AA Rankings for 2/28/21

[karl(east)]

With just two weeks and some spare parts left in the regular season, it feels like we’re finally hitting our stride. A second round of games has led to some tightening in the Lake and South Suburban Conferences, while the cream remains on top in the Northwest Suburban. Elsewhere, we may be separating some contenders from pretenders. With the 2-games-a-week limit disappearing, we’ll also see plenty of hockey in this final rush to the end. Whether that is of any help in rankings is going to be a different story.

1. Maple Grove (13-0)
-The Crimson keep doing what they need to do, taking apart teams that (we think, anyway) are pretty respectable. They now get one last game against a ranked opponent, and the one that probably tested them more than anyone so far, if we can really even call it that.
This week: Thurs at #7 Andover, Sat at Elk River

2. Eden Prairie (12-1)
-The Eagles took care of a quality Class A opponent in Mahtomedi, which keeps them plugging along, and South’s tie removed any doubt that they belong here. Jackson Blake’s status is once again a source of intrigue following an injury, but this team is good enough to roll along in spite of all of that. It’s back to tougher opponents this week, with the St. Thomas game being of particular interest as we see how they hold up against that offense.
This week: Fri at #X Minnetonka, Sat vs. #9 St. Thomas Academy

3. Grand Rapids (9-1)
-It took a dramatic comeback, but the Thunderhawks slipped by Warroad and edged up a spot in the rankings. This feels a little high, but they beat the team immediately below them, so here they go. The week ahead is a busy one of northern rivals, including a chance to avenge the lone blemish on their record.
This week: Tues at Duluth East, Thurs vs. Hermantown, Sat vs. Cloquet

4. Hill-Murray (11-2)
-A convincing 5-0 performance against Benilde keeps the Pioneers plugging on up the rankings, and a Tourney match-up of their rock-solid discipline against the high-flying offenses of Maple Grove or Eden Prairie would be must-watch hockey. On paper they should clean up this week, though I’m curious to see how well Hastings can stick around.
This week: Tues at Henry Sibley, Thurs vs. South St. Paul, Sat vs. Hastings

5. Lakeville South (11-0-1)
-While still undefeated, the Cougars showed some vulnerabilities this past week when they tied rival North and needed overtime to beat Rosemount. Things are tightening, it seems, as teams settle in and are no longer blown away by their pace. They should be able to get back into their rhythm before a big final test against Prior Lake.
This week: Thurs vs. Apple Valley, Sat vs. Farmington

6. Prior Lake (12-1-1)
-Beat Burnsville to keep the beat going. They put both their opponents this coming week into running time the first time around, so I don’t think these games will tell us much. At least they have that final test with Lakeville South before all is said and done.
This week: Thurs at Eastview, Sat at Shakopee

7. Andover (12-1)
-Like their neighbors in the rankings here, the Huskies are performing convincingly against weaker conference competition. How much does it actually mean? It may take another month to find out. It’s hard not to like the convincing margins, though, and they get a shot at number one this week.
This week: Tues at Spring Lake Park, Sat vs. #1 Maple Grove

8. Cretin-Derham Hall (12-1)
-The Raiders seem to be firing on all cylinders of late, to the extent that we can judge such things against this schedule: they hung 12 goals on a Woodbury team that has given other conference opponents a test, and got some revenge by ripping over Stillwater by six. With Benilde on the decline, their odds at the top seed in 6AA are improving by the day. To the extent that there is an interesting week for them in the Suburban East, it’s this coming one, in which they play two of the better teams in it.
This week: Thurs at Forest Lake, Sat at White Bear Lake

9. St. Thomas Academy (9-1-3)
-The Cadets restored some order by blitzing weaker competition. The Benilde meeting is an interesting collision of two teams trying to find some direction, while Eden Prairie will, obviously, be a huge test.
This week: Tues vs. #14 Benilde-St. Margaret’s, Sat at #2 Eden Prairie

10. Edina (7-6-1)
-The Hornets we’ve been waiting for all season buzzed back into the picture this past week, as they threw some weight around and had the offense burst to life against Benilde and Wayzata. I’m not ready to call them an elite team yet—Benilde, clearly, has its issues, and they got outshot by a good margin by Wayzata—but with few other teams in this area making moves, it gets them back into the top ten for now. They can really shore up this spot, to say nothing of the 6AA seeding implications, if they can win the rubber match with the Trojans.
This week: Thurs at #11 Wayzata, Sat vs. St. Michael-Albertville

11. Wayzata (7-5-1)
-Not a great week for the Trojans, who tied and then lost to conference rivals they’d previously beaten, but I’m trying not to overreact to losses inside a very competitive conference when most of their competition in these rankings is playing much easier schedules. The Edina rematch will help show if this lull is going to be a trend or merely the sort of bump that comes along with a Lake schedule.
This week: Thurs vs. #10 Edina, Sat at Buffalo

12. Rosemount (8-3-1)
-Despite the loss, I liked what I saw out of the scrappy Irish in their game against Lakeville South. If they can bring the same intensity in sections, they have a fighting chance in 3AA. They get a whole lot of Eagan this week, and in general should just be able to beef up some stats.
This week: Mon vs. Eagan, Thurs vs. Farmington, Sat at Eagan

