I find myself Rooting Against Hermantown - I think

[northwoods oldtimer]

So according to all of the previous logic, Edina, HM, Blaine, Wayzata should all move up to AAA?

The state tourney needs to remain as regionally based sections on school enrollment, period. Fiddling around just muddys the waters and injects politics into decisions and all of you would then have 10 times more things to gripe about.

I'd be entirely happy if Hermantown beats everyone by ten goals and entirely happy if they lose by ten goals.

You're all sounding like a bunch of whining socialists. Root for your teams and enjoy the hockey.

Incorrect "whining socialists" use the system as a means to further benefit their agenda. People here want another quality A team to move up to AA level. There is no AAA offered by MSHSL last time I checked.

[Nevertoomuchhockey]

On a side note, we metro associations seriously envy your outdoor ice. I'd give up Schwans in a heartbeat to have outside rinks at the schools that were maintained and utilized like that. I just found out last year that associations up north actually play most games (below peewee) outside. Take away the ice costs in a mite or squirt program and the issue of participation goes (in large part) away.

[Hermhawkey]

If you have a son in Squirts then you know that you pull in a ton of talent at the Youth Level as well, so don't play dumb. Your best 1st year Squirt lives in Gary-Morgan Park. Your best PeeWee lives on Pike Lake. Your best 06 lives in Piedmont. Your 2nd best 06 lives on Pike Lake. Your 4th best 06 lives in Piedmont. Your 2nd best 03 lives in Saginaw. I'm not familiar with the Bantam team, but since you have a son on that team too maybe you can fill us in?

Best PEEWEE forward lives in Hermantown. ..kid on Pike Lake
will be at Marshall next year where his mother teaches and brother play.

The Pike Lake kid is easily the best player on that team.
Agree but he's off to Marshall

Not even close. The kid from GMP is the best 05 in the area and lives in GMP. The kid is only Hermantown's 3rd best 06. (I would never name a kid on here, but you already did.) Top two 06 are open-enrollees.

Agree to disagree on the best 1st year squirt(playing up btw) but I just watched the Squirt A's in the district championship and he impressed me more than anyone on the ice. Had a goal and an amazing saucer pass assist in 3-2 win. I don't follow mites. You are reaching on what this all has to do with our current HS team. I do believe any current squirts will be AA that far down the road.

[nahc]

Moving up to AA does not mean that Hermantown would not success during the regular season but sections and the state tourney would be a totally differant story........

[Mite-dad]

Moving up to AA does not mean that Hermantown would not success during the regular season but sections and the state tourney would be a totally differant story........

Yup, this is the big question. How do you define success? Would you rather have an A team that makes the state tournament every year, or a successful/competitive AA team that occasionally makes the state tourney? I guess for me, I would rather have the latter. In Hermantown's case, you will always have an advantage with the proximity to Duluth. Parents can work in Duluth and live in Hermantown. I'm sure this is a decision made by hockey parents all the time.

[Hermhawkey]

One part of the equation I haven't seen discussed... is the A tournament is open seating where the whole town amongst friends can sit together. The kids can too with all their friends....priceless. Just show up, buy a ticket. Versus the AA tourney and assigned scalped nose bleed seats and a bunch of unaffiliated fans there for the spectacle and nothing more. Single A tournament is way different and imho from a fan perspective a way better deal. I have learned favor the single A package for this reason.

[pekyman]

We have always competed in the top level in Bantam/PW...and most years
get beat down by the cities Mega-associations and their 12 team levels. No question it helps the boys prepare to compete very well in single A. Seems to be a model that works. This team is the best I've seen I am confident they
would have done fairly well in AA, but so would Mahtomedi, EGF, DM, Denfeld and maybe few others. We are just a REALLY good A program. Like Edina in AA people hate us for it and as sad as it is...I guess that's human nature.

