Faribault Football Faces Another Top Ranked Team Friday

The Faribault Falcon football team just might have the toughest start to the 2017 season of anyone in the state.

After losing to Associated Press second ranked Owatonna 61-0 last Friday the top rated team in Class 4A Winona comes to Faribault Friday night.

The kickoff has been moved back to 7:30 p.m. to give the spectators and participants in the 52nd annual Faribault Invitationa Cross Country Meet some time to make room for football fans at Bruce Smith Field.

Faribault goes to Northfield next week and they are in the others receiving votes category of Class 5A.

The Associated Press first in-season ranking were released Wednesday and a number of area teams are included.

Class 1A

1. Rushford-Peterson  tied with Wabasso

3. Braham

4. Murray County Central

5. BOLD

6. Mayer Lutheran

7. Minneota

8. Fillmore Central

9. Goodhue

10.Red Lake County

Others receiving votes:  Browerville, Ottertail Central, Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton, Ada-Borup, Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg, Hinckley-Finlayson, Blooming Prairie, Dawson-Boyd, Deer River, Randolph, United South Central.

Class 2A

1. Caledonia (defending champions)

2. Eden Valley-Watkins

3. Barnesville

4. Pillager

5. Maple River

5. Minneapolis North

7. Hawley

8. Royalton

9. Triton

10. Chatfield

Also receiving votes:  Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City, West Central/Ashby, Concordia Academy- Roseville, Holdingford, LeSueur-Henderson, Spectrum, Osakis, Windom, United North Central, Lewiston-Altura.

Class 3A

1.Rochester Lourdes

1. St. Croix Lutheran

3. Pierz

4. Jackson County Central

5. Stewartville

6. Glencoe-Silver Lake

6. Tri-City United

8. Pequot Lakes

9. Litchfield

10. Proctor

Also receiving votes:  Virginia, Watertown-Mayer, Annandale, Fairmont, Two Harbors, Jordan, Breck, Brooklyn Center, Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton, Zumbrota-Mazeppa, Perham, Mora.

Class 4A

1. Winona

2. Marshall

3. South St. Paul

4. Benilde-St. Margaret's (defending champs)

5. Hutchinson

6.  Rocori

7. Becker

8. Holy Angels Academy

9. Hermantown

10. Orono

Also receiving votes:  St. Paul Academy-Minnehaha Academy-Blake, Fridley, DeLasalle, Cloquet, Waseca, SMB-Wolfpack, Grand Rapids, Zimmerman, Detroit Lakes, St. Anthony, Kasson-Mantorville, Duluth Denfeld.

Class 5A

1. Elk River

2. Owatonna

3. Mankato West

4. Apple Valley

5. Alexandria

6. Mahtomedi

7. Irondale

7. Chanhassen

9. St. Cloud Tech

10. Robbinsdale Cooper

Also receiving votes:  Park Cottage Grove, Bemidji, Andover, Cambridge-Isanti, Chaska, St. Thomas Academy, New Prague, Northfield, Moorhead.

Class 6A

1. Eden Prairie

2. Lakeville North

3. Totino-Grace

3. Blaine

5. Maple Grove

6. Edina

7. Champlin Park

8. Minnetonka

8. Prior Lake

10.Wayzata

Others receiving votes: St. Michael-Albertville, Cretin-Derham Hall

9 Man

1. Grand Meadow

2. Waubun

3. Cromwell

4. Stephen-Argyle

5. Spring Grove

6. Ely

7. Cleveland

8. Hills-Beaver Creek

8. Nevis

10. Hillcrest Lutheran

Others receiving votes:  Westbrook-Walnut Grove, Edgerton-Ellsworth, Bertha-Hewitt, Clinton-Gracveville-Beardsley, Cook-Orr, Sleepy Eye St. Mary's, Norman County East-Ulen-Hitterdal, Mabel-Canton, Wrenshall, Granada Huntley-East Chain-Truman, South Ridge, Mountain Lake Area, Hancock, Cook County, Sacred Heart, Silver Bay, Verndale.