Class A Rankings 12-25-11
Posted: Sat Dec 24, 2011 8:59 pm
1. St Thomas Academy (4-1) [2-1]
The Cadets continue their rebound from their early conference loss to Hill Murray in beating longtime rival Cretin-Derham Hall. Their toughest week of the regular season is coming up and is promising it will start with a win against struggling Holy Angels, then everything is up in the air.
This week: Mon vs Holy Angels, Tues vs Duluth East/Burnsville, Wed vs HM/Tonka/Blaine/Edina
2. Hermantown (7-0) [5-0]
The Hawks continue to roll showing they are the premier Class A team north of 494. This week they have at least one quality opponent to prepare them for their trip to play Duluth Marshall right after the new year. They are still struggling to stay out of the box; no doubt they would win against almost any team in the state with 5 guys on the ice the whole game.
This week: Tues @ Thief River Falls, Wed vs Crookston, Thurs vs Bottineau
3. Breck (7-0) [6-0]
Two convincing wins against private school teams this week and the Mustangs should be ready to play in both Blaine and at the X this week in route to a probably Silver Division championship of the Schwan Cup. They will likely play 3 quality AA opponents this week making a name for themselves on the state scene.
This week: Mon vs Apple Valley, Tues vs Lakeville South/Stillwater, Wed vs Bemidji/Forest Lake/Roseville/Blake
4. Duluth Marshall (5-4) [4-2]
The Hilltoppers have one of the tougher Class A schedules and lost another close game to a top AA team this week. They host their annual tournament and open with Delano who recently lost to Breck by the same margin they did early in the season. It should be a great opening game to a good tournament.
This week: Tues vs Delano, Wed vs TBD, Thurs vs TBD
5. East Grand Forks (7-1) [7-0]
The Green Wave have a huge presence in the state as they have yet to lose a class A game. They play three games this week against teams in Grand Forks.
This week: Wed vs TBD, Thurs vs TBD, Fri vs TBD
6. Blake (5-2) [4-1]
The early season loss to Cretin isn’t looking that great at the moment now, but beatings the Zephyrs reaffirms where they are. They have the opportunity to play some quality AA teams this week in the Silver Division and possibly end up meeting up with conference/section rival Breck.
This week: Mon vs Roseville, Tues vs Bemidji/Forest Lake, Wed vs Lakeville South/Stillwater/Breck/Apple Valley
7. Mahtomedi (5-3) [2-2]
A close loss to the Bears shows these two are very close in ability. This coming week they will be on the road to most likely play at least 2 close games.
This week: Tues @ Hibbing, Wed @ Virginia, Thurs @ Grand Rapids
8. Totino-Grace (5-4) [4-3]
The Eagles have one game this week which should prove very little, but help them prepare for a week playing Mahtomedi at home after the new year. They play all of Mahtomedi, Marshall, St Thomas, Breck, and Lourdes in a 5 week time span, so we will all see where they belong on the state scene.
This week: Fri vs Red Wing
9. Thief River Falls (6-1-1) [4-1]
The Prowlers are one of the top teams in the state, but should they be considered top 4? They will attempt to prove that this week with a home game against Hermantown.
This week: Tues vs Hermantown, Wed vs TBD, Thurs vs Crookston
10. Orono (3-2-1) [3-2]
The Spartans prepare for a good showing in the Bronze division of the Schwan Cup this week. How will they do against good competition on their road to the X. The loss to 1-8 Chaska really doesn’t look good, but everyone has an off game; maybe the coming weeks will prove so was the early game against Warroad.
This week: Mon vs Rogers, Tues vs Cretin-Derham Hall/Providence Academy, Wed vs Hudson/MV/CP/Sartell
11. Warroad (4-4) [3-3]
Losing a good game with TRF and the Warriors are still a good team and plan to continue to show that with their 3 home games this week.
This week: Wed vs Grafton/Park River, Thurs vs Osseo, Fri vs International Falls
12. Duluth Denfeld (6-2-1) [2-1-1]
Losing to Hermantown doesn’t show much negative about Denfeld at this point, especially being that 7 of their first 9 games have been on the road. They host the Heritage Classic this week and will play at least one Class A team before 5 games on the road after the new year.
