7AA 2019-2020

[kniven]

Interesting nite off the ice. I had a tremendous number of youth hockey kiddos and several fans/parents. They were all thanking me. Thanking me for my discussion and opinion that CEC needs to opt down to single A. It appears I have awakened a large segment of the CEC base. I won’t stop until we move down across the board. See you soon 7A

[northwoods oldtimer]

Interesting nite off the ice. I had a tremendous number of youth hockey kiddos and several fans/parents. They were all thanking me. Thanking me for my discussion and opinion that CEC needs to opt down to single A. It appears I have awakened a large segment of the CEC base. I won’t stop until we move down across the board. See you soon 7A

Enough with that loser talk nonsense!

[Edinahopkins]

It well do more harm to the program then good going single A, all the old rivalries are gone sure you might win more regular season games the first two or three years but you’re odds of going to state are the same with Hermantown in single A and when or if they ever move up the damage is done to you’re program and then you’re equal to all the range schools.

[norcon]

Rapids is definitely locked in as we roll into sections. Playing lights out defense. Haven't allowed more than 2 goals in over a month. Clafton GAA below 1.70. Cloquet was getting pretty frustrated late in the game, couldn't buy a goal so laid a cheap cross check against Young in the closing minute. Fortunately that was it for shenanigans.

What’s so interesting with this good defensive play is that you have three sophomores playing regular shifts on D and how responsible they are. Peart a junior and Young a sophomore might be the best defensive pairing in the state.

[MWS coach]

Rapids is definitely locked in as we roll into sections. Playing lights out defense. Haven't allowed more than 2 goals in over a month. Clafton GAA below 1.70. Cloquet was getting pretty frustrated late in the game, couldn't buy a goal so laid a cheap cross check against Young in the closing minute. Fortunately that was it for shenanigans.

What’s so interesting with this good defensive play is that you have three sophomores playing regular shifts on D and how responsible they are. Peart a junior and Young a sophomore might be the best defensive pairing in the state.

Definitely a very good D pair, but I would also consider Kaiser/Wolfe and Middlestadt/Langenbrunner in the same conversation....

[grindiangrad-80]

Interesting nite off the ice. I had a tremendous number of youth hockey kiddos and several fans/parents. They were all thanking me. Thanking me for my discussion and opinion that CEC needs to opt down to single A. It appears I have awakened a large segment of the CEC base. I won’t stop until we move down across the board. See you soon 7A

A may well be the right move for Cloquet. I don’t have a clue. I do know that being in Single A most years would get you in some brutal section games that would be, at best, difficult to win. Again, it may be the right move. But I know if Rapids moved to A they would end up watching the tournament on TV a lot more often than most probably realize. I think that goes for most teams actually.

[LetsPlayHockey22]

Interesting nite off the ice. I had a tremendous number of youth hockey kiddos and several fans/parents. They were all thanking me. Thanking me for my discussion and opinion that CEC needs to opt down to single A. It appears I have awakened a large segment of the CEC base. I won’t stop until we move down across the board. See you soon 7A

If CEC were to move down, it would provide another team to root for in 7A to make it past Hermantown to get to St. Paul, but not sure they should. A quick look at minnhock shows that they've had winning seasons in 14 of the last 20, including the last 3, and have made at least the section semifinals 16 times in those 20 seasons. Although, they haven't made the section final/tourney since 2008, I think as long as they are competitive as they have been, belong in AA. I could be wrong, but I don't think I'm in the minority in believing a team should only move down if they can no longer be competitive at the level they are currently. CEC is plenty competitive at AA.

[elliott70]

"a team should only move down"

Semantics but they would not be moving down but rather elect to stay down as they are single A size and elect to participate in AA.

Which I believe is the right place for Cloquet.

[kniven]

"a team should only move down"

Semantics but they would not be moving down but rather elect to stay down as they are single A size and elect to participate in AA.

Which I believe is the right place for Cloquet.

Be the best were we belong, or the best were we don’t belong. Kids don’t want to come play here. Heck, we have a hard time consistently keeping our own through 12th grade. We lose a lot against your traditional top 20 AA squads and top A squads. 20-64 in AA and 10-64 in A we win more than we lose, most years. We’re a nice A program. What’s wrong with that.

[northwoods oldtimer]

"a team should only move down"

Semantics but they would not be moving down but rather elect to stay down as they are single A size and elect to participate in AA.

Which I believe is the right place for Cloquet.

