HighSchoolHockeyForums.com

Section 7AA favorites?

northhockey wrote:Section 7AA favorites?

I think it's Cloquet's to lose, but that's easy to say coming from me, plus with them defending. Sure the Lumberjacks lost Sadie Lundquist but they bring back a lot of young talent that made an impact in their playoff run. Not to forget that Courtney Esse knows how to find the net. Their defense will be especially good led by junior Jessie Ryan and Courtney's sister freshman Carly Esse, who was really good as an 8th grader.

PHM is going to be really good, but that's not a surprise. Goaltender Anja Morris saw huge time last year with Katie Gilderman out the season. They have *9* seniors, including of course Julia Gilbert.


If Shawna Davidson's Duluth team stays healthy they'll be decent, if not just because they have ONE head coach now instead of two voices. They have 8 seniors on the roster, which should help with the transition in coaching. Paige Turner is of course the real deal in net if she can handle playing every game. (I believe they have only 2 goaltenders in the system but that's coming from someone telling me that, so don't take it as truth until it is proven to be true.)

Not sure how GRG will be BUT will be following UMD recruit Dana Gallop as her senior season plays out. UMD only had a couple scholarships available and it's great that she'll be playing in Duluth. They (GRG) only have ONE goaltender listed on their MSHSL page and she's a freshman, plus they only have two seniors besides Gallop in Kahla Erickson and Jessi Stumo. They still have two Illikainen's so that's another bright spot for them.

Maybe it's too easy to say the 4 semifinalists from last season play each other for the section again but it does seem that way.

DHMN wrote:

northhockey wrote:Section 7AA favorites?

I think it's Cloquet's to lose, but that's easy to say coming from me, plus with them defending. Sure the Lumberjacks lost Sadie Lundquist but they bring back a lot of young talent that made an impact in their playoff run. Not to forget that Courtney Esse knows how to find the net. Their defense will be especially good led by junior Jessie Ryan and Courtney's sister freshman Carly Esse, who was really good as an 8th grader.

PHM is going to be really good, but that's not a surprise. Goaltender Anja Morris saw huge time last year with Katie Gilderman out the season. They have *9* seniors, including of course Julia Gilbert.


If Shawna Davidson's Duluth team stays healthy they'll be decent, if not just because they have ONE head coach now instead of two voices. They have 8 seniors on the roster, which should help with the transition in coaching. Paige Turner is of course the real deal in net if she can handle playing every game. (I believe they have only 2 goaltenders in the system but that's coming from someone telling me that, so don't take it as truth until it is proven to be true.)

Not sure how GRG will be BUT will be following UMD recruit Dana Gallop as her senior season plays out. UMD only had a couple scholarships available and it's great that she'll be playing in Duluth. They (GRG) only have ONE goaltender listed on their MSHSL page and she's a freshman, plus they only have two seniors besides Gallop in Kahla Erickson and Jessi Stumo. They still have two Illikainen's so that's another bright spot for them.

Maybe it's too easy to say the 4 semifinalists from last season play each other for the section again but it does seem that way.

Not a bad analysis but you only discussed 4 teams. Don't forget
ELK RIVER WAS ADDED TO 7AA....AGGGGHHHHH!!!!!!

wild77 wrote:

DHMN wrote:

northhockey wrote:Section 7AA favorites?

.

Not a bad analysis but you only discussed 4 teams. Don't forget
ELK RIVER WAS ADDED TO 7AA....AGGGGHHHHH!!!!!!

I just found that out tonight.. it makes sense with their boys team coming back a few years ago.. they've been in and out of the section over the years.

After watching CEC/Forest Lake.. it's blatantly obvious that the problem in Forest Lake is also their best player knows she is the best and I think she's been coached or parented to play for herself and not the team.

I'd only seen Audrey Hanmer play once that I can remember, in the section quarters last year when CEC knocked them off, and I suppose that in the playoffs you have to try and ride your best player when you come in a lower seed so I had no problem with her being on the ice all the time.

Tonight, I saw a Forest Lake team that was more skilled than what I remembered from the playoffs last year, and even though CEC won 5-0 they were able to control the puck when they actually moved it around. They have players besides Hanmer that can skate well with the puck and if they all played together as a team like their second line did they'd be a dangerous offensive team.

They still lack some in the net, while Lorna Anderson makes saves, I don't believe she's ever really been coached to use her size to her advantage, since she stays upright 95% of the time and rarely shows any agility. If teams keep the puck on the ice (at her skates) against her they'll score plenty of goals.

Not trying to make enemies mind you, it's just my observation from tonight.

CEC now, was searching for an identity the first period and the new varsity players were obviously nervous in the first period. Jessie Ryan moved to a center spot at least tonight after playing D in previous seasons, trying to fill Sadie Lundquist's spot there. I think she'd be a really good wing with Courtney Esse centering that line, as Esse is great crashing the net and did so twice tonight, creating goals for teammates. She may be a great center once she really learns that position also, so we'll see how that progresses.

They might get their butts handed to them against Benilde and/or Stillwater Friday/Saturday but it's always a great way for the players to judge where they are and where they need to be.

CEC and Duluth have some work to do.. after watching them both play Stillwater this weekend... sure .. Stillwater is the state champ.. and the Ponies beat Duluth 5-0 and our Lumberjacks 5-1, but they looked to be in early season form at times also.

Both CEC and Duluth are playing with some inexperienced D that play with the puck too much and don't turn it out of the zone, instead skate with it behind their net like kids to growing up playing freeze tag, and having a 'safe' zone. Stillwater pounced on that every time and spent a LOT more time on offense because of it.

Both teams have other similar problems, like the lack of "instinct" to shoot the puck and also get in front of the net and create traffic when a shot does come.

Duluth does only have two goalies in the system. They had two other junirs but they both quit this year. Grand Rapid's 9th grade goalie is very good. They will be solid there for the next four years. Trust me!

A whole host of Lumberjacks scored goals as CEC downed Chisago Lakes 10-2. It wasn't like CEC ran up the score really either, Chisago out shot the Lumberjacks something like 40-26. It's obvious the Wildcat's problem is goaltending, but they might be OK as a Class A team.