13. Minnetonka (8-4-1)
-I was ready to bump the Skippers upward after their tie with Wayzata, but a loss to St. Michael-Albertville is something of a mood-killer. It’s their only bad result so far and they do have the two Edina wins, but those are the sorts of games they need to win to contend for the top ten. A busy week includes a chance to contain Eden Prairie somewhat better than they did the first time around.
This week: Tues at Chaska, Fri vs. #2 Eden Prairie, Sat vs. Moorhead

14. Benilde-St. Margaret’s (11-3)
-Even this almost feels generous after the Red Knights were humbled by Edina and Hill. As good as the record is, their best win is over St. Louis Park, and they’ve been exposed pretty glaringly in their losses to good teams. We’ll see if they can show anything more against St. Thomas.
This week: Tues at #10 St. Thomas Academy

15. Centennial (8-3-1)
-Once again failed to muster much against the juggernaut Crimson, which I’m not sure deserves severe punishment but also doesn’t do much to inspire certainty in their ranking status, either. All three of their games this week will be vital for positioning within the section and in this realm of the rankings.
This week: Mon vs. Blaine, Thurs vs. Totino-Grace, Sat at Blaine

The Next Ten

Holy Family (8-3-1)
-Did the expected thing against two weaker conference opponents. This week will likely feature more of that before a potentially interesting contest with St. Louis Park.

Roseau (9-4)
-There’s some benefit of the doubt here, but after a win over East Grand Forks in the rematch, the Rams seem to be moving in the right direction. The stakes only get higher this week, as they look to avenge the Moorhead loss now that they have a full lineup.

Totino-Grace (5-4-1)
-The Eagles did not have much fun against Andover and Maple Grove. They’ve got Champlin twice this week, plus a big section seeding battle with Centennial.

White Bear Lake (11-2-1)
-There is nothing pretty about a 0-0 tie with Forest Lake, but their unbeaten streak is at nine now. This is going to be moment of truth week for the Bears, who face a Woodbury team they beat by one earlier, suddenly floundering Stillwater in a chance to avenge an earlier loss and claim a 2-seed, and conference frontrunner Cretin.

Rogers (9-4)
-The Royals are the rare team at this point in the season that we can rank behind everyone they’ve lost to and ahead of everyone they’ve beaten. They’re done with the AA powers in the Northwest Suburban and should roll this coming week.

Moorhead (6-6-1)
-Nothing too world-changing for the Spuds, as they pasted Duluth East but couldn’t muster much against Grand Rapids. This is who they are this season, but who they are might be good enough in 8AA in 2021. We’ll learn a lot more amid another busy week that includes East Grand Forks, Roseau, and Minnetonka.

Hastings (9-4)
-The Raiders played their first game against a quality opponent in over a month and played decently, but came up short. That doesn’t change a whole lot here. They turn right around and play the Zephyrs again this week, plus get a date with Hill.

Blaine (9-4)
-Got a decent win over Champlin to continue their recent strong streak. The easy part is over now, though, as their final five games are all challenges. This week that means a double dose of Centennial, plus a rematch with an Elk River team that ran them out of the building in the first meeting.

Stillwater (9-3-1)
-A lopsided loss to Cretin does not help the Ponies’ cause. Beating White Bear for a second time this week, on the other hand, probably could.

Blake (6-5-1)
-The Bears beat two teams they should have beaten to stay afloat on the back end here. Chaska highlights a three-game week.

[Zamman]

I am by no means a fan of Edina, but I say this almost every year. Never count them out, they are showing once again why they are a strong program.

[Sparlimb]

I am by no means a fan of Edina, but I say this almost every year. Never count them out, they are showing once again why they are a strong program.

I think they've definitely shown they can be dangerous and beat good teams. A win over EP is nothing to sneeze at. That said, it seems likely they'll face two good teams in the semis and finals of sections and 3 good teams at state (if they make it that far) and I don't have a lot of confidence they can put a streak like that together. But they are getting better at the right time of the season, so we'll see.

[East Side Pioneer Guy]

Very nice work as always, Karl. I wouldn't have minded a section run down too, but it will have to wait for next week in this very odd pandemic season.

[Sparlimb]

Very nice work as always, Karl. I wouldn't have minded a section run down too, but it will have to wait for next week in this very odd pandemic season.

And if you could add a breakdown of each team's JV and Bantam squads, that would be appreciated too.

[East Side Pioneer Guy]

Very nice work as always, Karl. I wouldn't have minded a section run down too, but it will have to wait for next week in this very odd pandemic season.

And if you could add a breakdown of each team's JV and Bantam squads, that would be appreciated too.

Yeah, he can skip the concession stand report for this season.

[karl(east)]

Very nice work as always, Karl. I wouldn't have minded a section run down too, but it will have to wait for next week in this very odd pandemic season.

And if you could add a breakdown of each team's JV and Bantam squads, that would be appreciated too.

Yeah, he can skip the concession stand report for this season.

The concession stand report is pretty easy this season. Everyone's tied at zero!

Full section rundown coming next week--believe it or not, just two more editions of these rankings before playoffs start. What a weird season.