Be the best were we belong, or the best were we don’t belong. Kids don’t want to come play here. Heck, we have a hard time consistently keeping our own through 12th grade. We lose a lot against your traditional top 20 AA squads and top A squads. 20-64 in AA and 10-64 in A we win more than we lose, most years. We’re a nice A program. What’s wrong with that.

Hogwash!! Cloquet is a better AA team. Life is not about trophy chasing! Cloquet will get back to 'X' repping AA. Enough with the nonsense drama

[northwoods oldtimer]

Rapids is definitely locked in as we roll into sections. Playing lights out defense. Haven't allowed more than 2 goals in over a month. Clafton GAA below 1.70. Cloquet was getting pretty frustrated late in the game, couldn't buy a goal so laid a cheap cross check against Young in the closing minute. Fortunately that was it for shenanigans.

What’s so interesting with this good defensive play is that you have three sophomores playing regular shifts on D and how responsible they are. Peart a junior and Young a sophomore might be the best defensive pairing in the state.

Definitely a very good D pair, but I would also consider Kaiser/Wolfe and Middlestadt/Langenbrunner in the same conversation....

agreed and I'd put the Rapids pair at #3 which is good company.

[SpOilerfan]

Interesting nite off the ice. I had a tremendous number of youth hockey kiddos and several fans/parents. They were all thanking me. Thanking me for my discussion and opinion that CEC needs to opt down to single A. It appears I have awakened a large segment of the CEC base. I won’t stop until we move down across the board. See you soon 7A

While I have no doubt your intentions are good looking at Cloquet past from 1981 to 2008 a span of about 28 years Cloquet was in a section final or state tournament 14 of those years. That's pretty good for a smaller AA proud program. While they have stumbled for many reasons from talent up and downs (like many programs) or talent leaving for many reasons doubt going to A solves any problems. And with Karson Kuhlman to the NHL recently I believe that is 6 players that wore the high school sweater with the Lumberjack on it that have played in the National Hockey League. I still believe there is a lot of pride in that program that many in the hockey world hold in high esteem for many reasons. Best to your team in the playoffs!

[northwoods oldtimer]

Interesting nite off the ice. I had a tremendous number of youth hockey kiddos and several fans/parents. They were all thanking me. Thanking me for my discussion and opinion that CEC needs to opt down to single A. It appears I have awakened a large segment of the CEC base. I won’t stop until we move down across the board. See you soon 7A

While I have no doubt your intentions are good looking at Cloquet past from 1981 to 2008 a span of about 28 years Cloquet was in a section final or state tournament 14 of those years. That's pretty good for a smaller AA proud program. While they have stumbled for many reasons from talent up and downs (like many programs) or talent leaving for many reasons doubt going to A solves any problems. And with Karson Kuhlman to the NHL recently I believe that is 6 players that wore the high school sweater with the Lumberjack on it that have played in the National Hockey League. I still believe there is a lot of pride in that program that many in the hockey world hold in high esteem for many reasons. Best to your team in the playoffs!

[grindiangrad-80]

Interesting nite off the ice. I had a tremendous number of youth hockey kiddos and several fans/parents. They were all thanking me. Thanking me for my discussion and opinion that CEC needs to opt down to single A. It appears I have awakened a large segment of the CEC base. I won’t stop until we move down across the board. See you soon 7A

While I have no doubt your intentions are good looking at Cloquet past from 1981 to 2008 a span of about 28 years Cloquet was in a section final or state tournament 14 of those years. That's pretty good for a smaller AA proud program. While they have stumbled for many reasons from talent up and downs (like many programs) or talent leaving for many reasons doubt going to A solves any problems. And with Karson Kuhlman to the NHL recently I believe that is 6 players that wore the high school sweater with the Lumberjack on it that have played in the National Hockey League. I still believe there is a lot of pride in that program that many in the hockey world hold in high esteem for many reasons. Best to your team in the playoffs!

That is a very good post.

Getting to state is hard. Always has been- always will. Kniven- moving to A might end being ok. Or, you could be instrumental in making hockey families stay in AA. Probably end up being way more rewarding.

[Upfan111]

Very good post Spoiler! Kniven seems to talk out of both sides of his mouth; one moment hes all for AA and working hard then it goes to single A.
Change your location back to Hermantown like you had it.

[north_bear]

If Cloquet can't attract or retain good players moving to single A will not help that cause one bit. If good kids wanna trophy chase on a single A team in the area they'll go to hermantown.

And come on, if they quit opting up then the 7AA thread will miss out on all this awesome banter with kniven!

[kniven]

You people are all morons. I was just at the girls single A championship game vs. P/H. It was the most amazing experience of my life in sports. Nobody cared it was single A. Not the kids, coaches, or fans.