I'm not going into details, it's been said in other posts, but Hermantown is what most say they want in HS hockey. Small school local boys playing for their community. The vast majority of this team has played together all through youth hockey. That first line is so good because they are talented and been playing/ rink ratting since they could walk. They are Hermantown boys. Of the open enrolled, only 1 ever played elsewhere. All 4 live closer to the HT school than the alternative and never considered another school. They are Hermantown boys. The current senior group was never large and the junior group behind them is actually tiny. What they have is a great program and the opportunity to develop if they choose to do so. Many at Hermantown choose to do just that. If I could give 1 reason as to why Hermantown can perform so well with so few, it would be having the youth association on school property, and it's 5 sheets of meticulously maintained outside ice. HT only has 1 sheet of inside ice, which is a huge issue, but when the weather is right, those rinks are full of kids playing the game and working on their skills. They can walk right from school, put on their gear and skate until the rink closes of their parents come and get them. It's safe and everybody looks out for each other. You don't have to worry about your 3rd grader at HAHA. From the kids to the adults, everybody has each others back. It's actually amazing and I consider myself lucky to have been a part of it. I think everybody that is and has been in the program knows we are not large and it takes much hard work from many to keep this program going. This year Hermantown has a special group of seniors that are trying to lead this program to something they have done only once and not since 2007; a Class A championship. Hopefully they achieve their goal. Maybe they will not. I know one thing for sure, these boys should be respected and admired for what they have accomplished and how good they are. They really are what most say the value in small school MN hockey. It is sad most just see the surface and have no idea how much heart and small town pride is actually in this team/program.
I think making a jump to AA for this program is a big decision. For them to have consistent success at AA, they first need to finish the school update plan. Hopefully it increases the capacity of the school so they can accept more open enrollee kids.
Next they need to get a second sheet of inside ice. There is not enough ice currently and with more kids open enrolling from Duluth, proctor, etc., the association needs more ice. With a bigger school and more ice, Hermantown would have a good chance at competing with East yearly for 7AA. Many more actual Hermantown kids would get cut and Hermantown would more closely resemble a AA cities team.
I'm sure this would make all of you happy, especially 7A teams, but I'm not sure that is what Hermantown wants. I quite sure Plante doesn't want this. It would be turning Hermantown hockey into what everybody is already accusing Hermantown of being but it's not.

Peky, the reasons you state about how Hermantown has developed themselves into a great hockey program are the reasons why so many of us have respected and cheered for them over the years, even though they would beat our 7A teams every year.

But the bottom line is that your team could compete just fine in AA. I feel certain they would have won 7AA 2-3 times the last 9 years, and to you that may not seem like success, but to most other high school hockey fans that would be tremendous success.

As a section 7 fan all my life, I watched Hibbing, Grand Rapids, Cloquet, Duluth East, Elk River, and Greenway all take turns making it to state at times. Some years you knew you weren't getting by Cloquet or Rapids, and it was okay, because you knew other years you would get by them. This is what is bothering a lot of people about Hermantown right now: the idea that if you're not guaranteed a spot in the state tourney then there is no reason to opt up.

Read how many people have posted that "They have always rooted for Hermantown, but just can't anymore." People love what Hermantown has become, but with that success comes the expectation of moving on in order to continue to grow and prove yourselves against the best.

Hermantown is a great program, for sure. We all just want to see them on the big stage.

In reality, for this years team to actually be in AA they would have had to move up with STA after the devastating loss to STA in 2013. If you think you or anyone on here would have moved HT up with STA after that loss your fooling yourself. After this year the team will be more like last years team. 7A will be much tighter.

I get you (Hibbing) and Froggy(Denfeld) really want Hermantown to move up. Your writing novels on the subject and you are good at it, but let's be clear; you just want Hermantown out of the way so you have a better chance of going to state. You say you want to play the best and that is what you have right in 7A. You even say you want your team to move to AA. If what you say about your Hibbing team is true, and I think it is, you should relish beating Hermantown the next 2 years and making a run at the 1A title. Getting by Hermantown would be a real accomplishment and you can play a AA caliber team without ever leaving A. Make no mistake, if you moved to AA, even if you happen to beat East in 7AA, which I doubt you ever would, you would lose your first and probably 2nd game in AA at state just like Bemidji is right now. You may not think much of a 1A title, but I guarantee the boys on your team would never forget it.
I think if Hermantown is to move up, and I have no clue on any of this, it will be in 2-4 years with a new school, a new coach and hopefully at least plans for a new/additional rink. Until then, they are where they are and there is a lot of great hockey yet to be played this week. Good luck to all the teams!

[Froggy Richards]

Best PEEWEE forward lives in Hermantown. ..kid on Pike Lake
will be at Marshall next year where his mother teaches and brother play.

The Pike Lake kid is easily the best player on that team.
Agree but he's off to Marshall

Not even close. The kid from GMP is the best 05 in the area and lives in GMP. The kid is only Hermantown's 3rd best 06. (I would never name a kid on here, but you already did.) Top two 06 are open-enrollees.

Agree to disagree on the best 1st year squirt(playing up btw) but I just watched the Squirt A's in the district championship and he impressed me more than anyone on the ice. Had a goal and an amazing saucer pass assist in 3-2 win. I don't follow mites. You are reaching on what this all has to do with our current HS team. I do believe any current squirts will be AA that far down the road.

Yes, agree to disagree. If you are who I think you are then you are coaching them on the ice every day, so I will defer to you on that one. My point is that when Hermantown was doing it with only Hermantown kids everyone was cheering them on and had a lot of respect for their program. As you can see from this thread, that isn't the case anymore. Everyone knows they should be AA, including the Hermantown people. And you have open-enrollees and move-ins on this year's High School team too, which you are certainly aware of. I hope you're correct that they make the jump. It would be great for Northern Hockey and you will be back to one of the most respected programs in the state.

