Chuck Norris Bantam A Rankings

[old goalie85]

Nice job Chuck, Thanks.

[Chuck Norris Fan]

Great as always chucker!!!!

What is your take on Rogers...

I would put them just outside top 20. Have only seen one goalie of the two play and did not see a lot of scoring threat. Look to have a couple of good defensemen that can shut down opponents for a while at least.

[royalhockey999]

Thanks Chuck! Keep up the good work...

[Bauer all the way]

With the season in full swing and some games watched and all things considered.. here is what I got. (No mathematical formula that counts empty net goals, or backup goalies in meaningless games, Just who is the best on any given night)

Tier One:
1 Wayzata - Deep Talent and Top end Goalie
2 EP -Good Goal-tending and ability to play with anyone
3 Edina - lost loads of talent but credit a top notch organization... they can still get it done

Tier 2:
4 WBL- Rough and tough, stay out of box can be good
5 Prior Lake - Playing solid and will be tested in D6
6 Burnsville - Small quick team - Goaltending might be issue
7 Minnetonka - Awesome size and early success... did HS take a toll on this team?
8 OMG- No big wins, beating teams they should
9 Sibley - a Mirage? Some early success lets see how it plays out

Tier 3:
10 Rosemount - not quite Percy, Sainty, Walters and Brown.. really just untested lets see how it shakes out
11 Woodbury - Two wins over Burnsville Highlight season so far
12 Elk River - slow start and loss of key players have hurt, but still quality team
13 Andover- Lost to Elk River in first real test of the year
14 Duluth East - Goaltending is not great, and team lacks real scoring threat
15 Centennial - Goaltending is bad most nights, but when it plays well they play well
16 Stillwater - Jekyll and Hyde.. beat some big teams, lost to weak teams

Tier 4:
17 Farmington - untested but playing well, with young talent
18 Roseville - Improving but no top end tests to judge them on
19 Eastview - Solid goaltending only weapon in the bag
20 Hopkins - early win over PL is only highlight on easy schedule


So in summary a couple of top end teams and then a lot of parity this year. And the top end teams are not safe. It should be a real interesting year at the Bantam A level.

Alright now we know the good southern teams what about northern teams

[puckhead58]

After watching some of these teams at the Spirit of Duluth this weekend, I would move Tonka and East down a tier, and woodbury up a tier and add St cloud to the list.

[Chuck Norris Fan]

After watching some of these teams at the Spirit of Duluth this weekend, I would move Tonka and East down a tier, and woodbury up a tier and add St cloud to the list.

Went north and saw a bunch of games on sat. However it is so spread out it is really tough to see all the games and all the scores.

Anyone want to post them it would help me tons. Just your team if you got them.

[puckhead58]

After watching some of these teams at the Spirit of Duluth this weekend, I would move Tonka and East down a tier, and woodbury up a tier and add St cloud to the list.

Went north and saw a bunch of games on sat. However it is so spread out it is really tough to see all the games and all the scores.

Anyone want to post them it would help me tons. Just your team if you got them.

From the Duluth Trib

35th Spirit of Duluth Invitational Hockey Tournament
Saturday’s Late Results
5 p.m. games
Bantams
Madison Caps 4, Hermantown 0
Stillwater 11, Blaine 6
Thunder Bay 6, Duluth East 2
St. Cloud 6, Minnetonka 4

7 p.m. games
Bantams
Cloquet 4, Orono 4, tie
White Bear Lake 6, Sartell 2
Woodbury 6, Burnsville 2
Centennial 7, Marquette 2
9 p.m. games

