Well with the High School Hockey Season has started and while not all teams got rolling over the Holiday Break some did and the rest will this week! Below is the Week #1 Ranking for Class A.
Class A Ranking Week #1 (11/28/21)
1. Hermantown (7A) (0-0-0)
Past Week Results: Idle
Upcoming Schedule: 12/3 @ BSM, 12/4 @ Hill Murray
The Hawks took the opening weekend off but they will get their season off to a great start this coming weekend taking on Traditional Private Powers BSM and HM. We will find out alot about Hawks early here. Will they start their new Duluth East Transfer in the nets? Will we see the Plante Brothers paired up? How will this great version of the Hawks stack up to the past groups? Right now they are at the top of the Class A mountain as always the question is will this group be the first under Coach Andrews to actually fulfill the preseason expectations and win his first Class A title?
2. Warroad (8A) (2-0-0)
Past Week Results: W 3-1 St. Cloud Cathedral, W 4-3 Mounds View
Upcoming Schedule: 12/4 @ Bemidji
The Warriors got off to a slow start at home this past weekend vs. St Cloud Cathedral who led the game for almost 2 full periods and it wasn't until late in the third the Warriors were able to put them away. The next day vs. Mounds View had trouble again before winning 4-3 but the game was tight throughout. Gardner was a big piece in both game helping the Warriors put away both teams. This week they just have one game on the schedule as they visit 8AA Bemidji.
3. Mahtomedi (4A) (2-0-0)
Past Week Results: W 6-0 #15 Monticello, W 6-1 Orono
Upcoming Schedule: 11/30 @ CDH, 12/3 vs. EGF
The Zephyrs got off to a great start this weekend as they went 2-0 in the Class A Turkey Premiere at TRIA. Mahtomedi found some scoring with Drage leading the way as they posted 6 goals in both games which is more than enough for their backbone 4-year Starter Dardis in the net. This week will be a giantaic test as they visit AA favorite Cretin Durham Hall and they then host the Greenwave of East Grand Forks who sits just below them in the rankings.
4. Delano (2A) (2-0-0)
Past Week Results: W 4-1 TRF, W 4-2 #5 EGF
Upcoming Schedule: 12/4 @ Buffalo
Delano got their season off to a great start against Thief River Falls. They jumped out early behind 2 goals from newcomer Anders Peterson and locked the game down after that to win 4-1 over a solid prowlers team. They then completed the Northern Sweep with a huge upset over East Grand Forks, the hat trick effort from Will Brown was what the Tigers needed and they are off and rolling this season. This week just one game vs rival 8AA Buffalo. Delano looks to be for real in a very deep Section 2A.
5. East Grand Forks (8A) (0-1-0)
Past Week Results: L 2-4 #4 Delano
Upcoming Schedule: 11/30 @ Detroit Lakes, 12/3 @ Mahtomedi, 12/4 @ St. Cloud Cathedral
The Greenwave lost a tough one in their home opener to a very good Delano squad. I will drop them now to 5 because I still see them as a top 5 team that is going to be very good. Tough start though considering the Greenwave were fresh and at home taking on Delano who played the day before. Big week for EGF this week as they can rebound quickly with a very big matchup with team ahead of them in #3 Mahtomedi looming.
6. Fergus Falls (6A) (1-0-0)
Past Week Results: W 4-2 Detroit Lakes
Upcoming Schedule: 11/30 vs #10 Northern Lakes, 12/4 vs. Willmar
The Otters got off to a good start to their season defeating traditional rival Detroit Lakes to open their season. This week brings some 6A flavor as they face the two newcomers. First will be a definite game of interest as they host up and coming Northern Lakes and they finish the week hosting Willmar. Be a good opportunity for the Otters to establish they are the Section 6A Favorite.
7. Little Falls (5A) (2-0-0)
Past Week Results: W 6-5 OT Orono, W 5-4 #15 Monticello
Upcoming Schedule: 11/30 @ St. Cloud Cathedral, 12/2 vs Princeton, 12/4 vs. Becker/Big Lake
The Flyers got off to a great start vs. Orono jumped out early and rallied late to win in OT. They followed that up with a big Section 5A win over top contender Monticello. Talk about top line production the Flyers Top Line of (H. Johnson, Oothoudt & Filippi) accounted for 10 of their 11 goals this weekend! This week the flyers face a big test as they head to what looks to be a solid 5A St Cloud Cathedral followed by more 5A competition to start building their path to a top overall seed.