[Nevertoomuchhockey]

Show of hands (posts) of everyone who doesn't have a team in section 7, whose own team/kid isn't affected in the slightest by where H-town plays, and still thinks it's ridiculous they aren't playing up?
It's not just Hibbing and Denfeld buddy. Just as many East and Cloquet fans don't want you to move up if that's your argument.
We aren't hating on the players who earned this recognition and Ws. Just the admin and parents who perpetuate the existing "A" illusion.

[rainier]

I'm not going into details, it's been said in other posts, but Hermantown is what most say they want in HS hockey. Small school local boys playing for their community. The vast majority of this team has played together all through youth hockey. That first line is so good because they are talented and been playing/ rink ratting since they could walk. They are Hermantown boys. Of the open enrolled, only 1 ever played elsewhere. All 4 live closer to the HT school than the alternative and never considered another school. They are Hermantown boys. The current senior group was never large and the junior group behind them is actually tiny. What they have is a great program and the opportunity to develop if they choose to do so. Many at Hermantown choose to do just that. If I could give 1 reason as to why Hermantown can perform so well with so few, it would be having the youth association on school property, and it's 5 sheets of meticulously maintained outside ice. HT only has 1 sheet of inside ice, which is a huge issue, but when the weather is right, those rinks are full of kids playing the game and working on their skills. They can walk right from school, put on their gear and skate until the rink closes of their parents come and get them. It's safe and everybody looks out for each other. You don't have to worry about your 3rd grader at HAHA. From the kids to the adults, everybody has each others back. It's actually amazing and I consider myself lucky to have been a part of it. I think everybody that is and has been in the program knows we are not large and it takes much hard work from many to keep this program going. This year Hermantown has a special group of seniors that are trying to lead this program to something they have done only once and not since 2007; a Class A championship. Hopefully they achieve their goal. Maybe they will not. I know one thing for sure, these boys should be respected and admired for what they have accomplished and how good they are. They really are what most say the value in small school MN hockey. It is sad most just see the surface and have no idea how much heart and small town pride is actually in this team/program.
I think making a jump to AA for this program is a big decision. For them to have consistent success at AA, they first need to finish the school update plan. Hopefully it increases the capacity of the school so they can accept more open enrollee kids.
Next they need to get a second sheet of inside ice. There is not enough ice currently and with more kids open enrolling from Duluth, proctor, etc., the association needs more ice. With a bigger school and more ice, Hermantown would have a good chance at competing with East yearly for 7AA. Many more actual Hermantown kids would get cut and Hermantown would more closely resemble a AA cities team.
I'm sure this would make all of you happy, especially 7A teams, but I'm not sure that is what Hermantown wants. I quite sure Plante doesn't want this. It would be turning Hermantown hockey into what everybody is already accusing Hermantown of being but it's not.

Peky, the reasons you state about how Hermantown has developed themselves into a great hockey program are the reasons why so many of us have respected and cheered for them over the years, even though they would beat our 7A teams every year.

But the bottom line is that your team could compete just fine in AA. I feel certain they would have won 7AA 2-3 times the last 9 years, and to you that may not seem like success, but to most other high school hockey fans that would be tremendous success.

As a section 7 fan all my life, I watched Hibbing, Grand Rapids, Cloquet, Duluth East, Elk River, and Greenway all take turns making it to state at times. Some years you knew you weren't getting by Cloquet or Rapids, and it was okay, because you knew other years you would get by them. This is what is bothering a lot of people about Hermantown right now: the idea that if you're not guaranteed a spot in the state tourney then there is no reason to opt up.

Read how many people have posted that "They have always rooted for Hermantown, but just can't anymore." People love what Hermantown has become, but with that success comes the expectation of moving on in order to continue to grow and prove yourselves against the best.

Hermantown is a great program, for sure. We all just want to see them on the big stage.

In reality, for this years team to actually be in AA they would have had to move up with STA after the devastating loss to STA in 2013. If you think you or anyone on here would have moved HT up with STA after that loss your fooling yourself. After this year the team will be more like last years team. 7A will be much tighter. I think people are resenting the fact that Hermantown didn't opt up when they had the chance this season.

