AA Rankings for 12/15/24

[karl(east)]

The top six held steady this week, with some of them driving home the point with some big wins; further down, a couple of Lake teams are on the move, and rounding out the top 25 was painfully time-consuming, as it’s really a muddle beyond number 19 or so. It’s rivalry day for many of the top teams on Saturday, which should make for a great week of hockey.

1. St. Thomas Academy (6-0)
-The Cadet offensive show continued against Chanhassen, though bleeding five goals does get an eyebrow to arch upward ever so slightly. After a warm-up against Two Rivers comes their most serious test to date, a game that will be vital in 3AA positioning as the top three teams here seek to avoid a tough semifinal game.
This week: Tues vs. Two Rivers, Sat at #6 Cretin-Derham Hall

2. Hill-Murray (5-0)
-As expected, the Pios rolled past Tartan. Their high-flying offense really gets tested this week, though, as they face a tough defensive squad and one of the top goalies in the state in the annual renewal of one of the state’s great rivalries. Time to get a better sense of where this team stands against serious AA competition.
This week: Thurs at #12 Wayzata, Sat vs. #11 White Bear Lake

3. Edina (4-1)
-The Cake took care of business against St. Louis Park. They go into their holiday tournament as the prohibitive favorites, as they so often do, but with Rapids bringing its tough defensive style and Eden Prairie suddenly surging upward, they can’t take anything for granted.
This week: Edina Holiday Classic—Thurs vs. Grand Rapids, Fri vs. Elk River, Sat vs. #10 Eden Prairie

4. Moorhead (5-1)
-The Spuds are firing on all cylinders, blasting past Roseau and Elk River to throw down the gauntlet in 8AA. They get another section opponent this coming week before facing a reliable power in an incredibly jumbled Class A.
This week: Thurs at St. Michael-Albertville, Sat vs. Warroad

5. Rogers (6-1)
-It was a statement week for the Royals, who blasted one of their better competitors in 5AA in Champlin Park and then shut down the high-flying Stillwater offense. This was more like the team I was expecting to see. Their week ahead is busy but not overly difficult, though there is at least some intrigue to Rock Ridge, and perhaps Sartell as well.
This week: Tues vs. Sartell, Thurs vs. Spring Lake Park/Coon Rapids, Sat vs. Rock Ridge

6. Cretin-Derham Hall (5-0-1)
-The Raiders hold steady after grinding out a quality win against Holy Angels. Their depth and heaviness are going to make them a very tough out, and I’m very curious to see what St. Thomas can make of their style this week.
This week: Thurs vs. Mounds View, Sat vs. #1 St. Thomas Academy

7. Rosemount (8-0)
-The Irish took care of business against Lakeville South and Delano; their schedule is not on the level of the other teams up here and there isn’t much in the way of front-line competition on it at all this season, but they’re doing what they need to do. Hermantown this week offers one of their better tests of the season.
This week: Tues at Eastview, Fri vs. Hermantown

8. Holy Angels (5-1)
-The Stars lost to Cretin, but they showed they belonged in this top ten conversation in the process, hanging in there against the Raider attack with some great goaltending and flashing some skill when they could get loose. They are a contender in 6AA, and will look to get right back to winning in a couple of home games this week.
This week: Thurs vs. Duluth East, Sat vs. Prior Lake

9. Stillwater (6-1)
-The Ponies’ rise hit a setback when their defense couldn’t hold up against the Rogers attack, and were without their goalie, too. They’re fun to watch, but now they know where some of their faults are. Benilde gives them another shot at a quality win this week.
This week: Thurs at Woodbury, Sat at #15 Benilde-St. Margaret’s

10. Eden Prairie (5-1)
-The Eagles are coming: after edging Wayzata and flashing some firepower against Shakopee, this group is back on the scene and surging toward the top of 2AA. They’ve proven they can do it in different ways, with a couple of lines that can score and some star power on the back end. They seem to be the team that could really shake things up in Edina this week.
This week: Edina Holiday Classic—Thurs vs. Elk River, Fri vs. Grand Rapids, Sat vs. #X Edina

