AA Rankings for 1/19/25

[karl(east)]

For the first time in three weeks there was some movement in the top six, though it is only a mild flip, and we’re starting to see a little more stability beyond that group, too. Rankings:

1. Moorhead (17-1)
-The Spuds eased past Sartell and then handled Wayzata with relative ease, avenging their lone loss of the season and building some impeccable number one credentials. They ease back into section play this week.
This week: Tues at Roseau, Thurs at St. Cloud

2. St. Thomas Academy (15-2)
-No troubles for the Cadets in conference play this past week. They now welcome a couple of northern visitors, both of whom are decent but are teams they should probably beat.
This week: Fri vs. Hermantown, Sat vs. #14 Grand Rapids

3. Hill-Murray (14-1-1)
-The Pioneers gave up zero goals in an evisceration of Simley and a controlling performance against Grand Rapids, so it’s hard to find any complaints here. Their schedule has been lighter than those of Moorhead and St. Thomas in recent weeks, but it ramps up a lot toward the end here, beginning with two top ten teams this week. How high is this team’s ceiling?
This week: Tues vs. #10 Benilde-St. Margaret’s, Thurs vs. South St. Paul, Sat at #7 Stillwater

4. Rogers (14-1-1)
-Sorry, Anoka. With Edina stumbling, the Royals finally have a window to move on up, though questions about their actual ability against another top tier team remain unanswered, and that isn’t going to change this week, either.
This week: Mon at Duluth East, Thurs vs. Totino-Grace, Sat at Centennial

5. Edina (12-5)
-The Hornets’ loss to Wayzata throws the door open in 6AA and, as a first loss outside of the group of six at the top of the rankings, shows a real chink in the armor. Midseason bumps are not always cause for great concern in Edina, but it doesn’t seem like the scoring is quite firing on the level they need to put teams away. Minnetonka this week will be telling: can they reclaim Lake Conference frontrunner status, or do they sink back into the mire of the conference?
This week: Thurs vs. St. Michael-Albertville, Sat at #13 Minnetonka

6. Cretin-Derham Hall (14-2-1)
-The Raiders outlasted White Bear in a well-fought game, and they had to grind one out against Woodbury as well. This team has the talent to be flashier, but winning in different ways might be more important in the long run. On paper they should roll the next few weeks.
This week: Thurs at Forest Lake, Sat vs. Eastview

7. Stillwater (12-3)
-The Ponies handled a couple of teams they should beat. It’s a big week ahead at the St. Croix Valley Rec Center, as they welcome in two conference opponents toward the bottom of the top 25 before the all-important meeting with the rival Pioneers.
This week: Tues vs. Roseville, Thurs vs. Park of Cottage Grove, Sat vs. #3 Hill-Murray

8. White Bear Lake (11-3-2)
-The Bears are gelling into a tough team; even if they don’t blow out Roseville or lose to Cretin, they have developed a brand, and a convincing performance against Grand Rapids helps to lock them into the top ten. Like Suburban East compatriot Cretin, they’re into an easier stretch of conference games now.
This week: Tues vs. East Ridge, Thurs at Mounds View

9. Wayzata (11-6-2)
-The Trojans flashed some new danger when they knocked off Edina this past week; at their best, they can take down anyone. They kept things going in a shutout of East Grand Forks, but they ran out of gas against Moorhead. They’ve got a head-to-head win over Benilde and a body of work that includes two wins against the top six, so I think they’ve established themselves as more consistently dangerous than anyone else in this range. A win over Holy Angels this week could put them in the driver’s seat for the top seed in 6AA.
This week: Wed vs. #15 Holy Angels

10. Benilde-St. Margaret’s (11-4)
-The Red Knights needed a last second escape to beat Chanhassen, but they got it done. If they can do something against Hill this week, their recent momentum will really mean something.
This week: Tues at #3 Hill-Murray, Sat vs. New Prague

11. Rosemount (17-2)
-The Irish had an adventure against Eagan before pounding Apple Valley/Burnsville. I will flag that they have been bleeding goals lately, allowing three in each of their last three conference games against opponents nowhere near the top 25. They’ll need to shore things up a bit to have a real shot at going further, and their opponents this week give them a chance to do that.
This week: Tues vs. Lakeville Noth, Wed vs. Eastview (at Valleyfair)

