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/end rant

As for the rankings, it should come as no surprise to anyone who follows sports that it doesn't always play out on the ice as it does on paper.

What it does show is that there's a vibrant and powerful growth in the skill and quality of girls high school hockey statewide that will continue to provide dramatic stories and entertaining games like we saw in sections and at State.

This was a GREAT year for the sport!

LPH always ends up with final rankings that largely reflect the outcome of the various state tournaments at every level, including upsets. These rankings stay that way until the teams hit the ice next year, and until proven otherwise, Stillwater will be the #1 ranked team and deservedly so!

keepitreal wrote:For once I wish people would stop fostering the notion that private schools are somehow free to recruit players. This is false and damaging bias. If anything it has been much easier to "recruit" players in the public schools where players have been allowed to move freely via OE without the tuition costs and standards applied to private school applicants.

Keepitreal, I agree with you I think the word "recruit" is used very loosely on this board and in most peoples mind it refers to openly doing something against the rules, by coaches/team representatives to get players to come to their program. I don't think many coaches are out there recruiting players.

I do however think that some schools keep getting thrown into that mix, because of some things the schools do....for instance there is a private school that gave a certain star player a significant tuition break to attend that school. When that happens it looks curious to outsiders, as is it that schools intentions to have students who qualify academically, or quality sports teams. I'm guessing this would've been less suspicious if those teams or players would show up as Individual academic winners, or team academic winners. When they don't they it leads to questions if that school program is truly committed to academics like they say.

keepitreal wrote:
As for the rankings, it should come as no surprise to anyone who follows sports that it doesn't always play out on the ice as it does on paper.

What it does show is that there's a vibrant and powerful growth in the skill and quality of girls high school hockey statewide that will continue to provide dramatic stories and entertaining games like we saw in sections and at State.

This was a GREAT year for the sport!

LPH always ends up with final rankings that largely reflect the outcome of the various state tournaments at every level, including upsets. These rankings stay that way until the teams hit the ice next year, and until proven otherwise, Stillwater will be the #1 ranked team and deservedly so!

excellent point and I agree with you, that's why they play the games, and it's good for the sport that on any given night any team can win/lose.

allhoc11 wrote:

Hopkins finished No. 13. In the final QRF rankings

QRF are even less reliable than PP rankings. Hopkins was a good young team, and should be better next year, but not the 13th best team in the state this past year.

I used QRF only because their polling data from this and last year was right there and easy to access. And by the end of each year I don't think something like KRACH was all that different. As for Hopkins, I don't know exactly where they should be at the end, but I do know they took Wayzata to double OT in the section semi's, and of course Wayzata upended EP a couple of nights later. During the year they had wins over some pretty respectable teams, including Eagan, Mayo, CDH, NSP and Wayzata. As you say they are young and will only get better, but you've gotta admit they are pretty darned good for being only the 5th best team in a section!

Keep in mind they don't look at individual sports and try to break up powers, they align soley on geographics. Based on where the schools you speak about are located I don't see any of those top teams moving out. Depending on where they start their grid, and plot teams into sections you could just as likely see them moving a team like AHA to 6AA, before they moved any of the west metro teams out. I don't think that is likely, but anything is possible.

Yes, it clearly has been mostly based on geographics and where they start the grids, but there have always been some inconsistencies. For example, Wayzata and Prior Lake are in 6AA but there are a lot of schools closer to the main core southwest suburban core than either of these. Wayzata (located in Plymouth) is not in the same section as Armstrong (also located in Plymouth), even though they are in the same city and are big conference rivals. Prior Lake is a lot closer to the Lakeville schools than the other 6AA teams, etc. If and when New Prague and/or Shakopee go AA, Prior Lake should clearly be grouped with them if it's strictly geographics. Burnsville is right next door too.

So as I said we'll see what they do, or don't do, and then we can analyze this all over again!

allhoc11 wrote:

keepitreal wrote:For once I wish people would stop fostering the notion that private schools are somehow free to recruit players. This is false and damaging bias. If anything it has been much easier to "recruit" players in the public schools where players have been allowed to move freely via OE without the tuition costs and standards applied to private school applicants.

Keepitreal, I agree with you I think the word "recruit" is used very loosely on this board and in most peoples mind it refers to openly doing something against the rules, by coaches/team representatives to get players to come to their program. I don't think many coaches are out there recruiting players.

I do however think that some schools keep getting thrown into that mix, because of some things the schools do....for instance there is a private school that gave a certain star player a significant tuition break to attend that school. When that happens it looks curious to outsiders, as is it that schools intentions to have students who qualify academically, or quality sports teams. I'm guessing this would've been less suspicious if those teams or players would show up as Individual academic winners, or team academic winners. When they don't they it leads to questions if that school program is truly committed to academics like they say.

