Class A Rankings 12-9-12
Posted: Sun Dec 09, 2012 9:41 am
Well, there were a lot of changes this week. There were two match ups this week that shifted teams 2 thru 9 because of putting them into A beat B and B beat C order. One of two things will happen, the order will prove to be correct and everything will be perfect or going forward there will be chaos; the latter is more likely.
I added two teams who are doing well to the rankings this week and have a handful of teams watching. In a couple weeks, it'll likely be the top 15 with only a couple teams being watched.
With the parity below St Thomas and the fact that they had five 1-goal games with three different top 10 teams last year, there are many who could be on top in a month and a half.
Let the discussion begin!
1. [1] Saint Thomas Academy (2-1)
The Cadets had a solid week, controlling the top HF players, and playing a top 5 AA team really tight. On the docket this week are two large rivalry games. Expect the Saint Thomas Ice Arena to be packed on Tuesday night as the newest installment of the St Thomas/Cretin rivalry ensues. Then they host the Pioneers, in a match up where the boys in green are likely the favorite, seeing as how the Cadets have only won twice in the last ten match ups, none of the last four.
This week: Tues vs Cretin, Sat vs Hill-Murray
2. [3] Hermantown (4-0)
The Hawks benefit in the rankings from a stumble by Breck this week. They continue to win, although they haven’t played great teams yet. After being down 2-0 to Hopkins, they scored 3 unanswered goals to win. Followed that up with a road trip and away win over a TRF team with some question marks at this point in the season. Their lone game this week is against a section foe.
This week: Sat vs Rogers
3. [5] Totino-Grace (3-0-1)
The Eagles also benefit from teams ahead of them falling, not necessarily anything they did. They haven’t done anything wrong, but beating a down Blake team and Irondale are simply expected of a top team. They stay ahead of the EGF team they tied because that’s where they started. Luckily they will play many of the state’s top teams, so in the next month we will have a much better idea of where they should be. Can they keep Gersich in control Saturday the way the Cadets were able to?
This week: Sat @ Holy Family Catholic
4. [6] East Grand Forks (3-0-1)
The Green Wave have a tie with Totino-Grace and 3 shut outs on their schedule thus far, all away games. They have a very important section match up this Friday. If they can keep up their winning ways, I am likely to eat my words from last week and we will be seeing them at least a spot or two higher. With Warroad likely being the only [potential] challenge on their schedule until they play Roseau over a month from now on Jan 15th, Friday’s home game is very important.
This week: Tues @ Grafton, Fri vs Warroad
5. [9] Rochester Lourdes (3-1)
The Eagles beating the Crusaders was not what I expected after a close game with Hibbing this week. While they do play some lowly teams, they also play many top teams in Class A this year, so we will get a much better idea of how good they are as the season goes on. Likely a top team in state, they have two section opponents this week to secure their place atop the section.
This week: Thurs vs Northfield, Sat @ Red Wing
6. [7] St. Cloud Cathedral (3-2)
Beating Breck this week is huge for the Crusaders. While the EGF game was bad, it may end up being just a bad game, or maybe Cathedral is atop the teams just outside the top handful, time will tell. Unfortunately for everyone, they don’t play any games they should be challenged in until their first game of 2013 when they host Warroad.
This week: Tues @ Princeton, Thurs @ Delano, Sat vs Alexandria
7. [2] Breck (3-1)
“Surprising” would be a good way to describe the start to the Mustangs’ season. A win over Marshall was expected, but a loss to Cathedral and going to OT with Mahtomedi at home? One game this week followed by a 15 day rest before playing Duluth East in the Schwan Cup.
This week: Tues vs Rogers
8. [10] Little Falls (4-0)
The Flyers’ schedule is hard to interpret. From start to finish there are only 5 remotely notable games, one of them being their start to the season when they shut out Hibbing on the road. If they continue scoring and not allowing goals, that may be what helps them rise, we will have to see.
This week: Tues vs Alexandria, Fri @ Princeton
9. [4] Duluth Marshall (4-1)
The Hilltoppers fall four spots while going 2-0 this week because of what happened ahead of them. The OT game with Hibbing doesn’t look good for the overall rankings, but 7A teams all seem to play each other well yearly, so the win is what I see. They travel to Rapids this week, host Benilde next week and will likely play two of WI’s top teams in their holiday tournament, so by 2013 we will all know a lot more about Marshall.
This week: Fri @ Grand Rapids, Sat vs Crookston
10. [8] Thief River Falls (1-4)
The Prowlers’ record sure isn’t great at this point, but they also haven’t lost to any bad teams. They are idle this week, so they may slip even more if some of the good teams below them can continue to win.
This week: No games
11. [-] Warroad (4-1)
The Warriors would be a little bit higher had they beat Rapids, but the teams they have beaten haven't been better than the teams TRF has lost to. This week they play EGF so we will learn a lot about both teams and as the season goes on they play many good teams. If they are pretty good, there is a shot they end the season with more than 20 wins.
This week: Tues @ Bemidji, Fri @ East Grand Forks
12. [-] Delano (4-1)
The only blemish on Delano's schedule is a close game with Breck; they play what should be two good games this week and there will be plenty more opportunities this season to see how good they are.
This week: Thurs vs St Cloud Cathedral, Sat @ New Ulm
Some teams to watch:
Windom Area (4-0)
This week: Sat @ Achiever NE Academy
St Paul Academy (4-1)
This week: Fri @ Chisago Lakes Area
Mahtomedi (2-1)
This week: Thurs @ New Prague, Sat vs Spring Lake Park
Rogers (2-1-1)
This week: Tues @ Breck, Sat @ Hermantown
Alexandria (2-1-1)
This week: Tues @ Little Falls, Thurs vs Willmar, Sat @ Cathedral
Crookston (4-1)
This week: Fri @ Eveleth-Gilbert, Sat @ Duluth Marshall
I added two teams who are doing well to the rankings this week and have a handful of teams watching. In a couple weeks, it'll likely be the top 15 with only a couple teams being watched.
