The Minnesota high school football season opens Week 1 play Thursday night. All week, we’ve rolled out East Metro team previews accumulated from coach surveys. Here’s a look at most of the Metro East subdistrict, as well as a few key Class 4A area programs

Forest Lake

2025 record: 8-2 (Lost in second round of Class 6A playoffs)

Coach: Brad Beeskow

Returning starters: 7 on offense, 5 on defense

Impact returnees: St. Thomas commit Mack Jurkovich is the reigning subdistrict Running Back of the Year and has eclipsed 1,000 yards in each of his past two seasons. The Rangers return their entire offensive line, led by last year’s subdistrict offensive lineman of the year, Bemidji State commit Alex Knies. Forest Lake has three returning Division II commits in the secondary — Ndifor Tamukong, Brooks Rohne and Nile Laszczak.

Remember the name: Alex Sanchez. The quarterback has waited his turn and will now be under center for his senior campaign.

Shoutout to a lineman: While they may not get the same fanfare as Knies, Logan Speckel and Zach Smith are bookend tackles who play a key role in the offensive line’s success.

Schedule: at Prior Lake, vs. Anoka, at Park, vs. Woodbury (at TCO Stadium), vs. White Bear Lake (Homecoming, Oct. 2), at East Ridge, vs. Mounds View, vs. Stillwater

The skinny: The Rangers return numerous key pieces from a team that put together an impressive regular season a year ago and fell to the eventual state champ — by one point, in overtime — during the postseason.

Forest Lake has a star running back and the same offensive line in front of him from a year ago. The defense is loaded with returning, collegiate-level talent and other impressive young athletes filling out the lineup.

The Rangers are a team to beat.

Mounds View

2025 record: 5-5 (Lost in the second round of the Class 6A playoffs)

Coach: Aaron Moberg

Returning starters: 5 on offense, 7 on defense

Impact returnees: Tanner Jude played running back and wide receiver last season but will transition back to quarterback for his senior campaign. The inside linebacker tandem of Alex Isabel and Luke Hinkel return as captains after all-subdistrict seasons in 2025.

Remember the name: Silas Helmer is a linebacker who “plays with his hair on fire,” Moberg said. Expect big tackling totals from the junior.

Shoutout to a lineman: Jack Frye has transformed himself into what Moberg calls an “elite offensive lineman.” He started all 10 games last fall, then added 40 pounds of muscle this offseason.

Schedule: vs. Lakeville South, at Roseville, vs. Maple Grove, at Stillwater, vs. East Ridge (Homecoming, Oct. 2), vs. Woodbury, at Forest Lake, at White Bear Lake

The skinny: The Mustangs will likely go as far as their experienced, talented defense can take them this fall. That’s not to write off the offense, but defensively Mounds View returns key pieces at all levels, including three defensive linemen who saw significant playing time a year ago.

This senior class went 0-8 as freshmen. It will go much better this fall.

Stillwater

2025 record: 3-6 (Lost in first round of Class 6A playoffs)

Coach: Beau LaBore

Returning starters: 5 on offense, 6 on defense

Impact returnees: Carter Zollar tallied 570 yards and nine touchdowns receiving last season. He’s a Montana State commit. Liam McGlynn is another captain following his all-subdistrict performance last season at safety.

Remember the name: Cael Spates. LaBore describes the linebacker as a “wrecking ball” who enters his senior campaign as a captain.

Shoutout to a lineman: Andrew Olson is a three-year starter on the defensive line. The captain is committed to Jamestown.

Schedule: at Maple Grove, vs. Park, at Shakopee, vs. Mounds View (Homecoming, Sept. 25), vs. Woodbury, at White Bear Lake, vs. East Ridge, at Forest Lake

The skinny: The Ponies were ravaged by injuries last season, which derailed what looked like a promising campaign. Perhaps the Ponies are due for a run of better health this fall. If it can get that, Stillwater has the athletes and foundation to contend in the subdistrict.

White Bear Lake

2025 record: 2-7 (Lost in the first round to White Bear Lake)

Coach: Ryan Bartlett

Returning starters: 4 on offense, 5 on defense

Impact returnees: White Bear Lake returns a trio of receivers in Biran White, Colton Butts and Antonio Brown, all of whom possess the speed to frighten opposing secondaries.

Remember the name: Brian White III. The running back ran for 107 yards per game last season, including a 244-yard performance against East Ridge.

Shoutout to a lineman: Defensive end Croix Erickson is expected to lead the Bears’ defensive front. Bartlett described him as a “tough, smart” player.

Schedule: at Park, vs. Coon Rapids, at Farmington, vs. East Ridge, at Forest Lake, vs. Stillwater (Homecoming, Oct. 9), at Woodbury, vs. Mounds View

The skinny: Bartlett liked what he saw in fall camp: a tight-knit group excited for practice every day. White Bear Lake has offensive weapons that can post a lot of points, and some key defensive pieces back. The combination should make them competitive this fall.

