GREENWAY AT HERMANTOWN

[mnmouth]

Yea. I was so looking forward to seeing Greenway in the state tournament this year. Hermantown got 7A wrapped up for the next decade.

Greenway returns most of their team next year. Perhaps they’ll even have an effective 3rd line. I expect them to challenge Hermantown again. Don’t give up just yet on some team knocking the Hawks out

[elliott70]

Yea. I was so looking forward to seeing Greenway in the state tournament this year. Hermantown got 7A wrapped up for the next decade.

Same here knivsy thought we might have had 2 party crashers in St Paul in 2018. CEC and Green Machine.

Now its up to the Hounds to rep 218 hockey.

Ahem...
East Grand Forks and Theif River Falls are 218 area code teams.

[mnmouth]

Yea. I was so looking forward to seeing Greenway in the state tournament this year. Hermantown got 7A wrapped up for the next decade.

Same here knivsy thought we might have had 2 party crashers in St Paul in 2018. CEC and Green Machine.

Now its up to the Hounds to rep 218 hockey.

Ahem...
East Grand Forks and Theif River Falls are 218 area code teams.

As is Hermantown . . .

[kniven]

Yea. I was so looking forward to seeing Greenway in the state tournament this year. Hermantown got 7A wrapped up for the next decade.

Same here knivsy thought we might have had 2 party crashers in St Paul in 2018. CEC and Green Machine.

Now its up to the Hounds to rep 218 hockey.

Ahem...
East Grand Forks and Theif River Falls are 218 area code teams.

I’m talking AA puck. Hermantown 218 has had that wrapped up and will continue.

[hockey59]

Yea. I was so looking forward to seeing Greenway in the state tournament this year. Hermantown got 7A wrapped up for the next decade.

Greenway returns most of their team next year. Perhaps they’ll even have an effective 3rd line. I expect them to challenge Hermantown again. Don’t give up just yet on some team knocking the Hawks out

Greenway should go to State next year (because if Hermantown refuses to opt up for the next 2 year cycle, it means their HS administrators & coaches are the BIGGEST COWARDS in HS sports) and the amount of crap they'll get slung their way will simply be unprecedented...at least on this forum! Have some Balls Hermantown for God sakes

[northwoods oldtimer]

Yea. I was so looking forward to seeing Greenway in the state tournament this year. Hermantown got 7A wrapped up for the next decade.

Same here knivsy thought we might have had 2 party crashers in St Paul in 2018. CEC and Green Machine.

Now its up to the Hounds to rep 218 hockey.

Ahem...
East Grand Forks and Theif River Falls are 218 area code teams.

ahhhh geriatric slip up. Apologies to EGF and TRF. We are locked in for another 218 contender out of 8A.

[Jeffy95]

Yea. I was so looking forward to seeing Greenway in the state tournament this year. Hermantown got 7A wrapped up for the next decade.

Greenway returns most of their team next year. Perhaps they’ll even have an effective 3rd line. I expect them to challenge Hermantown again. Don’t give up just yet on some team knocking the Hawks out

Not Gonna happen. Hermantown has four stud Bantams coming up next year from their Top 5 AA team. Joey Pierce from Ely, Cole Antcliff from Proctor, Ethan Lund from Hayward, WI and Gavin Blomdahl from Duluth. Hermantown Bantams took Greenway to the woodshed last Season and that was without Pierce.

[That guy for that thing]

Yea. I was so looking forward to seeing Greenway in the state tournament this year. Hermantown got 7A wrapped up for the next decade.

Greenway returns most of their team next year. Perhaps they’ll even have an effective 3rd line. I expect them to challenge Hermantown again. Don’t give up just yet on some team knocking the Hawks out

Not Gonna happen. Hermantown has four stud Bantams coming up next year from their Top 5 AA team. Joey Pierce from Ely, Cole Antcliff from Proctor, Ethan Lund from Hayward, WI and Gavin Blomdahl from Duluth. Hermantown Bantams took Greenway to the woodshed last Season and that was without Pierce.

