2010-11 LPH Rankings

[ghshockeyfan]

The Associated Press poll for Minnesota girls' high school hockey, provided by Let's Play Hockey newspaper. First-place votes are in parentheses.

[ghshockeyfan]

BC-HKO--Prep Girls Hockey Poll
By The Associated Press
Updated: 11/03/2010 03:00:01 PM CDT

http://www.twincities.com/ci_16513709?IADID

Class 2A
1. Minnetonka (5)
2. Roseville (4)
3. Edina
4. Hill-Murray
5. Roseau
6. Stillwater (1)
7. Hopkins
8. Lakeville South
9. Elk River/Zimmerman
10. Benilde-St. Margaret's
11. Centennial
12. Irondale
13. White Bear Lake
14. Coon Rapids
15. Eden Prairie

Class 1A
1. Warroad (10)
2. Breck
3. Blake
4. South St. Paul
5. Mound-Westonka
6. East Grand Forks
7. Red Wing
8. Crookston
9. Rogers
10. Alexandria
11. Totino-Grace
12. Chisago Lakes Area
13. Eveleth-Gilbert
14. Orono
15. Faribault

[Silent But Deadly]

BC-HKO--Prep Girls Hockey Poll
By The Associated Press
Updated: 11/03/2010 03:00:01 PM CDT

http://www.twincities.com/ci_16513709?IADID

Class 2A
1. Minnetonka (5)
2. Roseville (4)
3. Edina
4. Hill-Murray
5. Roseau
6. Stillwater (1)
7. Hopkins
8. Lakeville South
9. Elk River/Zimmerman
10. Benilde-St. Margaret's
11. Centennial
12. Irondale
13. White Bear Lake
14. Coon Rapids
15. Eden Prairie

Class 1A
1. Warroad (10)
2. Breck
3. Blake
4. South St. Paul
5. Mound-Westonka
6. East Grand Forks
7. Red Wing
8. Crookston
9. Rogers
10. Alexandria
11. Totino-Grace
12. Chisago Lakes Area
13. Eveleth-Gilbert
14. Orono
15. Faribault

Very surprised to see Hopkins on the list.........

[Hansonbrother]

BC-HKO--Prep Girls Hockey Poll
By The Associated Press
Updated: 11/03/2010 03:00:01 PM CDT

http://www.twincities.com/ci_16513709?IADID

Class 2A
1. Minnetonka (5)
2. Roseville (4)
3. Edina
4. Hill-Murray
5. Roseau
6. Stillwater (1)
7. Hopkins
8. Lakeville South
9. Elk River/Zimmerman
10. Benilde-St. Margaret's
11. Centennial
12. Irondale
13. White Bear Lake
14. Coon Rapids
15. Eden Prairie

Class 1A
1. Warroad (10)
2. Breck
3. Blake
4. South St. Paul
5. Mound-Westonka
6. East Grand Forks
7. Red Wing
8. Crookston
9. Rogers
10. Alexandria
11. Totino-Grace
12. Chisago Lakes Area
13. Eveleth-Gilbert
14. Orono
15. Faribault

Very surprised to see Hopkins on the list.........

Even more surprised seeing Roseville at #2...

[sinbin]

That's where they are - for now.

[royals dad]

Hopkins might struggle out of the gate, I might switch them with EP on the list. Seeing some of the EP girls play in the off/other season they could sneak up there. There will be no easy nights in the lake conference this with an improving Wayzata and the addition of EP.

Hoping that the Royals will surprise a few near the end but most likely not match the season record of the last 3 years.

I would actually put Edina, Roseville, and Tonka in the conversation around who is number one. With Hill just behind. Should be some scrimmage results out after this weekend.

[sinbin]

Which youth associations do the Roseville (and Hopkins, for that matter) traditionally play in? We've really not seen much from either youth association over the years, but they seem to be traditionally strong in HS. It can't all be due to move-ins, can it?

[Silent But Deadly]

Which youth associations do the Roseville (and Hopkins, for that matter) traditionally play in? We've really not seen much from either youth association over the years, but they seem to be traditionally strong in HS. It can't all be due to move-ins, can it?

It has been with Hopkins!!!!!

