AA Rankings for 12/29/24

[karl(east)]

The holiday tourney chaos is over, though I’m not sure how much wiser we are. We have a new number one, but otherwise the top tier seemed to solidify itself, and there was shockingly little movement in spots 7-16 or so. Here’s what I’ve got:

1. Moorhead (11-1)
-The Spuds marched through Prior Lake in convincing fashion, toppling Edina for a second time, flattening Eden Prairie, and eclipsing previously unbeaten St. Thomas. They’ve won 11 straight since a season-opening loss against Wayzata, with six of those wins coming against top 15 teams, which is a more impressive collection of wins than Hill has. They are also just straight-up fun to watch, attacking with flair against everyone they face. Can they stay up here? Well, we get a rematch of one of this past weekend’s tough games this coming Saturday.
This week: Thurs vs. Buffalo, Sat vs. #3 St. Thomas Academy

2. Hill-Murray (9-0-1)
-The Pioneers waltzed past Prior Lake and Lakeville North to open holiday tourney play, but they let a win slip out of their fingers against Eden Prairie. Between Moorhead rolling past the Eagles the previous day and a somewhat thinner résumé, they hold steady at number two instead of jumping into the gap left by St. Thomas’s loss. We’ll get a clearer answer when they play St. Thomas next week, but first they have to deal with a Minnetonka team that has pestered a few of the better teams out there.
This week: Sat vs. #15 Minnetonka

3. St. Thomas Academy (10-1)
-The Cadets are unbeaten no more after Moorhead finally found a way to slow them down. The win over Edina showed they could handle the grind against a Lake Conference team in classic form, so there’s still a lot to like, and they were also a bit shorthanded throughout the week, but a loss is a loss and the Spuds did appear the superior team, at least this past Saturday. They get a chance to flip the script right away, though, with a road trip north.
This week: Fri at East Grand Forks, Sat at #1 Moorhead

4. Edina (8-3)
-The Hornets took a couple of lumps in Prior Lake, but they were competitive showings against top three teams, and they bounced back to outlast Cretin on Saturday. They already seem to be building toward their classic playoff form, potentially sacrificing results now to get toward playing the way they want to play in late February. A couple of fringe contenders are up next, which counts as a reprieve on their schedule.
This week: Thurs vs. Holy Family, Sat vs. Lakeville South

5. Rogers (11-1-1)
-The Royals had an impressive weekend in Wayzata, scratching past Minnetonka before smoking the hosts in the finale. That Rock Ridge tie still gives me some pause from moving them any higher, but they are putting some pressure on the top four, and they have a pretty easy month of January, so they may get their chance to sneak on up if any of the top four falter.
This week: Idle

6. Cretin-Derham Hall (8-2-1)
-The Raiders won close ones with Eden Prairie and Prior Lake before succumbing to Edina; they feel like they aren’t quite firing on all cylinders yet, and are a half step behind the top five, though they certainly have the talent to hang here. They go back to conference play this week, which shouldn’t trouble them.
This week: Thurs at East Ridge, Sat at Roseville

7. Stillwater (8-1)
-As is often the case, doing nothing during the week of holiday tournaments is a net plus in the rankings, as the Ponies edge up following Andover’s singlehanded demolition of the two teams immediately above them a week ago. They face one of their top section and conference rivals this week in a game that will provide some intel on where they stack up: are they right there with Hill, or closer to White Bear in the chase pack?
This week: Tues vs. #13 White Bear Lake, Sat at Forest Lake

8. Rosemount (12-1)
-The loss to Andover sets off some alarm bells for the Irish, but the Huskies were certainly better than their record and were bound to get one eventually; with no one behind them making any real moves, I don’t see any reason to dop them further. They head back into South Suburban play this week, facing two of the better teams in the conference whom they should nonetheless handle.
This week: Tues vs. Lakeville South, Thurs vs. Prior Lake