This was the first year of their new coach. Who knows if it was Bruce Plante that was keeping them at A. I hope this new guy wants to move up.

[HockeyStorm]

Not Gonna happen. Hermantown has four stud Bantams coming up next year from their Top 5 AA team. Joey Pierce from Ely, Cole Antcliff from Proctor, Ethan Lund from Hayward, WI and Gavin Blomdahl from Duluth. Hermantown Bantams took Greenway to the woodshed last Season and that was without Pierce.[/quote]


Good to see there is "local" talent coming up in Hermantown. If you are going to play AA all the way up in youth have some stones for crying out loud and move up in HS too.

[Jeffy95]

Greenway returns most of their team next year. Perhaps they’ll even have an effective 3rd line. I expect them to challenge Hermantown again. Don’t give up just yet on some team knocking the Hawks out

Not Gonna happen. Hermantown has four stud Bantams coming up next year from their Top 5 AA team. Joey Pierce from Ely, Cole Antcliff from Proctor, Ethan Lund from Hayward, WI and Gavin Blomdahl from Duluth. Hermantown Bantams took Greenway to the woodshed last Season and that was without Pierce.

This was the first year of their new coach. Who knows if it was Bruce Plante that was keeping them at A. I hope this new guy wants to move up.

Next season is the 2nd year of the cycle, so they couldn't move up even if they wanted to, and they don't want to. Scott Pionk is one of the smartest Hockey guys in Hermantown. He is quoted as saying they are clearly a AA program but 70% of the Association wants to stay in A. He wants his last kid to have a chance to play AA. The amount of talent they have brought in on their Bantam, PeeWee and Squirt teams from other Associations is flat out unreal. Like I said, 7A is finished. It's all over...

[greenwayraider]

Yea. I was so looking forward to seeing Greenway in the state tournament this year. Hermantown got 7A wrapped up for the next decade.

Greenway returns most of their team next year. Perhaps they’ll even have an effective 3rd line. I expect them to challenge Hermantown again. Don’t give up just yet on some team knocking the Hawks out

Very little or no chance for a third line. The two senior forwards Greenway lose had speed and were solid players. Greenway's bantam team is not very good at all and neither was their JV so I don't expect much if any help from those sources. For Greenway to challenge Hermantown again next year, Ville will have to be back in goal. Secondly, the sophomore class must make the same progress that Dante Lawson made between his sophomore and junior years. Finally, the flu bug needs to hit Hermantown during sectionals. Maybe after the disappointment of last night's game wears off I will be a little more optimistic. Still has to be considered a great season. Beat the Rapids and took Hermantown to the limit.

[kniven]

Yea. I was so looking forward to seeing Greenway in the state tournament this year. Hermantown got 7A wrapped up for the next decade.

Greenway returns most of their team next year. Perhaps they’ll even have an effective 3rd line. I expect them to challenge Hermantown again. Don’t give up just yet on some team knocking the Hawks out

Greenway should go to State next year (because if Hermantown refuses to opt up for the next 2 year cycle, it means their HS administrators & coaches are the BIGGEST COWARDS in HS sports) and the amount of crap they'll get slung their way will simply be unprecedented...at least on this forum! Have some Balls Hermantown for God sakes

A couple years ago after all the games at state, the main dude older with glasses called out Hermantown saying they need to move up to AA. I recorded and put it on the forum. Pretty embarrassing for the Chicken Hawks. I really think they live in their own world though, kinda like the Truman Show.

[northwoods oldtimer]

Yea. I was so looking forward to seeing Greenway in the state tournament this year. Hermantown got 7A wrapped up for the next decade.