12. Shakopee (13-5-1)
-The Sabers let one slip away against Hermantown, suggesting some of those underlying questions have not quite been resolved. They remain a complicated team, possessed of great talent but with the whole not quite equaling the sum of the parts so far. We’ll see how they do in the spotlight on Saturday, where they’re in the tough position of being the favorite against a quality team in conditions that tend to blunt raw skill.
This week: Sat vs. Maple Grove (Hockey Day at Valleyfair)

13. Minnetonka (10-6-1)
-The Skippers are taking care of teams they should beat convincingly, but now the tests hit another level as they face one of their leading competitors in the section and an age-old conference foe. Can they turn some of these close games against quality teams into wins?
This week: Thurs at Eden Prairie, Sat vs. #5 Edina

14. Grand Rapids (12-5)
-The Thunderhawks had a tough road trip south, mustering just one goal in games against White Bear Lake and Hill-Murray. Right now the tight loss to Moorhead is looking like the exception, not the norm, in their games with top-notch competition. The next couple weeks will be telling, as they face another top-flight team this week and then get the two most likely threats to their status atop 7AA the following week. On paper they seem like a clear favorite in the section but a clear 6- or 7-seed at State; will anything shift that perception in one way or another?
This week: Thurs vs. Brainerd, Sat at #2 St. Thomas Academy

15. Holy Angels (14-2-1)
-The Stars had no troubles with Minneapolis or St. Paul Highland Park. The stakes get considerably higher this week, as they face a Wayzata team that just knocked off Edina
This week: Wed at #9 Wayzata, Sat vs. Hudson (WI)

The Next Ten

Bemidji (11-3-1)
-The Lumberjacks hacked their way past Roseau on Saturday, but remain in a holding pattern here as their schedule doesn’t allow for a significant climb while no one above them has taken a catastrophic loss. They play visit a Class A frontrunner in Cloquet this week, and also get section opponent Sartell.

Eden Prairie (8-7-2)
-The Eagles finally got back in the win column by making short work of Prior Lake and Buffalo. Minnetonka is up next in the first two huge Lake Conference clashes before they head outdoors to play Hibbing on Saturday morning, a game that I honestly find more intriguing than the main event on Saturday at Valleyfair.

Rock Ridge (15-3-1)
-The Wolverines had no trouble scoring goals in strong wins over Proctor and Duluth East and are unbeaten in their last twelve. Just one game this week, but it’s against a quality Cloquet team that could pose a challenge.

Maple Grove (9-6-1)
-I’ve been a bit down on the Crimson this season, but this group does seem to be finding its footing after recent wins against Blaine, Andover, and now a 5-goal margin over Champlin Park. Elk River offers another opponent in that general tier this week before they head to Valleyfair to face Shakopee.

Blaine (12-4)
-Continuing to win games they should win, and their more competitive game with Maple Grove than Champlin mustered has them creeping up the section rankings, too. Respectable Totino is their only opponent this coming week.

Lakeville South (8-8)
-Heading in the right direction with a few more wins, including a second decisive margin against section rival North. Prior Lake outdoors this week could be an interesting one.

Park of Cottage Grove (10-5-1)
-The Wolfpack marched past East Ridge and Forest Lake, strengthening their top 25 credentials. Their last two games against the big three in the Suburban East have involved a tie with White Bear and a running time loss to Cretin, which offers a wide range of possibility; what can they muster against Stillwater?

Holy Family (11-6)
-The Fire had a solid week, collecting three wins including a 6-1 margin over Gentry and knocking off a quality Class A opponent in St. Cloud Cathedral. They’ll try to keep that going against a couple of Duluth teams this coming week.

Champlin Park (10-7)
-The Rebels seem to have found their level this season, generally beating teams they should beat and losing to anyone who is ranked; this week’s loss to Maple Grove does not suggest a much higher ceiling, but the are doing enough to hang on in the top 25. Elk River headlines the week ahead.

Andover (6-11)
-I’m drifting back to my belief that this is a top 25 team in spite of it all; they handled a decent Spring Lake Park/Coon Rapids squad this past week. Osseo offers their only game this coming week.

[ClassAGuy]

Great Work Karl!

[Sparlimb]

East-Side Rankings for 01/19/2025

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

Also Receiving Votes: Park of Cottage Grove (10-5-1), Two Rivers (11-3-2), Eden Prairie (8-7-2)

[ryguyMN]

It's tough finding ten really good teams this year. I'm fine if they just did a four team state tourney this year.

[elliott70]

It's tough finding ten really good teams this year. I'm fine if they just did a four team state tourney this year.