9. Holy Angels (9-2)
-Cut and paste the Rosemount write-up: the Stars’ schedule leaves some questions, but the body of work is strong enough to keep them above the Lake Conference soup behind them for now. On paper they should roll until their meeting with Wayzata in three weeks.
This week: Thurs vs. Eastview, Sat vs. St. Louis Park

10. Eden Prairie (6-5-1)
-What looked like a tough holiday tourney swung dramatically in the third period against Hill, as the Eagles stormed back to secure a tie. This feels like a bit weird for a team that hasn’t won in their past five games, but that tie is a nice little achievement, and they’ve got the win over Wayzata.
This week: Sat vs. Hermantown

11. Wayzata (8-4-1)
-Trojans had a very Wayzata start to their holiday tournament with grinding wins over Lakeville South and Minnetonka, but they couldn’t keep pace with the Rogers assault in the finale. As with so many teams this week, that just seems to hold the line, with the rankings falling easily enough given their head-to-head results. They host a visitor from the north this week in a game that could liven up this flat part of the rankings.
This week: Sat vs. #13 Grand Rapids

12. White Bear Lake (7-2-1)
-The Bears collected a nice win in taking down Hermantown this past week. They remain a relative unknown here with no real AA wins of substance, though they do have the Wayzata tie. A major battle with Stillwater looms.
This week: Tues at #7 Stillwater

13. Grand Rapids (7-3)
-No games this past week means the Thunderhawks hold steady. This week they have a rival they’ve already handled and an aspirational battle for top ten positioning.
This week: Thurs at Duluth East, Sat at #11 Wayzata

14. Benilde-St. Margaret’s (7-3)
-The Red Knights were one of the risers in Holiday Tourney play with three wins against teams that are all now in the 16-20 range. Are they just a little better than that clump, or are they starting to build something here? We’ll find out eventually…but not this week.
This week: Idle

15. Minnetonka (6-5-1)
-The Skippers fought well against Wayzata and Rogers, but could come away with a W, and then thumped Lakeville South. With four one-goal losses to top eleven teams, this group doesn’t feel like it’s too far off from pulling off a big a win, and they could be a nasty team in sections or draw in the first round at State. Close losses only go so far in the rankings, though. It doesn’t get any easier this week, with Hill up next.
This week: Sat at #2 Hill-Murray

The Next Ten

Shakopee (8-4-1)
-A four-goal loss to Benilde drops the Sabers from the top 15, and this is happening often enough that you start to wonder if this is just who they are. They responded with respectable wins over Champlin and Andover, though. Farmington is their only action this coming week.

Bemidji (9-2-1)
-The Lumberjacks marched past the two St. Cloud teams before tying a Monticello group that is looking more and more like a serious contender in Class A. They look to continue the run against St. Michael-Albertville, which is quietly playing its way into contention for a top four seed in 8AA.

Holy Family (6-4)
-A two-win showing is a respectable result for the Fire, as they got a quality win over Maple Grove and only lost to Benilde; there suddenly isn’t very much of a rankings gap between them and the top of 2AA. Edina and Delano make up their week ahead.

Maple Grove (6-6)
-The Crimson did not have a great Holiday Tourney, falling to a couple of Catholic schools on the west side and beating only Chanhassen. They’ve got two high quality wins over Wayzata and Grand Rapids, so that should serve as a notice to Rogers, but the overall body of work is not top 15 quality. They resume Northwest Suburban life with a visit to Totino.

Rock Ridge (8-3)
-Got a respectable Class A win over Delano but scraped out a one-goal win over Buffalo, which underscores the paradox this team has been; they remain one of the hardest to rank. Hermantown headlines their week ahead, and is a decent measuring stick given all the Hawks’ competition with good AA teams.

Park of Cottage Grove (7-3)
-I was all ready to start singing this team’s praises, and then they went and lost to Duluth Denfeld. The competition hasn’t been world class, but there is a win over Holy Family in there, I’m not going to whack them too hard yet; Roseville this week will be telling as they prep for a big week next week against SEC frontrunners.

