The Annandale Cardinals will enter the 2025 Class AAA state football tournament, ranked #1 in the state and undefeated, and looking to go too their second state championship in three years. Saturday they will take on Litchfield at 7 PM at Rocori. You can hear this game on AM1360 KRWC, krwc1360.com and on our app. Pregame starts at 6:30 PM. Good luck to the Cards! Below is a state preview for AAA, and a link to the bracket.
The Teams:
Team: Annandale Cardinals, #1N seed, 10-0, defeated Foley, 37-14 in 5AAA final.
State Appearance: 8th.
Key Players: WR Gabe Westman, just committed to Winona St., OL/DL Ben Walter, two-way player, team leader and Rylan Horsch, the sophomore has added RB to his job description the last few weeks.
Did you know? The Card’s starting defense has allowed only three TD’s all year, and Annandale has the widest margin avg of victory in the state at 41 ppg.
Gabe Westman, left, #1 celebrates with Cooper Broman, #3, after a touchdown earlier in the season.
Team: Waseca Bluejays, #1S Seed, 10-0, defeated Luverne, 31-12 in 3AAA final.
State Appearance: 5th.
Key Players: OLB Lucas Selthan, RB Jett Roehl, and WR Deron Russell, who avg. 17 ypc.
Did you know? The Jays have not allowed more than two TDs in a game all year, the most a team has scored is 14 points.
Waseca, above, will be making their 8th state tournament appearance.
Team: Pierz Pioneers, #2N Seed, 10-0, defeated Pequot Lakes, 35-0 in 7AAA final.
State Appearance: 17th. State Champs in 2004, 2015, 2017, 2019.
Key Players: RB, Paul Neiman, (98 ypg. rushing), RB, Braydon Foust (81 ypg rushing), and DB, Jaxsen Hardy.
Did you know? This will be the Pioneers first state appearance since they won it all in 2019. Also, the Pioneers have three shutouts on the season, and eight times held their opponent to one TD or less.
Pierz, above in red, loves to pound the rock and chew clock on offense.
Team: Pine Island Wildcats, #2S Seed, 10-0, defeated Cotter, 34-0 in 1AAA final.
State Appearance: 6th.
Key Players: QB, Alex Knox (12 td passes.), RB, Nick Thein (185 ypg rushing and 28 TD’s.), and Owen Hurgsted, WR (20 ypc, and 8 TD’s.)
Did you know? This will be the Wildcats first appearance at the state tournament since 2013.
Nick Thein, above, avg. almost three TDs per game for Pine Island!
Team: Dilworth Glendon Felton, #3N Seed, 8-2, defeated Thief River Falls, 41-12 in 8AAA final.
State Appearance: 12th.
Key Players: RB, Jace Baumgartner (8.1 ypc.), RB, Jacob Luebke (7.1 ypc.), and LB Dawson Johnson.
Did you know? After losing two straight to drop to 3-2, DGF has won five straight, while avg. 39 ppg.
Jace Baumgartner, above, reaches for a touchdown in the Rebels section semifinal win.
Team: Mpls. North Polars, #3S Seed, 10-0, defeated St. Croix Lutheran, 56-44 in 4AAA final.
State Appearance: 12th. 2016 champs.
Key Players: QB Logan Lachermeir (288 pypg, 38 TD’s.), RB, Tyshone Jenkins (1100 rush yards, 18 TD’s.), and WR J’Marion Sanders (45 rec, 13 TD’s.)
Did you know? QB Lachermeir threw for 331 yards and seven TDs in the Polars win over SCL in section final.
The Polars have dedicated their season to DeShaun Hill, above, who was killed by gun violence three years ago. He would have been a Senior.
Team: Litchfield Dragons, #4N Seed, 8-3, defeated Albany, 23-6 in 6AAA final.
State Appearance: 5th.
Key Players: RB, Anthony Taylor (1700 rush yards and 25 TD’s.), QB Alex Medina (1700 total yards and 17 TD’s.), and OL Noah Deitel.
Did you know? After starting the season 3-3, the Dragons have won five straight, and in three of those wins they have scored 50 or more points. This will also be the Dragons first appearance in state since 2006.
Anthony Taylor, above, is being looked at by the Gophers.
Team: Holy Family Fire, #4S Seed, 8-2, defeated Jordan, 43-29 in 2AAA final.
State Appearance: 6th.
Key Players: QB Ethan Ryan (158 pypg), RB, Damian Komtangi (108 rush yards per game.), and WR Noah Galvin (22 ypc.)
Did you know? Stumble a little down the stretch but caught Fire in sections. This will be Holy Family’s first appearance in the state tournament since 2006.
Legendary coach, Dave Nelson, above with papers, is back on the sideline as an assistant with the Fire.
2025 Class AAA State Football Bracket:
