Week 2: games to watch

I'm a week shy, but there's no time like the present to start up with what I feel are the state's top games of the week. But I'm going to do it a bit differently than other outlets. We'll take a look at the top game in each of the six classes in the state.

It's cheating a bit, as the Minnetonka-Wayzata game is undoubtedly at the top of everybody's list...including mine.

Class AAAAA: No. 1 Wayzata (1-0) at No. 3 Minnetonka (1-0), 7 p.m.
We ranked Wayzata as the top team in the state in our preseason poll and the Trojans did not disappoint, routing Rochester Century in their opener, 42-0. Kevin Knight rushed for 130 first-half yards and scored two touchdowns, one on a 74-yard run.
Minnetonka, our No. 3 team, also rolled over a Rochester foe, beating Mayo 48-13. Senior Ismail Karon got the Skippers off and running, scoring on two 20+ yard runs in the first half.
The winner of this one grabs hold of -- or retains -- the top ranking in the state and cements itself as a state title contender. The loser licks its wounds and prepares for a certain deep playoff run.

Class AAAA: No. 3 Mankato West (1-0) at Mankato East (1-0), 7 p.m.
Sure, East isn't considered in the same class as West, ranked No. 3 in our preseason poll. But this is still a battle for supremacy in Mankato.
West kicked off its season with an impressive 35-13 win at Northfield. Ray Teachout connected with Mike Richter for two touchdowns and Aaron Richter for another as the Scarlets' passing game was humming.
East was also impressive in beating our No. 15 team, Detroit Lakes, on the road, 28-14. Junior running back Kenthen King romped through the Lakers' defense for 301 yards on 35 carries.
Some may have chosen the Totino-Grace/Benilde-St. Margaret's private school showdown, and while both are in our top-10, I had to go with the crosstown rivalry.

Class AAA: No. 1 Glencoe-Silver Lake (1-0) at Dassel-Cokato (1-0), 7 p.m.
The Panthers proved their No. 1 ranking wasn't a mirage, beating the 10th-ranked team a class up (Hutchinson), 20-7 last week. The defending state champions had two 5-yard touchdown runs from senior Mitchell Nowak. This week, they open their Wright County Conference season against Dassel-Cokato.
The Chargers pounded visiting Mound-Westonka, 43-21, behind four short rushing touchdowns from Curt Aho. Oddly, the Whitehawks were up 15-6 at the end of the first quarter before D-C scored 37 unanswered points.

Class AA: Jackson County Central (1-0) at No. 6 Luverne (1-0), 7 p.m.
There weren't any top-ranked Class AA teams battling it out tonight, but we'll head southwest to find what could be a good one. Two unbeaten Southwest Conference teams look to get a leg up on the conference race.
The Cardinals posted a 37-6 victory over Martin County West in their season opener. Phil Paquette rushed for 85 yards and quarterback Ryan Hoff passed for 77 in workmanlike efforts.
JCC edged Blue Earth Area, 10-7, on Trevor Hage's last-second field goal. Quarterback Nathan Brandt paced the offense with 130 yards passing and 36 rushing.

Class A: Barnum (1-0) at No. 7 Cook County (1-0), 7 p.m.
Cook County opened its season by pitching a 26-0 shutout at Ely. A big senior class is hoping to erase the memory of a loss to Adrian in the state semifinals last year. Now they travel back to their territory tucked up along Lake Superior just under the Canadian border to take on Barnum.
The Bombers did just that to Carlton, beating the visiting Bulldogs 34-6. It was a strong start for coach Kevin Haley's crew, led by its strong offensive line. Haley admitted preseason that Cook County is his school's biggest rival and toughest road game. Tonight he gets both in one crack.

9-man: No. 1 Stephen-Argyle (1-0) at No. 15 Climax-Fisher (0-1), 4:30 p.m.
All eyes are on the Storm...how long can they keep it up?
The Storm rolled over Ada-Borup, 41-8, in their season opener to extend their state record winning streak to 68 games. Who's to bet against them making it 69 tonight?
Meanwhile, Climax-Fisher hopes to rebound from a discouraging 40-20 defeat at home to Win-E-Mac last Thursday. They were our 15th-ranked 9-man team in the preseason, but are in real danger of dropping out of the rankings with another loss.
Before Stephen-Argyle's recent run, the Knights were the team from Section 8 to give them the most trouble, making three state tournaments in four years (1999, 2000, 2002). Seems like ancient history now.

