We’ve had a little bit of everything in the early going this season, from snowstorms to upsets to statements from some traditional powers who refuse to go away. And now, hopefully, we have a little more clarity on where the teams stand. Your rankings:
1. Hill-Murray (3-0)
-A convincing win over Benilde has the Pioneers back atop the rankings. They showed typical Hill balance in the process, and with no one else seizing the initiative in the early going, that’s more than enough to put them at the top. They now kick off two weeks of conference play, and the first game involves their ever-exciting rivalry with St. Thomas.
This week: Thurs vs. #8 St. Thomas Academy, Sat at Mahtomedi
2. Blaine (4-0)
-After giving up a bunch of goals in their wins up north in the season’s opening week, the Bengals found some defense in their Northwest Suburban openers. The win over Centennial was important for section seeding, though it wasn’t the sort of commanding win that would have cemented the Bengals in a place near the top of the rankings. Their two conference games this week shouldn’t pose too big of a challenge, but they have an interesting test sandwiched in between, as they take on arguably the top team in Class A and its stout defense.
This week: Thurs at Anoka, Fri vs. East Grand Forks, Sat vs. Coon Rapids
3. Benilde-St. Margaret’s (4-1)
-Much like last season, the Red Knights boast a prolific offense and a suspect defense. They hung double digits on Mounds View and got a one-goal win over Burnsville, but they were exposed badly against Hill, and only avoid a larger fall due to the confusion behind them in the rankings. A section game against Holy Family this week should involve some scoring, too.
This week: Thurs at Holy Family, Sat vs. Hibbing
4. Elk River (2-0)
-The Elks’ win over Andover was on the adventurous side, but they got the win in the end, and they edge upwards with Edina’s loss. After a light schedule over the first few weeks, the Elks really get going this coming week; a 7AA clash with Duluth East is about as big as it gets in December, and Maple Grove has looked strong in the early going, too.
This week: Tues at #7 Duluth East, Thurs at #12 Maple Grove, Sat at Osseo
5. Eden Prairie (3-0)
-The Eagles had a little trouble with Rosemount, but also handled Lakeville South with ease to move to 3-0. Their gradual build-up to the Edina Holiday Classic continues this week, as they play a couple of teams that have looked pretty good in the early going, though they have yet to make a real big splash.
This week: Tues vs. Bloomington Jefferson, Fri vs. Cretin-Derham Hall
6. Edina (4-2)
-It was a split verdict for the Hornets; they got an important section win, but got tripped up by a strong defensive showing out of Eagan. They don’t have any trouble outshooting teams, but the goals haven’t been coming yet; time will tell if this is just part of the growing process with their younger players, or if it’s a legitimate shortage of scoring power when compared to the other top teams. After a busy start, they now get to collect themselves until their holiday classic in a week and a half.
This week: Idle
7. Duluth East (2-0)
-A snowstorm made for a dull week for the Greyhounds, wiping out both of their games. They head into the big Elk River game not having played since last Saturday, which isn’t ideal, but the Elks have only played two games so far, too. And while Cloquet is down this season, a rivalry game right after a battle for the top of the section has the potential to be a trap game.
This week: Tues vs. #4 Elk River, Sat at Cloquet
8. St. Thomas Academy (2-0-1)
-The Cadets rolled over a decent Lakeville North team in their only game this past week, getting back on track after the Holy Angels tie. Next up are a pair of AA powers, though they’ve been going in opposite directions so far this season; the Hill game gives them a chance to make their first real splash as a AA team.
This week: Tues vs. Minnetonka, Thurs at #1 Hill-Murray
9. White Bear Lake (4-0)
-The Bears rode a couple of Jake Wahlin hat tricks to comfortable wins over Suburban East Conference foes this past week. They stay in the conference this week as well, though they do host one of its better teams on Thursday.
This week: Thurs vs. Forest Lake, Sat at Woodbury
10. Prior Lake (1-1)
-The Lakers hung in there against 2AA rival Edina, and while they were heavily outshot, they gave the impression they could be at least some trouble for the Hornets come sections. They now settle into South Suburban action, with road trips to mid-level opponents Lakeville South and Rosemount.
This week: Tues at Lakeville South, Sat at Rosemount
11. Wayzata (4-3)
-The Trojans’ up-and-down start to the season continued, as they dropped a 1-0 decision against Burnsville. The diagnosis here is a pretty simple one: the offensive output just hasn’t been there in games against other top teams. They now have a week off to regroup and address some of those issues.
This week: Idle
12. Maple Grove (3-1)
-The Crimson looked strong in wins over Anoka and Armstrong this past week, getting them off to a strong start in the NWSC. They appear to have put last season behind them, and though they haven’t moved in the rankings yet, they have proven to be a legitimate threat for the 5AA crown. A big conference battle with Elk River looms this week.
