3A 2020-21 Season

[Stang5280]

The final Class A section that has yet to be previewed, and what tends to the weakest section looks to be even more down than usual.

Hutchinson romped through the section tournament last year, but suffered huge graduation losses. Marshall’s talented goalie is gone. New Ulm looks to be the most complete team on paper, but graduated their all-time leading scorer. LDC took some lumps during the regular season, but brings in a strong group from Bantams. Luverne’s days as a section title contender appear to be over.

[Corn Cobb]

3A Scores - 1/16/21

Minnesota River 7 Redwood Valley 4
Litchfield/Dassel-Cokato 6 Willmar 1
SW Christian/Richfield 6 New Ulm 2
Windom 5 Luverne 2
Waseca 7 Marshall 3

[goldy313]

Waseca falls into the someone else category, I guess. After day 4 I will take them.

[Corn Cobb]

Waseca falls into the someone else category, I guess. After day 4 I will take them.

Waseca isn't part of Section 3A.

[goldy313]

I should know that, playing in the conference that they do throws me off.

[Corn Cobb]

3A Scores - 1/18/21

Waseca 5 Marshall 1
Willmar 6 Windom 1

[Kinda_Normal_Tendy]

Waseca falls into the someone else category, I guess. After day 4 I will take them.

Curious where you think Waseca falls in 1A if you would take them as the favorite in 3A. Do you view them as a 3 seed in 1A or do you view 1A as that much better than 3A this year? Personally I think as the season goes on the lopsided victories Waseca had over Marshall won't look as good when other teams start filling the score sheet against them also. The would be sophomore goaltender for Marshall who chose to play in Sioux Falls was a major blow to their chances of being competitive with the top three teams this year. With both Marshall and Luverne being down this year compared to years past I would say that if Waseca was in 3A they would have a good chance at the 4 or 5. They'd be a tough team to seed as they don't play Litch, Hutch, or Willmar, but their conference games against Luverne, Windom, and Worthington will give us a decent idea as to where they would've ended up.

Also, hockey hub only has 10 skaters listed on Luverne's roster with one listed as F/G as well as their returning goalie in Shearer. Can anyone confirm their numbers? I know this age group struggled through the youth levels but I don't remember them having this low of numbers. If they do truly only have 10 skaters I hope they are able to stay healthy and do not have to play with any less than that at anytime this year.

[Corn Cobb]

3A Scores - 1/19/21

Redwood Valley 5 Minnesota River 2
Litchfield/Dassel-Cokato 1 Mound/Westonka 1 OT
New Prague 2 Hutchinson 1
Worthington 7 Fairmont 4

[Corn Cobb]

3A Scores - 1/21/21

Waseca 12 Fairmont 4
Litchfield/Dassel-Cokato 2 New Ulm 1
Minnesota River 9 Marshall 3

[Corn Cobb]

3A Scores - 1/22/21

Luverne 8 Redwood Valley 5
Hutchinson 2 Delano 1
Windom 4 Worthington 3 (OT)

[Stang5280]

3A Scores - 1/22/21

Luverne 8 Redwood Valley 5
Hutchinson 2 Delano 1
Worthington 4 Windom 3 (OT)

I caught the third period of the Delano game after seeing the score was tied after two. I have no idea what to think of them - there’s some talent there but they can’t score to save their lives at this point. Good job by Hutch to pull out the win, though.

[goldy313]

Worthington is 2-0. Has that ever happened? The Trojans are an improving program, nice to see.

I have no idea where Waseca will fall in 1A. Both Dodge County and East have some top end players but neither are deep. West will be in the mix as well. The Big Nine, along with most conferences, are playing a pretty provincial schedule. I do not know how you seed.....if we get to that point. Much like football, hockey should have gone to a “district” type of schedule this year in my opinion. As sections were pretty much a guaranteed event where as a state tournament isn’t.

[east hockey]

Worthington is 2-0. Has that ever happened? The Trojans are an improving program, nice to see.

I have no idea where Waseca will fall in 1A. Both Dodge County and East have some top end players but neither are deep. West will be in the mix as well. The Big Nine, along with most conferences, are playing a pretty provincial schedule. I do not know how you seed.....if we get to that point. Much like football, hockey should have gone to a “district” type of schedule this year in my opinion. As sections were pretty much a guaranteed event where as a state tournament isn’t.

Curiosity (and far too much free time on my hands) made me look.

Only once did they start 2-0, in 1999-2000. They've never started 3-0.

