Single A preseason top 10

[elliott70]

Just off the top of my head while laying on the beach in hot old Mexico:

1 Hermantown
2 east Grand Forks
3 warroad
4 Mahtomedi
5 Delano
6 robbinsadale
7 Little falls
8 Denfeld
9 thief river
10 alexandria

[Stang5280]

Don’t do this to me... I am not ready to think about rankings yet!

Also, enjoy your vacation and don’t have too much tequila tonight.

[karl(east)]

Elliott is far more dedicated to ranking work from his beach than I am from mine!

[elliott70]

I have to earn the money Lee is paying me.

[east hockey]

I have to earn the money Lee is paying me.

Yeah, well, you've been missing work!

Lee

[jg2112]

Just off the top of my head while laying on the beach in hot old Mexico:

1 Hermantown
2 east Grand Forks
3 warroad
4 Mahtomedi
5 Delano
6 robbinsadale
7 Little falls
8 Denfeld
9 thief river
10 alexandria

Gentry should probably be 2 or 3 on this list.

[Stang5280]

Here’s my first stab at rankings. I can certainly see tweaking a few things as the season draws closer and we learn more about the rosters.

1. East Grand Forks
2. Hermantown
3. Gentry Academy
4. Warroad
5. Delano
6. Mahtomedi
7. Little Falls
8. Duluth Denfeld
9. St. Paul Johnson
10. Dodge County

Gentry is the wildcard, as I could see them either competing for the state title or struggling to integrate the influx of new talent. The top eight are pretty well set in some order or another, but there is a mishmash of teams vying for the 9 to 15 spots (Monticello, Mankato East, Armstrong/Cooper, etc.). I am lower on Mahtomedi than others are, but I am not sure they can replace the lost scoring from last year.

[WestMetro]

Loren Nelson just had a great series on the top 20 A teams ,nice detailed writeup on each , on his Legacy.Hockey site . Check it out if you haven’t . He gave EGF the edge over Htown .

https://mobile.twitter.com/legacy_hockey?lang=en

[goldy313]

The hard part about rankings is the short season and provincial schedules. This is probably the least confidence I have ever had in rankings.

College football shows this.

FWIW (and if it happens) a Dodge County vs East section final could be the best 1A final since Johnny Pohl’s Red Wing teams.

[Stang5280]

Loren Nelson just had a great series on the top 20 A teams ,nice detailed writeup on each , on his Legacy.Hockey site . Check it out if you haven’t . He gave EGF the edge over Htown .

https://mobile.twitter.com/legacy_hockey?lang=en

Yes, Loren did some very thorough research, particularly regarding returning/lost scoring and goalie minutes. I have definitely found it helpful in making my own assessments, though I’m not trying to be overly swayed by his actual rankings.

[ClassAGuy]

Elliott-

Thanks for starting this thread. Totally disagree with your rankings I feel like the non-inclusion of Gentry and having Alex and TRF in a top 10 is crazy but again I know you like to just start a conversation and have a northern love.

Stang-

Good rankings as always! You are such a good Class A Mind!

WestMetro-
Loren did a wonderful job for sure!

Goldy-
Good points on the rankings being hard but Top 1A Final since Johnny Pohl.... No way... Lourdes of the early 2000's was an actual Title contender #1 in state in class A at times!!... Mankato West vs. New Prague Top 10 Mtch-up in 2014 was great... East vs Dodge County would be a big uptick from recent years but neither team is gonna make a Friday Semi at the show like those other teams did.