11. White Bear Lake (4-1-1)
-The Bears took care of Mounds View and East Ridge, which keeps them put here at #11. They’ve got a couple of games to prepare them for the all-important battle with Hill on Saturday, with the Roseville game offering at least a little intrigue. But the main event will be at Aldrich, where the Bears will look to prove they are in the hunt to defend their section title.
This week: Tues at Forest Lake, Thurs vs. Roseville, Sat at #2 Hill-Murray

12. Wayzata (5-2-1)
-The Trojans’ loss to Eden Prairie has them slipping out of the top ten, though they rebounded to handle Andover and stay on their general trajectory. A couple of private powers are up this week, including a key section seeding battle and a top five team.
This week: Tues at #15 Benilde-St. Margaret’s, Thurs vs. #2 Hill-Murray

13. Minnetonka (4-3)
-A thrashing of Prior Lake is an encouraging sign for the Skippers, putting the section on notice and suggesting this reload is right on schedule. Saturday’s matchup with Shakopee is looking juicy now for 2AA positioning.
This week: Thurs at St. Louis Park, Sat vs. #14 Shakopee

14. Shakopee (6-3)
-The Sabers’ loss to Eden Prairie continues to cloud their start. While they rebounded well enough and handled Lakeville South with their regular starting goalie, three losses already leaves them with some things to prove before they’re a touted team here again. They have a chance to get the momentum back in the section against Minnetonka.
This week: Sat at #13 Minnetonka

15. Benilde-St. Margaret’s (3-1)
-Beat Andover, but not in particularly impressive fashion, so they trickle down a bit here as others rise. They’ll need a bit more offense to really get moving in these rankings, and the three-game week ahead of them is a big one, as they face a big section opponent and a high-flying top ten team, with a possible trap game wedged in between.
This week: Tues vs. #12 Wayzata, Thurs at Champlin Park, Sat vs. #9 Stillwater

The Next Ten

Maple Grove (4-4)
-Three games in three days saw the Crimson thump Osseo and edge out a tight one in Grand Rapids before getting shut out by Hermantown. That all seems to confirm them in this general spot, a pesky team capable of knocking off some frontrunners but not quite among their number. A section test with Centennial is their only game this coming week.

Grand Rapids (5-2)
-The Thunderhawks came up short against Maple Grove, and finding enough offense is going to be the ongoing challenge here. They’ll probably see a lot of rubber against Edina and Eden Prairie this week, so they need to prove they can hold up under sustained attack and sneak some goals in, too.

Bemidji (6-1)
-The Lumberjacks are humming along, taking care of section opponents and trying to open some distance between themselves and everyone else not named Moorhead. They can continue that against Roseau this week, and East Grand Forks offers a test, too.

Holy Family (4-2)
-The Fire is burning a bit brighter after that opening loss to Roseville, having now won four straight, including respectable results against Gentry and Totino this past week. Park of Cottage Grove is their only opponent this week.

Lakeville South (2-4)
-The Cougars were not particularly competitive against Rosemount and Lakeville South, who are the class South Suburban. Eagan and Eastview give them a chance to rebound and beef up the record a bit.

Gentry Academy (4-4)
-Lost narrowly to Holy Family and handled Chisago Lakes, so they cling to rankings life here. Hibbing will be an interesting test on Saturday.

Rock Ridge (5-3)
-This team had a weird week, losing to Little Falls but polishing off St. Cloud Cathedral tidily, and I don’t have a great read on them right now. We’ll see if they can do anything against Rogers this week.

Champlin Park (4-2)
-The Rebels had a bad week, as they lost 8-2 Rogers and then lost to Spring Lake Park/Coon Rapids as well. They get another shot at a quality win against Benilde this week, and a game with Centennial will be important for 5AA positioning.

Park of Cottage Grove (3-2)
-This is not a very decisive pick, but their only losses are to top ten teams, they stayed within two goals of Rosemount, and they’ve beaten the other teams on their schedule. They get a shot at Holy Family this week.

Blaine (5-2)
-I’m scraping here, but the Bengals are off to a nice start, with their only losses coming to quality Class A teams. It’s hard to find a team without a weird loss in this section, and the Bengals currently lack one, so they jump to the front of a very convoluted pack of 5AA teams in here. Anoka and Roseville will show whether they belong or not.