Greenway returns most of their team next year. Perhaps they’ll even have an effective 3rd line. I expect them to challenge Hermantown again. Don’t give up just yet on some team knocking the Hawks out

Very little or no chance for a third line. The two senior forwards Greenway lose had speed and were solid players. Greenway's bantam team is not very good at all and neither was their JV so I don't expect much if any help from those sources. For Greenway to challenge Hermantown again next year, Ville will have to be back in goal. Secondly, the sophomore class must make the same progress that Dante Lawson made between his sophomore and junior years. Finally, the flu bug needs to hit Hermantown during sectionals. Maybe after the disappointment of last night's game wears off I will be a little more optimistic. Still has to be considered a great season. Beat the Rapids and took Hermantown to the limit.

Agree it was quite a year for the small single A west range program.

[rainier2]

Yea. I was so looking forward to seeing Greenway in the state tournament this year. Hermantown got 7A wrapped up for the next decade.

Greenway returns most of their team next year. Perhaps they’ll even have an effective 3rd line. I expect them to challenge Hermantown again. Don’t give up just yet on some team knocking the Hawks out

Greenway should go to State next year (because if Hermantown refuses to opt up for the next 2 year cycle, it means their HS administrators & coaches are the BIGGEST COWARDS in HS sports) and the amount of crap they'll get slung their way will simply be unprecedented...at least on this forum! Have some Balls Hermantown for God sakes

Hermantown already locked into single A for next season, but if they do announce the opt up for the following year, Greenway will be a A title contender in 2020 for sure. The bulk of the Raiders' talent was sophomores and juniors this season, so I expect them to take another step next year, but unfortunately so will Hermantown with their top 5 AA bantam talent coming in.

Congrats to the Hermantown players, they're always a hard-working bunch that hopefully will someday be allowed to compete at the level they deserve.

Congrats to Greenway on a great season and fantastic effort versus the Class A Goliath. Such an amazing story that this program was on the brink of folding not that long ago, and now they are a top 3 team.

My main concern with this Greenway squad is that if Hermantown stays in A then what happened in Hibbing recently may happen to them, which is that their top players decide to leave early because they have little or no chance to get to state. I'm certainly not saying it was the only factor, but if Hermantown had been in AA in 16 and 17, I'd bet my impaired liver that top Hibbing players would have stayed.

Do first round NHL picks Mittlestadt and Tufte come back for their senior years if their teams were seven goal underdogs to the top team in their section? Do the three GR studs come back for another title run this year if they would have had a great incoming bantam class to give them a shot at knocking off DE? It's no secret a team's chances of getting to state influence the stay/go decisions of top talent. It's just unfortunate that, in 7A, the pull of a tourney run isn't really there for anyone except a team that is more than good enough to compete in AA.

[Wet Paint]

So why do we keep talking about Hermantown? Why keep spending money going to games? Why advertise on their games and etc? If their school's admin and etc won't put them into the category where they belong and have proven that they can play don't mess with them. Follow Duluth East's example. When the phone rings, don't answer it. Fill your schedule up with other games. There is no reason that anybody has to do anything with them. Drop out of the LSC if they are going to stay in it. Being in the LSC is pretty pointless if you can schedule the games anyhow. Is there a rule that says that if you are in the LSC that you have to play all of the teams in it? Probably not. Walk off, spend your money and your time else where. Sure, you are not going to go to state from 7A unless you play for them. What has changed?? Nothing, you don't go now. It is a pretty safe bet that things are not going to change until it has to. How would it look if the teams playing them at state did not bring in the fans? A house full of people from Hermantown but nobody from the other team. Sure, your going to miss a game. Is it a game? Probably not. Have you been able to watch your kid play a bunch of them already? Yup. Will they get 2 more games at state for you to pack the stands and cheer madly at? Yup. Talk to your school's scheduling people and tell them to find somebody else to play. Why play a game against a team that is flat out going to kill you? Your kids do not benefit. Your parents don't want to spend money and time going to watch them score more goals on you than you are going to get shots on their goalie. The AA schools are going to stop playing them if the computer penalizes them for doing so because there will be no positive reason to do so. Boycott them, drop them. Stop feeding a dog that is going to continue to bite you, find a different dog.

[Goose21]

Same here knivsy thought we might have had 2 party crashers in St Paul in 2018. CEC and Green Machine.

