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The 14 teams that are left among seven classes this week are gearing up for Prep Bowl XXXIV. Among the state title games, there are defending champions in three of them. That means we'll have at least four new state champions when the clock hits zero at games Friday and Saturday at TCF Bank Stadium.
We're less than two weeks away from determining state champions in high school football, and we know this much: There will be a new winner in Class 6A. It's now state semifinal week in high school football. The winners advance to the Prep Bowl for the right to play for a state championship. In the state's seven classes, there is a chance for a repeat state champion in four of them.
Four years ago, there were 67 students enrolled at Minneapolis North High School, and the school was in danger of closing. Now, there are more than 300 students and 90 percent of the senior class is expected to graduate on time.
You know we're in the heart of the fall season when it's the end of October and we've already seen our first snow fall. It wasn't significant Wednesday, but at least a few flakes fell around most of the state. Between that and the state football tournament taking shape, it's a great time of the year to be a prep sports fan.
The Orono Spartans are a football team with great team speed. "We have a couple kick returners, both the running backs and receivers that every time they touch the ball it's exciting because they could go all the way," Coach Jeff Weiland said. They also have a great senior class.
The Renville County West football team is having a season to remember. They are now just one win away from going to the state tournament. "It's a great way to feel. We're right there. One win away," senior Brady Holwerda said.
It's section championship weekend in high school football. Across the state Friday and Saturday, state tournament bids are on the line as teams battle to become one of the eight left battling for a championship among the seven classes in the state.
Thomas Barber knows the end is near for his high school career at Robbinsdale Armstrong, and it has been a good one on a good team. "All my friends I've made, I mean, I've created a bond with all these guys growing up from like second grade, third grade, fourth grade," Barber said. "It's finally our senior year and it's just been fun."
It's mid-October, the air is crisp and it's time to win or go home on the Minnesota high school football season. The prep football playoffs actually got started with several games Tuesday and Wednesday night. Those games helped set up what should be an exciting Friday and Saturday of high school football.
At 5 feet zero, 136 pounds, Marquez Thompson doesn't exactly strike the figure of a varsity football player. And you figure he must be a freshman, just here to take a beating in practice.
It doesn't seem right that this week already marks the end of the regular season in high school football. It feels like fans just got comfortable in their seats, and district races just started to take shape. But the reality is Week 8 is here. After this week, every prep football team in Minnesota is guaranteed only one more game.
Instead of a football game, St. Paul Academy found a rather unique and creative way to celebrate Friday night.
October is a great month for the high school sports scene. Every game is big in every sport, and on the Friday night football fields, the sun is down before kickoff. And the playoffs are right around the corner.
Lynn Acker was fighting cancer and decided to forgo some treatments that would have kept her in the hospital.
Lakeville South is hoping to get video of the play on ESPN Sportscenter's popular "Top 10" segment. The team tweeted a clip of the play Thursday night, and it's already been retweeted thousands of times.
Minnesota sports fans will have the opportunity to see several flyovers this weekend as part of a memorial for the first responders who gave their lives on 9/11.
You might not think an NFL running back has anything in common with little kids in Vikings T-shirts. But Aaron Jones does.
Kyler Murray's debut as quarterback of the Minnesota Vikings also marks the first game as Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator for Jonathan Gannon.
Josh Jacobs pleaded no contest Thursday to misdemeanor battery and criminal damage charges; the NFL said it is reviewing the case under its personal conduct policy and Jacobs remains on the commissioner's exempt list.
Quinn Hughes appears to be in no rush to get a contract extension done with the Minnesota Wild.
Colt Keith homered and the Detroit Tigers ended a seven-series losing streak with a 7-2 win over the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday afternoon.
The Minnesota Vikings have officially named Carson Wentz the backup quarterback for Week 1 against the Green Bay Packers.
Minnesota's leading scorer Cade Tyson has rejoined the team with the intent to play this season.
Kody Clemens hit a two-run homer against his former team, helping the Minnesota Twins beat the Detroit Tigers 3-2.
A 26-year-old man is in custody after voluntarily returning to Minnesota on charges that he defrauded the Minnesota Housing Stabilization Services program.
The Minnesota Department of Corrections has denied supervised release for a man convicted in the 1970 killing of a St. Paul, Minnesota, police officer.
It'll start to get warm and breezy Friday as storms roll in for the evening.
Football is back, and just days before the Vikings and Packers face off in a border battle, U. S Bank Stadium is making major upgrades.
Since the event was established by the White House in the 1980s, the Hispanic Heritage Awards have always been held in Washington, D.C.
It'll start to get warm and breezy Friday as storms roll in for the evening.
Friday marks 25 years since 9/11, and a small Minnesota community has found a special way to honor the victims year-round.
WCCO is tracking everything you can go out and do 4 Your Weekend, including local festivals and the start of some fall activities.
