centennial

Hilltopper99 · Post by **Hilltopper99** » Tue Feb 24, 2009 10:25 am

Earlier I had the Cougs as a legit threat for a state title. Their recent slide has been... severe. Any insight on the problems here? Do they still have what it takes? Are their problems physical? mental? personnel? I haven't had a chance to see them play since December, so I thought someone out there might be able to assess this roller coaster ride.

joeshmoe · Post by **joeshmoe** » Thu Feb 26, 2009 10:16 am

No leadership
No discipline
No teamwork

Nonamer · Post by **Nonamer** » Thu Feb 26, 2009 10:24 am

Two words. Pit - lick. With him - great things happen. Without him - little things happen. Team, team, team, team, team, and so on...

DoubleDeuce · Post by **DoubleDeuce** » Thu Feb 26, 2009 6:19 pm

I have watched this team play more than a dozen times this year. I wouldn't say this team has great things happen with Pitlick. They beat Maple Grove without him away and lost with him at home. They beat Elk River without him and lost with him. They beat Andover without him and tied them with him. In absolutly no way am I saying Pitlick is part of the problem. I would want Pitlick on the ice every game PERIOD! So what is the problem? Who knows? But in my personal opinion it's coaching. Erik Aus has been handed plenty of talented teams that did very very well through the Bantam level. Two or three state championships and many state tournament appearances in the last nine years. And only one state tournament appearance at the high school level. This is where I personally would start. I have never played the game! So from a hockey fan standpoint, that is my opinion! Mr. Aus has been at Centennial a long time and is from a big hockey family. I have a ton of respect for him, but lately I have been wondering if he needs to change something. What? I wouldn't have the first clue. I hope he gets this team back on track and can win six in a row!

In one State Tournament appearance, the Cougars were State Champions and did it with three shut outs. In my opinion this was one of the most talented team ever to play in the State Tournament ever. I repeat, ONE OF THE BEST! I personally would give that honor to the Jaguars of the early 90's!

King of the Pond · Post by **King of the Pond** » Fri Feb 27, 2009 4:36 pm

DoubleDeuce wrote:I have watched this team play more than a dozen times this year. I wouldn't say this team has great things happen with Pitlick. They beat Maple Grove without him away and lost with him at home. They beat Elk River without him and lost with him. They beat Andover without him and tied them with him. In absolutly no way am I saying Pitlick is part of the problem. I would want Pitlick on the ice every game PERIOD! So what is the problem? Who knows? But in my personal opinion it's coaching. Erik Aus has been handed plenty of talented teams that did very very well through the Bantam level. Two or three state championships and many state tournament appearances in the last nine years. And only one state tournament appearance at the high school level. This is where I personally would start. I have never played the game! So from a hockey fan standpoint, that is my opinion! Mr. Aus has been at Centennial a long time and is from a big hockey family. I have a ton of respect for him, but lately I have been wondering if he needs to change something. What? I wouldn't have the first clue. I hope he gets this team back on track and can win six in a row!

In one State Tournament appearance, the Cougars were State Champions and did it with three shut outs. In my opinion this was one of the most talented team ever to play in the State Tournament ever. I repeat, ONE OF THE BEST! I personally would give that honor to the Jaguars of the early 90's!

yea that 04 team was pretty amazing. I mean 6 D1 players off of one team is just unheard of

pondpucker13 · Post by **pondpucker13** » Fri Feb 27, 2009 4:44 pm

King of the Pond wrote:
DoubleDeuce wrote:I have watched this team play more than a dozen times this year. I wouldn't say this team has great things happen with Pitlick. They beat Maple Grove without him away and lost with him at home. They beat Elk River without him and lost with him. They beat Andover without him and tied them with him. In absolutly no way am I saying Pitlick is part of the problem. I would want Pitlick on the ice every game PERIOD! So what is the problem? Who knows? But in my personal opinion it's coaching. Erik Aus has been handed plenty of talented teams that did very very well through the Bantam level. Two or three state championships and many state tournament appearances in the last nine years. And only one state tournament appearance at the high school level. This is where I personally would start. I have never played the game! So from a hockey fan standpoint, that is my opinion! Mr. Aus has been at Centennial a long time and is from a big hockey family. I have a ton of respect for him, but lately I have been wondering if he needs to change something. What? I wouldn't have the first clue. I hope he gets this team back on track and can win six in a row!