With the parity below St Thomas and the fact that they had five 1-goal games with three different top 10 teams last year, there are many who could be on top in a month and a half.
Let the discussion begin!
1. [1] Saint Thomas Academy (2-1)
The Cadets had a solid week, controlling the top HF players, and playing a top 5 AA team really tight. On the docket this week are two large rivalry games. Expect the Saint Thomas Ice Arena to be packed on Tuesday night as the newest installment of the St Thomas/Cretin rivalry ensues. Then they host the Pioneers, in a match up where the boys in green are likely the favorite, seeing as how the Cadets have only won twice in the last ten match ups, none of the last four.
This week: Tues vs Cretin, Sat vs Hill-Murray
2. [3] Hermantown (4-0)
The Hawks benefit in the rankings from a stumble by Breck this week. They continue to win, although they haven’t played great teams yet. After being down 2-0 to Hopkins, they scored 3 unanswered goals to win. Followed that up with a road trip and away win over a TRF team with some question marks at this point in the season. Their lone game this week is against a section foe.
This week: Sat vs Rogers
3. [5] Totino-Grace (3-0-1)
The Eagles also benefit from teams ahead of them falling, not necessarily anything they did. They haven’t done anything wrong, but beating a down Blake team and Irondale are simply expected of a top team. They stay ahead of the EGF team they tied because that’s where they started. Luckily they will play many of the state’s top teams, so in the next month we will have a much better idea of where they should be. Can they keep Gersich in control Saturday the way the Cadets were able to?
This week: Sat @ Holy Family Catholic
4. [6] East Grand Forks (3-0-1)
The Green Wave have a tie with Totino-Grace and 3 shut outs on their schedule thus far, all away games. They have a very important section match up this Friday. If they can keep up their winning ways, I am likely to eat my words from last week and we will be seeing them at least a spot or two higher. With Warroad likely being the only [potential] challenge on their schedule until they play Roseau over a month from now on Jan 15th, Friday’s home game is very important.
This week: Tues @ Grafton, Fri vs Warroad
5. [9] Rochester Lourdes (3-1)
The Eagles beating the Crusaders was not what I expected after a close game with Hibbing this week. While they do play some lowly teams, they also play many top teams in Class A this year, so we will get a much better idea of how good they are as the season goes on. Likely a top team in state, they have two section opponents this week to secure their place atop the section.
This week: Thurs vs Northfield, Sat @ Red Wing
6. [7] St. Cloud Cathedral (3-2)
Beating Breck this week is huge for the Crusaders. While the EGF game was bad, it may end up being just a bad game, or maybe Cathedral is atop the teams just outside the top handful, time will tell. Unfortunately for everyone, they don’t play any games they should be challenged in until their first game of 2013 when they host Warroad.
This week: Tues @ Princeton, Thurs @ Delano, Sat vs Alexandria
7. [2] Breck (3-1)
“Surprising” would be a good way to describe the start to the Mustangs’ season. A win over Marshall was expected, but a loss to Cathedral and going to OT with Mahtomedi at home? One game this week followed by a 15 day rest before playing Duluth East in the Schwan Cup.
This week: Tues vs Rogers
8. [10] Little Falls (4-0)
The Flyers’ schedule is hard to interpret. From start to finish there are only 5 remotely notable games, one of them being their start to the season when they shut out Hibbing on the road. If they continue scoring and not allowing goals, that may be what helps them rise, we will have to see.
This week: Tues vs Alexandria, Fri @ Princeton
9. [4] Duluth Marshall (4-1)
The Hilltoppers fall four spots while going 2-0 this week because of what happened ahead of them. The OT game with Hibbing doesn’t look good for the overall rankings, but 7A teams all seem to play each other well yearly, so the win is what I see. They travel to Rapids this week, host Benilde next week and will likely play two of WI’s top teams in their holiday tournament, so by 2013 we will all know a lot more about Marshall.
This week: Fri @ Grand Rapids, Sat vs Crookston
10. [8] Thief River Falls (1-4)
The Prowlers’ record sure isn’t great at this point, but they also haven’t lost to any bad teams. They are idle this week, so they may slip even more if some of the good teams below them can continue to win.
This week: No games
11. [-] Warroad (4-1)
The Warriors would be a little bit higher had they beat Rapids, but the teams they have beaten haven't been better than the teams TRF has lost to. This week they play EGF so we will learn a lot about both teams and as the season goes on they play many good teams. If they are pretty good, there is a shot they end the season with more than 20 wins.
This week: Tues @ Bemidji, Fri @ East Grand Forks
12. [-] Delano (4-1)
The only blemish on Delano's schedule is a close game with Breck; they play what should be two good games this week and there will be plenty more opportunities this season to see how good they are.
This week: Thurs vs St Cloud Cathedral, Sat @ New Ulm
Some teams to watch:
Windom Area (4-0)
This week: Sat @ Achiever NE Academy
St Paul Academy (4-1)
This week: Fri @ Chisago Lakes Area
Mahtomedi (2-1)
This week: Thurs @ New Prague, Sat vs Spring Lake Park
Rogers (2-1-1)
This week: Tues @ Breck, Sat @ Hermantown
Alexandria (2-1-1)
This week: Tues @ Little Falls, Thurs vs Willmar, Sat @ Cathedral
Crookston (4-1)
This week: Fri @ Eveleth-Gilbert, Sat @ Duluth Marshall