Class A Rankings 1.24.21
Posted: Sun Jan 24, 2021 5:22 pm
In a week where there were few matchups between ranked opponents, things still devolved into chaos. The top seven remained the same, but only two teams behind them remained in the same spot as last week, and three newcomers entered the rankings. I'll admit that I am somewhat throwing spaghetti against a wall near the tail end, but there is bound to be plenty of turnover this season, and we may as well make things interesting.
1. Hermantown (4-0-0) [LW 1]
W 10-0 @ Hibbing, W 9-0 @ Proctor
While I sometimes lament the Hawks' typical AA-heavy schedules, it's also not much fun watching them pick apart lower-tier 7A opponents. Hermantown has outscored its three section foes 31-1, outshooting them by a ridiculous 188-13,margin in the process. It's nice when perhaps the best all-around player in the state, Pierce, has barely needed to dent the scoresheet; meanwhile, Zam Plante continued his torrid scoring pace with 18 points in four games. Hermantown should finally get something resembling a test Thursday night at Cloquet.
Next: Thu @ Cloquet, Sat vs SCC
2. Gentry Academy (2-0-0) [LW 2]
W 13-1 @ SPA
Take what I said above about Hermantown's schedule, then double it. The Stars are at least rolling their deeper lines and spreading out the scoring - 19 players have at least one point, and no one has more than 5 - but it's hard to evaluate walkovers like this. Tartan potentially provides the first test of the early season, but even that may be a stretch with the way Gentry is playing.
Next: Tue vs Providence, Sat vs Tartan
3. Warroad (2-0-0) [LW 3]
W 5-1 vs Bemidji
A short week for the Warriors, who ground down Bemidji for an uneventful victory. Shaugabay registered three more points, for a total of 12 in three games. Warroad kicks off a rough two-week stretch with road trips to the two AA Mariucci members, starting with highly ranked blood rival Roseau.
Next: Tue @ Roseau, Sat @ Moorhead
4. Mahtomedi (1-2-0) [LW 4]
L 2-3 @ BSM, W 4-2 @ Hudson
After their second consecutive loss to an AA powerhouse, the Zephyrs finally bagged a win, but it wasn't easy. Hudson drew within one late and hit two posts before Mahtomedi sealed things with an empty-netter. As the Benilde and Hill games showed, this group can compete with anybody. They almost climbed out of a three-goal hole versus the Red Knights, but couldn't complete the deal. The goaltending and defense are stellar, though the offense lacks the firepower of their peers in the top five, which leaves limited margin for error against top-flight opponents.
After the brutal early stretch, Mahtomedi has a brief reprieve before things ramp right back up again.
Next: Tue vs SPA, Thu vs Simley
5. East Grand Forks (2-2-0) [LW 5]
W 4-1 vs Fargo South, W 7-3 @ Fargo Davies
Fargo was kinder to the Green Wave than Grand Forks was last week, as they evened up their record with two wins. EGF was dominant against South/Shanley, but had some trouble scoring, while the Davies game was a choppy, penalty-filled affair. The scoring has been highly balanced - paced of course by the trio of Parker, Ausmus, and Panzer - and senior Cole Quirk has stabilized the situation in goal after a rough opening night. Apparently I lack the ability to read a schedule, as the Eastsiders finally conclude their North Dakota barnstorming tour THIS weekend, seeking revenge against their cross-border rivals.
Next: Fri @ GF Central, Sat vs GF Red River
6. Duluth Denfeld (0-0-1) [LW 6]
Idle
The Hunters experienced some scheduling tumult as their Saturday game against Superior was postponed, along with the upcoming Tuesday Eveleth contest. Denfeld will now shake the rust off against a red-hot Rapids crew, then hopefully the Golden Bears later in the week.
Next: Tue vs Grand Rapids, Thu vs Eveleth
7. Little Falls (3-0-0) [LW 7]
W 3-2 vs Princeton, W 8-0 vs Morris
The Flyers found themselves in a rather unexpected dogfight Tuesday night, dominating the game in all aspects save for the scoreboard. The offense finally broke out in a big way against Morris/Benson, but this team won't be blowing out many opponents, instead relying on Couture in net and timely scoring. It has worked so far, but is a fine line to walk. I think of them as sort of a poor man's Mahtomedi. Little Falls finally faces one of the fellow 6A contenders in a big matchup with Sartell.