[royals dad]

Geez let it go already! 6 D1 players in the last 5 years 4 played youth in Hopkins. One other came over in 8th grade. So 5 out of 6 D1 with another 6 playing D3. We have a great coaching staff, great facilities, and a small but dedicated group of players. We actually have had some move in and for the most part I think it worked very well for those families. I think we have a good culture around our program and are pretty proud of what the kids have achieved both on the ice and in the classroom. Not to mention the number one goalies at Tonka and BSM (both D1) played Hopkins boys and girls youth. On top almost every girl on the roster will letter in at least 1 other sport or activity.

It is hard to compete at the youth level with a small association you have few or no cuts from a team that will skate at the A level. We have a lot of girls that skate up or skate boys as well. We are also still recruiting new skaters as late as 3rd or 4th grade. If you play the 12U Hopkins team the 4 strongest players might not be on it. It is about finding the right place for each girl, and hoping you can keep them all in through HS. I know many of the girls who letter 4 years at Hopkins would letter maybe 1 year else where in some cases that makes a huge difference in the player they become.

Like I said the 3 to beat might be Tonka, Roseville, and Edina. All 3 have strong goalies and D1 talent followed by lots of depth. Hill close behind with maybe a little bit less depth but strong G and top scorers. This is the year that the champ is from the west metro with Edina coming through in the end.

[MNHockeyFan]

Like I said the 3 to beat might be Tonka, Roseville, and Edina. All 3 have strong goalies and D1 talent followed by lots of depth. Hill close behind with maybe a little bit less depth but strong G and top scorers. This is the year that the champ is from the west metro with Edina coming through in the end.

I don't follow it as close as I used to, but I still consider myself to be a fan and I plan to attend a number of key games this season. On paper - before any games have been played - I agree that the Top 3 in 2A should include Edina, Minnetonka and Roseville. I also tend to agree that this could well be Edina's year to come through in the end. If I had to pick one team to win it all right now, it would be them. All three of these teams have great talent, but Edina may prove to have the deepest roster and the toughest to score against, no matter which of their 3 (or 4?) lines is out there.

Class 1A is a lot less interesting. In the past few years it would be either Breck or Blake that would match up well, if not be favored, against Warroad. But with all of their returning talent and D1 recruits you have to figure Warroad will have a pretty easy time of it this year. I'll have to check the schedules and see if and when they play any of the top-rated teams in 2A to see how they measure up.

[old goalie85]

Roseville girls come from the oval, a great youth program, d-2[as in district two] Where do you think they come from frogtown?

[hockeycrazy10]

i think roseville, tonka, and edina will be in the top 3 for 2A as well. once again, warroad will dominate in A. who do you think will be the top players from edina? other than ramsey, who are the top players on tonka?

[sinbin]

Must be a bit of a void in the Roseville youth program, but I know their HS program is traditionally strong. We've never seen them at state for 12's and 14's and beaten them handily when playing in tournaments. I was just asking for help in trying to figure out the large disconnect between youth and HS.

[JohnnyHopkins]

BC-HKO--Prep Girls Hockey Poll
By The Associated Press
Updated: 11/03/2010 03:00:01 PM CDT

http://www.twincities.com/ci_16513709?IADID

Class 2A
1. Minnetonka (5)
2. Roseville (4)
3. Edina
4. Hill-Murray
5. Roseau
6. Stillwater (1)
7. Hopkins
8. Lakeville South
9. Elk River/Zimmerman
10. Benilde-St. Margaret's
11. Centennial
12. Irondale
13. White Bear Lake
14. Coon Rapids
15. Eden Prairie

Class 1A
1. Warroad (10)
2. Breck
3. Blake
4. South St. Paul
5. Mound-Westonka
6. East Grand Forks
7. Red Wing
8. Crookston
9. Rogers
10. Alexandria
11. Totino-Grace
12.*Chisago Lakes Area*
13. Eveleth-Gilbert
14. Orono
15. Faribault

Very surprised to see Hopkins on the list.........

Thinks that Chisago Lakes should be ranked higher than 12th considering they finished 4th in the state last year and only lost three seniors from last year.

[sinbin]

Thanks for the explanation, RDad, could be similar situation with Roseville and others where best players are either with boys or with higher level age group. I'll leave the move-in discussion for another day, but it makes sense that we don't necessarily always see the top players at their designated gender/age groups. Of course, depth is then always an issue, too.