I appreciate that and you are certainly right. However, some private schools do provide some financial assistance based on family need (they do not provide "scholarships" for athletic or academics however, another widely assumed falsehood). Perhaps that was the case with the player you've cited. Look, I'm not so naive as to suggest recruiting in it's truest sense doesn't happen at all, but I find it disturbing that private schools and their coaches are always in the crosshairs when it's 1) not just a private school issue by any means and 2) ignorant statements are made with no evidence that damage the integrity of coaches and schools both public and private.

keepitreal wrote:but I find it disturbing that private schools and their coaches are always in the crosshairs when it's 1) not just a private school issue by any means and 2) ignorant statements are made with no evidence that damage the integrity of coaches and schools both public and private.

True statement, and it is sad, but the truth is that Privates are everyone's favorite enemy, well until a team like North Metro comes along then they go from Cinderella story to MN most hated overnight. If your team/school is getting ripped on take that as a compliment, because no one cares unless you have success, and/or are a threat to their teams success.

allhoc11 wrote:True statement, and it is sad, but the truth is that Privates are everyone's favorite enemy, well until a team like North Metro comes along then they go from Cinderella story to MN most hated overnight. If your team/school is getting ripped on take that as a compliment, because no one cares unless you have success, and/or are a threat to their teams success.

Well said

I'm simply so proud that girls high school hockey has come so far to field so many excellent teams around the state and provide such an exciting tournament and section games. I was able to take in a lot of both 2A and 1A games this year and saw more solid teams and great performances than ever represented not only among some favored metro powerhouses, but also in places like Grand Rapids, Hastings, Cloquet, Alexandria, Crookston, Rochester, Hibbing, Bemidji, and more. There were great stories like the AA finals teams taking out higher seeds in sections and overcoming arguably superior opponents in the tournament, Burnsville rising up to upset Eagan and the AHA in sections, Wayzata over EP, Farmington overcoming New Prague in 1A, several teams making state for the first time, dozens of other stories and unsung heroes all season.

Given the outcome, it's safe to say that non-tourney participants Centennial, Coon Rapids, Edina, Wayzata, Hopkins, etc., feel they are close, along with many others, while AHA, BSM and yes, EP, will be back with a vengance next year. These examples are not to slight other sections, it's an illustration as to how close it was this year and how dozens of teams have a chance to go all the way-- including several excellent outstate teams.

It just goes to show anything can happen and that's what makes it something to be celebrated, not agonized over. It's a game and a series of learning moments for our daughters. I also see that many of the finest athletes also happen to be among the finest students as well. Win or lose, my family considers itself thankful to have a daughter be part of girls hockey at this time in history, and has made several close friends with families around the state as a result.

Regardless of how any individual team did, it was an amazing year for the sport. And with this "unexpected" pairing in the 2A finals, more girls on more teams will work even harder for next year.

Congratulations to every player on every team whose heart is in the game!

You da man, keepitreal.

FINAL

HOCKEY • GIRLS

ASSOCIATED PRESS POLLS • FINAL

• Provided by Let's Play Hockey newspaper. First-place votes are in parentheses.

• Class 2A: 1. Stillwater (7), 2. Eden Prairie, 3. Benilde-St. Margaret's, 4. Edina, 5. Roseville, 6. North Metro, 7. Holy Angels, 8. Wayzata, 9. Centennial, 10. Bemidji, 11. Burnsville, 12. Grand Rapids/Greenway, 13. Coon Rapids, 14. Cloquet/Esko/Carlton, 15. Eagan.

ghshockeyfan wrote:FINAL

HOCKEY • GIRLS

ASSOCIATED PRESS POLLS • FINAL

• Provided by Let's Play Hockey newspaper. First-place votes are in parentheses.

• Class 2A: 1. Stillwater (7), 2. Eden Prairie, 3. Benilde-St. Margaret's, 4. Edina, 5. Roseville, 6. North Metro, 7. Holy Angels, 8. Wayzata, 9. Centennial, 10. Bemidji, 11. Burnsville, 12. Grand Rapids/Greenway, 13. Coon Rapids, 14. Cloquet/Esko/Carlton, 15. Eagan.

Kind of surprising that North Metro only got 6th. Also noteworthy is that Section 6AA teams still took half of the top 8 spots even though they did not win the State Tournament.

hockeyfan#4 wrote:

defensedad wrote:

BCGHockey wrote:They may give the #1 ranking to Stillwater, but there is no way they are the #1 team. So are you going to give the NM team the #2 ranking because they lost the Championship. Three of the top 5 teams still are section 6AA. I do not like to admit it, but I still think EP is the best team in the state.

Sorry to say but, EP did not even make it out of Section Semi's. How could they be no.1?

I agree defensedad!!!
What do you think the Top 10 should be?

My Top 10 Ranking
1 Stillwater
2 Benilde St. Margaret's
3 Roseville
4 Burnsville
5 North Metro
6 Wayzata
7 Rochester Mayo
8 Edina
9 Bemidji
10 Eden Praire

I thought Centennial should be in the top ten-glad to see the end of the year ratings gave them credit for a great season...they did beat North Metro, Wayzata, and Rochester Mayo this past season and ended as Conference Champs.

What is up with North Metro not getting the number 2 spot? Any opinions on this?