This week: Tues vs St Louis Park, Wed vs TBD, Thurs vs TBD
13. Rochester Lourdes (6-3) [5-2]
As it did last year, Lourdes’ schedule allows them to amass many wins without proving much about being a top team. They play in the Class A Bracket of the Kiwanis Festival in Rochester this week, starting things off against Richfield, in preparation to host Duluth Marshall next week.
This week: Wed vs Richfield, Thurs vs TBD, Fri vs TBD
14. St Cloud Cathedral (7-2) [7-2]
With their last 3 wins shut outs against below average competition, the Crusaders got two wins against below against competition and have this week off before a good week after the new year. Hopefully they use the week to rest and are ready after new years.
This week: Idle
15. St Louis Park (6-0) [5-0]
Playing in section 2A, any section finals hopes are probably out of the question, but it is conceivable this team has only 2 losses outside of the holiday tournament and could make things interesting. Three good games this week starting with a game Tuesday against a Denfeld team many think isn’t very good. A win to get on the winner’s side of the bracket would be a great way to rise in next week’s rankings.
This week: Tues vs Duluth Denfeld, Wed vs TBD, Thurs vs TBD
Watch list
Hibbing/Chisholm (5-4) [5-2]
The Bluejackets improved their record last week and hope to continue doing so this week. Can they compete with Mahtomedi at home?
This week: Tues vs Mahtomedi, Wed vs St Francis, Thurs vs Lakeville North
Rogers (3-4) [3-4]
The loss to Little Falls doesn’t look great, but they played Hermantown very close for two periods, so they will be competitive down the stretch. Can the Royals beat the Spartans to start off their week playing in the Schwan Cup?
This week: Mon vs Orono, Tues vs Cretin/Providence Academy, Wed vs Hudson/MV/CP/Sartell
South St Paul (4-1-1) [3-0-1]
The Packers’ first round game in the South St Paul Premier Tournament they host is their first conference match up with North St Paul. If they can keep up their winning, maybe they can play host to top AA team Eagan eventually.
This week: Idle
Virginia (4-3) [4-2]
The Blue Devils host 3 teams that will help us get a better picture of how good they really are this week.
This week: Tues vs Lakeville North, Wed vs Mahtomedi, Thurs vs St Francis
The Cadets continue their rebound from their early conference loss to Hill Murray in beating longtime rival Cretin-Derham Hall. Their toughest week of the regular season is coming up and is promising it will start with a win against struggling Holy Angels, then everything is up in the air.
This week: Mon vs Holy Angels, Tues vs Duluth East/Burnsville, Wed vs HM/Tonka/Blaine/Edina
2. Hermantown (7-0) [5-0]
The Hawks continue to roll showing they are the premier Class A team north of 494. This week they have at least one quality opponent to prepare them for their trip to play Duluth Marshall right after the new year. They are still struggling to stay out of the box; no doubt they would win against almost any team in the state with 5 guys on the ice the whole game.
This week: Tues @ Thief River Falls, Wed vs Crookston, Thurs vs Bottineau
3. Breck (7-0) [6-0]
Two convincing wins against private school teams this week and the Mustangs should be ready to play in both Blaine and at the X this week in route to a probably Silver Division championship of the Schwan Cup. They will likely play 3 quality AA opponents this week making a name for themselves on the state scene.
This week: Mon vs Apple Valley, Tues vs Lakeville South/Stillwater, Wed vs Bemidji/Forest Lake/Roseville/Blake
4. Duluth Marshall (5-4) [4-2]
The Hilltoppers have one of the tougher Class A schedules and lost another close game to a top AA team this week. They host their annual tournament and open with Delano who recently lost to Breck by the same margin they did early in the season. It should be a great opening game to a good tournament.
This week: Tues vs Delano, Wed vs TBD, Thurs vs TBD
5. East Grand Forks (7-1) [7-0]
The Green Wave have a huge presence in the state as they have yet to lose a class A game. They play three games this week against teams in Grand Forks.
This week: Wed vs TBD, Thurs vs TBD, Fri vs TBD
6. Blake (5-2) [4-1]
The early season loss to Cretin isn’t looking that great at the moment now, but beatings the Zephyrs reaffirms where they are. They have the opportunity to play some quality AA teams this week in the Silver Division and possibly end up meeting up with conference/section rival Breck.