This week: Thurs vs. #4 Elk River, Sat at Champlin Park
13. Eagan (3-1)
-After a week-long hiatus, the Wildcats are back in the top 15 on the strength of a win over Edina. They still have a head-scratching loss to Lakeville South on the record, but they’ve only given up one goal in three wins since, and that one goal came very late in the game for Edina. With their goaltending and strong defensemen, they can give anyone fits. Their next big test will be against another South Suburban team that just knocked off a highly-regarded Lake Conference squad.
This week Tues vs. Rosemount, Sat vs. #14 Burnsville
14. Burnsville (2-3)
-The Blaze played well this past week, giving Benilde a tight fight and clawing out a 1-0 win over Wayzata. The Lakeville North loss is looking like more of a fluke than anything, but they’ll need another quality win or two to get that record back into winning territory. To that end, two conference games against 3AA contenders this week could help them considerably, and will also help sort out the mess of South Suburban teams in this part of the rankings.
This week: Tues vs. #15 Eastview, Sat at #13 Eagan
15. Eastview (3-0)
-The Lightning drop two spots through no real fault of their own; they’re taking care of business, but have yet to play a real front-end squad. Their battle with Burnsville on Tuesday gives them a chance to prove their worth as a top 15 team.
This week: Tues at #14 Burnsville, Sat at Apple Valley
Beyond the Top 15
Holy Family (2-2-1)
-Weather wiped out the Fire’s big game against St. Thomas, leaving them with just one game against Waconia. They won it easily, and now continue a December that’s been full of games against quality private schools, playing a 6AA game against Benilde before visiting Totino-Grace.
Bloomington Jefferson (4-0)
-The Jaguars are off to a strong start, methodically picking up low-scoring wins against decent teams, including a shutout of Minnetonka on Saturday. A contest with Eden Prairie this week will be a great test for their defense and strong goaltending, and they can’t sleep on Lakeville North, either.
Grand Rapids (4-0)
-The Thunderhawks had a successful weekend in the state’s northwest corner, beating both Roseau and Warroad. They’re not winning big and are often outshot, but with strong goaltending and an opportunistic offense, they’re getting the job done. Only one game this week, but it’s another road trip to face a quality northern team, Duluth Marshall.
Minnetonka (3-1)
-A shutout loss to Jefferson puts a damper on an otherwise decent start to the year for the rebuilding Skippers. As expected, there will be growing pains this year. The week ahead is a tough one, with a game against St. Thomas Academy and a road trip up to Moorhead.
Moorhead (3-1)
-The Spuds are off to a quality start, reminding the rest of 8AA that they are the three-time defending champions by picking up a couple of section wins this past week. We’ll get a much better idea of where they fall in the statewide scene when they host Roseau and Minnetonka this week.
Centennial (1-2)
-The Cougars played a pretty tight game with Blaine, which has to be encouraging given the amount of turnover they had over the offseason. Their lone game this week is against an Andover squad that has been all over the map in the early going.
Cretin-Derham Hall (2-0-1)
-The Raiders are off to a decent start, tying a respectable Forest Lake team and winning both of their other games with relative ease. Things will get a bit more interesting this week, as they face another SEC contender in Stillwater and pay a visit to fifth-ranked Eden Prairie.
Lakeville North (2-3)
-The Panthers have that win over Burnsville, but their other games against quality teams have gone roughly the way one would expect. A win over Jefferson this week would improve their standing.
Forest Lake (3-1-1)
-The Rangers make their debut in the top 25 after tying Cretin; a narrow loss to Grand Rapids suggests they’ll be somewhere in the 7AA picture all season long. A visit to conference frontrunner White Bear Lake this week will be instructive.
Lakeville South (1-3)
-I thought about slipping a team like Stillwater in here, but the Cougars do have that win against Eagan; all three of their losses are to teams in the top nine, and one of them was very close. The tough stretch continues against Prior Lake this week, though they should finally have a chance to catch their breath after that.
And now, an early season run through the sections. The key games are games within the section over the next two weeks, when we’ll do this again.
1AA
(23) Lakeville North
(25) Lakeville South
Farmington
-Both Lakevilles have been as advertised so far; they get occasional big wins, but have losing records. Farmington is quietly off to a strong start, losing narrowly to Eagan and putting themselves on track for a high seed with a convincing 6-3 win over Rochester Mayo. It’s difficult to measure them against the Lakevilles given their weak schedule, but a couple of games against SSC teams in the coming weeks will give us at least some grounds for comparison.
Key game: Lakeville South at Lakeville North 12/17
2AA
6 Edina
10 Prior Lake
14 Burnsville
(17) Bloomington Jefferson
-Edina’s early win over Prior Lake has them in the driver’s seat here, to no one’s surprise, though both the Lakers and Burnsville look like they’re within striking distance. Jefferson’s win over Minnetonka has them making some noise, while Holy Angels’ tie with St. Thomas means the Stars may at least be an upset threat, too. Top to bottom, this section isn’t far behind 6AA right now.
Key game: Prior Lake at Burnsville 12/21
3AA
8 St. Thomas Academy
13 Eagan
15 Eastview
(22) Cretin-Derham Hall
-This race is shaping up to be a pretty good one, with Eagan proving they can play with anyone and Eastview and Cretin undefeated to date. With three large conferences represented in the top four teams, seeding could be difficult here, though there are a handful of games between them that should help somewhat.