8. Duluth Denfeld (7A) (1-1-0)
Past Week Results: W 7-6 Woodbury, L 1-6 Champlin Park
Upcoming Schedule: 12/3 @ Gentry Academy, 12/4 @ East Ridge
The Hunters made the first of two separate weekend trips to the metro to open their season. They took AA Woodbury to open the year and displayed what preseason thoughts we had as they scored seven showing the offensive firepower we thought but gave up six exposing the weakness on the Blueline and in the net. The next night they took on AA Champlin Park and could not get anything going. The Rebels jumped in front early on in the 1st and cruised to a win from there. More tough tests await this week as they visit the former Class A Champion Gentry on Friday followed up with AA East Ridge on Saturday.
9. Alexandria (6A) (0-0-0)
Past Week Results: Idle
Upcoming Schedule: 11/30 @ Sartell, 12/2 @ River Lakes
Alexandria was idle over the Thanksgiving Break. They will open their season with two CLC Conference foes as they open at 8AA Sartell before hosting 5A River Lakes. This will be two good matchups to see how improved the Cards are this season with all the veterans returning to their lineup. This week should be a good first indicator if Alex is back to a top 10 Class A team that we have been accustomed to seeing over the past decade before last season.
10. Northern Lakes (6A) (0-0-0)
Past Week Results: Idle
Upcoming Schedule: 11/30 @ #5 Fergus Falls
The Lightning were idle this past weekend and they only have one game next week. However, no game is bigger for the State Tournament entrant last year. They hit the road and go toe to toe with the favorite in their new Section 6A against the Otters. We will find out a lot about where this program is at as they try to replicate the success they had last winter.
11. Rock Ridge (7A) (0-0-0)
Past Week Results: Idle
Upcoming Schedule: 11/30 @ Greenway, 12/3 @ Hibbing
Well we will have to wait a little bit longer to get our first look at Rock Ridge. They will open their season against 2 other traditional northern powers and it will give a good chance to see if they are a top 3 team in 7A and how much ahead of Hibbing specifically they are at this point. How quickly can they mesh and how will this squad look as they get rolling for the program’s first game this week!
12. Southwest Christian (2A) (1-0-0)
Past Week Results: W 3-1 Anoka
Upcoming Schedule: 12/2 @ Providence Academy, 12/4 @ LDC
Southwest Chrisitian got their season going with a good win over AA Anoka this past weekend. This week presents a great early match up vs fellow upcoming 2A private Providence Academy and they follow that up with a trip to a veteran LDC team who is looking to make its mark in 2A. Two very important games early for SWC to assert themselves as a top tier team in a very deep and tough Section 2A.
13. Breck (2A) (0-0-0)
Past Week Results: Idle
Upcoming Schedule: 12/2 vs. Orono, 12/4 @ Winona Cotter
I will go with idle Mustangs here. While I have my doubts they do appear to have gotten back to being a consistent Top 15 program in Class A after years of being elite. This version will be led by their back end and defenseman Carter Theissen and goalie Jack Thomson, both of whom played in the elite league this fall. The Mustangs will get a good 2A test off the bat with Orono who is coming off a rough weekend. That game should give us a better idea of this year’s version of Breck.
14. Northfield (1A) (0-0-0)
Past Week Results: Idle
Upcoming Schedule: 11/30 @Farmington, 12/3 vs. TRF, 12/4 vs Faribault
Again being idle here helps Northfield this week. I have seen this team ranked in some top 10’s and other low teens. I do think they are the favorites in 1A and will get their season going with AA Farmington. The big test will be vs TRF who is coming off a rough opening weekend. They will finish up in the big 9 with 1A Faribault. Next week should give us a better gauge on the Raiders.
15. Monticello (5A) (0-2-0)
Past Week Results: L 0-6 #3 Mahtomedi, L 4-5 #7 Little Falls
Upcoming Schedule: 12/2 vs. LDC
The Moose had a tough opening weekend as they outshot Mahtomedi but got some shaky goaltending in the opening frame and dug a 0-3 deficit they were not going to be able to overcome vs. Ben Dardis. The next day they dropped a very important Section 5A Matchup to Little Falls. I am going to leave them in the Top 15 for now as they did lose to quality teams but a big test this week as they face a tough LDC team in their home opener.