We’ll take our first tour of the sections now, too, which reveals four sections that look like great races right now and four that, well, do not.

1AA
20 Lakeville South
Lakeville North
Rochester Century/John Marshall
New Prague
-First up is one of the ugly ones. Lakeville South pasted Lakeville North in the first meeting, and with North owning an 8-4 win over Century/John Marshall, the gap here is obvious. New Prague, with a loss to the defending section champs and wins over Mayo and Owatonna and Hastings, is currently the common opponent defining the rest of the projected seeds, but there are plenty of games remaining among the southern squads to shake this up.

2AA
10 Eden Prairie
13 Minnetonka
19 Holy Family
14 Shakopee
-How much seeding trouble is Shakopee in after early losses to Eden Prairie and Holy Family? The Minnetonka game this week is perhaps even bigger than it would already be with that complication looming over the Sabers. Beyond that, it’s all very tight and there’s a lot of hockey to be played. Prior Lake, which had been looking like a tough potential top five seed, had an awful week and needs to recover.

3AA
1 St. Thomas Academy
6 Cretin-Derham Hall
7 Rosemount
24 Park of Cottage Grove
-This is the most fun 3AA has been in a while, with three top ten teams and an early contest for the top seed looming. Rosemount’s lack of games with the two private powers or much of anyone in the top ten at all is a complicating factor; they just need to keep winning and hope the top two lose some along the way if they want to poach the top seed and avoid what looks like a nasty semifinal for two of these teams. In perhaps no section is the top seed more important.

4AA
2 Hill-Murray
9 Stillwater
11 White Bear Lake
21 Gentry Academy
-Is this the year of the east side? Another great race is brewing here, with Hill and Stillwater **** and White Bear lurking in the shadows. We’ll get a better sense of where the Bears stand relative to the two top ten teams this coming week. While there is a gap between 3 and 4 here, as in 3AA, this one is a bit more interesting: Gentry is alright, Roseville has shown some potential, and Woodbury is somewhere in the mix, too.

5AA
6 Rogers
16 Maple Grove
23 Champlin Park
25 Blaine
-Rogers served notice to the rest of this section with the 8-2 win over Champlin. Maple Grove is second by default right now, and after that it’s an absolute cluster including Champlin, down-but-not-out Centennial, a somewhat resurgent Blaine, Totino, and even Spring Lake Park/Coon Rapids and Anoka.

6AA
3 Edina
8 Holy Angels
11 Wayzata
15 Benilde-St. Margaret’s
-The Hornets grabbed some early momentum with the win over Benilde, but little else is very clear here yet. Wayzata and Benilde collide this week to give their ordering some clarity, while Holy Angels will drift about with overall rankings until their January encounters with the Trojans and Red Knights. The Stars’ tight game with Cretin shows this is a legitimate four-team race.

7AA
17 Grand Rapids
Andover
22 Rock Ridge
Duluth Marshall
-And then there’s this one, with good-but-not-great Rapids all alone out front and a whole lot of yikes after. Andover is winless, but playing close enough with quality teams that I still think they’re probably the second-best team here. Duluth Marshall’s tie with Hermantown alone is enough to get them some street cred, but they also tied Rochester Lourdes this past week, and have a lot of work to do before securing a quarterfinal home game.

8AA
4 Moorhead
18 Bemidji
Roseau
Elk River
-Bemidji is emerging from the crowded top tier as the chief threat to Moorhead, and while Roseau could not keep up with the Spuds, the Rams did have a nice swing southward this weekend to beat Sartell and Buffalo. Their tie with Elk River has the Elks in the top four right now, but Sartell and St. Michael-Albertville loom somewhere in the picture, too.