I get you (Hibbing) and Froggy(Denfeld) really want Hermantown to move up. Your writing novels on the subject and you are good at it, but let's be clear; you just want Hermantown out of the way so you have a better chance of going to state. I admit this is part of it, and I always have. But to say it is the only reason is just false. Are all the other people expressing their displeasure with the Hawks fans of other 7A teams? No. It is obvious to all that Hermantown is capable of being good in AA. You say you want to play the best and that is what you have right in 7A. You even say you want your team to move to AA. If what you say about your Hibbing team is true, and I think it is, you should relish beating Hermantown the next 2 years and making a run at the 1A title. Make no mistake, Hermantown will still be the favorite in 7A the next two years. That excellent AA Hibbing bantam team from last year still did lose to the Hawks 6-3 in regionals. Getting by Hermantown would be a real accomplishment and you can play a AA caliber team without ever leaving A. So you admit your team is AA caliber. Why do you insist on defending them being in A? Make no mistake, if you moved to AA, even if you happen to beat East in 7AA, which I doubt you ever would, (Ironically the Hibbing bantams did beat East in regionals last year, but not Hermantown).you would lose your first and probably 2nd game in AA at state just like Bemidji is right now. You may not think much of a 1A title, but I guarantee the boys on your team would never forget it. I think plenty of the A title game, but I don't think teams that can compete well in AA every year should think much of the A title game. Appartently Hermantown thinks so much of the A title game that they never want to experience any other title game. And the boys would never forget their experiences in AA either, just as the Bemidji kids will hold their heads high after playing Edina tough.
I think if Hermantown is to move up, and I have no clue on any of this, it will be in 2-4 years with a new school, a new coach and hopefully at least plans for a new/additional rink. Until then, they are where they are and there is a lot of great hockey yet to be played this week. Good luck to all the teams!

[rainier]

Pekyman,

The Bemidji team that just played a one-goal game vs Edina (en) lost to your Hawks 6-1. Even if Bemidji was missing few players that game, Hermantown could do just the same and likely even better versus Edina.

The "Hermantown can't compete with the top teams in AA" excuse doesn't even hold water anymore.

Your team is excellent! Be happy people recognize that they are good enough to compete against the best.

[Froggy Richards]

I'm not going into details, it's been said in other posts, but Hermantown is what most say they want in HS hockey. Small school local boys playing for their community. The vast majority of this team has played together all through youth hockey. That first line is so good because they are talented and been playing/ rink ratting since they could walk. They are Hermantown boys. Of the open enrolled, only 1 ever played elsewhere. All 4 live closer to the HT school than the alternative and never considered another school. They are Hermantown boys. The current senior group was never large and the junior group behind them is actually tiny. What they have is a great program and the opportunity to develop if they choose to do so. Many at Hermantown choose to do just that. If I could give 1 reason as to why Hermantown can perform so well with so few, it would be having the youth association on school property, and it's 5 sheets of meticulously maintained outside ice. HT only has 1 sheet of inside ice, which is a huge issue, but when the weather is right, those rinks are full of kids playing the game and working on their skills. They can walk right from school, put on their gear and skate until the rink closes of their parents come and get them. It's safe and everybody looks out for each other. You don't have to worry about your 3rd grader at HAHA. From the kids to the adults, everybody has each others back. It's actually amazing and I consider myself lucky to have been a part of it. I think everybody that is and has been in the program knows we are not large and it takes much hard work from many to keep this program going. This year Hermantown has a special group of seniors that are trying to lead this program to something they have done only once and not since 2007; a Class A championship. Hopefully they achieve their goal. Maybe they will not. I know one thing for sure, these boys should be respected and admired for what they have accomplished and how good they are. They really are what most say the value in small school MN hockey. It is sad most just see the surface and have no idea how much heart and small town pride is actually in this team/program.
I think making a jump to AA for this program is a big decision. For them to have consistent success at AA, they first need to finish the school update plan. Hopefully it increases the capacity of the school so they can accept more open enrollee kids.
Next they need to get a second sheet of inside ice. There is not enough ice currently and with more kids open enrolling from Duluth, proctor, etc., the association needs more ice. With a bigger school and more ice, Hermantown would have a good chance at competing with East yearly for 7AA. Many more actual Hermantown kids would get cut and Hermantown would more closely resemble a AA cities team.
I'm sure this would make all of you happy, especially 7A teams, but I'm not sure that is what Hermantown wants. I quite sure Plante doesn't want this. It would be turning Hermantown hockey into what everybody is already accusing Hermantown of being but it's not.

Peky, the reasons you state about how Hermantown has developed themselves into a great hockey program are the reasons why so many of us have respected and cheered for them over the years, even though they would beat our 7A teams every year.

But the bottom line is that your team could compete just fine in AA. I feel certain they would have won 7AA 2-3 times the last 9 years, and to you that may not seem like success, but to most other high school hockey fans that would be tremendous success.

As a section 7 fan all my life, I watched Hibbing, Grand Rapids, Cloquet, Duluth East, Elk River, and Greenway all take turns making it to state at times. Some years you knew you weren't getting by Cloquet or Rapids, and it was okay, because you knew other years you would get by them. This is what is bothering a lot of people about Hermantown right now: the idea that if you're not guaranteed a spot in the state tourney then there is no reason to opt up.