In one State Tournament appearance, the Cougars were State Champions and did it with three shut outs. In my opinion this was one of the most talented team ever to play in the State Tournament ever. I repeat, ONE OF THE BEST! I personally would give that honor to the Jaguars of the early 90's!
yea that 04 team was pretty amazing. I mean 6 D1 players off of one team is just unheard of

I believe the 93 Jefferson had 10 players got D1. 4 D-men and 6 forwards.

BlaineAlum · Post by **BlaineAlum** » Fri Feb 27, 2009 6:16 pm

Could it be that Centennial, Blaine, and MG are simply overrated? Personally, I would take Eric Aus over Dave Aus any day. The last couple of years Blaine has had a lot of underrated talent that made it to state but didn't do much because of D. Aus' coaching blunders (although last year I blame goaltending).

DoubleDeuce you're forgetting Elk River in 2001 and Anoka in 2003

carpenterguy · Post by **carpenterguy** » Fri Feb 27, 2009 9:48 pm

What happens in bantams has little to nothing to do with what happens in high school. In bantams you can rely on a handful of players and there is basically one age group playing. In bantams you can lose games in districts and regionals and still make it to state.

High school is a totally different game. You have multiple grade levels, open enrollment until recently, private schools and much more. Also it's one and done in high school.

Comparing bantams to high school is apples and oranges.[/quote]

DoubleDeuce · Post by **DoubleDeuce** » Fri Feb 27, 2009 11:52 pm

BlaineAlum wrote:DoubleDeuce you're forgetting Elk River in 2001 and Anoka in 2003

I not sure what it is that I'm forgetting.

DoubleDeuce · Post by **DoubleDeuce** » Sat Feb 28, 2009 12:23 am

carpenterguy wrote:What happens in bantams has little to nothing to do with what happens in high school. In bantams you can rely on a handful of players and there is basically one age group playing. In bantams you can lose games in districts and regionals and still make it to state.

High school is a totally different game. You have multiple grade levels, open enrollment until recently, private schools and much more. Also it's one and done in high school.

Comparing bantams to high school is apples and oranges.

Like I said before, I never played the great game of hockey, I'm just a huge fan. And maybe what you are saying is somewhat true, I don't know. But when Centennial's Bantam program is consistantly having great seasons that should carry over to the high school program. They are the same players playing together. If the Bantam coach is getting the job done, why can't the high school coach? I don't know of any Centennial players going from bantams to a private school. I could be wrong and I'm sure that happens at other programs. I don't mean to start some big debate about this. And I'll be honest, maybe I just don't get it. But that's just the way I see it.

Lakeviewing · Post by **Lakeviewing** » Sat Feb 28, 2009 1:34 am

carpenterguy wrote:What happens in bantams has little to nothing to do with what happens in high school. In bantams you can rely on a handful of players and there is basically one age group playing. In bantams you can lose games in districts and regionals and still make it to state.

High school is a totally different game. You have multiple grade levels, open enrollment until recently, private schools and much more. Also it's one and done in high school.

Comparing bantams to high school is apples and oranges.

[/quote]

I agree. Watching the Cenn. team over the past years, I thought they should be the favorite this year. but kids change and the whole program changes when they get to the high school level. Maybe it because at bantams, they play a very intense schedule where every night makes a difference. They get to high school where I think they loose some intensity. Unfortunitely, the high school level lacks this, which is why we loose skaters to the USHL and the developmental leagues. Instead of cutting games to 22, the MSHL should review this and create a 30+ game schedule. This is Minnesota Hockey at stake. Sorry, just my thought

carpenterguy · Post by **carpenterguy** » Sat Feb 28, 2009 7:04 am

They have done very well at the high school level. They have been consistently one of the better AA teams for a number of years now. Making it to state in HS is a lot different than bantams. Two teams come out of a bantam region meaning you can lose games. Furthermore, kids develop at different times. Also you don't compete against privates in bantams. Finally, playing againt numerous age groups is a big difference. Centennial has had a lot of success at the high school level.