Next: Thu @ Sartell, Sat vs River Lakes
8. Alexandria (3-0-0) [LW 14]
W 3-2 @ Sartell, W 10-4 vs Sauk Rapids
Apparently the demise of the Cardinals was greatly exaggerated. After knocking off upstarts Fergus Falls and Sartell in consecutive contests, Alexandria is sitting in the catbird seat in 6A so far, and leaps way up the rankings. This team has a plethora of sophomore talent, with Tyler Kludt pouring in five goals already, including two against Sartell, and defenseman Pieter Mulder dishing out four assists. The upcoming schedule is pretty light, though the scrap with St. Cloud should be challenging.
Next: Tue @ River Lakes, Thu vs St. Cloud
9. St. Paul Johnson (0-0-0) [LW 9]
Idle
After laying in wait due to school district restrictions, the Governors finally kick off their season this week. Fittingly, they start with old-time rival South St. Paul.
Next: Tue @ SSP, Thu vs SPA
10. Fergus Falls (2-1-0) [LW 20]
W 4-3 (OT) @ Sartell
The Otters shoot up the board this week, partially based on the victory over Sartell, and also due to the complete meltdowns of other ranked teams. Fergus Falls features two fast, skilled forward lines, with some solid seniors mixed in with those youngsters. The defense can be shaky at times, but that may be partly due to the competition. The Otters should feast on the upcoming lighter fare.
Next: Tue @ Breckenridge, Sat vs Wadena
11. Armstrong/Cooper (2-1-0) [LW 11]
L 2-9 @ Maple Grove
Maple Grove boat raced the Wings, jumping out to a 5-0 first period lead and never looking back. An A/C goal with one tick left made the margin only slightly less painful. I'm not sure exactly what to take away from a loss like that, but they at least put up more of a fight than Dodge County. The upcoming schedule is trickier than would have been expected prior to the season, with a potent Osseo offense and a rejuvenated Rogers squad on deck.
Next: Thu vs Osseo, Sat vs Rogers
12. Mound Westonka (2-0-2) [LW 15]
T 1-1 vs LDC, W 7-1 vs Waconia
The White Hawks have been fit to be tied, with another draw against Litchfield before pouncing all over woeful Waconia. While Delano is in free fall mode, that win no longer seems fluky, and the Simley tie also looks better in retrospect. Mound Westonka has a timeshare situation with two senior goalies, and both have played well enough, but Moen has been starting the tougher games and we'll see if he takes over the job as the season progresses. The White Hawks have a trap game at Hutch before an important meeting with a frisky Orono crew.
Next: Tue @ Hutchinson, Fri vs Orono
13. Litchfield/Dassel-Cokato (2-0-1) [LW 19]
T 1-1 @ Mound, W 2-1 @ New Ulm
The Dragons had a nice week, scraping out a tie in a defensive battle with Mound Westonka and securing a second section win. LDC is offensively challenged, but Halonen has been av brick wall between the pipes. They should get the chance to put up some stats against two weaker foes this week ahead of a tough stretch.
Next: Tue vs Waconia, Fri @ Marshall
14. Sartell-St. Stephen (1-3-0) [LW 18]
L 2-3 vs Alexandria, L 4-5 (OT) vs Fergus Falls
The Sabres are the anti-Alexandria in many ways, with sky-high preseason hopes that have yet to materialize, and two critical section losses. Logically they shouldn't be ranked this far below those two teams given how close the games were, but losses are losses, and keeping Sartell this high is largely a reassessment of the strength of 6A. The Sabres are led by superb sophomores Teddy McCabe and Tory Lund, which underscores how youthful they are. Sartell has what amounts to a warmup before getting a crack at the section favorite.
Next: Tue @ Sauk Rapids, Thu vs Little Falls
15. Dodge County (0-1-1) [LW 12]
L 1-12 @ Maple Grove
Maple Grove apparently wasn't satisfied stealing the soul of one Class A team this week, so they invited the Wildcats up to fill an open date. Dodge County probably should've stayed home and watched Netflix; the score could have been even worse had the Crimson not let off the gas early.
The Wildcats will gladly return to regularly scheduled action versus two lower-tier AA teams.
Next: Tue @ Hopkins, Sat @ New Prague
16. Mankato East (2-1-0) [LW 10]
L 2-3 vs Northfield, W 5-2 @ Owatonna
The Cougars stubbed their toes against Northfield and struggled against a mediocre Owatonna team before finally pulling away. The top line has performed as expected, but secondary scoring is a concern. East should beat up on two of the downtrodden Rochester teams, as the Big Nine tour continues.