Other Notable Team in Class A:
Mound Westonka (2A) (1-0-0)
Past Week Results: W 6-5 OT Providence Academy
Upcoming Schedule: 11/30 @ Mankato East, 12/4 vs. Armstrong-Cooper
Led by Doshen and Krebsbach the Whitehawks pulled out a big 2A win on the road over Providence Academy. Just another quality team to add to the list of teams in Section 2A. A few good tests this week on Tuesday as they head to Section 3A Favorite Mankato East before finishing with AA Armstong/Cooper.
Chisago Lakes (4A) (1-0-0)
Past Week Results: W 9-3 Coon Rapids
Upcoming Schedule: 12/2 @ Sauk Rapids, 12/4 @ Osseo
Led by Seniors Ryan Schmidt and Nick Helland the Wildcats got off to a roaring start this season. They lit up the scoreboard this past weekend and will continue to do so this year. The move to Section 4A hurts them but they are a team to keep an eye on in class in the notable section for now. Two more winnable games next week.
Simley (4A) (1-1-0)
Past Week Results: W 10-0 Minnehaha Academy, L 3-5 Park Cottage Grove
Upcoming Schedule: 11/30 @ SPA, 12/2 vs Red Wing
Up and down opening Thanksgiving tournament for Simley. They came out hot against Minneaha and took control of the game early and never looked back. Against Park they were slow out of the gate and could never never really claw back into. They have a nice core and are another team of interest in 4A. Two very winnable games this week for the Spartans.
St Cloud Cathedral (5A) (1-1-0)
Past Week Results: L 1-3 #2 Warroad, W 3-2 TRF
Upcoming Schedule: 11/30 vs. #7 Little Falls, 12/4 vs. #5 EGF
The Crusaders appear to have rebounded after a rough year last year. They played Warroad tight and then came back strong with a nice win over TRF the next day. Huge 5A Matchup this week as they host #7 Little Falls on Tuesday followed by a visit from #5 East Grand Forks.
Minneapolis (2A) (0-1-0)
Past Week Results: L 2-4 Hastings
Upcoming Schedule: 11/30 vs Armstrong/Cooper, 12/2 @ Hopkins, 12/4 @ Burnsville
Opened the year by being beat soundly by AA Hastings. Not a bad loss but wasn't a very impressive opener however this will be yet another 2A club to watch. They have a busy week this week playing three more AA teams.
Providence Academy (2A) (0-1-0)
Past Week Results: L 5-6 OT Mound Westonka
Upcoming Schedule: 12/2 vs #12 SWC, 12/4 @ Prairie Centre
Lots of hype for this group but a tough opener while they can score they will need to play much better defense to contend in a very tough Section 2A. Big Matchup vs SWC this week to get back on track.
Orono (2A) (0-2-0)
Past Week Results: L 5-6 OT #7 Little Falls, L 1-6 #3 Mahtomedi
Upcoming Schedule: 11/30 @ Jefferson, 12/2 vs. #13 Breck
Tough weekend for the Spartans going 0-2 vs. Two Top Ten teams. Will need to find scoring outside of Walker also need to sure up the back end giving up 6 goals a piece in the opening weekend is not a good sign moving forward. Big game vs Breck this week.
Dropped out of the rankings- Mankato East & TRF
Overall it was a good opening week. I will be back later to add my Class A Week #2 Games of the week lots of good Section Matchups this coming week and a few Top 10 Matchups.
A Rankings for 11/28/21
Moderators: Mitch Hawker, east hockey, karl(east)
A Rankings for 11/28/21
Last edited by ClassAGuy on Wed Dec 01, 2021 2:09 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Re: A Rankings for 11/28/21
Below are the Section Standings for the first week at least just did it by alphabetical order. Will update as the year goes on with actual Standings nice to see the new Sections.
Class A Section by Section Outlook-
Section 1A (11 Teams)
Team- (Overall Record)
Albert Lea- (0-0-0)
Austin- (0-0-0)
Faribault- (0-1-0)
La Crescent-(0-0-0)
New Prague-(0-0-0)
Northfield (14)- (0-0-0)
Red Wing- (1-1-0)
Rochester Lourdes- (0-1-0)
Waseca- (0-1-0)
Winona- (0-0-0)
Winona Cotter- (0-1-0)
Section 1A Outlook- This should be Northfields to win. New Prague plays with the big boys all year and will be a challenge for 1A teams. Lourdes brings back a nice crew and Waseca has super star scorer Kyle Aschlager to lead them.