Well sections 1 and 7 are weak and Minnetonka will probably lose in the quarters but 1 to 4 are pretty good and. Edina could win something

[Sparlimb]

It's tough finding ten really good teams this year. I'm fine if they just did a four team state tourney this year.

Well sections 1 and 7 are weak and Minnetonka will probably lose in the quarters but 1 to 4 are pretty good and. Edina could win something

Interestingly, it will be sections 3 and 4 this year leaving very good teams behind at tourney time. That's usually sections 2 and 6, but less so this year.

[elliott70]

There was a time when 7 & 8 left good teams behind.
This year 8 will leave a good team behind and 7 is hard pressed to send a good team.
Things change except it is still the best tourney around.
And single A should be good.

[wbmd]

There was a time when 7 & 8 left good teams behind.
This year 8 will leave a good team behind and 7 is hard pressed to send a good team.
Things change except it is still the best tourney around.
And single A should be good.

If Grand Rapids ends up winning Section 7, that isn't 'hard pressed to send a good team.' The Thunderhawks are better than their games showed this past weekend against White Bear and Hill-Murray. Especially when Casey is at his best in goal.

[Sparlimb]

There was a time when 7 & 8 left good teams behind.
This year 8 will leave a good team behind and 7 is hard pressed to send a good team.
Things change except it is still the best tourney around.
And single A should be good.

And when you say section 8 good teams left behind, are you referring to Elk River?

I was thinking about that the other day. All the hand wringing when they got moved into the section and no one could beat them. Times have sure changed. Think the same was said about Andover and section 7.

[Lino Lakes Hockey]

Go to the football style playoff for the top 32 to start playoffs. End result is a better chance of seeing the best 8 at the X. Time for a change.

[elliott70]

There was a time when 7 & 8 left good teams behind.
This year 8 will leave a good team behind and 7 is hard pressed to send a good team.
Things change except it is still the best tourney around.
And single A should be good.

And when you say section 8 good teams left behind, are you referring to Elk River?

I was thinking about that the other day. All the hand wringing when they got moved into the section and no one could beat them. Times have sure changed. Think the same was said about Andover and section 7.

Lol

[elliott70]

Early state entrants prediction

1 Rochester Century
2 shakopee
3 STA
4 hill
5 Roger
6 Edina
7 Rock Ridge
8 Moorhead

[ryguyMN]

It's tough finding ten really good teams this year. I'm fine if they just did a four team state tourney this year.

Well sections 1 and 7 are weak and Minnetonka will probably lose in the quarters but 1 to 4 are pretty good and. Edina could win something

If Edina can find some goaltending, then they have a chance. To go from chance to contender, they need to find scoring.

[wbmd]

Go to the football style playoff for the top 32 to start playoffs. End result is a better chance of seeing the best 8 at the X. Time for a change.

That's what you think.

In my opinion (and probably many others agree), the State Tournament was ruined went it went to two classes.

[O-townClown]

Early state entrants prediction

1 Rochester Century
2 shakopee
3 STA
4 hill
5 Roger
6 Edina
7 Rock Ridge
8 Moorhead

I like it! Rochester impressed me when I saw them. Still holding out hope that postseason Shakopee is as good as the sum of its parts. Rock Ridge was my pick all along, but an Iron Ranger that went to one of the RR schools and is very familiar with GR told me it would be Rapids at state. So hoping my faith in Rock Ridge gets validated.

[Lino Lakes Hockey]

I didn’t say for both classes. Top 32 make the playoffs. Final 8 make the X. That’s it. Get away from AA and A. Would have a higher probability of your best 8 teams making it. Would there be upsets? For sure, but in the end, would make for a great tourney.

[Joe2015]

I didn’t say for both classes. Top 32 make the playoffs. Final 8 make the X. That’s it. Get away from AA and A. Would have a higher probability of your best 8 teams making it. Would there be upsets? For sure, but in the end, would make for a great tourney.

So how would decide who makes the playoffs? Teams from across the state play such varying degrees of schedules Im not sure how you would rank the top 32 in a fair manner

[East Side Pioneer Guy]

I didn’t say for both classes. Top 32 make the playoffs. Final 8 make the X. That’s it. Get away from AA and A. Would have a higher probability of your best 8 teams making it. Would there be upsets? For sure, but in the end, would make for a great tourney.

Dude, the top 32 football style playoff IS a multiple class system. And it's not the top 32, it's the largest 32.