Next: Thu @ Century, Sat vs Mayo
17. Delano (2-2-0) [LW 8]
W 7-0 @ Waconia, L 1-2 vs Hutchinson
I stated last week that the Tigers were on thin ice, and they decided to fall into the freezing water and nearly right out of the rankings. They may not even deserve this spot if I wasn't still somewhat wedded to my preseason expectations. It looked like Delano had turned a corner following two straight shutouts, but then they laid an egg against Hutch, playing with no sense of urgency until it was too late. This team simply cannot seem to score against decent competition. A loss to Orono Tuesday would already dig them a huge hole in section play.
Next: Tue @ Orono, Thu vs River Lakes
18. Southwest Christian/Richfield (3-0-0) [LW NR]
W 4-2 @ Chanhassen, W 5-2 @ Holy Angels
Wait, who? I was scrambling at this point, and the Stars seem worthy of some recognition. I I haven't seen them play yet and hardly recognize any of the names on the roster, but it is hard to argue with the results so far. Sophomore Caleb Bendell has already nearly equaled his point total from last season, and defenseman Brody Hardacre has the game to match his outstanding name. The schedule is very manageable over the next few weeks, and SWCR could rack up a gaudy record before their tougher stretch run.
Next: Thu vs Holy Angels, Fri vs Hopkins
19. Virginia (2-1-0) [LW NR]
L 0-3 @ Cloquet, W 3-0 vs Eveleth
Let's show Da Range a little love here. A feisty showing against Cloquet and blanking rival (soon partner) Eveleth? I can work with that. The Blue Devils have a bunch of youth and a bunch of Finns on the roster, and the defense and goaltending have been excellent so far. We'll see how that holds up, as Virginia has a quick turnaround on the rematch with Cloquet, this time on home ice, followed by a section contest with a frisky Falls crew.
Next: Tue vs Cloquet, Thu vs Int'l Falls
20. North Branch (3-0-0) [LW NR]
W 8-6 @ St. Francis, W 8-2 vs Becker
The final entrant of our poll newcomers is a team expected to be an also-ran in one of the weaker sections. Instead, despite losing several of their top players from last season, the Vikings have been one of the pleasant surprises of the early going. Their most talented player, Kerchner, has barely contributed, but guys like Lawton Garin and Alex Langevin have stepped up nicely. We'll see if the North Branch rejuvenation is for real when they face off with the Moose.
Next: Thu @ Pine City, Fri vs Monticello
Out: Breck, Monticello, Chisago Lakes
Others Considered: Orono, Simley, Hutchinson, Waseca, Mankato West, Providence Academy
1. Hermantown (4-0-0) [LW 1]
W 10-0 @ Hibbing, W 9-0 @ Proctor
While I sometimes lament the Hawks' typical AA-heavy schedules, it's also not much fun watching them pick apart lower-tier 7A opponents. Hermantown has outscored its three section foes 31-1, outshooting them by a ridiculous 188-13,margin in the process. It's nice when perhaps the best all-around player in the state, Pierce, has barely needed to dent the scoresheet; meanwhile, Zam Plante continued his torrid scoring pace with 18 points in four games. Hermantown should finally get something resembling a test Thursday night at Cloquet.
Next: Thu @ Cloquet, Sat vs SCC
2. Gentry Academy (2-0-0) [LW 2]
W 13-1 @ SPA
Take what I said above about Hermantown's schedule, then double it. The Stars are at least rolling their deeper lines and spreading out the scoring - 19 players have at least one point, and no one has more than 5 - but it's hard to evaluate walkovers like this. Tartan potentially provides the first test of the early season, but even that may be a stretch with the way Gentry is playing.
Next: Tue vs Providence, Sat vs Tartan
3. Warroad (2-0-0) [LW 3]
W 5-1 vs Bemidji
A short week for the Warriors, who ground down Bemidji for an uneventful victory. Shaugabay registered three more points, for a total of 12 in three games. Warroad kicks off a rough two-week stretch with road trips to the two AA Mariucci members, starting with highly ranked blood rival Roseau.
Next: Tue @ Roseau, Sat @ Moorhead
4. Mahtomedi (1-2-0) [LW 4]
L 2-3 @ BSM, W 4-2 @ Hudson
After their second consecutive loss to an AA powerhouse, the Zephyrs finally bagged a win, but it wasn't easy. Hudson drew within one late and hit two posts before Mahtomedi sealed things with an empty-netter. As the Benilde and Hill games showed, this group can compete with anybody. They almost climbed out of a three-goal hole versus the Red Knights, but couldn't complete the deal. The goaltending and defense are stellar, though the offense lacks the firepower of their peers in the top five, which leaves limited margin for error against top-flight opponents.