[Sparlimb]

East-Side Rankings for 12/15/2024

1. Saint Thomas Academy (6-0)
2. Moorhead (6-1)
3. Edina (4-1)
4. Hill-Murray (5-0)
5. Rosemount (8-0)
6. Rogers (6-1)
7. Cretin-Derham Hall (5-0-1)
8. Eden Prairie (5-1)
9. Wayzata (5-2-1)
10. Stillwater (6-1)
11. White Bear Lake (4-1-1)
12. Holy Angels (5-1)
13. Shakopee (6-3)
14. Grand Rapids (5-2)
15. Bemidji (6-1)
16. Holy Family (4-2)
17. Benilde-St. Margaret (3-1)
18. Minnetonka (4-3)
19. Champlin Park (4-1)
20. Two Rivers (6-1-1)

[elliott70]

East-Side Rankings for 12/15/2024

1. Saint Thomas Academy (6-0)
2. Moorhead (6-1)
3. Edina (4-1)
4. Hill-Murray (5-0)
5. Rosemount (8-0)
6. Rogers (6-1)
7. Cretin-Derham Hall (5-0-1)
8. Eden Prairie (5-1)
9. Wayzata (5-2-1)
10. Stillwater (6-1)
11. White Bear Lake (4-1-1)
12. Holy Angels (5-1)
13. Shakopee (6-3)
14. Grand Rapids (5-2)
15. Bemidji (6-1)
16. Holy Family (4-2)
17. Benilde-St. Margaret (3-1)
18. Minnetonka (4-3)
19. Champlin Park (4-1)
20. Two Rivers (6-1-1)

[ryguyMN]

EP as the current one seed in Section 2AA. I have to go check to see if Hell froze over. Didn’t see that coming into the season.

[East Side Pioneer Guy]

EP as the current one seed in Section 2AA. I have to go check to see if Hell froze over. Didn’t see that coming into the season.

There is no current seeding of anyone in any section.

[Smooth]

Just Karl's seeding

[ryguyMN]

EP as the current one seed in Section 2AA. I have to go check to see if Hell froze over. Didn’t see that coming into the season.

There is no current seeding of anyone in any section.

If section seeding hypothetically happened today, EP is probably the 1 seed. I agree with Karl.

[headsupsticksdown]

EP as the current one seed in Section 2AA. I have to go check to see if Hell froze over. Didn’t see that coming into the season.

There is no current seeding of anyone in any section.

If section seeding hypothetically happened today, EP is probably the 1 seed. I agree with Karl.

EP has been playing great. A problem over the past few years post Lee Smith was scoring and mainly on the offensive end. However, EP has been putting up goals as of late. Their main problem or area to focus on has been on the defensive end including goaltending, but really maintaining composure and staying out of the penalty box. They are in the upper tier for penalty minutes and their PK hasn't been all that great. Tighten that up and they could be a very dangerous team.

It's no coincidence that their lone loss was to Stillwater where they lost 3-0 and guess who was in net that night for the Ponies?

[Sparlimb]

There is no current seeding of anyone in any section.

If section seeding hypothetically happened today, EP is probably the 1 seed. I agree with Karl.

EP has been playing great. A problem over the past few years post Lee Smith was scoring and mainly on the offensive end. However, EP has been putting up goals as of late. Their main problem or area to focus on has been on the defensive end including goaltending, but really maintaining composure and staying out of the penalty box. They are in the upper tier for penalty minutes and their PK hasn't been all that great. Tighten that up and they could be a very dangerous team.

It's no coincidence that their lone loss was to Stillwater where they lost 3-0 and guess who was in net that night for the Ponies?

So if the kid isn't eligible now, wouldn't Stillwater need to forfeit those two games? Very confusing.

[ryguyMN]

If section seeding hypothetically happened today, EP is probably the 1 seed. I agree with Karl.

EP has been playing great. A problem over the past few years post Lee Smith was scoring and mainly on the offensive end. However, EP has been putting up goals as of late. Their main problem or area to focus on has been on the defensive end including goaltending, but really maintaining composure and staying out of the penalty box. They are in the upper tier for penalty minutes and their PK hasn't been all that great. Tighten that up and they could be a very dangerous team.

It's no coincidence that their lone loss was to Stillwater where they lost 3-0 and guess who was in net that night for the Ponies?

So if the kid isn't eligible now, wouldn't Stillwater need to forfeit those two games? Very confusing.

They should in theory. No different than having some 30 year old suit up. Illegible is illegible.

[BlueLineSpecial]

EP has been playing great. A problem over the past few years post Lee Smith was scoring and mainly on the offensive end. However, EP has been putting up goals as of late. Their main problem or area to focus on has been on the defensive end including goaltending, but really maintaining composure and staying out of the penalty box. They are in the upper tier for penalty minutes and their PK hasn't been all that great. Tighten that up and they could be a very dangerous team.