Lee

[TrojanHockeyFan]

Hockey hub has the score wrong - unfortunately for Worthington, Windom scored two goals in the last five minutes of the third period to send the game into OT and then won it 4-3 with a goal about five minutes later. Tough loss - but definitely a more competitive team than some years. Worthington suffers from the same problems that have recently plagued them - inexperienced third line that doesn’t play much and very inconsistent defense. They have an excellent senior goalie and two decent lines which will allow them to hang around but the late game problems due to exhaustion setting in are inevitable.

[goldy313]

Why burst our bubble? I get it.....truth over lies... but still...

Go Trojans!

FWIW with the condensed schedule conditioning is going to be a huge factor. Lose a game to get conditioning in may happen.

[Corn Cobb]

3A Score - 1/25/21

Windom 3 Worthington 1

[Corn Cobb]

3A Scores - 1/26/21

Hutchinson 4 Mound Westonka 3 (OT)
New Ulm 9 Marshall 1
Redwood Valley 7 Luverne 2
Waseca 9 Fairmont 1
Litchfield/Dassel-Cokato 6 Waconia 5 (OT)

[TrojanHockeyFan]

Why burst our bubble? I get it.....truth over lies... but still...

Go Trojans!

FWIW with the condensed schedule conditioning is going to be a huge factor. Lose a game to get conditioning in may happen.

I get it, Goldy, we do live in a post-truth world it seems...appreciate your support and encouragement for the long-suffering Trojans. I was briefly thinking the same thing that Lee wrote... I remember that last 2-0 start, shortly after their high school program started - a long time ago....

What’s going on with Luverne and Marshall? They have been on the receiving end of beat-downs like the Trojans too often have suffered. On the other hand, New Ulm and Waseca look pretty good on paper in the Big South. Relatively speaking, of course, this isn’t the Lake Conference we’re talking about.

[Corn Cobb]

3A Scores - 1/28/21

Little Falls 6 Willmar 0
New Ulm 15 Fairmont 0

[Corn Cobb]

3A Scores - 1/29/21

Hutchinson 9 Waconia 3
Litchfield/Dassel-Cokato 7 Marshall 2
Minnesota River 3 Luverne 2
Waseca 6 Windom 3
Redwood Valley 3 Worthington 2

[goldy313]

I like that the Big South Conference puts their games on Friday nights. Kind of like football, it puts the spotlight on the kids and their games.

When is the last time 4 games into the season Fairmont and Marshall were tied?

In 1A East and West are kind of separating from the pack but Waseca continues to chug along. Provincial schedules make seeding tougher than usual.

Is New Ulm the only team that gets Hutch and LDC on their schedule?

[Corn Cobb]

Hutchinson and LDC both play New Ulm, Marshall, and Willmar. LDC also has a game scheduled against Redwood Valley.

Regarding Waseca, they are probably about a 4-6 seed in Section 1A.

[goldy313]

I think if Waseca ends up with 2 losses or less they could get a 2 or 3 seed. Largely based off how Minnesota River showed a good Big South team is a real danger in 1A and I think Minnesota River was seeded fairly, not punished for not being in the Big Nine. I do think they will fall in the range you suggested though. I think East is a clear favorite with a whole bunch of teams fighting for the order of the next 5-6 seeds.

[Corn Cobb]

I think if Waseca ends up with 2 losses or less they could get a 2 or 3 seed. Largely based off how Minnesota River showed a good Big South team is a real danger in 1A and I think Minnesota River was seeded fairly, not punished for not being in the Big Nine. I do think they will fall in the range you suggested though. I think East is a clear favorite with a whole bunch of teams fighting for the order of the next 5-6 seeds.

I'd be curious which good Big South team that you're referring to in regards to Minnesota River. Minnesota River's three wins against the Big South were against Luverne, Marshall, and Redwood Valley, all of which are going to be seeded in the lower half of Section 3A in addition to finishing in the lower half of the Big South. The Big South Conference is even weaker than normal this year as compared to previous years.

In Section 1A, I see Dodge County and the two Mankato schools in the top three. Seeds 4-6 will likely go to Albert Lea, Waseca, and Faribault.

[goldy313]

I’m sorry, I wasn’t clear in that I was referring the past couple of years with Minnesota River, not this year. They did get a #2 seed I believe in the past.

Dodge County has, probably, the best player in Lamb.....but they are not as deep as last year I think. They do play the Rochester schools and will be seeded based on those results, not the Maple Grove game. They can’t lose to Century and get a top 3 seed.

You are dead on that Waseca will fall in the West, Albert Lea, Faribault, Dodge County, and maybe Lourdes range.