Woodbury

2025 record: 6-3 (Lost in second round of Class 6A playoffs)

Coach: Andy Hill

Returning starters: 5 on offense, 8 on defense

Impact returnees: Montana State commit Mark Mathis returns at running back and could be leaned upon heavily, especially early in the season. Cornerback Braylon Uddin, Swiss army knife Nolan Freymiller and defensive end Ethan Hauser, a Cornell commit, highlight defensive returnees.

Remember the name: Reggie Wedan. The junior linebacker stands at 6-foot-3 and is a playmaker on the outside.

Shoutout to a lineman: Ty Outhavong may not be the biggest in stature, but he’s quick and powerful enough to impose himself on the defensive front.

Schedule: vs. Roseville, at Moorhead, vs. Hopkins (Homecoming, Sept. 18), vs. Forest Lake, at Stillwater, at Mounds View, vs. White Bear Lake, at East Ridge

The skinny: Woodbury split the Metro East crown with Forest Lake a year ago and has the talent to achieve that, and more, this fall.

The Royals must replace their quarterback and will be extremely young on the offensive front, but there are few questions elsewhere on a roster flush with collegiate talent and experience. If Woodbury can contend in the trenches, it can win at a high level again in 2026.

Class 4A

North St. Paul

Coach: Carlos Myers

Returning starters: 4 on offense, 3 on defense

Impact returnees: Changa Burch is a big-time playmaker at the receiver spot who can also carry the ball, while linebacker Devyn Nixon should again contribute at a high level.

Remember the name: Freddie Jiles Jr. figures to step in as quarterback.

Shoutout to a lineman: Myers describes Jackson Moo as a “great young man and teammate. A hard worker, leader and a scholar that loves the game and teammates.”

Schedule: vs. St. Cloud Tech, at Como Park, vs. South St. Paul, at Hill-Murray, at Chisago Lakes, vs. Simley (Homecoming, Oct. 10), at Faribault, vs. Concordia Academy

The skinny: Myers hopes the Polars program grows in its discipline, preparedness and competitiveness while being sound on the field and in the classroom. “The core players have committed to changing the culture and standards of the North St. Paul Polars football program,” he said.

Simley

2025 record: 2-7 (Lost in section semifinals)

Coach: Chris Mensen

Impact returnees: Quarterback Christian Urbina threw for nearly 1,000 yards and 11 touchdowns. He’ll have a top target back in Justin Runge, who has 13 career receiving touchdowns.

Remember the name: Nate Elachi. The senior is a big, long athlete expected to put pressure on opposing quarterbacks from the edge while aiding the run game as a run-blocking tight end.

Shoutout to a lineman: Luis Fierro is a two-year starter Mensen called “physical and mean” and is expected to anchor both lines this fall.

Schedule: vs. Minneapolis North, at Two Rivers, vs. Chisago Lakes, at South St. Paul, vs. Stewartville (Homecoming, Oct. 2), at North St. Paul, at Hill-Murray, vs. SMB

The skinny: The Spartans are senior heavy with returning talent that should position Simley to make a lot of noise this fall. That will require defensive improvement, which Simley believes will take place thanks to a big defensive line and speedy athletes in the back end.

South St. Paul

2025 record: 8-2 (Lost in section final)

Coach: Manuel Spreigl

Returning starters: 6 on offense, 6 on defense

Impact returnees: Donovyn O’Donnell is described as a “Jerome Bettis-like” running back who scored nine times in 2025. Linebacker Lachlan Aune is a heavy hitter on the defensive side, and Wyatt Henderson enters his fourth season as a two-way starter on the lines. Spregil said Henderson’s spirit animal “is a cross between a honey badger and a rhino.”

Remember the name: Ty Berchtold, who primarily played safety last season, will take on a bigger offensive role this year at running back.

Shoutout to a lineman: Junior Derek Grater is the Packers’ top lineman. Spreigl said Grater “has feet like Fred Astaire and power like a Dodge Ram.” After a strong sophomore campaign, the Packers anticipate Grater paving the way for the run game this fall.

Schedule: vs. Minneapolis Camden, at Richfield, at North St. Paul, vs. Simley (Homecoming, Sept. 25), vs. Hill-Murray, at Winona, at Chisago Lakes, vs. Breck

The skinny: The Packers reclaimed past glory with last season’s successful fall and could be positioned to do the same in 2026. Another strong offseason has optimism again high; performances in scrimmages proved to the coaching staff the potential is there.

There are question marks, the biggest of which comes at quarterback, where the Packers must replace the graduated Sincere Casarez-McCampbell. But the ceiling is high.