It'll be a mostly sunny day Thursday with light winds, but the humidity starts to pick up Friday ahead of some scattered showers.
Built in 1886, the Prospect House was once a resort hotel. The third floor is preserved to show what the hotel looked like back then, but for Jay Johnson, the real history is in the basement.
A $1.8 billion project to replace the Blatnik Bridge, which links Duluth, Minnesota, and Superior, Wisconsin, is now underway.
An 18-year-old man has pleaded guilty to killing 10-year-old Lily Peters in Wisconsin four years ago. He was then given a life sentence with the possibility of extended supervision after 25 years.
A Wisconsin prosecutor says he will not file election bribery charges against billionaire Elon Musk even though the state's bipartisan elections commission said he likely broke state law.
A Wisconsin high school football player has died from injuries sustained during a game on Thursday night.
Dozens of cases of E. coli and salmonella in multiple states are linked to an alfalfa grower in Minnesota, health officials say.
The nonprofit opened its Twin Cities doors in 2010 and now runs a seven-woman operation out of a warehouse stocked entirely with what other Minnesotans gave away.
An Annandale, Minnesota, boy who survived overwhelming odds as a baby is once again facing a serious heart battle.
Zy'ire was diagnosed with bone cancer in his tibia, and throughout treatment, his love of the game helped keep his spirits up. Make-A-Wish Minnesota granted his wish by putting him on the sideline in Vikings gear.
Lt. Ryan Kelly, the first Minneapolis officer to arrive at Church of the Annunciation on Aug. 27, 2025, described walking in to find dozens of children hiding in the pews — and locating 2 who had already died.
After the Annunciation Catholic Church mass shooting in Minneapolis, there were loud calls for action on guns.
Four former presidents were at the World Trade Center memorial site for 9/11 commemorations, while President Trump spoke at the Pentagon.
In August, a law changing the age for criminal prosecutions in Minnesota went into effect. The law bars children under 13, no matter how serious the crime, from being prosecuted. It's unclear what will happen to kids now accused of these crimes.
Maryland and New Hampshire have similar laws but carve out exceptions for serious violent crimes like murder and rape; Minnesota's version, effective August 1, 2026, has none.
A 43-year-old Hugo woman who pleaded guilty to making threats towards Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth was sentenced on Thursday.
CBS News Texas political reporter Jack Fink spoke with President Trump for an exclusive interview during the president's visit to North Texas.
The Minnesota Department of Human Services is working with a contractor to correct an autism treatment plan backlog that is frustrating both parents and providers.
You've probably seen THC drinks at Minnesota bars and liquor stores, but those made-in-Minnesota drinks could disappear this winter if new federal rules take effect.
The 2026 Minnesota State Fair is rolling out more than three dozen new food items this year, on top of all the returning favorites — which makes putting together a game plan for your visit no small task.
President Trump said Friday that the U.S. will waive higher tariffs on ground beef imports, which he says will reduce beef prices by 25%. Some cattle ranchers, including those in Minnesota and Wisconsin, worry the plan will hurt them financially.
An outbreak of E. coli and salmonella is linked to an alfalfa grower in Minnesota, health officials say. WCCO speaks with a food safety expert about the risks associated with alfalfa sprouts.
The Minnesota Department of Corrections has denied supervised release for a man convicted in the 1970 killing of a St. Paul, Minnesota, police officer.
A longtime family-run Thai restaurant in downtown St. Paul, Minnesota, is picking up the pieces after an individual broke a window and tried to enter early Monday morning, but the owner says the incident won't drive them from the area.
The man who killed a grocery store employee in the Loring Park neighborhood of Minneapolis with a golf club in 2023 was found not guilty by reason of mental illness on Thursday.
The father of Jordan "Manny" Collins, who is accused killing his 16-year-old son, will go on trial Thursday in Anoka County.
Heather Hoffman says she was inside the Grandstand on Saturday when her fiancé, Sammy, was roaming around the fair with two friends. Those friends say Sammy bumped into a teen and it escalated.
The money will fuel a 10-year push into precision medicine at a hospital system that treats children from before birth through young adulthood.
Hospice nurses who work for Allina Health are set to begin a seven-day strike on Friday.
A school night usually means earlier bedtimes and setting multiple alarms. WCCO spoke with a sleep medicine physician about how many alarms you should set to wake up.
A group of over 150 Allina Health doctors in the Twin Cities has filed a 10-day unfair labor practice strike notice, their union said on Friday.
Sanford Health and North Memorial Health announced Tuesday that they completed the merger.
WCCO is tracking everything you can go out and do 4 Your Weekend, including at the Minnesota State Fair.
While performing in St. Louis on Saturday night, Lionel Richie appeared at one point to lean on a piano for support, according to video from the show.
Louis Lee came to Minnesota decades ago from Hong Kong to become a student at the University of Minnesota. He says listening to comedy helped him learn English.