After the brutal early stretch, Mahtomedi has a brief reprieve before things ramp right back up again.
Next: Tue vs SPA, Thu vs Simley
5. East Grand Forks (2-2-0) [LW 5]
W 4-1 vs Fargo South, W 7-3 @ Fargo Davies
Fargo was kinder to the Green Wave than Grand Forks was last week, as they evened up their record with two wins. EGF was dominant against South/Shanley, but had some trouble scoring, while the Davies game was a choppy, penalty-filled affair. The scoring has been highly balanced - paced of course by the trio of Parker, Ausmus, and Panzer - and senior Cole Quirk has stabilized the situation in goal after a rough opening night. Apparently I lack the ability to read a schedule, as the Eastsiders finally conclude their North Dakota barnstorming tour THIS weekend, seeking revenge against their cross-border rivals.
Next: Fri @ GF Central, Sat vs GF Red River
6. Duluth Denfeld (0-0-1) [LW 6]
Idle
The Hunters experienced some scheduling tumult as their Saturday game against Superior was postponed, along with the upcoming Tuesday Eveleth contest. Denfeld will now shake the rust off against a red-hot Rapids crew, then hopefully the Golden Bears later in the week.
Next: Tue vs Grand Rapids, Thu vs Eveleth
7. Little Falls (3-0-0) [LW 7]
W 3-2 vs Princeton, W 8-0 vs Morris
The Flyers found themselves in a rather unexpected dogfight Tuesday night, dominating the game in all aspects save for the scoreboard. The offense finally broke out in a big way against Morris/Benson, but this team won't be blowing out many opponents, instead relying on Couture in net and timely scoring. It has worked so far, but is a fine line to walk. I think of them as sort of a poor man's Mahtomedi. Little Falls finally faces one of the fellow 6A contenders in a big matchup with Sartell.
Next: Thu @ Sartell, Sat vs River Lakes
8. Alexandria (3-0-0) [LW 14]
W 3-2 @ Sartell, W 10-4 vs Sauk Rapids
Apparently the demise of the Cardinals was greatly exaggerated. After knocking off upstarts Fergus Falls and Sartell in consecutive contests, Alexandria is sitting in the catbird seat in 6A so far, and leaps way up the rankings. This team has a plethora of sophomore talent, with Tyler Kludt pouring in five goals already, including two against Sartell, and defenseman Pieter Mulder dishing out four assists. The upcoming schedule is pretty light, though the scrap with St. Cloud should be challenging.
Next: Tue @ River Lakes, Thu vs St. Cloud
9. St. Paul Johnson (0-0-0) [LW 9]
Idle
After laying in wait due to school district restrictions, the Governors finally kick off their season this week. Fittingly, they start with old-time rival South St. Paul.
Next: Tue @ SSP, Thu vs SPA
10. Fergus Falls (2-1-0) [LW 20]
W 4-3 (OT) @ Sartell
The Otters shoot up the board this week, partially based on the victory over Sartell, and also due to the complete meltdowns of other ranked teams. Fergus Falls features two fast, skilled forward lines, with some solid seniors mixed in with those youngsters. The defense can be shaky at times, but that may be partly due to the competition. The Otters should feast on the upcoming lighter fare.
Next: Tue @ Breckenridge, Sat vs Wadena
11. Armstrong/Cooper (2-1-0) [LW 11]
L 2-9 @ Maple Grove
Maple Grove boat raced the Wings, jumping out to a 5-0 first period lead and never looking back. An A/C goal with one tick left made the margin only slightly less painful. I'm not sure exactly what to take away from a loss like that, but they at least put up more of a fight than Dodge County. The upcoming schedule is trickier than would have been expected prior to the season, with a potent Osseo offense and a rejuvenated Rogers squad on deck.
Next: Thu vs Osseo, Sat vs Rogers
12. Mound Westonka (2-0-2) [LW 15]
T 1-1 vs LDC, W 7-1 vs Waconia
The White Hawks have been fit to be tied, with another draw against Litchfield before pouncing all over woeful Waconia. While Delano is in free fall mode, that win no longer seems fluky, and the Simley tie also looks better in retrospect. Mound Westonka has a timeshare situation with two senior goalies, and both have played well enough, but Moen has been starting the tougher games and we'll see if he takes over the job as the season progresses. The White Hawks have a trap game at Hutch before an important meeting with a frisky Orono crew.