Now its up to the Hounds to rep 218 hockey.

Ahem...
East Grand Forks and Theif River Falls are 218 area code teams.

I’m talking AA puck. Hermantown 218 has had that wrapped up and will continue.

I am not sure if you are aware or not, but there are two sections of A hockey in the 218--Section 7A and Section 8A. Section 8A has been represented at the state tournament each year by either East Grand Forks, Thief River Falls, and Warroad. Believe it or not, these programs have actually done okay.

[kniven]

Ahem...
East Grand Forks and Theif River Falls are 218 area code teams.

I’m talking AA puck. Hermantown 218 has had that wrapped up and will continue.

I am not sure if you are aware or not, but there are two sections of A hockey in the 218--Section 7A and Section 8A. Section 8A has been represented at the state tournament each year by either East Grand Forks, Thief River Falls, and Warroad. Believe it or not, these programs have actually done okay.

I totally agree. If I have my choice of teams, I’ll take Duluth East, Grand Rapids, and Moorhead. My team plays in AA so that’s we’re i live mostly.

[rainier2]

So why do we keep talking about Hermantown? Why keep spending money going to games? Why advertise on their games and etc? If their school's admin and etc won't put them into the category where they belong and have proven that they can play don't mess with them. Follow Duluth East's example. When the phone rings, don't answer it. Fill your schedule up with other games. There is no reason that anybody has to do anything with them. Drop out of the LSC if they are going to stay in it. Being in the LSC is pretty pointless if you can schedule the games anyhow. Is there a rule that says that if you are in the LSC that you have to play all of the teams in it? Probably not. Walk off, spend your money and your time else where. Sure, you are not going to go to state from 7A unless you play for them. What has changed?? Nothing, you don't go now. It is a pretty safe bet that things are not going to change until it has to. How would it look if the teams playing them at state did not bring in the fans? A house full of people from Hermantown but nobody from the other team. Sure, your going to miss a game. Is it a game? Probably not. Have you been able to watch your kid play a bunch of them already? Yup. Will they get 2 more games at state for you to pack the stands and cheer madly at? Yup. Talk to your Ischool's scheduling people and tell them to find somebody else to play. Why play a game against a team that is flat out going to kill you? Your kids do not benefit. Your parents don't want to spend money and time going to watch them score more goals on you than you are going to get shots on their goalie. The AA schools are going to stop playing them if the computer penalizes them for doing so because there will be no positive reason to do so. Boycott them, drop them. Stop feeding a dog that is going to continue to bite you, find a different dog.

Agreed. Your sentiment is in line with my fantasy of all 7A teams opting up to AA in protest of Hermantown. Most seasons, Hermantown is as good as any team in 7AA, so why not just lose to East or Rapids instead and make the Hermantown AD look foolish at the same time?

It was great to see Greenway give them such a great challenge, but it was likely the last realistic chance at an upset.

[kniven]

So why do we keep talking about Hermantown? Why keep spending money going to games? Why advertise on their games and etc? If their school's admin and etc won't put them into the category where they belong and have proven that they can play don't mess with them. Follow Duluth East's example. When the phone rings, don't answer it. Fill your schedule up with other games. There is no reason that anybody has to do anything with them. Drop out of the LSC if they are going to stay in it. Being in the LSC is pretty pointless if you can schedule the games anyhow. Is there a rule that says that if you are in the LSC that you have to play all of the teams in it? Probably not. Walk off, spend your money and your time else where. Sure, you are not going to go to state from 7A unless you play for them. What has changed?? Nothing, you don't go now. It is a pretty safe bet that things are not going to change until it has to. How would it look if the teams playing them at state did not bring in the fans? A house full of people from Hermantown but nobody from the other team. Sure, your going to miss a game. Is it a game? Probably not. Have you been able to watch your kid play a bunch of them already? Yup. Will they get 2 more games at state for you to pack the stands and cheer madly at? Yup. Talk to your Ischool's scheduling people and tell them to find somebody else to play. Why play a game against a team that is flat out going to kill you? Your kids do not benefit. Your parents don't want to spend money and time going to watch them score more goals on you than you are going to get shots on their goalie. The AA schools are going to stop playing them if the computer penalizes them for doing so because there will be no positive reason to do so. Boycott them, drop them. Stop feeding a dog that is going to continue to bite you, find a different dog.

