Southeast Minnesota Football Teams Punch Tickets to State

Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News)- The high school football season is over for a majority of teams in Minnesota.

For those still buckling up the chin straps, the stakes could not be higher. Friday night marked the Section One Championships for area football teams.

All six Section 1 football champions from last season had a chance to hold onto their titles Friday night. Three were successful in defending their championships.

LeRoy-Ostrander/Lyle Pacelli Returns to State Tournament

In Section 1 9-Man, LeRoy-Ostrander/Lyle Pacelli unseated the defending section champion Kingsland in a rematch of the season opener. The Cardinals defeated the Knights 38-27 in Austin.

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The Cardinals have earned the top seed in the 9-Man State Tournament. They will take on Renville County at Kasson-Mantorville at 7 p.m. Friday.

Goodhue Avenges 2023 Semi Final Loss to Reach State Tournament

The Goodhue Wildcats avenged a 2023 section semi final loss to Fillmore Central in dominating fashion Friday night, claiming the section final in a 52-7 route over the Falcons in Kasson.

The Wildcats will take on Springfield in the Class A State Tournament quarterfinals at Mayo High School in Rochester on Thursday at 7 p.m.

Chatfield Returns to State Tournament With Wire-to-Wire Win Over Caledonia

The Chatfield Gophers clinched their third section title in four years thanks to a 24-14 win over Caledonia in a regular season rematch in Winona Friday night.

The Gophers will take on another opponent they saw during the regular season, facing Triton in the state quarterfinals in Hastings Thursday night. Kickoff is at 7 p.m.

Stewartville Pitches Shutout to Clinch Section Title

The Stewartville Tigers extended their winning streak to 25 games as they took down Pine Island 48-0 in Rochester.

The Tigers will start their Class AAA state title defense Saturday at noon against Holy Family Catholic. The game is being played at Totino-Grace High School in the Twin Cities.

Byron Returns to State Tournament with Dominant Win in Section Final

The Byron Bears successfully defended their section title with a 42-7 victory of Kasson-Mantorville at Mayo High School.

The Bears will take on Marshall at East Ridge High School on Thursday. Kickoff is at 6 p.m.

Owatonna Defends Section Title Against Upstart Rochester JM

The Owatonna Huskies punched their ticket back to state tournament in their final home game of the season beating Rochester John Marshall 38-15 Friday night.

The Huskies are the top seed and will take on Cretin-Derham Hall in the state quarterfinals on Saturday afternoon. The game is being played at East Ridge High School.