Next: Tue @ Hutchinson, Fri vs Orono
13. Litchfield/Dassel-Cokato (2-0-1) [LW 19]
T 1-1 @ Mound, W 2-1 @ New Ulm
The Dragons had a nice week, scraping out a tie in a defensive battle with Mound Westonka and securing a second section win. LDC is offensively challenged, but Halonen has been av brick wall between the pipes. They should get the chance to put up some stats against two weaker foes this week ahead of a tough stretch.
Next: Tue vs Waconia, Fri @ Marshall
14. Sartell-St. Stephen (1-3-0) [LW 18]
L 2-3 vs Alexandria, L 4-5 (OT) vs Fergus Falls
The Sabres are the anti-Alexandria in many ways, with sky-high preseason hopes that have yet to materialize, and two critical section losses. Logically they shouldn't be ranked this far below those two teams given how close the games were, but losses are losses, and keeping Sartell this high is largely a reassessment of the strength of 6A. The Sabres are led by superb sophomores Teddy McCabe and Tory Lund, which underscores how youthful they are. Sartell has what amounts to a warmup before getting a crack at the section favorite.
Next: Tue @ Sauk Rapids, Thu vs Little Falls
15. Dodge County (0-1-1) [LW 12]
L 1-12 @ Maple Grove
Maple Grove apparently wasn't satisfied stealing the soul of one Class A team this week, so they invited the Wildcats up to fill an open date. Dodge County probably should've stayed home and watched Netflix; the score could have been even worse had the Crimson not let off the gas early.
The Wildcats will gladly return to regularly scheduled action versus two lower-tier AA teams.
Next: Tue @ Hopkins, Sat @ New Prague
16. Mankato East (2-1-0) [LW 10]
L 2-3 vs Northfield, W 5-2 @ Owatonna
The Cougars stubbed their toes against Northfield and struggled against a mediocre Owatonna team before finally pulling away. The top line has performed as expected, but secondary scoring is a concern. East should beat up on two of the downtrodden Rochester teams, as the Big Nine tour continues.
Next: Thu @ Century, Sat vs Mayo
17. Delano (2-2-0) [LW 8]
W 7-0 @ Waconia, L 1-2 vs Hutchinson
I stated last week that the Tigers were on thin ice, and they decided to fall into the freezing water and nearly right out of the rankings. They may not even deserve this spot if I wasn't still somewhat wedded to my preseason expectations. It looked like Delano had turned a corner following two straight shutouts, but then they laid an egg against Hutch, playing with no sense of urgency until it was too late. This team simply cannot seem to score against decent competition. A loss to Orono Tuesday would already dig them a huge hole in section play.
Next: Tue @ Orono, Thu vs River Lakes
18. Southwest Christian/Richfield (3-0-0) [LW NR]
W 4-2 @ Chanhassen, W 5-2 @ Holy Angels
Wait, who? I was scrambling at this point, and the Stars seem worthy of some recognition. I I haven't seen them play yet and hardly recognize any of the names on the roster, but it is hard to argue with the results so far. Sophomore Caleb Bendell has already nearly equaled his point total from last season, and defenseman Brody Hardacre has the game to match his outstanding name. The schedule is very manageable over the next few weeks, and SWCR could rack up a gaudy record before their tougher stretch run.
Next: Thu vs Holy Angels, Fri vs Hopkins
19. Virginia (2-1-0) [LW NR]
L 0-3 @ Cloquet, W 3-0 vs Eveleth
Let's show Da Range a little love here. A feisty showing against Cloquet and blanking rival (soon partner) Eveleth? I can work with that. The Blue Devils have a bunch of youth and a bunch of Finns on the roster, and the defense and goaltending have been excellent so far. We'll see how that holds up, as Virginia has a quick turnaround on the rematch with Cloquet, this time on home ice, followed by a section contest with a frisky Falls crew.
Next: Tue vs Cloquet, Thu vs Int'l Falls
20. North Branch (3-0-0) [LW NR]
W 8-6 @ St. Francis, W 8-2 vs Becker
The final entrant of our poll newcomers is a team expected to be an also-ran in one of the weaker sections. Instead, despite losing several of their top players from last season, the Vikings have been one of the pleasant surprises of the early going. Their most talented player, Kerchner, has barely contributed, but guys like Lawton Garin and Alex Langevin have stepped up nicely. We'll see if the North Branch rejuvenation is for real when they face off with the Moose.
Next: Thu @ Pine City, Fri vs Monticello
Out: Breck, Monticello, Chisago Lakes
Others Considered: Orono, Simley, Hutchinson, Waseca, Mankato West, Providence Academy