Read how many people have posted that "They have always rooted for Hermantown, but just can't anymore." People love what Hermantown has become, but with that success comes the expectation of moving on in order to continue to grow and prove yourselves against the best.

Hermantown is a great program, for sure. We all just want to see them on the big stage.

In reality, for this years team to actually be in AA they would have had to move up with STA after the devastating loss to STA in 2013. If you think you or anyone on here would have moved HT up with STA after that loss your fooling yourself. After this year the team will be more like last years team. 7A will be much tighter.

I get you (Hibbing) and Froggy(Denfeld) really want Hermantown to move up. Your writing novels on the subject and you are good at it, but let's be clear; you just want Hermantown out of the way so you have a better chance of going to state. You say you want to play the best and that is what you have right in 7A. You even say you want your team to move to AA. If what you say about your Hibbing team is true, and I think it is, you should relish beating Hermantown the next 2 years and making a run at the 1A title. Getting by Hermantown would be a real accomplishment and you can play a AA caliber team without ever leaving A. Make no mistake, if you moved to AA, even if you happen to beat East in 7AA, which I doubt you ever would, you would lose your first and probably 2nd game in AA at state just like Bemidji is right now. You may not think much of a 1A title, but I guarantee the boys on your team would never forget it.
I think if Hermantown is to move up, and I have no clue on any of this, it will be in 2-4 years with a new school, a new coach and hopefully at least plans for a new/additional rink. Until then, they are where they are and there is a lot of great hockey yet to be played this week. Good luck to all the teams!

Not even close. My prediction is that Denfeld will not be sniffing State in a very long time. This was their last chance IMO. They will have a better chance when Hermantown moves up, yes. But not because they don't have to play Hermantown. It's because parents will stop seeing Hermantown cake-walk their way into State every single year as a AA program playing in Single A. When this happens, my hope is that we can keep more of our Youth Players here. Maybe we can continue to build up our program, before we lose it altogether.

Honestly, I used to not care about this subject, didn't even think about it. Then the day came when I had to sit down with my son and discuss why his two best friends were open-enrolling in Hermantown the next year. Their parents sent them for hockey, plain and simple. It broke my heart seeing how that affected him, and I suddenly realized everything that was wrong with youth sports today. Both mine and his innocence were gone, so to speak. I looked into the future and wondered if there will even be a High School team for him to play for some day without moving him. That's not the lesson I want to teach him. I want him to work hard to achieve something, not just run off to something that's already established when times are tough and just be along for the ride. It's not hard to see the day when only Hermantown and East are left and Marshall is off to Tier 1. That was the toughest conversation I have ever had with him, which I guess in a way actually makes me pretty fortunate. But it was still very hard for him. It would have been easy if I could have just said, "Well, their dad's got new jobs so they have a new school now." That was the only reason you lost friends when I was a kid. It was still hard, but at least you understood it. It taught you the importance of having a good job which wasn't a bad life lesson. What is this teaching them? That is why I am so passionate about this subject. It has nothing to do with beating Hermantown to get to State. There is so much more to life than hockey, which I realized even more during that conversation with my son.

[pekyman]

Rainier I am not defending them being in class A just trying to dispel all of the false info being posted on the current team and why the decision for them to move up is not so black and white. Also, it seems that this year many teams are just not what they use to be and Hermantown is having one of there best years ever. Case in point East. Anyway, AA may be in Hermantown's future, just not soon enough for some I guess. From what I understand, a team can make the decision to opt up every 2 years for a 4 year term. Is that true? Is there a deadline when a team has to make that decision?

[ilovemesomehockey]

Nice post Froggy. In all fairness, though, Hunters have benefited from a few transfers themselves over the last few years.... nobody however will benefit more than Marshall over the coming years. Hermantown will have a bit of a lull here at the same time Marshall will be revving up.

[rainier]

Rainier I am not defending them being in class A just trying to dispel all of the false info being posted on the current team and why the decision for them to move up is not so black and white. Also, it seems that this year many teams are just not what they use to be and Hermantown is having one of there best years ever. Case in point East. Anyway, AA may be in Hermantown's future, just not soon enough for some I guess. From what I understand, a team can make the decision to opt up every 2 years for a 4 year term. Is that true? Is there a deadline when a team has to make that decision?

Fair enough, peky. You don't see it as a black and white issue, but myself and many, many other people do.

Do you know why I so vociferously ranted against STA a few years ago? Because I love Hermantown! I have lived in Duluth for 15 years. Hibbing was and always will be my favorite team, but the Hawks have been my 2nd favorite for a long time now. I know many people who live in Hermantown and am impressed with the program they have.