Lakeville South (4-6)
-Sliding backward after a not particularly competitive showing in Wayzata. They pack in a three-game week this week, including further nastiness against Rosemount and Edina; after that, the vicious schedule starts to settle down a bit.

Champlin Park (5-6)
-Were competitive enough against a very tough holiday tourney draw that I’m not ready to dump them quite yet. Elk River is their only game this week.

Roseville (6-4)
-The Raiders are sticking around in here after wins over Blaine and Spring Lake Park/Coon Rapids. They can continue to build their top 25 case against Park this week, but Cretin after that will be a much taller order.

St. Louis Park (6-4)
-Not an exciting pick for this final spot, but the Orioles are doing reasonably well and I can’t quite pull the trigger on Andover or some other team with a bad record against tough competition (or a good one against poor competition) quite yet. We’ll see if they can do anything with Holy Angels this week.

Here’s a look through the sections:

1AA
22 Lakeville South
Lakeville North
Rochester Century/John Marshall
New Prague
-What is there to say here? South is clearly the class of the section and North has a solid stake on the 2-seed in spite of the bad loss to South. After that, Century/John Marshall, Owatonna, New Prague, and Farmington are trapped in an interlocking circle of wins and losses; the ordering here is an attempt to go by overall body of work, with Owatonna then landing at the 5-seed.

2AA
10 Eden Prairie
15 Minnetonka
18 Holy Family
16 Shakopee
-Eden Prairie has the slightly better collection of wins, but no one is taking command at all here. The two EP-Tonka Lake games loom, while Shakopee, which has played all its games against the other top four teams, may need help to be anything more than a 4-seed after that killer loss to Holy Family. The Fire have a much easier schedule than the others the rest of the way, so weighing them accurately could prove challenging.

3AA
3 St. Thomas Academy
6 Cretin-Derham Hall
7 Rosemount
21 Park of Cottage Grove
-This order is solidifying a bit, with St. Thomas claiming the key win over Cretin and Rosemount’s loss to Andover blunting any immediate case for a top two seed. Park is somewhat interesting but has already lost to Rosemount, so doing much more than a 4-seed unless they can shock Cretin in one of their two SEC meetings appears unlikely. A Park-St. Thomas semifinal would have a little added juice, though.

4AA
3 Hill-Murray
7 Stillwater
12 White Bear Lake
Gentry Academy
24 Roseville
-This ordering is easy enough right now, with Gentry edging Roseville for the 4-seed based on a November win. The first Stillwater-White Bear game will tell us more, with a date between Hill and Stillwater in the wings on January 25.

5AA
5 Rogers
19 Maple Grove
23 Champlin Park
Blaine
-The top three are pretty steady here, and it would take a lot to dislodge them. I’m sticking Blaine next in line due to the better record, though Spring Lake Park/Coon Rapids has a 4-seed argument as well after getting that win over Champlin.

6AA
4 Edina
9 Holy Angels
11 Wayzata
14 Benilde-St. Margaret’s
Blake
25 St. Louis Park
-Not much has changed since we last checked in here, and not much is likely to change in the next two weeks, either. The remaining section games of note, including the Edina-Wayzata scraps and Holy Angels’ games with Wayzata and Benilde, come after that. Even though they cracked the top 25, St. Louis Park is in 6-seed position right now with a loss to Blake, which has also been respectable.

7AA
13 Grand Rapids
20 Rock Ridge
Duluth Marshall
Andover
-This section got a little more interesting over the past few weeks. Rock Ridge tied Rogers, which shows they have some upward potential, and Duluth Marshall’s tie with Hermantown and win over Gentry has the Hilltoppers showing some potential, though they also lost to Blake this past week. And then there is Andover, with an awful record but the talent to win the thing. I’m putting them on the 4-seed line right now, but that’s still more on reputation than anything; seed it today and improving Denfeld, which beat East which beat Andover, probably lands up in that neighborhood...though Denfeld has lost to Cambridge, so maybe not. This is all a lot of words to say it is still a gross mess.

