AA Rankings for 12/10/23

[karl(east)]

I’m on the road this weekend, so perhaps not the usual depth of description, but there are rankings nonetheless!

1. Minnetonka (5-0)
-The Skippers’ OT win over Chanhassen confirms their top spot status, though it does show they are not in some different universe from anyone else, either. They pay a visit to the Spuds on Saturday, where we’ll see if they can get back to their running time ways.
This week: Sat at Moorhead

2. Wayzata (5-0)
-Comfortable wins over Hill and Andover further solidify the Trojans as members of an elite class this season. Their body of work is not far off from Minnetonka’s, with no signs of stress to date. Benilde this week poses an interesting section test; if they can keep it going, the case for #1 will start to build.
This week: Thurs vs. #6 Benilde-St. Margaret’s, Sat at Centennial

3. Rogers (5-0-1)
-The Royals put 60-odd shots on Shakopee but couldn’t escape with a win. At this point, given everything else going on, that just elicits a shrug; the talent is clearly there, in spite of a rough result. But for now, at least, they are a step behind the top two. Chanhassen gives them a chance to show they belong u[ here.
This week: Thurs at Blaine, Sat at #8 Chanhassen

4. Edina (3-1)
-Not much to note here after a week off. As has become the case recently, they are the odds-on favorites in their Holiday Classic.
This week: Edina Holiday Classic—Thurs vs. Grand Rapids, Fri vs. Elk River, Sat vs. #15 Eden Prairie

5. Hill-Murray (2-1-1)
-The Pioneers did not really skate with Wayzata, but for wont of better options, they hang around here. Mahtomedi is up first this week, which provides some interest and is a measuring stick with conference rival St. Thomas, who beat the Zephyrs last week.
This week: Tues vs. Mahtomedi, Sat vs. Hastings

6. Benilde-St. Margaret’s (4-0)
-Nothing too fancy from the Red Knights, but with wins over Andover and Stillwater, they show they can at least collect some quality wins and solidify their top ten placement. If they can hang with Wayzata this week, we’ll know they’re for real.
This week: Tues vs. Chaska, Thurs at #2 Wayzata

7. Rosemount (5-1)
-The Irish plugged along against South Suburban competition; they didn’t earn any style points, but wins are wins, and they got the job done. They’ll aim for more of the same this week.
This week: Tues vs. Mounds View, Sat at Prior Lake

8. Chanhassen (2-3)
-It wasn’t a win, but giving Minnetonka a good push helps ease any doubts from this team’s opening weekend losses and shows they could still sink the Skippers if and when they collide again in a 2AA final. Now they need to get into a winning rhythm and live up to the talent they showed on Thursday. They can do that with a big week this coming week, as they face a top ten contender and an upstart that has displaced them in the top three.
This week: Tues at #13 St. Thomas Academy, Thurs vs. Bloomington Jefferson, Sat vs. #3 Rogers

9. Shakopee (5-1-1)
-The Sabers rolled past a couple of teams they should beat and then pulled off an impressive tie with Rogers. Skating with the state’s elite will continue to be a challenge, but they’ve shown their mettle so far, and they should be able to cruise through their next few.
This week: Tues at Apple Valley/Burnsville, Sat vs. Eagan

10. Maple Grove (4-2)
-Took care of business against teams they should beat. Just one game this coming week, but it’s one with intrigue, as they visit a new section rival that has some intrigue to it.
This week: Thurs at Coon Rapids

11. Holy Family (2-0)
-It’s hard to say too much about the Fire yet, but they have blitzed Prior Lake and Duluth East, and while they may not have the depth to skate with the top few teams, they do have the physicality and scoring touch to make some games interesting. St. Thomas this week will offer their first real front-line test.
This week: Tues vs. Hutchinson, Thurs vs. Litchfield Dassel-Cokato, Sat at #X St. Thomas Academy

12. White Bear Lake (4-1)
-The Bears clawed out a successful week, edging two top section rivals in Stillwater and Cretin, and surviving a test from scrappy Forest Lake, too.
This week: Sat vs. East Ridge

13. St. Thomas Academy (3-2)
-The Cadets collected a solid win over Mahtomedi and found their stride after the Eastview loss. The week ahead is a heavy one: are they a top ten team?
This week: Tues vs. #8 Chanhassen, Sat vs. #11 Holy Family

14. Cretin-Derham Hall (1-2)
-A narrow win over Woodbury and a loss to White Bear do not make for a compelling week for the Raiders, but they have the talent to hang in here for now. Forest Lake this week should be a win, though they are no pushover.
This week: Thurs at Forest Lake

15. Eden Prairie (2-1)
-The Eagles cruised past Blake and picked up a respectable win over Duluth East, so they slide upward here. On paper they should get at least two wins in Edina this week, and we’ll see if they can give the Hornets any sort of interesting push in the finale.
This week: Edina Holiday Classic—Thurs vs. Elk River, Fri vs. Grand Rapids, Sat vs. #4 Edina

The Next Ten

Moorhead (3-3)
-The Spuds showed signs of what they can be this week, collecting an important section win by shutting down the high-flying Roseau offense and cruising past Buffalo. They still have a ways to climb before front line contention, but this was a step in the right direction. A busy week ahead includes section rival Sartell, a fellow frontrunner in a softer section in Andover, and the top-ranked Skippers.

Andover (2-4)
-The Huskies stuck around with a couple of top ten teams and didn’t have a horrid margin against Wayzata either, but 2-4 is 2-4, and though they remain the 7AA frontrunner, they are certainly within striking distance for a couple of teams here. We’ll now see what they make of a couple of teams in this neighborhood in Moorhead and Champlin Park.