Look in bantams who dominates: Programs like Wayzata, and Eden Prairie have not been as solid as Centennial at the high school level. Again, it's comparing apples and oranges.

Here are some of the past championship games in bantams. From the looks of it Centennial is the only bantam team to win at the high school level in the same year. In fact they are the only group to even make it to the finals at the high school level. 96 would match up with 99 High School and so on.

From the looks of it Aus has done a pretty solid job!

1996 at Edina..............................................(C) Duluth East...............................(R) Osseo/Maple Grove
1997 at East Grand Forks......................(C) Osseo/Maple Grove..............................(R) White Bear Lake
1998 at Minneapolis.....................................(C) Eden Prairie....................................(R) White Bear Lake
1999 at International Falls........................(C) Rochester North.....................................(R) Brooklyn Park
2000 at South St Paul..................................(C) Eden Prairie..............................................(R) Alexandria
2001 at Willmar.............................................(C) Centennial.....................................(R) White Bear Lake
2002 at Blaine.................................................(C) Wayzata...................................................(R) Roseville
2003 at Cloquet.......................................(C) White Bear Lake.........................................(R) Centennial
2004 at Stillwater...........................................(C) Moorhead..............................................(R) Duluth East
2005 at New Ulm..............................................(C) Edina..................................................(R) Centennial
2006 at New Hope........................................(C) Centennial......................................................(R) Edina
2007 at Alexandria.......................................(C) Eden Prairie.............................................(R) Centennial
2008 at Edina..............................................(C) Eden Prairie.............................................(R) Centennial

High School Results 99-06

99 Finals (8) Roseau (26-1) (2) Hastings (23-4) 4-0
00 Finals (4) Blaine (20-5-2) (7) Duluth East (23-4) 6-0
01 Finals (4) Elk River (28-1-1) (8) Moorhead (22-6-1) 8-1
02 Finals (5) Holy Angels (26-4-1) (3) Hill-Murray (23-5-2) 4-2
03 Finals (4) Anoka (24-4-1) (2) Roseville (25-3-2) 3-1
04 Finals (3) Centennial (29-1) (8) Moorhead (26-2) 1-0
05 Finals (5) Holy Angels (25-2-2) (8) Moorhead (25-2-2) 6-4
06 Finals (2) Cretin-Derham Hall (26-4) (7) Grand Rapids (21-8) 7-0

DoubleDeuce wrote:
carpenterguy wrote:What happens in bantams has little to nothing to do with what happens in high school. In bantams you can rely on a handful of players and there is basically one age group playing. In bantams you can lose games in districts and regionals and still make it to state.

High school is a totally different game. You have multiple grade levels, open enrollment until recently, private schools and much more. Also it's one and done in high school.

Comparing bantams to high school is apples and oranges.
Like I said before, I never played the great game of hockey, I'm just a huge fan. And maybe what you are saying is somewhat true, I don't know. But when Centennial's Bantam program is consistantly having great seasons that should carry over to the high school program. They are the same players playing together. If the Bantam coach is getting the job done, why can't the high school coach? I don't know of any Centennial players going from bantams to a private school. I could be wrong and I'm sure that happens at other programs. I don't mean to start some big debate about this. And I'll be honest, maybe I just don't get it. But that's just the way I see it.

DoubleDeuce · Post by **DoubleDeuce** » Sat Feb 28, 2009 10:00 am

OK, I think I understand a little now. Thanks for your input and for that list of Champioship games. I guess I didn't even realize that they were that good (Bantams). So back to the question. What's going on? Maybe they have just have been over rated.

carpenterguy · Post by **carpenterguy** » Sat Feb 28, 2009 10:07 am

DoubleDeuce wrote:OK, I think I understand a little now. Thanks for your input and for that list of Champioship games. I guess I didn't even realize that they were that good (Bantams). So back to the question. What's going on? Maybe they have just have been over rated.