Agreed. Your sentiment is in line with my fantasy of all 7A teams opting up to AA in protest of Hermantown. Most seasons, Hermantown is as good as any team in 7AA, so why not just lose to East or Rapids instead and make the Hermantown AD look foolish at the same time?

It was great to see Greenway give them such a great challenge, but it was likely the last realistic chance at an upset.

I also agree with paint. Tons of respect for the kids and hockey system they have in Hermantown. But it’s embarrassing. Every single hockey season, I talk to fans all over the state about puck. 9 out of 10 are embarrassed for Hermantown. But apparently, the Truman Show mentallity over there is blinding. It’s going to be another “ickey” feeling when the Chicken Hawks hit the ice at the X. It’s really embarrassing because I know what most are thinking. I feel bad for Hermantown. They could be so much more...

[DubCHAGuy]

I was really pulling for Greenway. It's always good to see the old school powers back in the mix.

With schools like Mahtomedi, Alexandria, and Monticello flirting with the A/AA enrollment cutoff, is there any chance a domino effect throughout 4A/5A/6A could force Hermantown back into 5A? Leaving section 7A for mostly Iron Range schools? It would also probably improve competitive balance, although we know MSHSL doesn't care about that.

[northwoods oldtimer]

Ahem...
East Grand Forks and Theif River Falls are 218 area code teams.

I’m talking AA puck. Hermantown 218 has had that wrapped up and will continue.

I am not sure if you are aware or not, but there are two sections of A hockey in the 218--Section 7A and Section 8A. Section 8A has been represented at the state tournament each year by either East Grand Forks, Thief River Falls, and Warroad. Believe it or not, these programs have actually done okay.

Goose no disrespect to our northern brothers and nothing meant to slight 8A section. Order of business has been following 7AA/7A followed by section 8AA and 8A.. We were in comment focused on that 7AA/7A section, since the thread is about couple 7A teams. Truth be told pulling for EGF to take the title this year, now that Greenway was knocked out.

[BleedGreen5]

Yea. I was so looking forward to seeing Greenway in the state tournament this year. Hermantown got 7A wrapped up for the next decade.

Greenway returns most of their team next year. Perhaps they’ll even have an effective 3rd line. I expect them to challenge Hermantown again. Don’t give up just yet on some team knocking the Hawks out

Not Gonna happen. Hermantown has four stud Bantams coming up next year from their Top 5 AA team. Joey Pierce from Ely, Cole Antcliff from Proctor, Ethan Lund from Hayward, WI and Gavin Blomdahl from Duluth. Hermantown Bantams took Greenway to the woodshed last Season and that was without Pierce.

Hope that Hermantown sticks around in A for my kids last 3 years, be fun to take a few more runs at em.
And on a side note better find a few more Bantam studs coming, all of our kids have played together since Mites, and our Joey Pierce is playing High school this year.

Hermantown 2 Brainerd 7
EGF 4 Brainerd 0

Hermantown 4 Bemidji 1
EGF 4 Bemidji 0
6 2
4 3

Hermantown 7 Roseau 4
EGF 6 Roseau 1
0 3
2 3 OT
1 2 OT
4 2
6 1
GF Aviators 2 EGF 1 without our Power Forward horse playing

[rainier2]