It's no coincidence that their lone loss was to Stillwater where they lost 3-0 and guess who was in net that night for the Ponies?

So if the kid isn't eligible now, wouldn't Stillwater need to forfeit those two games? Very confusing.

They should in theory. No different than having some 30 year old suit up. Illegible is illegible.

Very confused by all of this. So he transfers to Stillwater, and is officially listed on their roster. He plays multiple (2?) games. Sometime between his transfer, playing games, and this weekend, he is deemed inelligible?

Is this temporary while they sort things out? Or is this permanent for the entire season? If he's inelligible at Stillwater, is there anything stopping him from enrolling at a private school this year and suiting up? Anyone have any details they can share?

Seems to me Stillwater is a contender with Cal, and potentially significantly less so without him. Thats a big deal

[headsupsticksdown]

So if the kid isn't eligible now, wouldn't Stillwater need to forfeit those two games? Very confusing.

They should in theory. No different than having some 30 year old suit up. Illegible is illegible.

Very confused by all of this. So he transfers to Stillwater, and is officially listed on their roster. He plays multiple (2?) games. Sometime between his transfer, playing games, and this weekend, he is deemed inelligible?

Is this temporary while they sort things out? Or is this permanent for the entire season? If he's inelligible at Stillwater, is there anything stopping him from enrolling at a private school this year and suiting up? Anyone have any details they can share?

Seems to me Stillwater is a contender with Cal, and potentially significantly less so without him. Thats a big deal

Am sure someone here has the deets, but moreso now than previously it seems like "locals" are really going after transfers to make sure they're not getting off easily. I've heard stories of people physically going to supposed addresses, taking pictures, etc. to prove it's just an empty box and unless you have a well oiled machine like Tonka's business model you may be in a bit of trouble.

[O-townClown]

Illegible is illegible.

internet gold

[elliott70]

Illegible is illegible.

internet gold

It was difficult to read.

[ryguyMN]

Illegible is illegible.

internet gold

Man, I f***ked that up big time.

[elliott70]

Illegible is illegible.

internet gold

Man, I f***ked that up big time.

Forgiven. We knew what you meant.

[ryguyMN]

internet gold

Man, I f***ked that up big time.

Forgiven. We knew what you meant.

I got a chuckle out of it. Not only difficult to read, difficult to type!

[East Side Pioneer Guy]

https://www.si.com/high-school/minnesot ... jf8290jsc2

Top 25 Minnesota high school boys hockey rankings
1. Hill Murray (5-0)

With a 7-1 victory over Tartan on Thursday, the Pioneers have now won all five games by five goals or more. Mr. Hockey hopeful Boden Sampair has been as advertised thus far, amassing 17 points through this stretch. The schedule turns on a dime this week with No. 15 Wayzata and No.13 White Bear Lake on the docket.

2. St. Thomas Academy (6-0)

It’s splitting hairs at this point when judging who deserves the top spot in the state. The Cadets strengthened their case on Thursday with a 10-5 victory over last year's state runner-up Chanhassen to improve to 6-0 on the year. We’ll likely get a preview of the 3AA section championship on Saturday when they hit the road to face undefeated No. 7 Cretin-Derham Hall.

3. Rogers (6-1)

Any momentum lost when the Royals fell to St Thomas Academy has been gained right back after a perfect 2-0 week. A win versus No.23 Champlin Park was impressive enough, but a 5-1 drumbling of No.8 Stillwater proves they will be a mainstay in the top five. A busy week awaits with Sartell, Spring Lake Park and Rock Ridge all visiting the Rac.

4. Moorhead (5-1)

Since stumbling on opening night to No. 15 Wayzata, the Spuds have run through the rest of the state, with Roseau and Elk River/Zimmerman being this week's victims. The win streak is up to six and will have the opportunity to be extended to seven on Tuesday against St. Michael-Albertville.

5. Edina (4-1)

The Hornets took care of business in their lone game of the week, discarding St. Louis Park 6-1. This week it's the Edina Classic, with No.12 Grand Rapids, Elk River/ Zimmerman and No.10 Eden Prairie all heading down to Braemar Arena.