Section 2A (11 Teams)
Team- (Overall Record)
Bloomington Kennedy- (0-0-0)
Breck (13)- (0-0-0)
Delano (4)- (2-0-0)
Hutchinson- (0-0-0)
Litchfield/Dassel-Cokato- (0-0-0)
Minneapolis (20)- (0-1-0)
Mound Westonka (16)- (1-0-0)
Orono (22)- (0-2-0)
Providence Academy (21)- (0-1-0)
Southwest Christian (12)- (1-0-0)
Waconia- (1-1-0)
Section 2A Outlook- Very deep Section the deepest in Class A by far. Will take Delano’s track record here but any of the top 6 to 7 teams can win this section, be a great section playoff and seeds will be important.
Section 3A (10 Teams)-
Team- (Overall Record)
Fairmont- (0-0-0)
Luverne- (0-0-0)
Mankato East- (0-2-0)
Mankato West- (0-0-0)
Marshall- (1-0-0)
Minnesota River- (1-0-0)
New Ulm- (0-0-0)
Redwood Valley- (1-0-0)
Windom- (0-0-0)
Worthington- (0-0-0)
Section 3A Outlook- Mankato East is my pick but Watch out for New Ulm or Mankato West to challenge. My sleeper is Windom. They return EVERYONE and had a great run last year. It was fun to see a small town program but again a Semi’s appearance would be great for them.
Section 4A (8 teams)
Team- (Overall Record)
Chisago Lakes (17)- (1-0-0)
Mahtomedi (3)- (2-0-0)
Simley (18)- (1-1-0)
South St. Paul- (0-0-0)
St. Paul Academy- (0-0-0)
St. Paul Highland Park- (2-0-0)
St. Paul Johnson- (0-0-0)
Two Rivers- (1-1-0)
Section 4A Outlook- Zephyrs will dominate this section and I really don't see anyone else that will challenge them. Simley or South St Paul bring back experience. Chisago Lakes moving from 5A hurt them and they could have contended there.
Section 5A (10 teams)
Team- (Overall Record)
Becker/Big Lake- (0-0-0)
Cambridge-Isanti- (0-0-0)
Little Falls (7)- (2-0-0)
Monticello (15)- (0-2-0)
Mora- (0-0-0)
Pine City- (1-1-0)
Princeton- (1-1-0)
River Lakes- (0-0-0)
Sauk Rapids- (0-0-0)
St. Cloud Cathedral (19)- (1-1-0)
Section 5A Outlook- This one looks to be between the Moose and Flyers and who will have enough to pull it off. I have SCC at 3 which may be high but they will rebound from last year as they have a good sophomore bunch. Mora returns everyone and could be sneaky as well.
Section 6A (8 teams)
Team- (Overall Record)
Alexandria (9)- (0-0-0)
Breckenridge/Wahpetom- (0-0-0)
Fergus Falls (6)- (1-0-0)
Morris/Benson- (0-0-0)
Northern Lakes (10)- (0-0-0)
Prairie Centre Area- (0-0-0)
Wadena-Deer Creek- (1-1-0)
Willmar- (0-0-0)
Section 6A Outlook- The Big 3 will be battling all year for seeds as the 1 seed will have a much easier path. I like the Otters here. I think they are going to be very good and should be challenging for the Semis at State. Alex and Northern Lakes though are no push overs and it will be a good battle all winter.
Section 7A (10 teams)
Team- (Overall Record)
Duluth Denfeld (8)- (1-1-0)
Ely- (0-2-0)
Greenway- (1-0-0)
Hermantown (1)- (0-0-0)
Hibbing- (0-1-0)
International Falls- (0-0-0)
Moose Lake- (0-2-0)
North Shore- (0-1-0)
Proctor- (1-1-0)
Rock Ridge (11)- (0-0-0)
Section 7A Outlook- Can the Hunters take down the Hawks… Time will tell but right now it looks like the Hawks are heads and shoulders above the rest in 7A and in Class A in general.
Section 8A (10 teams)
Team- (Overall Record)
Bagley/Fosston- (1-0-0)
Crookston- (0-0-0)
Detroit Lakes- (0-1-0)
East Grand Forks (5)- (0-1-0)
Kittson Central- (2-0-0)
Lake of the Woods- (0-0-0)
Red Lake Falls (1-1-0)
Park Rapids- (0-1-0)
Thief River Falls- (0-2-0)
Warroad (2)- (2-0-0)
Section 8A Outlook- The Warroad vs EGF rivalry has been amped up in recent years this year looks no different both of these squads are very good and the winner will be the Hawks main contender at State.