There is a lot of parity at the high school level. Aus has done a good job of keeping them near the top every year. As I stated they are the only bantam champ to even make the finals at the high school level. The bantams and their coaching staff have done an awesome job but the stats prove that doesn't equate to high school success at any program.

That just proves my point that you cannot compare the two. High school is a totally different animal.

Fire and Ice · Post by **Fire and Ice** » Sat Feb 28, 2009 10:13 am

The double elimination style of Bantams is really not an advantage. What you aren't considering is Edina, WBL, Wayzata, Centennial, Ep, Duluth East have come out similar regions just to get to state.

Would you rather have single elim with your conference teams or double with the best 6-7 teams in the state and there isn't double elim anymore you either win or lose on Sunday at the regions so that would be single elim.

Just some thoughts for your apples and oranges argument.

carpenterguy · Post by **carpenterguy** » Sat Feb 28, 2009 10:14 am

It is apples and oranges. Look at the results. Centennial is the ONLY team to even make to the finals after winning the state bantam title. Just compare 96 bantams to 99 high school and so on.

1996 at Edina..............................................(C) Duluth East...............................(R) Osseo/Maple Grove
1997 at East Grand Forks......................(C) Osseo/Maple Grove..............................(R) White Bear Lake
1998 at Minneapolis.....................................(C) Eden Prairie....................................(R) White Bear Lake
1999 at International Falls........................(C) Rochester North.....................................(R) Brooklyn Park
2000 at South St Paul..................................(C) Eden Prairie..............................................(R) Alexandria
2001 at Willmar.............................................(C) Centennial.....................................(R) White Bear Lake
2002 at Blaine.................................................(C) Wayzata...................................................(R) Roseville
2003 at Cloquet.......................................(C) White Bear Lake.........................................(R) Centennial
2004 at Stillwater...........................................(C) Moorhead..............................................(R) Duluth East
2005 at New Ulm..............................................(C) Edina..................................................(R) Centennial
2006 at New Hope........................................(C) Centennial......................................................(R) Edina
2007 at Alexandria.......................................(C) Eden Prairie.............................................(R) Centennial
2008 at Edina..............................................(C) Eden Prairie.............................................(R) Centennial

High School Results 99-06

99 Finals ( Roseau (26-1) (2) Hastings (23-4) 4-0
00 Finals (4) Blaine (20-5-2) (7) Duluth East (23-4) 6-0
01 Finals (4) Elk River (28-1-1) ( Moorhead (22-6-1) 8-1
02 Finals (5) Holy Angels (26-4-1) (3) Hill-Murray (23-5-2) 4-2
03 Finals (4) Anoka (24-4-1) (2) Roseville (25-3-2) 3-1
04 Finals (3) Centennial (29-1) ( Moorhead (26-2) 1-0
05 Finals (5) Holy Angels (25-2-2) ( Moorhead (25-2-2) 6-4
06 Finals (2) Cretin-Derham Hall (26-4) (7) Grand Rapids (21- 7-0

Fire and Ice wrote:The double elimination style of Bantams is really not an advantage. What you aren't considering is Edina, WBL, Wayzata, Centennial, Ep, Duluth East have come out similar regions just to get to state.

Would you rather have single elim with your conference teams or double with the best 6-7 teams in the state and there isn't double elim anymore you either win or lose on Sunday at the regions so that would be single elim.

Just some thoughts for your apples and oranges argument.

Fire and Ice · Post by **Fire and Ice** » Sat Feb 28, 2009 10:37 am

I am just referring to the comment that it is easier to get a state berth at Bantams than high school. Not the relation between titles at bantams v hs.

the dangsnipe · Post by **the dangsnipe** » Sat Feb 28, 2009 10:40 am

Don't worry I'm sure the Cats will come out of their slump and show everyone what they are really about when its time to really play.