6. Rosemount (8-0)

The Irish are the first team in the state to hit the eight win mark after two road victories over Delano and Lakeville South. Goaltender Sam Clements has been flying under the radar so far with a 2.00 goals against average to help them get to this point. This week the Irish will face off against section foe Eastview before welcoming No. 14 Hermantown to town on Friday.

7. Cretin-Derham Hall (5-0-1)

The Raiders kept their zero in the loss column after escaping an upset bid from Holy Angels on Saturday. They’ll welcome No. 2 St. Thomas Academy with important seeding implications on the line this Saturday.

8. Stillwater (6-1)

The Ponies came into Saturday's tilt against Rogers having scored 20 goals in their last two games. Unfortunately for them, Mason Jenson and the Royals brought them back down to reality with a 5-1 route. They’ll have another chance to pick up a top 15 win on Saturday against No. 11 Benilde St. Margaret’s

9. Minnetonka (4-3)

They don't have the same buzz as last season, but the Skippers are getting the results needed to put themselves in a good position come section tournament time. This week they picked up key seeding wins over 2AA foes Prior Lake and Chaska. Another intersection matchup looms on Saturday against struggling No. 16 Shakopee.

10. Eden Prairie (5-1)

The Eagles have passed just about every test they've faced so far. A win over No. 15 Wayzata is impressive, but out-gunning No. 16 Shakopee 6-5 shows they might be the team to beat in section 2AA. A matchup against No. 4 Edina will give them an opportunity to jump straight into the top five.

[CrimsonCakeEater]

https://www.si.com/high-school/minnesot ... jf8290jsc2

Top 25 Minnesota high school boys hockey rankings
1. Hill Murray (5-0)

With a 7-1 victory over Tartan on Thursday, the Pioneers have now won all five games by five goals or more. Mr. Hockey hopeful Boden Sampair has been as advertised thus far, amassing 17 points through this stretch. The schedule turns on a dime this week with No. 15 Wayzata and No.13 White Bear Lake on the docket.

2. St. Thomas Academy (6-0)

It’s splitting hairs at this point when judging who deserves the top spot in the state. The Cadets strengthened their case on Thursday with a 10-5 victory over last year's state runner-up Chanhassen to improve to 6-0 on the year. We’ll likely get a preview of the 3AA section championship on Saturday when they hit the road to face undefeated No. 7 Cretin-Derham Hall.

3. Rogers (6-1)

Any momentum lost when the Royals fell to St Thomas Academy has been gained right back after a perfect 2-0 week. A win versus No.23 Champlin Park was impressive enough, but a 5-1 drumbling of No.8 Stillwater proves they will be a mainstay in the top five. A busy week awaits with Sartell, Spring Lake Park and Rock Ridge all visiting the Rac.

4. Moorhead (5-1)

Since stumbling on opening night to No. 15 Wayzata, the Spuds have run through the rest of the state, with Roseau and Elk River/Zimmerman being this week's victims. The win streak is up to six and will have the opportunity to be extended to seven on Tuesday against St. Michael-Albertville.

5. Edina (4-1)

The Hornets took care of business in their lone game of the week, discarding St. Louis Park 6-1. This week it's the Edina Classic, with No.12 Grand Rapids, Elk River/ Zimmerman and No.10 Eden Prairie all heading down to Braemar Arena.

6. Rosemount (8-0)

The Irish are the first team in the state to hit the eight win mark after two road victories over Delano and Lakeville South. Goaltender Sam Clements has been flying under the radar so far with a 2.00 goals against average to help them get to this point. This week the Irish will face off against section foe Eastview before welcoming No. 14 Hermantown to town on Friday.

7. Cretin-Derham Hall (5-0-1)

The Raiders kept their zero in the loss column after escaping an upset bid from Holy Angels on Saturday. They’ll welcome No. 2 St. Thomas Academy with important seeding implications on the line this Saturday.

8. Stillwater (6-1)

The Ponies came into Saturday's tilt against Rogers having scored 20 goals in their last two games. Unfortunately for them, Mason Jenson and the Royals brought them back down to reality with a 5-1 route. They’ll have another chance to pick up a top 15 win on Saturday against No. 11 Benilde St. Margaret’s

9. Minnetonka (4-3)

They don't have the same buzz as last season, but the Skippers are getting the results needed to put themselves in a good position come section tournament time. This week they picked up key seeding wins over 2AA foes Prior Lake and Chaska. Another intersection matchup looms on Saturday against struggling No. 16 Shakopee.