Sunday’s Results

Bantams
Blaine 4, Hermantown 3
9 a.m. games
Bantams
White Bear Lake 4, Woodbury 3
Madison 4, Duluth East 3
Thunder Bay 2, Minnetonka 1, OT
Burnsville 9, Sartell 2
Cloquet 6, Marquette 3
11 a.m. games
Bantams
Stillwater 4, St. Cloud 1
3 p.m. games
Bantams
Burnsville 4, Madison Caps 2
Thunder Bay 1, White Bear Lake 0
Centennial 4, Orono 1
Woodbury 3, Minnetonka 2
Final Results
Bantam A
1. Thunder Bay, 2. White Bear Lake, 3. Woodbury, consolation champs, Burnsville
Pee-Wee A
1. Prior Lake, 2. Eden Prairie, 3. Osseo, consolation champs, Elk River
Junior Gold
1. Minnetonka, 2. Fort Frances, 3. Thunder Bay Bearcats, 4. St. Louis Park

[Chuck Norris Fan]

A couple of good tourneys this last weekend. Of course it helped sort out some things and other things just got harder.

Tier One:
1 Wayzata - doing what they are suppose to do when they are suppose to do it
2 Edina - came out on top of big game vs EP
3 WBL- best MN team in Duluth this weekend
4 Woodbury - still on a move up as they are performing lights out

Tier 2:
5 OMG- just missed the big game they needed vs Trojans
6 EP - not performing like they can
7 Burnsville - missed opportunity vs Woodbury, but took care of their other business

Tier 3:
8 East Grand Forks - not sure the scores justify this high a ranking but lets see how they do. Have Centennial game Friday
9 Sibley - playing tight games but coming out on loosing end
10 Minnetonka - missed some real opportunities this weekend
11 Elk River - not much happening, will see how they do in EGF
12 Rosemount - Some good wins vs EGF and Andover
13 Prior Lake -
14 Centennial - couldn't beat top end Blaze, and Woodbury, but took care of teams they should have, see if they can take EGF friday
15 Duluth East - Win over stillwater , tied blaine, and lost 2 some AAA teams

Tier 4:
16 Andover- Dropping down with big loss to Rosemount
17 Farmington - Good weekend despite end with loss to Wayzata
18 Eastview -
19 Stillwater - beat up blaine and St. Cloud but busted to East
20 St. Cloud or Hermantown


OK so not perfect but I think top 7 are really solid.... 8-15 can move up and down all year and 16-20 might dip in and out of top 20 all year

[Chuck Norris Fan]

Some real good games played over the last week. Some changes in the top 10. And of course like every week it seems it just gets harder to make a clear list of who's better.

Tier One:
1 Edina - Have shown they are the team to beat with consistent good play and a victory over then #1 Wayzata
2 Wayzata - lost to Edina and tied MPLS escapes with victory over EP
3 WBL- Handled Sibley no problem

Tier 2:
4 Woodbury - stumbled a bit with loss to Eastview and tie to Moorhead
5 OMG-
6 EP - dropped a one goal game to Wayzata
7 Burnsville - Dropped game to the Irish

Tier 3:

8 Elk River - wins EGF tourney beating Duluth and East Grand in process
9 Rosemount - Beat Burnsville and Prior Lake.. good week
10 Centennial - Topped East Grand and Duluth East ... match up with Elks this week
11 East Grand Forks - too much to soon dropped games to Centennial and Elk River this past weekend
12 Minnetonka - lost to Woodbury and EP win over unranked Jefferson
13 Prior Lake - Dropped game to Irish
14 Farmington - victory over Sibley
15 Sibley - falling fast as they have 3 more losses to ranked teams Farmington, WBL, Stillwater

Tier 4:

16 Duluth East - dropped a couple more games this weekend
17 Eastview - Big win over Woodbury, but dropped game to Lakeville South
18 Stillwater - 8-2 victory over Sibley
19 Andover- barley got by Rogers
20 Lakeville North - or Moorhead you choose !!!

[SChockey]

Chuck, I've noticed the top tier has been the same 3 teams in all your rankings. At least I think all of them. My question is: Do teams outside of this tier hold much of a chance to win it all in March??? I love seeing WB in the cream of the crop, it seems it's been awhile for the Bears and I'm wondering if they have a good shot to hang another banner for the strong program.

You've been doing these rankings for awhile now and they are always very good!

[royalhockey999]

Chuck.....where you been??? Any updated rankings?