Hopkins Football Faces Tough New Section in 2012

Whichever team makes it to the state football tournament out of the new Section 6AAAAAA tournament will certainly earn it.

The Minnesota State High School League announced this spring it will move to a six-class, 11-man state tournament beginning in 2012. The 32-team Class 6A will have four sections—3, 4 5 and 6—with eight teams in each section.

And if recent history tells us anything, Section 6AAAAAA looks to be the gateway to the state championship.

Section 6AAAAAA will have Hopkins, Eden Prairie, Edina, Minnetonka, Robbinsdale Armstrong, Shakopee, Wayzata and Minneapolis South competing for a trip to state. Since 2004, Eden Prairie, Wayzata and Minnetonka have won six of the seven Class 5A championships.

Wayzata won state titles in 2005, 2008 and 2010. Eden Prairie won the state title in 2006 and 2007 and also was runner up in 2009 to Cretin-Derham Hall—the lone team outside those in the new 6AAAAAA section to win a state title in the past seven years. Minnetonka won the title in 2004.

In that span, the three teams have gone undefeated a combined four times.

The teams will remain in Class 5A for the 2011 season and will move to the new section the following fall.