8AA
1 Moorhead
17 Bemidji
Roseau
St. Michael-Albertville
-With four wins over section opponents over the past three weeks, Bemidji is shoring up the 2-seed here, while Roseau is 3-0-1 in its section games against anyone other than the top two. STMA has had a respectable start here, and we’ll learn a lot about them soon with games against Bemidji, Roseau, and Elk River in the next two weeks.

See you all in 2025!

[Brodziak Fan Club]

Great job as always, Karl! If it were up to me St. Thomas would be #2 and Hill #3. I think the Cadets had the better weekend in Prior Lake and have a better overall resume.

[SEC Scotty]

Great job as always, Karl! If it were up to me St. Thomas would be #2 and Hill #3. I think the Cadets had the better weekend in Prior Lake and have a better overall resume.

Great job Karl!
I agree flip flop 2 and 3.
Also 10 and 12. At 6-5-1 Eden Prairie shouldn't be in the top ten despite tying over rated Hill Murray

[ryguyMN]

I agree with Brodz. STA’s body of work thus far feels more impressive than Hill’s.

[Cookster]

Favorite part of Sunday Morning in the winter

1. Walk the dog
2. Read AA rankings.

I went back and looked at last years top 10 at this time. Only 2 remain from LY -- Edina (of course) and Rosemount. I am looking forward to January where the games and rankings should be competitive, and the fact that it is unlikely we will have a 2AA vs. 6AA final (we could, but there are a lot of other teams this year).

[raidergrad72]

Favorite part of Sunday Morning in the winter

1. Walk the dog
2. Read AA rankings.

I went back and looked at last years top 10 at this time. Only 2 remain from LY -- Edina (of course) and Rosemount. I am looking forward to January where the games and rankings should be competitive, and the fact that it is unlikely we will have a 2AA vs. 6AA final (we could, but there are a lot of other teams this year).

I don't have a dog.
I had Rosemount moving up until that clunker against Andover. But Andover could be better than their record indicates. A team to watch.

[headsupsticksdown]

Hill has played a pretty light schedule, so no way should they be higher than STA. I’d even put the Hornets higher at this point.

[Sparlimb]

East-Side Rankings for 12/29/2024

1. Moorhead (11-1)
2. Hill-Murray (9-0-1)
3. Saint Thomas Academy (10-1)
4. Edina (8-3)
5. Stillwater (8-1)
6. Cretin-Derham Hall (8-2-1)
7. Rogers (11-1-1)
8. Rosemount (12-1)
9. White Bear Lake (7-2-1)
10. Wayzata (8-4-1)
11. Holy Angels (9-2)
12. Benilde-St. Margaret (7-3)
13. Eden Prairie (6-5-1)
14. Shakopee (8-4-1)
15. Grand Rapids (7-3)
16. Minnetonka (6-5-1)
17. Bemidji (9-2-1)
18. Holy Family (6-4)
19. Roseville (7-4)
20. Rock Ridge (8-3-1)

Also Receiving Votes: Blaine (6-3), Park of Cottage Grove (7-3), Roseau (7-5-1), Maple Grove (6-6), Andover (2-1

[slacsap]

Agree that St. Thomas' resume is currently stronger than Hill's. That will even out in the next month or so when Hill plays Tonka, Grand Rapids, Benilde, Stillwater, Rogers, Moorhead and Edina twice plus the fact that Hill and STA play each other twice. It would be a surprise if both teams are not at the X in March, although both have challenges in sections.

[East Side Pioneer Guy]

East-Side Rankings for 12/29/2024

1. Moorhead (11-1)
2. Hill-Murray (9-0-1)
3. Saint Thomas Academy (10-1)
4. Edina (8-3)
5. Stillwater (8-1)
6. Cretin-Derham Hall (8-2-1)
7. Rogers (11-1-1)
8. Rosemount (12-1)
9. White Bear Lake (7-2-1)
10. Wayzata (8-4-1)
11. Holy Angels (9-2)
12. Benilde-St. Margaret (7-3)
13. Eden Prairie (6-5-1)
14. Shakopee (8-4-1)
15. Grand Rapids (7-3)
16. Minnetonka (6-5-1)
17. Bemidji (9-2-1)
18. Holy Family (6-4)
19. Roseville (7-4)
20. Rock Ridge (8-3-1)

Also Receiving Votes: Blaine (6-3), Park of Cottage Grove (7-3), Roseau (7-5-1), Maple Grove (6-6), Andover (2-1

The "also receiving votes" is somehow both ridiculous and charming at the same time.