Key game: Rosemount at Eagan 12/10
4AA
1 Hill-Murray
9 White Bear Lake
Stillwater
-The two perennial frontrunners are both off to undefeated starts, though the Pioneers have played a noticeably more difficult schedule. Stillwater is also off to a decent start, and could make this a three-team race; their game with White Bear next week will give us an idea of how big of a gap there is, if any.
Key game: White Bear Lake at Stillwater 12/19
5AA
2 Blaine
12 Maple Grove
(21) Centennial
-Blaine got an important win over Centennial, but it was a close enough game to suggest the Cougars can contend, and Maple Grove has been off to a strong start, too; they’ll face their first real section test when they host Centennial next week. By the end of December, all three teams will have played each other once.
Key game: Centennial at Maple Grove 12/19
6AA
3 Benilde-St. Margaret’s
5 Eden Prairie
11 Wayzata
(16) Holy Family
(19) Minnetonka
-Things are pretty unsettled here: Wayzata has not looked as strong as the preseason prognostications suggested, Benilde got drilled by Hill, and Eden Prairie has yet to be tested. While it’s still the toughest section out there, it hasn’t quite dominated the way it has in recent years so far. The Benilde-Holy Family game this week is the first in-section contest, with many more to come in January and February.
Key game: Benilde at Holy Family 12/12
7AA
4 Elk River
7 Duluth East
(18) Grand Rapids
(24) Forest Lake
Andover
-No real movement here yet from the preseason rankings, though both big section games to date—Elk River over Andover and Rapids over Forest Lake—have been tight. Both have potential, but Forest Lake needs to be tested a bit more, and Andover needs to find some consistency. This week’s big East-Elk River game should give the section a little more clarity, as will the Elks’ battle with Rapids in Edina.
Key games: Elk River at Duluth East 12/10, Elk River vs. Grand Rapids 12/21 (in Edina), Andover at Duluth East 12/21
8AA
(20) Moorhead
Roseau
Brainerd
Bemidji
-Moorhead, with a relatively good showing against Blaine, jumps to the top here; sure, they needed overtime to beat Bemidji, but they’ve been pulling out these narrow wins against 8AA rivals for a few years now, and they’re still going to St. Paul just about every year. With a couple of OT losses to good teams, a young Bemidji group is now firmly in the picture as a contender; Roseau, while decent, hasn’t done much to stand out in the early going. Brainerd’s season-opening loss to Alexandria leaves them outside of the top 25 for now, and with their schedule, they may not have an opportunity to climb back in until they play Grand Rapids near the end of the month.
Key games: Roseau at Moorhead 12/10, Bemidji at Brainerd 12/21
See ya next week…
AA Rankings for 12/8/13
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I'm surprised that you have Grand Rapids ranked so low. I understand that they haven't played anyone good yet, but neither has White Bear Lake and I'd take Peterson over Wahlin any day. Plus Shepard is one of the top goalies in the state.
I'm sure they will move up your rankings as the season continues, but their current low rank is surprising.
I'm sure they will move up your rankings as the season continues, but their current low rank is surprising.
Blaine seems to be highly touted, with many outfits ranking them as #1 in the state. That may be true and is probably deserved for the moment, but I will say they have a relatively easy schedule starting out...None of the teams they have played are even top 15 teams...
Roseau
Moorhead
Osseo
Centennial
Anoka
Completely agree with Karl ranking HM @ #1 over Blaine and I'm surprised most others have the inverse. I'm curious to see how well Blaine does when their schedule gets a bit tougher (possibly today against the top Class A team)
Roseau
Moorhead
Osseo
Centennial
Anoka
Completely agree with Karl ranking HM @ #1 over Blaine and I'm surprised most others have the inverse. I'm curious to see how well Blaine does when their schedule gets a bit tougher (possibly today against the top Class A team)
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Tenoverpar
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f
Good luck with the next rankings....not sure how you balance the fact that STA and Hill are dead even teams, F Lake is actually for real, HF blew out BSM and all the other little tidbits happening statewide
Re: f
Didn't HM just beat STA?Tenoverpar wrote:Good luck with the next rankings....not sure how you balance the fact that STA and Hill are dead even teams, F Lake is actually for real, HF blew out BSM and all the other little tidbits happening statewide
A close evenly played game, but the rule in sports is the team that wins is the better team. At least in that moment of time.
And don't play the upset card..
Upset simply means the team that loses was thought to be better by certain people.
Last edited by elliott70 on Fri Dec 13, 2013 11:22 am, edited 1 time in total.
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almostashappy
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I'm a Duluth East fan, but I have to say if I was ranking them right now they would be in the 15-20 range at this point, maybe even a little lower. Team has not looked good so far this year. I'm assuming they will get better throughout the year, but I just don't see them as one of the top teams right now.
DE could've "easily" won state the last 5 years.