Duluth schools roll in PSS opener

DULUTH -- It was business as usual for Duluth East in their season opener Friday night at Public Schools Stadium. But for Duluth Denfeld, it was nice to have a fresh start.

The Greyhounds (1-0), coming off their first-ever state tournament bid, routed Cloquet 47-14 in the first game of a doubleheader.

In the second game, Denfeld (1-0) stopped a Hermantown 2-point conversion with 1:22 remaining to hang on for a 14-13 victory. Last year, the Hunters won just one game.

East rolled out to a 35-6 halftime lead behind an extremely high-powered and balanced offense, rushing for 325 yards on just 32 carries. But it was the giant offensive line of Mike Downing, Phil Norman and Hal Spott who led the way. The trio averages 6-3, 275 across the line.

Skyler Murray, in his first game at quarterback in place of the graduated Matt Kilpo, rushed for 135 yards on eight carries and threw a touchdown pass. Connor Kolodge chipped in with 105 yards on nine carries. Each scored a touchdown (Kolodge's came on a 72-yard punt return right up the sideline in front of the East bench).

Duluth Denfeld didn't look as explosive, but was plenty powerful. In junior Ivan Dakovic (6-1, 200) and sophomore C.J. Ham (6-0, 245), the Hunters have a pair of strong and solid linebackers/fullbacks to build around.

The Hunters scored the first two touchdowns on a 3-yard Tyler Conito run and a 27-yard pass from junior Adam Scofield to Jimmy Waller. Hermantown scored with just 6 seconds remaining in the first half on a 9-yard pass from junior Michael Swartz to Derek Engseth. Then answered in the final minutes with a 1-yard Brandon Perrault run. Perrault tried to sneak in for the two-point conversion -- and the victory -- but was stopped just shy.

Are you nuts?!?

I like to think that I’m just a little bit crazy. Not in a bad way, mind you, but just a tad off in amusing ways. But I give myself too much credit. Because there’s something about football season that brings out the real nutcases.

You've seen them. That guy who bares his chest in sub-freezing weather at the Meadowlands with a giant blue "G" painted on it. That one in Foxboro with a huge foam Patriots hat lodged on his head and three dozen Tom Brady jerseys in his closet at home.

If you’re anything like me, your first reaction is to turn and walk away. Quickly. But did you know it might be help him stay healthy and happy?

A 1993 study by psychologists at the University of Kansas showed that ardent sports fans become so tied to their teams that they experience hormonal surges and other physiological changes while watching games. Their self-esteem actually rises and falls with Chad Pennington’s completion percentage. And the psychologists considered this a good thing.

Of course, fans can also get too much of a good thing. But how much is too much when it comes to following sports? I don’t have the questions from the study, but I’d imagine they were similar to the following:

1. While at the stadium with your family, the Giants’ Sean Landeta completely whiffs on a punt. Do you?
a. Reach into your pocket to find the quarters you keep there for this occasion - which is chucking them at his head.
b. Blame the swirling Meadowlands winds and lament having to share a stadium with the stinkin’ Jets.
c. Notice that the breeze shakes your binoculars while you determine whether it’s a United or Continental plane overhead.

2. You’re an attorney getting dressed for the day. Do you?
a. Believe there’s no good reason for washing off the Jets green face paint from Sunday night.
b. Pull on your game-worn John Hall jersey because it's the only one that fits under your suit coat.
c. Actually have clothes that match.

3. Your co-workers are discussing whether the Vikings will rebound and be back. Do you?
a. Give a wedgie to that guy in accounting who wants them to run the ball more.
b. Draw up trick plays on the donut box lid.
c. Claim that Leif Ericson actually was the first European to land on the new continent.

Are you a type “A” fan? Or someone who doesn’t “C” what the big deal is about sports?