We’re coming down to playoff time in the Northern Lights Men’s DII college conference in Minnesota, and Minnesota-Duluth and Winona State look to be the strongest teams.

Duluth and Winona actually met last week in a crossover game between Pool A and Pool B. Duluth won 36-19, but it was a competitive game, and one that showed Winona just how close they are to the two-tie defending national champs.

This weekend, Duluth defeated Wisconsin-River falls 97-0 (or 94-0 depending on who you ask). Matt Martin scored three tries, and Clifford Petruska would have received credit for three, as well, expect one ended up being a penalty try. Kupa Madzima, Noah Siiro, and Randy Tanaka all scored two, while Trace Bolstad and Zach Schwartz made sure they got full value for the tries with their kicking, Duluth dominated scrums, winning all of their own scrums and 40% of the UWRF put-ins. In lineouts they didn’t fire as nicely, but didn’t need to.

Winona, meanwhile, took care of business against Bemidji State 47-14. Club president and lock forward Charles Meier said his team is playing with some confidence.

“Against Duluth we had a rough first half,” Meier told Goff Rugby Report (Duluth ran out to a 29-0 lead in that game). “But in the second half we started to run more off the ball and be there in support. That made a big different and we had players there to ruck immediately. We were able to outscore Duluth in the second half. We took a lot out of that. We know Duluth is a strong team, but we kind of got rid of that stigma that you can’t compete with them. We feel we can.”

Winona has enjoyed a good season from Trevon Pettigrew, a tough, physically strong runner who is, said Meier, “just a wrecking ball. He’s really been putting in the work.”

And Taylor Freund is another talented runner, one who is elusive and “always makes the first guy miss,” said Meier. Freund is also the tam captain.

So the regular season itself is almost done. Winona State is listed below at 4-1 because their next game, against Mankato, is already listed as a forfeit win for them. Duluth is 4-0 and will take on a tough St. John’s team. So far, the small college teams St. John’s and St. Thomas have performed very well, while North Dakota State is also pushing for a playoff spot.

After next week, the teams will get a week off and then meet the weekend of October 29 for semifinals on the Saturday and the final on Sunday.

Last year, Duluth was the conference champion and defeated Grand Valley State, Lindenwood-Belleville, Salisbury, and Wisconsin-Whitewater on the way to the championship. Winona made the playoffs as a wild card in a play-in game with Rocky Mountain champs Colorado School of Mines. Mines won that game 54-22.