Winona Area Public SchoolsFor the third time in four years, the Winona Senior High School football team is going to U.S. Bank Stadium. Want to come along for the ride? Here's what you need to know regarding game time, tickets and more.
The game: Winona (11-0), ranked No. 5 in the state, will play unranked Rocori (9-2) at 4:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 15 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis in the Class AAAA state semifinals. Please note that the start time is approximate ... there are three games scheduled to take place before Winona plays — at 9 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. — so a delayed start is possible.
The stadium: U.S. Bank Stadium, the home of the Minnesota Vikings and host of Super Bowl LII and last year's Final Four, is located at 401 Chicago Ave., Minneapolis. It is an enclosed stadium, so there's no need to check the weather forecast.
Tickets: MSHSL is running all ticket sales for the semifinals and finals via online sales. There will not be any tickets for sale at the high school. Tickets are $16 for adults and $10 for students and can be purchased here. All tickets are general admission, and all fans will enter through the Legacy Entrance (west end of the stadium along Chicago Avenue). Tickets will be available at the door, but lines can be long, so purchasing in advance is your best bet. (An earlier version of this story had the incorrect price for student tickets).
Parking: There are several options for parking around U.S. Bank Stadium, and those can be purchased here. You can also park elsewhere and take public transportation to the venue.
Fan bus: Leighton Broadcasting is offering a fan bus to the game. The cost is $25 and includes motor coach transportation, a game ticket and pizza. The bus will leave from the Winona Elks Club at 1:30 p.m. Friday. Click here for more information.
Student bus: WSHS will be offering a chaperoned student bus. The cost is $15 but does not include a game ticket. Money and the permission slip is due to the activities office by 3 p.m. Thursday.
Other information: For information on spectator policies and visit items, take a look at the MSHSL spectator guide here.
What else is there to do in Minneapolis? If you get into town early — say, around noon — head over to the Jean K Freeman Aquatic Center and cheer on the Winhawks competing in the MSHSL Class A state meet. Winona's 200 medley relay of Anna MAcLennan, Emily Robison, Carolyn Macon and Mary Hoffman qualified, and Macon qualified individually in the 200 freestyle and 100 butterfly. Junior Issara Schmidt and junior Morgan Walker also qualified in diving, but those prelims will be held Thursday.
What if I live elsewhere? Kayak is a great website to find cheap flights to MSP Airport, and you can hop on the Blue Line and be at U.S. Bank Stadium in 32 minutes.