LISTEN: Remembering Winona High football’s 1987 state title run with former LB Joel Staats

Staats, who started 4 years at the U of M, had a state record 21 solo tackles

Winona Senior High School’s football team is back in the Minnesota state championship for the first time since 1987.

That was the only other time the Winhawks had played for a state title.

Winona was 13-0 headed into that game but ended up losing 13-7 to Moorhead.

Winhawks legend Joel Staats, however, finished with a state record 21 solo tackles. He went on to start at linebacker all four years at the University of Minnesota and mentioned he did have a hold of Paul Bunyan’s axe – as the Gophers look to play the Badgers this weekend and haven’t had the axe since 2003.

I talked to Staats on Wednesday afternoon. Listen to that interview right here. You can also search “Obstructed View Rick Solem” on iTunes and download the podcast right here (interview may not be up until Thursday through iTunes).

At 4 p.m. Friday at U.S. Bank Stadium, the sixth-ranked Winhawks (11-1) take on unranked Benilde St. Margaret (9-3).

The Winhawks average 30.7 points a game to Benilde’s 32.8. Defensively, Winona is giving up just 12.5 a game, while Benilde gives up 18.8.

In six games this season, Winona has given up 8 points or less, including a 24-0 shutout of top-ranked South St. Paul in the quarterfinals of the state tournament.