So why do we keep talking about Hermantown? Why keep spending money going to games? Why advertise on their games and etc? If their school's admin and etc won't put them into the category where they belong and have proven that they can play don't mess with them. Follow Duluth East's example. When the phone rings, don't answer it. Fill your schedule up with other games. There is no reason that anybody has to do anything with them. Drop out of the LSC if they are going to stay in it. Being in the LSC is pretty pointless if you can schedule the games anyhow. Is there a rule that says that if you are in the LSC that you have to play all of the teams in it? Probably not. Walk off, spend your money and your time else where. Sure, you are not going to go to state from 7A unless you play for them. What has changed?? Nothing, you don't go now. It is a pretty safe bet that things are not going to change until it has to. How would it look if the teams playing them at state did not bring in the fans? A house full of people from Hermantown but nobody from the other team. Sure, your going to miss a ga 6me. Is it a game? Probably not. Have you been able to watch your kid play a bunch of them already? Yup. Will they get 2 more games at state for you to pack the stands and cheer madly at? Yup. Talk to your school's scheduling people and tell them to find somebody else to play. Why play a game against a team that is flat out going to kill you? Your kids do not benefit. Your parents don't want to spend money and time going to watch them score more goals on you than you are going to get shots on their goalie. The AA schools are going to stop playing them if the computer penalizes them for doing so because there will be no positive reason to do so. Boycott them, drop them. Stop feeding a dog that is going to continue to bite you, find a different dog.

First, I want to reply to HHawks' comment from the previous page trying to play "gotcha" with Jefry in trying to compare Hermantown's numerous open enrollees at the youth and high school levels to Greenway's FES goalie -- I know it's uncommon on these types of message boards BUT, Hhawk, it's called NUANCE.... If you're going to enter the fray, at least do so in an honest and genuine manner.

Now, for what I'd really like to offer to this umpteenth discussion regarding Hermantown's unwillingness to move up to AA. Please bare with me as this whole situation is not only about the Hermantown administration's unwillingness to do the "right thing" at the high school level but, it also ties in to Minnesota Hockey's decision a number of years ago to change their participation rule from "Play where you live" to "Play where you live OR where you go to school". A decision that -- and this comes directly from the mouth of current president Dave Margeneau -- was made based on a survey prior to that change that showed ONLY 7% APPROVAL FOR THE CHANGE!!! Good to know Minnesota Hockey makes major policy decisions based on the "good of the few" versus the "good of the many". As a state, we trumpet the virtues of our "community based model" from the mountaintop -- don't get me wrong, I truly believe it to be the best system for keeping costs low and maximizing the base of the youth player pyramid -- but, we don't support it with the policies and procedures that will truly allow it to thrive -- see all of the declining numbers in the smaller outstate programs.... And, that decision has probably been THE critical determining component to the depth of Hermantown's seemingly never ending talent pool. Still, the Hermantown youth program had to continue to develop those players and, to their great credit they have. Let me be clear, I have emense respect for those involved in Hermantown as I know many of them very well. They are good hockey people and they care about the kids. Unfortunately, many of them, though well intentioned, want to have their cake and eat it too.

I also know Scott Pionk well and, he's obviously a well respected voice in not only the Hermantown hockey community but also the general Minnesota hockey community as well. I can also confirm what was previously posted about his feelings on this issue, to include the fact he has made it well known to Hermantown administration that he wants them to go to AA after next season and, if they choose not to, his current player may -- repeat may -- choose to leave. Whether that has any impact on the administration only time will tell. I can also state that in his conversation with the Hermantown AD last spring prior to the their decision to remain in A, when he explained that 11 of the 20 players on last year's state tournament roster either didn't begin their youth "careers" in Hermantown or, were open enrollees as kindergartners, she was, according to him, completely unaware "it was that bad".

For those that may not know, the majority of youth hockey players that choose to open enroll into the Hermantown school system, do so between 2nd and 6th grade. In a recent conversation with a current school board member, that individual -- who was defending the decision to stay in A -- admitted that the average number of kids in kindergarten classes over the last number of years is around 90 students. Yet, by the time that class gets to the 3rd or 4th grade, it has usually grown to around 120+. With many of the "new" kids being hockey players. I also know that the Duluth Amateur Hockey Association did a very recent review of all the youth players who have left either DAHA or Proctor in the last 3-5 years -- approx. 23 total, 21 of which went to Hermantown (2 went from GMP to Proctor) -- and only ONE family actually moved to Hermantown. My point here being, if we had the old Minnesota Hockey participation rule of "play where you live", it seems highly unlikely anywhere near that number would have made the much more difficult decision to actually move to Hermabtown.