In high school, one guy had a weekly hockey poll. And believe me it was every bit as anticipated as Karl's is.

When you got your hands on it, you covered it with another sheet, to reveal the picks starting with #1. One week, I was watched closely by others who had already seen it. I got to about #8, then went to 9, but there was a tie. Not unprecedented.

Then I pulled the sheet down to reveal #10, and Lordy Jesus if there wasn't a three way tie!!! In mock outrage I completely rejected this on principle. And believe me they knew I would do exactly that. This was completely unprecedented.

A couple years later after high school (yes I did graduate), there was the then standard AP poll that had a three way tie. Lucky for me no one noticed it that week or I'd have had to eat some crow.

He always went to about #12, then would fill it out to #15 humorous entries, based on events from the previous week.

[ryguyMN]

I can take Hill being at number 2 over STA than Tony's idea that EP should be #8. Even as an EP bobo, that's preposterous!

[stateofhawkey]

White Bear Lake beating Stillwater on Tuesday was huge for the Bears. But, I noticed the Ponies are still playing without Cal Conway in net. Maybe it would've been a different game with him in there, but, does anyone know why he still isn't playing? Will he be back at all this season? I think their chances in 4AA take a huge hit if he's out for the rest of the year.

[bardown27]

He has an hearing to appeal his ineligibility sometime in January, don't specifically know when.

[BlueLineSpecial]

He has an hearing to appeal his ineligibility sometime in January, don't specifically know when.

Laughable for both sides. For the MSHSL, you're basically taking half the kid's season away if he gets reinstated. Why not allow an appeal hearing to take place much closer to the original "he's ineligible" decision? For the player, what are you miraculously going to prove at this hearing that will change their original decision? Did he moved some of his nick nacks to grandma's house in Stillwater between then and now? Maybe ruffle the bed sheets a little to try and prove he's been living there?

[Sparlimb]

He has an hearing to appeal his ineligibility sometime in January, don't specifically know when.

Laughable for both sides. For the MSHSL, you're basically taking half the kid's season away if he gets reinstated. Why not allow an appeal hearing to take place much closer to the original "he's ineligible" decision? For the player, what are you miraculously going to prove at this hearing that will change their original decision? Did he moved some of his nick nacks to grandma's house in Stillwater between then and now? Maybe ruffle the bed sheets a little to try and prove he's been living there?

I believe he truly drives through the town to get to the high school. Well, maybe Oak Park Heights, but close...

[East Side Pioneer Guy]

He has an hearing to appeal his ineligibility sometime in January, don't specifically know when.

Laughable for both sides. For the MSHSL, you're basically taking half the kid's season away if he gets reinstated. Why not allow an appeal hearing to take place much closer to the original "he's ineligible" decision? For the player, what are you miraculously going to prove at this hearing that will change their original decision? Did he moved some of his nick nacks to grandma's house in Stillwater between then and now? Maybe ruffle the bed sheets a little to try and prove he's been living there?

I believe he truly drives through the town to get to the high school. Well, maybe Oak Park Heights, but close...

Now this is starting to make sense. Have ever noticed on the that when someone becomes famous, he or she is claimed as a Minnesotan if they so much as stopped for gas here?* So the kid pulls out a couple of receipts from the Subway in the strip mall on Hwy 36 and BAM "He's played with these guys since he was a squirt!"

*We are so damn desperate for affirmation, we honor people who couldn't wait to leave and never looked back, like Charlie Schulz and F Scott Fitzgerald.

