By RICK SOLEM
For years, the Caledonia High School football team has been dominating the area and the state.
Wednesday night, the Warriors capped off another perfect regular season with a 13-0 win over Goodhue. It was Caledonia’s 31 consecutive regular season win and 41st win in a row in conference, which earned another conference title – the ninth in a row.
The Warriors (8-0), ranked second in Class 2A, now begin their quest for a sixth state title since the first back in 2007.
Caledonia hosts winless Hayfield (0-8) Tuesday. The first time around, the Warriors won 53-0 in Week 4.
This season, the Warriors allow an average of 4.8 points per game. Offensively, Hayfield averages just 13.6 points.
The rest of the MSHSL playoffs include a lot of rematches from earlier blowouts this season, as Minnesota allows all teams to qualify for playoffs.
In Class 3A, La Crescent (2-6) is the sixth seed and heads to No. 3 Plainview-Elgin-Millville (5-3), where it already lost 45-18 seven days ago.
In a game that features a combined three wins, Winona (1-7) heads to Red Wing (2-6) in a rematch that was won by the Wingers, 21-7, in Week 2.
In Class 1A, Rushford-Peterson (7-1), ranked seventh in the state, which only blemish is a 7-6 loss to previously mentioned Caledonia, hosts winless Kingsland. These teams met in Week 1. R-P won 47-0.
Other Class 2A games include Cotter (1-7) at Lewiston-Altura (5-3). Another rematch that went to the Cardinals 55-13 in Week 3.
In nine-man, Section 1 includes two Top 10 teams, including seventh-ranked Spring Grove, which hosts LeRoy-Ostrander. The Lions (7-1) won 71-21 earlier this year.
Houston (3-5) will head to Lanesboro (4-4) in a rematch that the Burros won 36-0 a month ago.
Mabel-Canton (5-3) will hosts Lyle/Pacelli (2-6) in a rematch that went the Cougars way, 42-18.
The second round of the playoffs gets underway Saturday at the top seed, while the section championships take place Oct. 31. State rounds begin Nov. 7-8. Section 1 will play Section 4.