So, why do parents of 2nd thru 6th graders choose to leave their home associations? Well, if you look at the players that have chosen to move, at the time they did almost all of them were considered "above average" or better at the levels they were at. And of course -- and this is especially true of the parents who have little or no previous experience/exposure to our game prior to their kids playing -- the parents automatically assume that since their son or daughter is above average as a squirt or pee wee player, that obviously means they'll be at least that as a high school player. Obviously, those of us that truly know the game know this is oftentimes not the case. Still, as long as Hermantown is in "A", these parents are sitting in the Proctor or Denfeld or Carlton or Piedmont or Duluth Heights or GMP youth associations thinking..."if I open enroll my son to Hermantown, we'll almost be guaranteed a trip to the state high school tourney before he graduates". And, since Minnesota Hockey has made it so easy for them to do so, that's what they do. Obviously, perceptions regarding quality of individual schools may certainly come into play as well. However, anecdotal evidence seems to indicate that's not the main reason.

So, how do we motivate our friends from Hermantown -- or, as a friend of mine calls them... "Hawk Dividians" -- to make the decision all of us can clearly see would be the best for not only high school hockey in northern Minnesota but, for youth hockey as well? Two simple rule changes. First -- and there is a growing sentiment for this in Minnesota Hockey -- a local association president will be sending out a letter with an attached petition to every youth association president and/or director asking them to support changing the Minnesota Hockey participation rule back to "Play where you live". And, he has said that in informal conversations he has had over 98% agreement in changing the rule back. So, although it may take a year or two, there is strong momentum building for this change. Elliot, are you listening?

Next, as it stands and has been said many times previously on this board, Hermantown has the best of both worlds at the high school level. Play a "AA" heavy regular season schedule and then, other than the once a decade scare like last night, walk thru the "A" section playoffs with ease to get to the "big dance". So, I propose that the MSHSL enact a new rule for boys and girls hockey only which prohibits a single "A" school from scheduling any "AA" schools unless the "AA" school is either a member of your conference OR, you happen to play one as part of a holiday tournament. This would obviously greatly reduce the overall quality of regular season schedule of a school such as Hermantown. Which, after a couple of seasons of beating up on "A" teams all season long, might not only make them less attractive to open enrollees but, since their better players won't be getting "pushed" from a developmental standpoint, may also motivate those within the program to choose to opt up. And don't think this change isn't viable. I've run this proposal by two MSHSL board members in the last year and they both thought it had merit.

To Coach Clafton and the Greenway players I say congratulations on a tremendous season. I've lost in a section final so I have felt the pain you feel today. It's obviously no fun but, I promise, it will get better as time moves on. For my friends in Hermantown, I genuinely wish the coaches and the players best of luck next week. I honestly hope you're able to win another championship because, as I hope we all remember, it's about the kids. I've watched many of them grow and develop as players since they were squirts and they play the game the right way. Actually, we should all be pulling for them to win both this year and next. Because if they do, I think the pressure to move to "AA" will be so overwhelming they won't have a choice but to do so. Then again, I've been wrong many times before....

Outstanding post! Any chance you'd be willing to also post it on Hermantown thread just in case this one gets locked for veering into Hermantown opt up territory?

[elliott70]

Quote
"Two simple rule changes. First -- and there is a growing sentiment for this in Minnesota Hockey -- a local association president will be sending out a letter with an attached petition to every youth association president and/or director asking them to support changing the Minnesota Hockey participation rule back to "Play where you live".

And, he has said that in informal conversations he has had over 98% agreement in changing the rule back. So, although it may take a year or two, there is strong momentum building for this change. Elliot, are you listening?" Quote


One, I voted against the change to play at your school...
Two, there is not 98% support at the MH board to eliminate the play where you go to school. There are people tat like the rule, not to move to better hockey but makes their everyday life easier.