Class A Section by Section Outlook-
Section 1A (11 Teams)
Team- (Overall Record)
Albert Lea- (0-0-0)
Austin- (0-0-0)
Faribault- (0-1-0)
La Crescent-(0-0-0)
New Prague-(0-0-0)
Northfield (14)- (0-0-0)
Red Wing- (1-1-0)
Rochester Lourdes- (0-1-0)
Waseca- (0-1-0)
Winona- (0-0-0)
Winona Cotter- (0-1-0)
Section 1A Outlook- This should be Northfields to win. New Prague plays with the big boys all year and will be a challenge for 1A teams. Lourdes brings back a nice crew and Waseca has super star scorer Kyle Aschlager to lead them.
Section 2A (11 Teams)
Team- (Overall Record)
Bloomington Kennedy- (0-0-0)
Breck (13)- (0-0-0)
Delano (4)- (2-0-0)
Hutchinson- (0-0-0)
Litchfield/Dassel-Cokato- (0-0-0)
Minneapolis (20)- (0-1-0)
Mound Westonka (16)- (1-0-0)
Orono (22)- (0-2-0)
Providence Academy (21)- (0-1-0)
Southwest Christian (12)- (1-0-0)
Waconia- (1-1-0)
Section 2A Outlook- Very deep Section the deepest in Class A by far. Will take Delano’s track record here but any of the top 6 to 7 teams can win this section, be a great section playoff and seeds will be important.
Section 3A (10 Teams)-
Team- (Overall Record)
Fairmont- (0-0-0)
Luverne- (0-0-0)
Mankato East- (0-2-0)
Mankato West- (0-0-0)
Marshall- (1-0-0)
Minnesota River- (1-0-0)
New Ulm- (0-0-0)
Redwood Valley- (1-0-0)
Windom- (0-0-0)
Worthington- (0-0-0)
Section 3A Outlook- Mankato East is my pick but Watch out for New Ulm or Mankato West to challenge. My sleeper is Windom. They return EVERYONE and had a great run last year. It was fun to see a small town program but again a Semi’s appearance would be great for them.
Section 4A (8 teams)
Team- (Overall Record)
Chisago Lakes (17)- (1-0-0)
Mahtomedi (3)- (2-0-0)
Simley (18)- (1-1-0)
South St. Paul- (0-0-0)
St. Paul Academy- (0-0-0)
St. Paul Highland Park- (2-0-0)
St. Paul Johnson- (0-0-0)
Two Rivers- (1-1-0)
Section 4A Outlook- Zephyrs will dominate this section and I really don't see anyone else that will challenge them. Simley or South St Paul bring back experience. Chisago Lakes moving from 5A hurt them and they could have contended there.
Section 5A (10 teams)
Team- (Overall Record)
Becker/Big Lake- (0-0-0)
Cambridge-Isanti- (0-0-0)
Little Falls (7)- (2-0-0)
Monticello (15)- (0-2-0)
Mora- (0-0-0)
Pine City- (1-1-0)
Princeton- (1-1-0)
River Lakes- (0-0-0)
Sauk Rapids- (0-0-0)
St. Cloud Cathedral (19)- (1-1-0)
Section 5A Outlook- This one looks to be between the Moose and Flyers and who will have enough to pull it off. I have SCC at 3 which may be high but they will rebound from last year as they have a good sophomore bunch. Mora returns everyone and could be sneaky as well.
Section 6A (8 teams)
Team- (Overall Record)
Alexandria (9)- (0-0-0)
Breckenridge/Wahpetom- (0-0-0)
Fergus Falls (6)- (1-0-0)
Morris/Benson- (0-0-0)
Northern Lakes (10)- (0-0-0)
Prairie Centre Area- (0-0-0)
Wadena-Deer Creek- (1-1-0)
Willmar- (0-0-0)
Section 6A Outlook- The Big 3 will be battling all year for seeds as the 1 seed will have a much easier path. I like the Otters here. I think they are going to be very good and should be challenging for the Semis at State. Alex and Northern Lakes though are no push overs and it will be a good battle all winter.