This week: Mon vs Roseville, Tues vs Bemidji/Forest Lake, Wed vs Lakeville South/Stillwater/Breck/Apple Valley
7. Mahtomedi (5-3) [2-2]
A close loss to the Bears shows these two are very close in ability. This coming week they will be on the road to most likely play at least 2 close games.
This week: Tues @ Hibbing, Wed @ Virginia, Thurs @ Grand Rapids
8. Totino-Grace (5-4) [4-3]
The Eagles have one game this week which should prove very little, but help them prepare for a week playing Mahtomedi at home after the new year. They play all of Mahtomedi, Marshall, St Thomas, Breck, and Lourdes in a 5 week time span, so we will all see where they belong on the state scene.
This week: Fri vs Red Wing
9. Thief River Falls (6-1-1) [4-1]
The Prowlers are one of the top teams in the state, but should they be considered top 4? They will attempt to prove that this week with a home game against Hermantown.
This week: Tues vs Hermantown, Wed vs TBD, Thurs vs Crookston
10. Orono (3-2-1) [3-2]
The Spartans prepare for a good showing in the Bronze division of the Schwan Cup this week. How will they do against good competition on their road to the X. The loss to 1-8 Chaska really doesn’t look good, but everyone has an off game; maybe the coming weeks will prove so was the early game against Warroad.
This week: Mon vs Rogers, Tues vs Cretin-Derham Hall/Providence Academy, Wed vs Hudson/MV/CP/Sartell
11. Warroad (4-4) [3-3]
Losing a good game with TRF and the Warriors are still a good team and plan to continue to show that with their 3 home games this week.
This week: Wed vs Grafton/Park River, Thurs vs Osseo, Fri vs International Falls
12. Duluth Denfeld (6-2-1) [2-1-1]
Losing to Hermantown doesn’t show much negative about Denfeld at this point, especially being that 7 of their first 9 games have been on the road. They host the Heritage Classic this week and will play at least one Class A team before 5 games on the road after the new year.
This week: Tues vs St Louis Park, Wed vs TBD, Thurs vs TBD
13. Rochester Lourdes (6-3) [5-2]
As it did last year, Lourdes’ schedule allows them to amass many wins without proving much about being a top team. They play in the Class A Bracket of the Kiwanis Festival in Rochester this week, starting things off against Richfield, in preparation to host Duluth Marshall next week.
This week: Wed vs Richfield, Thurs vs TBD, Fri vs TBD
14. St Cloud Cathedral (7-2) [7-2]
With their last 3 wins shut outs against below average competition, the Crusaders got two wins against below against competition and have this week off before a good week after the new year. Hopefully they use the week to rest and are ready after new years.
This week: Idle
15. St Louis Park (6-0) [5-0]
Playing in section 2A, any section finals hopes are probably out of the question, but it is conceivable this team has only 2 losses outside of the holiday tournament and could make things interesting. Three good games this week starting with a game Tuesday against a Denfeld team many think isn’t very good. A win to get on the winner’s side of the bracket would be a great way to rise in next week’s rankings.
This week: Tues vs Duluth Denfeld, Wed vs TBD, Thurs vs TBD
Watch list
Hibbing/Chisholm (5-4) [5-2]
The Bluejackets improved their record last week and hope to continue doing so this week. Can they compete with Mahtomedi at home?
This week: Tues vs Mahtomedi, Wed vs St Francis, Thurs vs Lakeville North
Rogers (3-4) [3-4]
The loss to Little Falls doesn’t look great, but they played Hermantown very close for two periods, so they will be competitive down the stretch. Can the Royals beat the Spartans to start off their week playing in the Schwan Cup?
This week: Mon vs Orono, Tues vs Cretin/Providence Academy, Wed vs Hudson/MV/CP/Sartell
South St Paul (4-1-1) [3-0-1]
The Packers’ first round game in the South St Paul Premier Tournament they host is their first conference match up with North St Paul. If they can keep up their winning, maybe they can play host to top AA team Eagan eventually.
This week: Idle
Virginia (4-3) [4-2]
The Blue Devils host 3 teams that will help us get a better picture of how good they really are this week.
This week: Tues vs Lakeville North, Wed vs Mahtomedi, Thurs vs St Francis