[capitalist]

Must be a bit of a void in the Roseville youth program, but I know their HS program is traditionally strong. We've never seen them at state for 12's and 14's and beaten them handily when playing in tournaments. I was just asking for help in trying to figure out the large disconnect between youth and HS.

Roseville finished in 2nd place last year in the D2 U12A regular season. Not sure how they fared at Districts/Regions. Also, NE Metro in U14A last year was about 2/3 Roseville girls. They lost 2-1 to Edina on Sunday in Regions to get eliminated from state. They finished the final LPH rankings at #10. I don't think either of these teams was a pushover for you. And that U14A team had been to state 2 years in a row previous to that--they won it all in 2008. Weren't you there that year?

And yes, the HS attracts kids from other northeast areas like Maplewood, NSP, Vadnais Hts, Oakdale, Shoreview and St. Paul who may have played in a different youth association. That's what class operations do.

[observer]

the HS attracts kids from other northeast areas

That's what class operations do.

Is it the outstanding academics? I'll guess it's the hockey.

[sinbin]

Thanks for the update, cap. That's very helpful. NE Metro explains a lot as well as surrounding community contributions. My daughter was at state in 12UA in 2008, so just missed the 14's. In checking MN Hockey history, I do see 2008 state champs as N. St. Paul/Tartan/Roseville. Sorry I missed that one. All of this bodes well for continued success at the HS level. Cheers.

[Hansonbrother]

the HS attracts kids from other northeast areas

That's what class operations do.

Is it the outstanding academics? I'll guess it's the hockey.

Surprisingly or not, last years Championship team had a GPA of over 3.5 and perhaps higher. Oddly, most of their team were honor students....so I was told. What stopped them from state recognition was the oversight of turning in the grades. And the year before, they were academic all state....

I guess I'm saying...it could be the academics

[Melvin44]

Roseville has had strong programs at the youth level. In fact the year WBL won the state tourny I feel it was only because Roseville was upset in the semi's. I'm pretty sure Roseville won every match up with WBL during league play.

[MNHockeyFan]

What strikes me as being very odd in 2A this year is this: the only ranked team from the North is Roseau. Every other year in recent memory there were at least several others, including the likes of Duluth, Cloquet-Esko-Carlton, Grand Rapids/Greenway, and Proctor/Hermantown/DM. I just wonder if all of these teams are down that much this season or perhaps the people doing the LPH rankings might be overlooking one or more of these teams?

[titleist]

What strikes me as being very odd in 2A this year is this: the only ranked team from the North is Roseau. Every other year in recent memory there were at least several others, including the likes of Duluth, Cloquet-Esko-Carlton, Grand Rapids/Greenway, and Proctor/Hermantown/DM. I just wonder if all of these teams are down that much this season or perhaps the people doing the LPH rankings might be overlooking one or more of these teams?

I think LPH is definitely overlooking. I know Ike up in GR land is laughing thinking his program with 2 of his own D-1 daughters, are under the radar.

[goalzilla]

rankings look pretty good....see what happens. First time in many years Stillwater wont be a factor :o(

[observer]

I'm noticing teams skating only 13-14-15 players as opposed to the old 20 members on varsity. Even Minnetonka, who I see as #1, is skating with just 4 D, 9 Fs, 13 skaters total.

Are we seeing a new trend in HS girls hockey where teams carry much smaller rosters? I understand at a small school, where the talent drop off is steep, but it seems like an unusual trend at the large schools where they have players on JV, and 14U for that matter, that could play varsity hockey at several smaller schools.

Mntka 13
BSM 15
Shakopee 16
Edina 16

[sinbin]

We'll see how long Tonka's 13 players hold up as this seems to be living a bit dangerously. At some point during the season, illness and/or injury usually knock out a few players and you'll need to bring up a couple of JV's to help out permanently or periodically. There is likely a large drop-off from Varsity to JV, so that may have played into the decision. There are a couple of 14U's who could have helped out, but weren't allowed to try out for HS. An extremely talented group of HS players, but there may be a bit of finger-crossing going on this season as their margin is razor-thin.