[Sparlimb]

Laughable for both sides. For the MSHSL, you're basically taking half the kid's season away if he gets reinstated. Why not allow an appeal hearing to take place much closer to the original "he's ineligible" decision? For the player, what are you miraculously going to prove at this hearing that will change their original decision? Did he moved some of his nick nacks to grandma's house in Stillwater between then and now? Maybe ruffle the bed sheets a little to try and prove he's been living there?

I believe he truly drives through the town to get to the high school. Well, maybe Oak Park Heights, but close...

Now this is starting to make sense. Have ever noticed on the that when someone becomes famous, he or she is claimed as a Minnesotan if they so much as stopped for gas here?* So the kid pulls out a couple of receipts from the Subway in the strip mall on Hwy 36 and BAM "He's played with these guys since he was a squirt!"

*We are so damn desperate for affirmation, we honor people who couldn't wait to leave and never looked back, like Charlie Schulz and F Scott Fitzgerald.

Reminds me of a guy I worked with who lived in Hudson and told me he always hoped HM would win in hockey since he knew nothing about MN high schools and they were my school. Then one year the girls won state with about 6 girls from Hudson. I told him that and he changed his tune. Hehe. So no, we're not complaining about kids moving schools, just making fun of it.

[SEC Scotty]

Laughable for both sides. For the MSHSL, you're basically taking half the kid's season away if he gets reinstated. Why not allow an appeal hearing to take place much closer to the original "he's ineligible" decision? For the player, what are you miraculously going to prove at this hearing that will change their original decision? Did he moved some of his nick nacks to grandma's house in Stillwater between then and now? Maybe ruffle the bed sheets a little to try and prove he's been living there?

I believe he truly drives through the town to get to the high school. Well, maybe Oak Park Heights, but close...

Now this is starting to make sense. Have ever noticed on the that when someone becomes famous, he or she is claimed as a Minnesotan if they so much as stopped for gas here?* So the kid pulls out a couple of receipts from the Subway in the strip mall on Hwy 36 and BAM "He's played with these guys since he was a squirt!"

*We are so damn desperate for affirmation, we honor people who couldn't wait to leave and never looked back, like Charlie Schulz and F Scott Fitzgerald.

Most people leave this state because of the high taxes.

[ryguyMN]

I believe he truly drives through the town to get to the high school. Well, maybe Oak Park Heights, but close...

Now this is starting to make sense. Have ever noticed on the that when someone becomes famous, he or she is claimed as a Minnesotan if they so much as stopped for gas here?* So the kid pulls out a couple of receipts from the Subway in the strip mall on Hwy 36 and BAM "He's played with these guys since he was a squirt!"

*We are so damn desperate for affirmation, we honor people who couldn't wait to leave and never looked back, like Charlie Schulz and F Scott Fitzgerald.

Most people leave this state because of the high taxes.

Or the politics, but that's a discussion for another forum.

[Sparlimb]

I believe he truly drives through the town to get to the high school. Well, maybe Oak Park Heights, but close...

Now this is starting to make sense. Have ever noticed on the that when someone becomes famous, he or she is claimed as a Minnesotan if they so much as stopped for gas here?* So the kid pulls out a couple of receipts from the Subway in the strip mall on Hwy 36 and BAM "He's played with these guys since he was a squirt!"

*We are so damn desperate for affirmation, we honor people who couldn't wait to leave and never looked back, like Charlie Schulz and F Scott Fitzgerald.

Most people leave this state because of the high taxes.

But then my wife talked me into California...

[SEC Scotty]

Now this is starting to make sense. Have ever noticed on the that when someone becomes famous, he or she is claimed as a Minnesotan if they so much as stopped for gas here?* So the kid pulls out a couple of receipts from the Subway in the strip mall on Hwy 36 and BAM "He's played with these guys since he was a squirt!"

*We are so damn desperate for affirmation, we honor people who couldn't wait to leave and never looked back, like Charlie Schulz and F Scott Fitzgerald.

Most people leave this state because of the high taxes.

But then my wife talked me into California...

Out of the frying pan, into the fire.