I'm sure Hermantown will be in AA soon, and it will be great.

[thestickler07]

I'm sure Hermantown will be in AA soon, and it will be great.

Plante doesn't think so unfortunately.

[rainier]

Nice post Froggy. In all fairness, though, Hunters have benefited from a few transfers themselves over the last few years.... nobody however will benefit more than Marshall over the coming years. Hermantown will have a bit of a lull here at the same time Marshall will be revving up.

True, but I bet the amount of talent lost still greatly outweighs the talent gained for Denfeld. And no Denfeld fans claim they are all homegrown kids on the team.

I disagree that Hermantown will have a bit of a lull. Maybe relatively, but even with losing a couple kids their bantam team would still cruise through 7A bantams team and be top 5 in Class A.

It will be interesting to see what the ultimate result of DM opting up will be over the next few years.

[hadenuf]

Nice take Froggy. I wondered about Plantes comments regarding the numbers coming up for Hermantown. I looked at their Youth numbers to compare to Grand Rapids. Pretty much mirror Rapids until Bantams where Hermantown has one more team at that level and 7 more players. There is no defending his words.

[northwoods oldtimer]

Show of hands (posts) of everyone who doesn't have a team in section 7, whose own team/kid isn't affected in the slightest by where H-town plays, and still thinks it's ridiculous they aren't playing up?
It's not just Hibbing and Denfeld buddy. Just as many East and Cloquet fans don't want you to move up if that's your argument.
We aren't hating on the players who earned this recognition and Ws. Just the admin and parents who perpetuate the existing "A" illusion.

Exactly

[pekyman]

Peky, the reasons you state about how Hermantown has developed themselves into a great hockey program are the reasons why so many of us have respected and cheered for them over the years, even though they would beat our 7A teams every year.

But the bottom line is that your team could compete just fine in AA. I feel certain they would have won 7AA 2-3 times the last 9 years, and to you that may not seem like success, but to most other high school hockey fans that would be tremendous success.

As a section 7 fan all my life, I watched Hibbing, Grand Rapids, Cloquet, Duluth East, Elk River, and Greenway all take turns making it to state at times. Some years you knew you weren't getting by Cloquet or Rapids, and it was okay, because you knew other years you would get by them. This is what is bothering a lot of people about Hermantown right now: the idea that if you're not guaranteed a spot in the state tourney then there is no reason to opt up.

Read how many people have posted that "They have always rooted for Hermantown, but just can't anymore." People love what Hermantown has become, but with that success comes the expectation of moving on in order to continue to grow and prove yourselves against the best.

Hermantown is a great program, for sure. We all just want to see them on the big stage.

In reality, for this years team to actually be in AA they would have had to move up with STA after the devastating loss to STA in 2013. If you think you or anyone on here would have moved HT up with STA after that loss your fooling yourself. After this year the team will be more like last years team. 7A will be much tighter.

I get you (Hibbing) and Froggy(Denfeld) really want Hermantown to move up. Your writing novels on the subject and you are good at it, but let's be clear; you just want Hermantown out of the way so you have a better chance of going to state. You say you want to play the best and that is what you have right in 7A. You even say you want your team to move to AA. If what you say about your Hibbing team is true, and I think it is, you should relish beating Hermantown the next 2 years and making a run at the 1A title. Getting by Hermantown would be a real accomplishment and you can play a AA caliber team without ever leaving A. Make no mistake, if you moved to AA, even if you happen to beat East in 7AA, which I doubt you ever would, you would lose your first and probably 2nd game in AA at state just like Bemidji is right now. You may not think much of a 1A title, but I guarantee the boys on your team would never forget it.
I think if Hermantown is to move up, and I have no clue on any of this, it will be in 2-4 years with a new school, a new coach and hopefully at least plans for a new/additional rink. Until then, they are where they are and there is a lot of great hockey yet to be played this week. Good luck to all the teams!

Not even close. My prediction is that Denfeld will not be sniffing State in a very long time. This was their last chance IMO. They will have a better chance when Hermantown moves up, yes. But not because they don't have to play Hermantown. It's because parents will stop seeing Hermantown cake-walk their way into State every single year as a AA program playing in Single A. When this happens, my hope is that we can keep more of our Youth Players here. Maybe we can continue to build up our program, before we lose it altogether.