10. Eden Prairie (5-1)

The Eagles have passed just about every test they've faced so far. A win over No. 15 Wayzata is impressive, but out-gunning No. 16 Shakopee 6-5 shows they might be the team to beat in section 2AA. A matchup against No. 4 Edina will give them an opportunity to jump straight into the top five.

Since when does Sports Illustrated do high school hockey rankings? Because based on those they probably shouldn’t.

[headsupsticksdown]

https://www.si.com/high-school/minnesot ... jf8290jsc2

Top 25 Minnesota high school boys hockey rankings
1. Hill Murray (5-0)

With a 7-1 victory over Tartan on Thursday, the Pioneers have now won all five games by five goals or more. Mr. Hockey hopeful Boden Sampair has been as advertised thus far, amassing 17 points through this stretch. The schedule turns on a dime this week with No. 15 Wayzata and No.13 White Bear Lake on the docket.

2. St. Thomas Academy (6-0)

It’s splitting hairs at this point when judging who deserves the top spot in the state. The Cadets strengthened their case on Thursday with a 10-5 victory over last year's state runner-up Chanhassen to improve to 6-0 on the year. We’ll likely get a preview of the 3AA section championship on Saturday when they hit the road to face undefeated No. 7 Cretin-Derham Hall.

3. Rogers (6-1)

Any momentum lost when the Royals fell to St Thomas Academy has been gained right back after a perfect 2-0 week. A win versus No.23 Champlin Park was impressive enough, but a 5-1 drumbling of No.8 Stillwater proves they will be a mainstay in the top five. A busy week awaits with Sartell, Spring Lake Park and Rock Ridge all visiting the Rac.

4. Moorhead (5-1)

Since stumbling on opening night to No. 15 Wayzata, the Spuds have run through the rest of the state, with Roseau and Elk River/Zimmerman being this week's victims. The win streak is up to six and will have the opportunity to be extended to seven on Tuesday against St. Michael-Albertville.

5. Edina (4-1)

The Hornets took care of business in their lone game of the week, discarding St. Louis Park 6-1. This week it's the Edina Classic, with No.12 Grand Rapids, Elk River/ Zimmerman and No.10 Eden Prairie all heading down to Braemar Arena.

6. Rosemount (8-0)

The Irish are the first team in the state to hit the eight win mark after two road victories over Delano and Lakeville South. Goaltender Sam Clements has been flying under the radar so far with a 2.00 goals against average to help them get to this point. This week the Irish will face off against section foe Eastview before welcoming No. 14 Hermantown to town on Friday.

7. Cretin-Derham Hall (5-0-1)

The Raiders kept their zero in the loss column after escaping an upset bid from Holy Angels on Saturday. They’ll welcome No. 2 St. Thomas Academy with important seeding implications on the line this Saturday.

8. Stillwater (6-1)

The Ponies came into Saturday's tilt against Rogers having scored 20 goals in their last two games. Unfortunately for them, Mason Jenson and the Royals brought them back down to reality with a 5-1 route. They’ll have another chance to pick up a top 15 win on Saturday against No. 11 Benilde St. Margaret’s

9. Minnetonka (4-3)

They don't have the same buzz as last season, but the Skippers are getting the results needed to put themselves in a good position come section tournament time. This week they picked up key seeding wins over 2AA foes Prior Lake and Chaska. Another intersection matchup looms on Saturday against struggling No. 16 Shakopee.

10. Eden Prairie (5-1)

The Eagles have passed just about every test they've faced so far. A win over No. 15 Wayzata is impressive, but out-gunning No. 16 Shakopee 6-5 shows they might be the team to beat in section 2AA. A matchup against No. 4 Edina will give them an opportunity to jump straight into the top five.

Since when does Sports Illustrated do high school hockey rankings? Because based on those they probably shouldn’t.

Tonka even being in the conversation is laughable...

[Slap Shot]

13 vs 9 is laughable.