Eastview (4-2)
-The Lightning rolled past Eagan and Farmington, building on that early St. Thomas win, though the Centennial loss looks a little less great in retrospect now. Two conference contenders in Prior Lake and Lakeville South are up next.

Holy Angels (4-1)
-Took care of teams they should beat. Won’t face any serious tests until their holiday tournament.

Park of Cottage Grove (3-0)
-Plugging along solidly. Face their first test of any magnitude against Stillwater this week.

Lakeville South (3-0)
-We haven’t really learned anything about this team yet. That starts to change this week, with the first battle for Lakeville and 1AA frontrunner status on Tuesday, followed by a Saturday visit to an Eastview team that’s shown some potential.

Gentry Academy (4-3)
-It was a week of mystery for one of the state’s more enigmatic teams, as the Stars served up seven goals to St. Cloud Cathedral before logging seven of their own in a win over respectable Champlin Park. They continue to lurk here, capable of some things but unclear of the extent, and lined up for wins over St. Cloud and Blake this week.

Roseau (4-2)
-The narrow loss to Moorhead at this point is no huge cause for concern, and the Rams earned a respectable win over Grand Rapids, too. The loss to Elk River, however, brings back some of the glaring issues that have lurked here in recent years: can they live up to their talent and pull away from the lurker in 8AA? They two one-game weeks ahead of them, with Buffalo being the lone opponent on the calendar this coming Saturday.

Centennial (3-1-1)
-The Cougars did not hang in there with Hermantown, which leaves them on the fringes here. We’ll see if they can do anything with Wayzata this coming week.

Rock Ridge (3-1)
-Why not? The Wolverines gave Warroad a decent win and have blown out everyone else they’ve played. Cathedral headlines thee-game week that also features section competition in Duluth Denfeld and a decent Little Falls team.

[wbmd]

12. White Bear Lake (4-1)
-The Bears clawed out a successful week, edging two top section rivals in Stillwater and Cretin, and surviving a test from scrappy Forest Lake, too.
This week: Sat vs. East Ridge

Cretin isn't in the same section as White Bear.

[East Side Pioneer Guy]

Hill's GAA is horrendous. Absolutely horrendous.

[WarmUpTheBus]

Wayzata has plenty of talent but their lack of creativity on offense and their propensity to ice the puck may come back to haunt them. On offense they consistently pass into pressure instead of taking advantage of open ice and make high risk no reward passes.

[Sparlimb]

Hill's GAA is horrendous. Absolutely horrendous.

New goalie, young team, we were .500 last year. Talent isn't quite what we expect, but I'm sure they'll be tough come sections. Wayzata is on fire right now, but season is young. If Hill can stay under 8 losses, I'll be happy. Should have already lost to EP and Hermantown, but came back against both. Patience Grasshopper.

[Nostalgic Nerd]

Feels like Tonka has quickly become a talent goliath. Two recent titles. Although to be honest I feel like their talent heavily outshines their coaching at the tournament.

[East Side Pioneer Guy]

Hill's GAA is horrendous. Absolutely horrendous.

New goalie, young team, we were .500 last year. Talent isn't quite what we expect, but I'm sure they'll be tough come sections. Wayzata is on fire right now, but season is young. If Hill can stay under 8 losses, I'll be happy. Should have already lost to EP and Hermantown, but came back against both. Patience Grasshopper.

Eh. Last season's squad was plagued by serial illnesses until very late in the season. According to Hockeyhub, this year there are 9 seniors, last year there were...five. Eight wins for this team is a pretty low bar. EP won't even be a factor in section play, we should have had that game in hand the entire way.

And I'm way to long in the tooth to be referred to as Grasshopper. I saw Kevin Nugent play SPA for a state title, for Pete's sake.

[elliott70]

Hill's GAA is horrendous. Absolutely horrendous.

New goalie, young team, we were .500 last year. Talent isn't quite what we expect, but I'm sure they'll be tough come sections. Wayzata is on fire right now, but season is young. If Hill can stay under 8 losses, I'll be happy. Should have already lost to EP and Hermantown, but came back against both. Patience Grasshopper.

Eh. Last season's squad was plagued by serial illnesses until very late in the season. According to Hockeyhub, this year there are 9 seniors, last year there were...five. Eight wins for this team is a pretty low bar. EP won't even be a factor in section play, we should have had that game in hand the entire way.

And I'm way to long in the tooth to be referred to as Grasshopper. I saw Kevin Nugent play SPA for a state title, for Pete's sake.

You are long in the tooth if you watched Oscar Mahle.

[Smooth]

Looks like hill school is holding their own against the single A school's. Way too early yet.

[East Side Pioneer Guy]

Looks like hill school is holding their own against the single A school's. Way too early yet.

I had been hoping for a what I believe would be a first-ever clean sweep of Class A opponents this season, but Hermantown ruined that. But I can still we go undefeated agin' Class A opponents.

[stateofhawkey]

I realize I'm late to this. But, how did undefeated BSM get put at 6 and Edina put at 4 when one of BSM's wins was over Edina??

[Brodziak Fan Club]

Karl called to the carpet. EXPLAIN yourself.

[east hockey]

I realize I'm late to this. But, how did undefeated BSM get put at 6 and Edina put at 4 when one of BSM's wins was over Edina??

I don't know how PageStat had them rated last Sunday but right now Edina is at #5, BSM #6. Karl's rating wasn't too far off the mark.

Lee