Double AA this and double AA that. It’s a bunch of squat. I don’t care what you AA worshipers think. Oh my gosh golly.

[MNHockeyFan]

You people are all morons. I was just at the girls single A championship game vs. P/H. It was the most amazing experience of my life in sports. Nobody cared it was single A. Not the kids, coaches, or fans.

Double AA this and double AA that. It’s a bunch of squat. I don’t care what you AA worshipers think. Oh my gosh golly.

Congrats to the C-E-C girls on winning their 7A section final and advancing to State! They were the No. 1 seed and had a relative easy path until meeting, and beating, the No. 2 seed, Proctor/Hermantown, in the section final. There is no question that on the girls side, Class A is where C-E-C belongs, if for no other reason they would have little, if any, chance against powerhouses Forest Lake and (especially) Andover in Section 7AA.

In boys - from what I understand - I believe pretty much the same situation applies, if the decision rests, at least in part, on having a realistic opportunity to win the section and have a chance to represent the section at the State Tournament. I don't follow the boys as closely as most here, but from my vantage point I'm not seeing a solid case why they should continue to "opt up". Just too many teams in the section that, year after year, are going to be just plain better than the purple, mainly driven by numbers and economics. Maybe someday that will change, but for the time being it looks to me that C-E-C is the "perfect epitome" of what a competitive Class A team should be.

[Wise Old Man]

Can someone with better knowledge clarify something for me? I see Duluth East finished with a regular season record of 10-12-2. Is that the first sub-.500 regular season record ever in the program's history or, the first in a very long time?

[east hockey]

Can someone with better knowledge clarify something for me? I see Duluth East finished with a regular season record of 10-12-2. Is that the first sub-.500 regular season record ever in the program's history or, the first in a very long time?

First one since 1952-53.

Lee

[grindiangrad-80]

Can someone with better knowledge clarify something for me? I see Duluth East finished with a regular season record of 10-12-2. Is that the first sub-.500 regular season record ever in the program's history or, the first in a very long time?

First one since 1952-53.

Lee

That’s an impressive run. Does any other team in the state have anything close to that?

[grindiangrad-80]

Hill Murray maybe?

[goldy313]

Hill Murray has only been in the high school league since 1974, they have never has a losing season I can recall. Two years ago they ended up 13-13-2, even that took two losses at the state tournament to bring the Pioneers down to .500, I think I remember some discussion about that team possibly being the first to ever have a losing season.

[Jeffy95]

You people are all morons. I was just at the girls single A championship game vs. P/H. It was the most amazing experience of my life in sports. Nobody cared it was single A. Not the kids, coaches, or fans.

Double AA this and double AA that. It’s a bunch of squat. I don’t care what you AA worshipers think. Oh my gosh golly.

Congrats to the C-E-C girls on winning their 7A section final and advancing to State! They were the No. 1 seed and had a relative easy path until meeting, and beating, the No. 2 seed, Proctor/Hermantown, in the section final. There is no question that on the girls side, Class A is where C-E-C belongs, if for no other reason they would have little, if any, chance against powerhouses Forest Lake and (especially) Andover in Section 7AA.

In boys - from what I understand - I believe pretty much the same situation applies, if the decision rests, at least in part, on having a realistic opportunity to win the section and have a chance to represent the section at the State Tournament. I don't follow the boys as closely as most here, but from my vantage point I'm not seeing a solid case why they should continue to "opt up". Just too many teams in the section that, year after year, are going to be just plain better than the purple, mainly driven by numbers and economics. Maybe someday that will change, but for the time being it looks to me that C-E-C is the "perfect epitome" of what a competitive Class A team should be.

Cloquet has no realistic chance of winning 7A for at least the next six years. After that six years, even if you catch Hermantown with a relatively down group, they will just bring in enough talent to make sure it never happens. We saw it with the current Juniors and Seniors. That was always Hermantown's weakest group in Youth Hockey and gave area teams some hope for this year in High School. So they just went to work and added enough top players to get them right back to a top 5 AA team, (according to PageStat).

Cloquet would be better off competing at a higher level with all of their traditional rivals. Their program is well respected and has produced a lot of great players over the years and has a great tradition. Why give all of that up for an outside shot at 2nd place in 7A?

[bardown27]

Hill Murray has only been in the high school league since 1974, they have never has a losing season I can recall. Two years ago they ended up 13-13-2, even that took two losses at the state tournament to bring the Pioneers down to .500, I think I remember some discussion about that team possibly being the first to ever have a losing season.

2000-2001 season they finished 12-14-1