Minnesota Named Football Team of the Year (6/8/9-Man)

1998 DeafNation 6/8/9-Man Football Power Ratings

• 1st: Minnesota — 5-1 (5-2 overall)
• 2nd: Kentucky — 6-3 (6-4 overall)
• 3rd: New Mexico — 4-3
• 4th: Arizona — 3-5 (3-6 overall)
• 5th: Oregon — 2-6
• 6th: Washington — 4-3 (4-4 overall)
• 7th: Iowa — 4-5
• 8th (tie): Georgia — 4-3
• 8th (tie): Mississippi — 3-4
• 10th: Missouri — 2-7
• 11th: Phoenix Day — 1-7
• 12th (tie): Colorado — 2-7
• 12th (tie): Kansas — 1-8
• 12th (tie): North Carolina — 1-7
• 12th (tie): Oklahoma — 1-4

The Trojans of Minnesota made history on their own respective terms. Seriously contending on a 5-1 and 5-2 overall record, after lots of teams putting up their strong efforts, Minnesota captured DeafNation’s 1998 6/8/9-Man Football Team of the Year on a repeat note, their first ever repeat in obtaining a Team of the Year honor from any publication.

Minnesota narrowly edged 6-3 and 6-4 overall Kentucky, a full-fledged newcomer to 6/8/9-Man rating body, in considerations.

A contender in 4-3 New Mexico followed with a 3rd place rating. Arizona, despite an official 3-6 record on a fully Varsity slate, strongly followed with a 4th rating on a very close call helped by their entry in the state 8-Man playoffs by virtue a three-way tie breaker broken by Arizona winning over two teams in quarter length shoot outs.

That completed the picture of legitimate contenders.

Minnesota’s season this time had its bumps there and there. Already scheduled to open a week late than usual against well reckoned Zumbrota-Mapezza’s Junior Varsity. Minnesota got word that New Prague elected to fold its Junior Varsity program despite more than enough players signed up even for a 11-Man squad.

A new scheduling replacement in Pine Island was sought to no avail. In finally opening play versus then defending 9-Man state champions, Leroy Ostrander Junior Varsity going down in defeat by score 26-0.

Faribault Senior High School’s “B” squad, classified practically like Junior Varsity caliber, did face Minnesota. Faribault has a 10th12th grade enrollment of near 1,000 students. This time the intra-city foe managed to defeat Minnesota, a sweet revenge from last year. This year Faribault’s “B” team defeated “B” teams of schools with much larger enrollments such as Rochester’s John Marshall (1,500), Rochester Mayo (1,600). Overall, all teams that Faribault’s “B” defeated is of larger enrollment.

In facing an underrated 1-8 Kansas, Minnesota was with adversary. A considerable number of injuries proved nearly too much for a small and depth lacking squad. Minnesota survived five touchdowns called back with no scoring recovered in repeat opportunities. The final score was 30-26 instead of what could have been 75-26 if not for these setbacks as well as injuries.

Tough and determined 4-5 Iowa with squad infused by transfers as caused by closure of Nebraska School for the Deaf was no pushover this time. Iowa managed to tie Minnesota 8-8 at halftime before Minnesota put together heads let alone minds and that was enough to pull out a 38-22 solid win.

On homecoming day, Minnesota played to its potential, decimating an already improving Missouri by a score of 50-6. The game nearly ended in the 1st Half, one point short of the 45-point mercy rule, with Minnesota holding a 44-0 breather.

Up next was WatervilleElysin’s Junior Varsity, an outlet that feeds into a Varsity team that was then the State Class A runnerup and at time of match-up, #1 ranked in state after many large margins of victories. Minnesota had no trouble putting apart their Junior Varsity as indicated by the 56-27 score. Waterville-Elysin’s enrollment is 268 from 10th-12th grades.

Minnesota qualified for the 1st Round of 9-Man Sectional Playoffs.

The bracket had the best of Grand Meadow, a comfortably larger school than Minnesota’s with 100 students enrolled in 10th-12th grades, pitted against Minnesota. Adversary struck again but this time as three top players from Minnesota was held back due to disciplinary sanctions imposed.

That action was taken with only one day to spare before the playoff game. Expectant disaster struck on a 39-8 note to close out the slightly shortened season on a 5-1 (5-2 overall) record.