The vault is open. Recordings no one's ever heard, spanning 40 years of Prince's musical career, are now available on a new album called "Timeless."
The community is mourning the loss of Charles Dillon, also known as Chaz Millionaire, a longtime voice on the Twin Cities airwaves.
Minnesota sports fans will have the opportunity to see several flyovers this weekend as part of a memorial for the first responders who gave their lives on 9/11.
You might not think an NFL running back has anything in common with little kids in Vikings T-shirts. But Aaron Jones does.
Kyler Murray's debut as quarterback of the Minnesota Vikings also marks the first game as Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator for Jonathan Gannon.
Josh Jacobs pleaded no contest Thursday to misdemeanor battery and criminal damage charges; the NFL said it is reviewing the case under its personal conduct policy and Jacobs remains on the commissioner's exempt list.
Quinn Hughes appears to be in no rush to get a contract extension done with the Minnesota Wild.
In August, a law changing the age for criminal prosecutions in Minnesota went into effect. The law bars children under 13, no matter how serious the crime, from being prosecuted. It's unclear what will happen to kids now accused of these crimes.
Maryland and New Hampshire have similar laws but carve out exceptions for serious violent crimes like murder and rape; Minnesota's version, effective August 1, 2026, has none.
Demuth has been running ads focusing on a million-dollar funding proposal that Klobuchar supported that was stripped out of a funding bill.
She has won four races for U.S. Senate by double digits, and now Sen. Amy Klobuchar is campaigning to become Minnesota's next governor.
The DFL primary in Minnesota's 2nd Congressional District was supposed to be close, but it wasn't. Former Lakeville Mayor and state Sen. Matt Little beat two well-known opponents by double digits.
Built in 1886, the Prospect House was once a resort hotel. The third floor is preserved to show what the hotel looked like back then, but for Jay Johnson, the real history is in the basement.
For nearly a half century, the Haunted Mansion at the Minnesota State Fair has been scaring people silly.
It is one of the most uniquely shaped buildings at the Minnesota State Fair, and it holds nearly 80 years of history.
For five generations, one family has run the Taylors Falls Scenic Boat Tours along the St. Croix River.
Keith Richardson is a home brewer and beer memorabilia collector. His collection got so big that, two years ago, he moved everything into an old toy store near downtown Lanesboro and opened the Hammarama Museum and Gift Shop.
The first days of school can be both exciting and nerve-wracking. New teachers, new classes, maybe even a new building. It can be a lot to manage without a plan.
A school night usually means earlier bedtimes and setting multiple alarms. WCCO spoke with a sleep medicine physician about how many alarms you should set to wake up.
Behind the fried foods and thrilling rides, farming remains at the heart of the Minnesota State Fair, where farm families work around the clock to get their animals ribbon-ready.
Visitors are spending tens of millions of dollars to experience all there is at the Minnesota State Fair. It's a 12-day production that costs tens of millions of dollars to put on.
There's more than 300 vendors keeping people fed at the Minnesota State Fair. That's a lot of competition for your cash and the limited space in your stomach.
The Minnesota State Fair has unveiled its new foods for 2026.
A look back at the esteemed personalities who've left us this year, who'd touched us with their innovation, creativity and humanity.
Minnesotans got a great view of the northern lights Tuesday night.
A look at the newest addition to the polar bear population at St. Paul, Minnesota's Como Zoo.
From food shelves to school programs, our team is proud to serve where it matters most.
People in parts of northern and central Minnesota will see storms Friday evening, NEXT Weather meteorologist Lisa Meadows says.
In Minnesota, weather can be all over the place. Here at WCCO, we want to give you what you need to prepare for what's happening next.
Storms will be rolling through parts of Minnesota on Friday evening, according to NEXT Weather meteorologist Lisa Meadows.
There's a possibility for some rain and storms to move through northern Minnesota Friday evening.
It'll start to get warm and breezy Friday as storms roll in for the evening.
People in parts of northern and central Minnesota will see storms Friday evening, NEXT Weather meteorologist Lisa Meadows says.
If your bicycle was stolen or lost in Minneapolis, there could be one last chance to get it back. Photojournalist Ray Campos shows how you can claim your bicycle before auction or score a bike at a bargain price.
To mark 25 years since 9/11, fans of the Minnesota Twins, University of Minnesota Gophers and Minnesota Vikings will see flyovers at their respective stadiums on Saturday or Sunday. The 39th Flying Training Squadron will be overhead. John Lauritsen spoke with the pilots about how 9/11 motivated them to join the Air Force.
Witness video captured on Friday showed a plume of black smoke rising from the Apple Valley Community Center. According to its website, the facility is temporarily closed for construction.
A popular Twin Cities tradition is celebrating its 50th year. Jason Patalonis stopped by WCCO on Friday to preview this year’s Historic Hills House Tour in St. Paul.