Honestly, I used to not care about this subject, didn't even think about it. Then the day came when I had to sit down with my son and discuss why his two best friends were open-enrolling in Hermantown the next year. Their parents sent them for hockey, plain and simple. It broke my heart seeing how that affected him, and I suddenly realized everything that was wrong with youth sports today. Both mine and his innocence were gone, so to speak. I looked into the future and wondered if there will even be a High School team for him to play for some day without moving him. That's not the lesson I want to teach him. I want him to work hard to achieve something, not just run off to something that's already established when times are tough and just be along for the ride. It's not hard to see the day when only Hermantown and East are left and Marshall is off to Tier 1. That was the toughest conversation I have ever had with him, which I guess in a way actually makes me pretty fortunate. But it was still very hard for him. It would have been easy if I could have just said, "Well, their dad's got new jobs so they have a new school now." That was the only reason you lost friends when I was a kid. It was still hard, but at least you understood it. It taught you the importance of having a good job which wasn't a bad life lesson. What is this teaching them? That is why I am so passionate about this subject. It has nothing to do with beating Hermantown to get to State. There is so much more to life than hockey, which I realized even more during that conversation with my son.

Froggy I get what you are saying and you do have a heart but no one on the current HS team is from Denfeld The main reason most of the kids that are open enrolled at the lower levels left the Duluth schools was because of the red plan I talked about earlier. They would have left regardless of if HT was A or AA. Once HT opens its new HS, if there is added capacity, more from that Duluth heights area will come and they are not all hockey players. It's just way closer and safer than going down into the west end. If Central was still there those kids would have stayed. It's your town that made that school decision and not Hermantown's fault. Up until recently, the vast majority of you top kids were lost to your neighbor East.

[ted2you]

A couple points: What was Plante thinking, as everyone agrees, that was shameful. I don't hate Hermantown, or their players. I dislike teams being classless. EGF had beaten down Hermantown last year and had them 7-2 with five minutes to play and EGF dumped the bench. I'm not sure what Plante Proved last night.

There is a difference between EGF and Hermantown. EGF is a medium small school, but there is no open enrollment to their program. They don't draw from Grand Forks. In fact it is really pretty stupid to live in EGF. North Dakota has no income tax and is much cheaper for a family to live. The Grand Forks schools have strong tradition and pride. If you look at the make up of that team you will find names that have played their for generations. Bowen, Pesch, Derrick, Beauchamp, Hjelle, Selk, Corbid, and Peabody have all played their for generations. They are much more vulnerable to the swings of talent. They will be hard hit to "reload" after this season. I'm sure their 3 year run ends after this season.

Hermantown on the other hand has five straight finals and I'm guessing there isn't a lot of people feeling sorry for Plante for their misfortune. Teams shouldn't be forced to move up because they are good! Teams that can move up should for pride sake if no other. Red Wing had a couple years where they were a dominant team, just because you have a nice run, doesn't mean people should demand a team to move up.

This year's EGF team is not as good as last season and I would have loved to see them have played Edina. Hermantown should move up so they can play the best teams year in, year out. As has been stated earlier, top AA teams don't want to lose to A teams. Blaine has lost back to back years to EGF. Hats off to Blaine for scheduling them, but honestly why would you want to risk losing to an A team. If you can play with them then you should. Hermantown has proved they have the program to do so. So add me to the list of people who will not be rooting for Hermantown. I think I will stick with EGF. It may be a while before you see them again.

[Froggy Richards]

In reality, for this years team to actually be in AA they would have had to move up with STA after the devastating loss to STA in 2013. If you think you or anyone on here would have moved HT up with STA after that loss your fooling yourself. After this year the team will be more like last years team. 7A will be much tighter.

I get you (Hibbing) and Froggy(Denfeld) really want Hermantown to move up. Your writing novels on the subject and you are good at it, but let's be clear; you just want Hermantown out of the way so you have a better chance of going to state. You say you want to play the best and that is what you have right in 7A. You even say you want your team to move to AA. If what you say about your Hibbing team is true, and I think it is, you should relish beating Hermantown the next 2 years and making a run at the 1A title. Getting by Hermantown would be a real accomplishment and you can play a AA caliber team without ever leaving A. Make no mistake, if you moved to AA, even if you happen to beat East in 7AA, which I doubt you ever would, you would lose your first and probably 2nd game in AA at state just like Bemidji is right now. You may not think much of a 1A title, but I guarantee the boys on your team would never forget it.
I think if Hermantown is to move up, and I have no clue on any of this, it will be in 2-4 years with a new school, a new coach and hopefully at least plans for a new/additional rink. Until then, they are where they are and there is a lot of great hockey yet to be played this week. Good luck to all the teams!

Not even close. My prediction is that Denfeld will not be sniffing State in a very long time. This was their last chance IMO. They will have a better chance when Hermantown moves up, yes. But not because they don't have to play Hermantown. It's because parents will stop seeing Hermantown cake-walk their way into State every single year as a AA program playing in Single A. When this happens, my hope is that we can keep more of our Youth Players here. Maybe we can continue to build up our program, before we lose it altogether.