My Rankings
1- Hermantown- Pierce, Pionk, Lund along with Super Soph's Plante and Hanson this team is deep and loaded. Should finally win Class A with Coach Andrews.
2- East Grand Forks- Parker and Panzer and Ausmus a nice triplet set to challenge Hawks and should be very good but not number 1 yet.
3- Gentry Academy- Loaded bring Everyone back and have added some pieces this team is gonna be dangerous!
4- Warroad- Will Challenge EGF and have a ton of talent but will need a goalie to replace how great Foster was!
5- Duluth Denfeld- This the best version of the Hunters Stud Goalie, Good Seniors, and an elite Junior Pair of Twins. Will Challenge Hawks!
6- Mahtomedi- Will be Tough with Dardis but have a good chunk of Scoring to replace and everything went right last year at the right time they will be good but not sure they even return to State in a very tough 4A.
7- Delano- Return a great crew and had a solid JV last year will be the early favorite in very deep Tough Section 2A.
8- Little Falls- Return everyone to a very good crew look to be early favorites in Section 6A.
9- Armstrong/Cooper- This team should be getting more hype look to be very good in Section 2A/
10- Monticello- Return a great core and will run away with a very down Section 5A!
11- St Paul Johnson- Return a great crew and this Govs bunch will be very tough in 4A
12- Mankato East- Should be a good squad as the Fab 5 of Seniors lead a veteran Cougars Group.
13- Dodge County- Brody Lamb is terrific .... Does have enough pieces around him though...
14- Sartell- Bring Back loads of talent from last year and were very competitive down the Stretch last winter.
15- Fergus Falls- Really Like this bunch return everyone and should be very tough in 6A.

Others: Breck, Tartan, LDC, Alexandria, TRF, Orono

[goldy313]

Just to clarify..... Lourdes did have some really good teams but their opponent in the 1A finals wasn’t, generally, a top 25 team. Maybe New Prague once. Also Lourdes was not in 1A for a few years, they were moved to a section with STA.

Even in their best years Lourdes was no Red Wing.

I don’t think any 1A final has ever had two top 15 class A teams. Red Wing beat Lourdes one year but I don’t think that was one of Lourdes better teams.

Given the provincial nature of this year’s schedule, the best team Dodge County and East play all season may be each other. Edit DC seems to have Cathedral.

[ClassAGuy]

Just to clarify..... Lourdes did have some really good teams but their opponent in the 1A finals wasn’t, generally, a top 25 team. Maybe New Prague once. Also Lourdes was not in 1A for a few years, they were moved to a section with STA.

Even in their best years Lourdes was no Red Wing.

I don’t think any 1A final has ever had two top 15 class A teams. Red Wing beat Lourdes one year but I don’t think that was one of Lourdes better teams.

Given the provincial nature of this year’s schedule, the best team Dodge County and East play all season may be each other. Edit DC seems to have Cathedral.

Goldy-

What on Earth are talking about??

Lourdes always came out of Section 1A when they were good they never came out of 3A.

This was the changing the guard when all the Top Bantams in Rochester when to Lourdes instead of Public High School to make a super team.
In 2000 Section 1A Champ they were young but good enough as all Sophomores to make State
In 2001 Section 1A Champ They took 2nd State in Class A
In 2002 Section 1A Champ They were the #1 Team in Class A all year before getting upset in State
in 2003 Section 1A Champ They took 4th in State

I would Contend those early 2000 Lourdes Team were just as good as Red Wing Class A was way tougher in the early 2000's then late 90's due to all the Private Powers in Class A.

Lets go a Step further you wanted a Match up in Section 1A that was better again in 2014 Class 1A had TWO TOP TEN TEAMS. #1 seed New Prague (18-4-3) vs #2 Seed Mankato West (23-2) were both ranked in the Top 10 in the final class A poll that year. New Prague won a great hockey game 3-2 ended up being seeded 3rd at State and took 3rd Place. Both those teams were FAR better than the Mankato East vs Dodge County Version is year.

Heck even the Red Wing vs Northfield Double OT classic was great in 2017 and that Northfield Team went to State and upset Mahtomedi. I would say that was better than this years version.

I get that the last few years have been brutal in 1A but I think you way off to say the best 1A final since 90's Red Wing... Even Albert Lea had some nice squads in 2004 and 2005 years.

And finally Dodge County does play Little Falls a top 10 class A squad this winter which is a nice uptick for them but Cathedral looks to be bad so that game wont really help them much.

[elliott70]

Now that I am home, with access to, well, everything, I will put more thought into this. Just to appease classless A guy.
And to keep challenging Stang (although he really does not need my help).

High school hockey (hopefully) is just 11 days away.

Go Jacks (Bemidji that is)!
Go Broncos!
And the other couple of dozen or more teams I cheer for.



J/K class A guy.