexican Fruit Cup: Yet another vaguely fruity, too-sweet beer. We wanted more spice. 4.8% ABV; brewed in Minneapolis by Pryes Brewing Company.

Passion Fruit Vanilla Seltzy: We thought this tasted like a good cream soda. If you’re in the mood for that, get this. 6% ABV; brewed in Minneapolis by Indeed Brewing.

Shandyland Cider: This blend of lemonade and hopped cider was pretty genius and very crushable. 5% ABV; made by Minneapolis Cider Company.

At Chicago Dogs

Located in The Garden, east wall

Scooby Slush: We did not get any of the promised coconut, pineapple or lime. This was straight-up banana Runts. We were definitely getting punchy at this point, because someone belted out, “Scooby Dooby BOOO!” 5% ABV. Brewed in Stillwater by Lift Bridge Brewing Company.

At Ragin Cajun

Located in The Garden, west wall

Black Cherry Lemonade: This tastes like every black cherry beverage you’ve ever tried. It’s fine if that’s what you want. 5% ABV; brewed in Stillwater by Lift Bridge Brewing Company.

Ragin Runner: The “bold tropical flavors” in this slushie were nowhere to be found. “They should be runnin’ away from selling that,” one taster said. 5% ABV; brewed in Stillwater by Lift Bridge Brewing Company.

At Tejas Express

Located in The Garden, north wall

Churro Cream Ale: Mini donut beer redux. If you like cinnamon and sugar in your beer, you will like this. 5.2% ABV; 20 IBUs; brewed in Minneapolis by HeadFlyer Brewing.

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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.

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