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Mariucci Conference Standings

Bemidji 7-0-0 14-1-1
East Grand Forks 3-1-0 12-3-0
Roseau 2-3-0 8-7-0
Warroad 2-4-0 9-7-1
Moorhead 1-2-0 9-6-2
Thief River Falls 1-3-0 8-6-0
Crookston 1-4-0 7-8-1


Not a lot of attention given to these anymore.
Not even sure if the players fully understand it.

Big 9 Conference Standings

Rochester Mayo 7-1-0 11-3-1
Mankato West 7-1-1 8-5-2 3.3
Faribault 7-2-0 10-3-1
Rochester Century 4-3-0 7-5-2
Rochester John Marshall 4-3-0 5-9-0
Mankato East/Loyola 6-5-0 9-8-0
Northfield 4-4-2 7-5-2
Albert Lea 4-4-0 7-7-0
Owatonna 3-3-1 5-7-1
Winona 2-8-0 3-13-0
Red Wing 1-8-1 2-14-1
Austin 0-7-1 3-11-1

Big 9 as an example, none of them may end up in state or even a section final; but there is a good race for conference champ. Hopefully, this drives some interest and makes it more fun for the players.

elliott70 wrote:Big 9 Conference Standings

Big 9 as an example, none of them may end up in state or even a section final; but there is a good race for conference champ. Hopefully, this drives some interest and makes it more fun for the players.

Sorta like the Northwest Conference:

Kittson Central
Red Lake Falls
Lake of the Woods
Bagley/Fosston
Park Rapids (who is also in the Mid State Conf)

If you wanna know who is gonna be in the 8A Play-in games, look here first, you will probably find at least three of the four teams.

12thgraders wrote:

elliott70 wrote:Big 9 Conference Standings

Big 9 as an example, none of them may end up in state or even a section final; but there is a good race for conference champ. Hopefully, this drives some interest and makes it more fun for the players.

Sorta like the Northwest Conference:

Kittson Central
Red Lake Falls
Lake of the Woods
Bagley/Fosston
Park Rapids (who is also in the Mid State Conf)

If you wanna know who is gonna be in the 8A Play-in games, look here first, you will probably find at least three of the four teams.

Exactly.
But on the flip side, it gives these teams something to play for.
Sections are fun and advancing in them is great, but when is the last time one of these teams have seen a section final.
On the other side, one of these guys will win the conference and if not could knock someone out of it.

With conferences in hockey, and most other MSHSL sports, being merely scheduling alliances, I guess EGF could also be considered in the Gambucci Conference with Grand Forks Central and Grand Forks Red River. They play each other home and home every year and award the Gambucci Cup to the team with the best record in group play and it has no bearing on end of season tournament playoffs.

I know when my kids played, the Mariucci Conference title was an afterthought, everything was centered on section standings.

12thgraders wrote:With conferences in hockey, and most other MSHSL sports, being merely scheduling alliances, I guess EGF could also be considered in the Gambucci Conference with Grand Forks Central and Grand Forks Red River. They play each other home and home every year and award the Gambucci Cup to the team with the best record in group play and it has no bearing on end of season tournament playoffs.

I know when my kids played, the Mariucci Conference title was an afterthought, everything was centered on section standings.

Sections are still the center of attention. Doubt if kids (and parents and fans) could name everyone in the conference.

It should be promoted more, its important.

I think they should get rid of the current conferences and use the sections as conference play. It would make seeding for the playoffs so much easier. Play every team in your section twice.

Elliott:

hear exactly what you are saying. Conference standings can give kids a sense of accomplishment.......... in an otherwise dismal year. They may never get to play at the X but can still take pride in knowing they played hard, maybe beat one of the better teams within their conference, and the upset could occur!!!! Thats the beauty of one and done tourneys!!! Any given day......... bounce of the puck....... homer refs!!!

nahc wrote:Elliott:

hear exactly what you are saying. Conference standings can give kids a sense of accomplishment.......... in an otherwise dismal year. They may never get to play at the X but can still take pride in knowing they played hard, maybe beat one of the better teams within their conference, and the upset could occur!!!! Thats the beauty of one and done tourneys!!! Any given day......... bounce of the puck....... homer refs!!!

I agree.

ShootNScore88 wrote:I think they should get rid of the current conferences and use the sections as conference play. It would make seeding for the playoffs so much easier. Play every team in your section twice.

I understand that argument, but why would Bemidji want to give up long standing rivalry against good teams like EGF, Warroad, and Thief River Falls for long trips to play Becker and Buffalo?
At least in Bemidji's case we play a substantial amount of Section teams (6 out of the other to get a strong feeling of where teams should be placed.

And further, should everything be about sections and getting to state?
If you are in a conference of like size/skilled teams you can be successful and not have that state bound team.

Without conferences I could see schools demanding another level of play so that kids have an attainable goal (at least some years).

Agree with Elliott. Winning conference is a big deal; beating teams in conference is a big deal. How you do in conference determines how many players a team has for all conference. Being All conference is a big deal. GB