rainier2 wrote: ↑Wed Apr 08, 2020 11:22 pm
ClassAGuy wrote: ↑Wed Apr 08, 2020 10:47 pm
rainier2 wrote: ↑Wed Apr 08, 2020 10:43 pm
So you know Class A very well going back the past twenty years, at least, and your name is ClassAGuy, yet you don't have a favorite Class A team?
Your story is that you just love Class A hockey and you are just superstoked that loaded big city teams bring more fans to the X?
Hmmmmm....
Yep hard to believe I just liked seeing 4 really good teams play in front of 13,000 people and instead of 7,000 like the old days...
Sorry I know I should be pissed because my town let the program go to crap so badly the best kids left to play for another range team that instead of whining beat the giant and almost won the whole thing!!
GO HIBBING!!!!!!!
Just a few questions for you:
1. Were you at the A tourney this year, ClassAGuy, or did you almost fall off your couch you were so excited by the huge attendance on TV?
2. How does one get so into Class A hockey without having a team to root for?
3. Will your son Joey be coming back for his senior year with the Hawks?
1. Yes I was at the Tourney I love high school hockey I go every year. Again what makes this a great state of hockey you can just like Hockey.
2. I like Class A... There was a time when you had to be on a waiting list to get AA tickets so when I went to St Paul I went to watch CLass A. Watching Pohl and Redwing win it for the South. Watching Warroad play the Villians and everyone shout they should go AA because Marvin Windows Recruits and kids go to Warroad to only play hockey (Sound Familiar), The Lourdes years when they never could get it done, Ben Hanowski and the Little Falls years, The Private school Take over Breck, TG, Breck, Benilde and STA taking over, The Duluth Marshall Run of runner ups, and now Hermantown serving as the new bully or villain. I love Class A because when I went to the first one in 94 everyone said it would just be schools like warroad and Hibbing dropping down to play in the tournament every year. 95 Ifalls made a run and won 98 Eveleth won it the traditional bullies of the old days... Then in the mid 2000's Hibbing showed up after dropping down again and EGF started to make some great runs. Along the way, Hutch, LDC, Albert Lea, WDC, Luverne, Mora, Proctor, Princeton, too name a few all made a run to small school tourney.
Programs have gotten better the quality of the hockey is so much better now. Yes, It was fun to watch Hibbing play Hermantown in classic Class A semifinal where literally Hibbing had one line and Decenzo used coaching magic to keep it fun. But now teams are deeper and are getting better and Hermatnown is the new Warroad of Class A. They push teams to get better. I am not a fan of the Hawks I cheer against them to see them get beat but they are here to stay in Class A and man was that a great Semi this year. The talent level was incredible and yet towns like Alexandria, Delano and Orono have all put together some good runs and last year the Greenway story line was great I know they had Hibbing kids but so what Hibbing did the same in the old days.
3. I am not Joey Pierce's dad hahaha I know I got you scrambling a bit when I brought up the fact you took a goalie from Ely to make your own run-in Class A. I just remember that from the tournament I went to that they gotten a Transfer in and he got hot to help get them to ST Paul in Class A. So for a full year reading you whine about Hermantown having the same thing happen I just got tired of it.
Like I said I am sorry that After Decenzo retired Hibbing made a bad hire and then some unethical things happened and the program is now feeling the pain of that mess. I hear they have good youth teams again I hope they get better and beat the Giant like Greenway did and I think Denfeld will.
Yes Hermantown made 8 Class A Chamionships in a run the last one though showed Class A was getting better... They came in as the bully in 2017 defending champs and had mopped the floor with everyone during the year (Samberg, Sandelin, Jacques, Watkins) a loaded crew and they got pushed to the brink 3 straight games OT to tiny Luverne, had to make up a 4 goal deficit to come back and beat SCC in OT and a double OT thriller vs the Moose. and they haven't won it since!
Class A is getting better the game is strong there are now 5 legitimate Sections that on a given year can produce a champion. We got through the Private school years. All the Teams that Dominated as Privates Moved up (Blake, Duluth Marshall, STA, TG, Benilde) or stayed and died because the talent dried up (Lourdes, Breck and now SCC).
I think things are getting better if Hermantown had won 5 straight or even 3 straight like STA where they came in and dominated the field then ok I get it they are hurting the tourney for Class A.... But they are not they haven't even won it in 3 years and they don't dominate it and have been pushed and beaten.... I am proud of Alexandria, Greenway and Mahtomedi the last three years they could of whined about how unfair it was and done the Rainer Route but they got better and they beat the Gaint they Tourney's have been wonderful of late
2017- Upsets the Magical Moose run and Hermantown barely holding on to repeat
2018- Alex the #4 seed smokes Hermantown in the semis which also featured a Classic between Orono & Mahtomedi ... Orono wins schools 1st Title
2019- The Greenway Run the Cinderella story and the Evil new private power SCC... SCC wins Schools 1st Title
2020- The talent of Tourney was at its highest... Htown vs SCC (I dislike both) but wow what a game and then Mahtomedi a #4 seed wins the whole thing
In the last 4 years, the tournament gets better and better ... Just my opinion I like where it's at... But I get why you want the Tier 1 and Tier 2 system again I am sorry about what Hibbing did to screw up their own program and I get that the anger over that has boiled over to blaming Hermantown for your issues... Just saying when Hibbing was rolling and a Transfer came in that could put them over the top... No one complained then...
Yes, Hermantown was getting to be annoying 8 straight Title games but to me, the Turning point for 2017 when they got pushed by Little Luverne and the New Kids in the Tourney the Moose and everyone in Class A saw they can be beaten and they haven't won it since even with Mr. Hockey...
GO HIBBING!!!!!!!!!