Fire and Ice · Post by **Fire and Ice** » Sat Feb 28, 2009 10:42 am

agreed. a fairly decent 3 seed.

BlaineAlum · Post by **BlaineAlum** » Sat Feb 28, 2009 11:23 am

DoubleDeuce wrote:
BlaineAlum wrote:DoubleDeuce you're forgetting Elk River in 2001 and Anoka in 2003
I not sure what it is that I'm forgetting.

You've got Blaine and Centennial as state champs in 2000 and 2004. Elk River won in 2001 and Anoka won in 2003. I was just pointing out how four NWSC teams won in five years.

carpenterguy · Post by **carpenterguy** » Sat Feb 28, 2009 11:39 am

It is easier because you can lose games in a bantams at both districts and regions and still get to state. In high school one bad night, or hot goalie and it's over. There is a HUGE difference!

Fire and Ice wrote:I am just referring to the comment that it is easier to get a state berth at Bantams than high school. Not the relation between titles at bantams v hs.

Fire and Ice · Post by **Fire and Ice** » Sat Feb 28, 2009 1:29 pm

Isn't districts much like sections? District 10 much like the NWSC and then regions puts some of the best teams in the state against each other just to get to state...

The regions are not double elimination. It is one game for a berth. So a hot goalie can end your season at Bantams as well.

then Anoka, Blaine, Elk River so on then Edina, Ep , Duluth E, WBL have you ever looked at the unbalanced regions for MN Hockey no high school has to play more than 2 tough games, unless you want the argument of a 4/5 making it to the section final.

Or would you prefer to beat maybe Blaine, MG, or Osseo 2 of those 3?

I thinking winning 3 district, 3 or 4 regional is tougher than 3 high school because of the teams in the regional.

carpenterguy · Post by **carpenterguy** » Sat Feb 28, 2009 4:29 pm

Actually you can lose in districts and still qualify for regions. Two teams also come out of a regions, so you can lose there as well. To compare bantams to high school is silly.

Fire and Ice wrote:Isn't districts much like sections? District 10 much like the NWSC and then regions puts some of the best teams in the state against each other just to get to state...

The regions are not double elimination. It is one game for a berth. So a hot goalie can end your season at Bantams as well.

then Anoka, Blaine, Elk River so on then Edina, Ep , Duluth E, WBL have you ever looked at the unbalanced regions for MN Hockey no high school has to play more than 2 tough games, unless you want the argument of a 4/5 making it to the section final.

Or would you prefer to beat maybe Blaine, MG, or Osseo 2 of those 3?

I thinking winning 3 district, 3 or 4 regional is tougher than 3 high school because of the teams in the regional.

DoubleDeuce · Post by **DoubleDeuce** » Sat Feb 28, 2009 7:55 pm

BlaineAlum wrote:
DoubleDeuce wrote:
BlaineAlum wrote:DoubleDeuce you're forgetting Elk River in 2001 and Anoka in 2003
I not sure what it is that I'm forgetting.
You've got Blaine and Centennial as state champs in 2000 and 2004. Elk River won in 2001 and Anoka won in 2003. I was just pointing out how four NWSC teams won in five years.

Yea, you're right! Except that's not why I have Blaine 2000 State Champs and Centennial 2004 State Champs. Although I am a fan of the NWSC I am actually a fan of Blaine and Centennial. As you are, (I assume) I am a Blaine Alum, therefore I am and always will be a Blaine fan. We live in the Centennial School District. My kids play Centenial Youth Sports and will one day play at the High School. They are fans of Centennial therefore I am a fan! And the fact they are huge rivals... I love it! But Thanks!

BlaineAlum · Post by **BlaineAlum** » Sat Feb 28, 2009 11:04 pm

I figured that's proly why you left them out. And yeah Blaine Centennial has become one of the best rivalries in the state in a great conference. Doesn't get much better than that.

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