Honestly, I used to not care about this subject, didn't even think about it. Then the day came when I had to sit down with my son and discuss why his two best friends were open-enrolling in Hermantown the next year. Their parents sent them for hockey, plain and simple. It broke my heart seeing how that affected him, and I suddenly realized everything that was wrong with youth sports today. Both mine and his innocence were gone, so to speak. I looked into the future and wondered if there will even be a High School team for him to play for some day without moving him. That's not the lesson I want to teach him. I want him to work hard to achieve something, not just run off to something that's already established when times are tough and just be along for the ride. It's not hard to see the day when only Hermantown and East are left and Marshall is off to Tier 1. That was the toughest conversation I have ever had with him, which I guess in a way actually makes me pretty fortunate. But it was still very hard for him. It would have been easy if I could have just said, "Well, their dad's got new jobs so they have a new school now." That was the only reason you lost friends when I was a kid. It was still hard, but at least you understood it. It taught you the importance of having a good job which wasn't a bad life lesson. What is this teaching them? That is why I am so passionate about this subject. It has nothing to do with beating Hermantown to get to State. There is so much more to life than hockey, which I realized even more during that conversation with my son.

Froggy I get what you are saying and you do have a heart but no one on the current HS team is from Denfeld The main reason most of the kids that are open enrolled at the lower levels left the Duluth schools was because of the red plan I talked about earlier. They would have left regardless of if HT was A or AA. Once HT opens its new HS, if there is added capacity, more from that Duluth heights area will come and they are not all hockey players. It's just way closer and safer than going down into the west end. If Central was still there those kids would have stayed. It's your town that made that school decision and not Hermantown's fault. Up until recently, the vast majority of you top kids were lost to your neighbor East.

I don't know anything about the kids who don't play Hockey. I've followed most of the top players 03-06 around this area for 4 years. I know them, I know their parents. I know where they live. I know where they started, I know where they are now and why they went there. I'm only referring to the parents who sent their kids somewhere else for hockey. Not just in Duluth but Proctor has been hit very hard as well. The two kids I referenced in my post live in West Duluth, not Duluth Heights. So they weren't affected by the Red Plan. Their parents sent them to Hermantown for hockey. At least they admitted it, so I give them credit for that. Most say it's for another reason.

[curtiscurve]

My God. There wasn't this much uproar about STA. I think just because Plante is honest about his intentions he is getting hammered. Larson from Breck hides behind some bogus excuse that the school remains about academics and everyone just accepts it. Warroad had a run like Htown is having and there wasn't this uproar. Ferguson Falls owned section 4A from 97-03, and Little Falls dominated it from 05-09. We're they supposed to move up too? The biggest difference is where these teams get their players. The private schools have numerous communities to pick players. I know those Hawk haters will chain they have all sorts of kids that move into the community, well show a school with all players who were born and raised in that community. Hermantown has built a great program and now every one wants to vilify them. They are a small school and are where they belong.

[Froggy Richards]

Nice post Froggy. In all fairness, though, Hunters have benefited from a few transfers themselves over the last few years.... nobody however will benefit more than Marshall over the coming years. Hermantown will have a bit of a lull here at the same time Marshall will be revving up.

They have had a few at the High School level, yes. If a player wants to transfer in High School and sit out a year, I have no problem with that. The kids who came in couldn't make the team where they lived, had a falling out with their old coach and I think there was one that cited Medical reasons.

The Youth Level, unfortunately, has been a one-way street out. Same with Proctor. I worry about the future of those two programs. MN Hockey is failing us up here. It's time to get back to play where you live. The decision to allow them to play where they open-enroll has been a failure. Go to school wherever you want, but play at home. Education is a right, Hockey is a privilege. People can still play wherever they want. They just have to move there. MN Hockey made it way too easy. If their goal is to grow the game, then put it back to how it was when the game was actually growing.

[Froggy Richards]

My God. There wasn't this much uproar about STA. I think just because Plante is honest about his intentions he is getting hammered. Larson from Breck hides behind some bogus excuse that the school remains about academics and everyone just accepts it. Warroad had a run like Htown is having and there wasn't this uproar. Ferguson Falls owned section 4A from 97-03, and Little Falls dominated it from 05-09. We're they supposed to move up too? The biggest difference is where these teams get their players. The private schools have numerous communities to pick players. I know those Hawk haters will chain they have all sorts of kids that move into the community, well show a school with all players who were born and raised in that community. Hermantown has built a great program and now every one wants to vilify them. They are a small school and are where they belong.

How many of those teams you mentioned above waltzed into the State Championship game 5 and about to be 6 times in a row? They will do it next year and the year after that too. Has any High School team done that in the History of the game? Did Eveleth even do that back in the 40's or whenever it was? I honestly don't know, but I'm sure Karl can tell us.