[Wet Paint]

Greenway returns most of their team next year. Perhaps they’ll even have an effective 3rd line. I expect them to challenge Hermantown again. Don’t give up just yet on some team knocking the Hawks out

Not Gonna happen. Hermantown has four stud Bantams coming up next year from their Top 5 AA team. Joey Pierce from Ely, Cole Antcliff from Proctor, Ethan Lund from Hayward, WI and Gavin Blomdahl from Duluth. Hermantown Bantams took Greenway to the woodshed last Season and that was without Pierce.

Hope that Hermantown sticks around in A for my kids last 3 years, be fun to take a few more runs at em.
And on a side note better find a few more Bantam studs coming, all of our kids have played together since Mites, and our Joey Pierce is playing High school this year.

Hermantown 2 Brainerd 7
EGF 4 Brainerd 0

Hermantown 4 Bemidji 1
EGF 4 Bemidji 0
6 2
4 3

Hermantown 7 Roseau 4
EGF 6 Roseau 1
0 3
2 3 OT
1 2 OT
4 2
6 1
GF Aviators 2 EGF 1 without our Power Forward horse playing

OK, I am a little confused here but am going to try it. I am assuming you are an EGF person. How does the fact that you have an imported kid who is playing high school this year change anything? Unless you are saying he is a great player, in which case he had better be. Problem for you is that Hermantown does not have a great player who has been brought in to play. They have lots of them. It is not the quality of that one kid who really matters here (unless you are Ely, Hayward, Proctor, Denfeld, or Hibbing in which case it matters a lot since that kid is now playing for Hermantown) it is their over all depth. Hermantown's second line is better than most Class A first lines. Their 3rd line is also very good. Most Class A teams don't have a 3rd line. Sure, your kids have been together from mites. Hermantown's have not. They don't give you a certain number of goals head start if all of your kids have played together for a long time. Hermantown has kids from far and wide. Just this thread plus the other thread shows kids from Hayward, Proctor, Duluth, Ely, more kids from Duluth, Hibbing, and a few who are actually from Hermantown. You know that Hermantown's parents are on the phone today trying to find a goalie based on how last night went. Some Iron Range kid or Wisconsin kid parents will get a "job offer" from Hermantown and decide that the quality of education in Hermantown makes the move worthwhile. They will move and (shocker of shockers) Hermantown will have a new goalie. If your kid is a goalie and good, get his resume in they are taking them for next year.

The biggest thing that cost Greenway last night was depth. As it got deep into the 3rd period they started to play back and defensive to save their legs for the end of the game. Hermantown's 2nd and 3rd lines were ready for it and treated Greenway's goalie like a baby treats a diaper. They filled him up. EGF beat them in the finals a couple of times, with an all star team that could match a routine Hermantown team. You are forgetting that what you look upon as a wonder team who can really do some damage is a routine team to Hermantown. No big deal. The arguments here are not based on the fact that your wonder dog is better than Hermantown's wonder dog. The argument here is that your team strength and team depth don't even come close to a routine Hermantown team's. They run your legs off, pound on your goalie with shots, forcheck the crap out of you so you don't get shots on their goalie, and do it all with kids who's parents have decided that a move to the big city is the way to go so they left your small town. Who can blame the Peirce kid and his family? If I had a kid who was offered a spot on a team that is heading to state for TV time and etc for the next however many years I would take it too. Why would you stay in Hibbing, Ely, Hayward, Proctor or etc if you are good enough to go to the big leagues. Nobody scouts a game between Ely and Proctor. All of the scouts are either at or watching the state tourney on TV. Hermantown's parents and school admin people have figured that out. EGF might get lucky and beat them again. But they will need luck to do so. And when/if they do beat them they will have beaten a routine, nothing special Hermantown team who has a whole lot of replacement ammo in their JV program waiting their turn, and a whole lot of other kids in other towns who are waiting for the phone to ring.