Section 7A (10 teams)
Team- (Overall Record)
Duluth Denfeld (8)- (1-1-0)
Ely- (0-2-0)
Greenway- (1-0-0)
Hermantown (1)- (0-0-0)
Hibbing- (0-1-0)
International Falls- (0-0-0)
Moose Lake- (0-2-0)
North Shore- (0-1-0)
Proctor- (1-1-0)
Rock Ridge (11)- (0-0-0)
Section 7A Outlook- Can the Hunters take down the Hawks… Time will tell but right now it looks like the Hawks are heads and shoulders above the rest in 7A and in Class A in general.
Section 8A (10 teams)
Team- (Overall Record)
Bagley/Fosston- (1-0-0)
Crookston- (0-0-0)
Detroit Lakes- (0-1-0)
East Grand Forks (5)- (0-1-0)
Kittson Central- (2-0-0)
Lake of the Woods- (0-0-0)
Red Lake Falls (1-1-0)
Park Rapids- (0-1-0)
Thief River Falls- (0-2-0)
Warroad (2)- (2-0-0)
Section 8A Outlook- The Warroad vs EGF rivalry has been amped up in recent years this year looks no different both of these squads are very good and the winner will be the Hawks main contender at State.
Re: A Rankings for 11/28/21
Nice write up, ClassAGuy. I am going to hold off on doing rankings this week given the limited sample size, and also the fact that real life got in the way too much this weekend.
I would probably jump Mahtomedi over Warroad, and Fergus over EGF, but otherwise the top of our rankings would look very similar. Delano had to be the team of the weekend. They are so well coached, and Will Brown and the goaltending were excellent. On the other hand, EGF seems to have some shaky goaltending again this year, and Panzer was pretty quiet. The upcoming game against Mahtomedi is definitely a big early-season test.
I would probably jump Mahtomedi over Warroad, and Fergus over EGF, but otherwise the top of our rankings would look very similar. Delano had to be the team of the weekend. They are so well coached, and Will Brown and the goaltending were excellent. On the other hand, EGF seems to have some shaky goaltending again this year, and Panzer was pretty quiet. The upcoming game against Mahtomedi is definitely a big early-season test.
Re: A Rankings for 11/28/21
CLASS A GAMES OF THE WEEK (11/29/21-12/5/21)
Tuesday Nov. 30th
#11 Rock Ridge @ Greenway
The official opening game of the new Rock Ridge program will be Tuesday Night. I for one will be paying attention as they take on historic Greenway at the “Snake Pit” should be a fun one. Be curious to see what this team looks like as there are lots of expectations but only time will tell welcome to MSHSL “Wolverines”!
#7 Little Falls @ #19 St. Cloud Cathedral
Big Section 5A tilt! This one features the favorite Flyers hitting the road to face their private nemesis Cathedral. St. Cloud Cathedral had an outstanding northern swing and this game will help us know if they are indeed back after a rare off year last year. Should be a good one at the MAC!
#10 Northern Lakes @ #6 Fergus Falls
Big Section 6A tilt! This one features the favorite Otters vs the mystery team in Northern Lakes. Are they for real this year or are they due for a fall back after the state tourney run last year. I love the Otters this year and this will be a great chance for them to make a Section statement on their home ice.
#4 Mahtomedi @ #1 “AA” Cretin Durham Hall
Ben Dardis and Mahtomedi will be taking on an angry group of Raiders who dropped their opener to rival STA. Mahtomedi had a great opening weekend rolling to two easy wins over good Class A teams. This one will be fun to see how well Dardis holds up with an even bigger game later on in the week.
#16 Mound Westonka @ Mankato East
Interesting game featuring Mound Westonka looking to crack the top 15 vs the Section 3A Favorite Mankato East coming off a weekend where they were not far off some AA Teams. This is an interesting Class A Game to pay attention too.
Thursday Dec 2nd
#22 Orono @ #13 Breck
Another good Section 2A Battle there will be plenty this winter. Breck opens up vs. Orono is looking to rebound after a tough weekend. We will see how much Breck has lost and how they will look this season with a bunch of Sophomores ready to step in should be a good match up as it always has been over the years.
#12 Southwest Christian @ #21 Providence Academy
Good early Section 2A matchup. Providence Academy is looking to rebound after a tough loss on Saturday. Both teams could really use this game in a deep tough Section 2A. Should be one to keep an eye on.
Friday Dec. 3rd
#8 Duluth Denfeld @ AA Gentry Academy
The Hunters will have to play better defense this coming weekend then they did last weekend. This is another big early test for the Hunters playing the Class A Champions for last year.
#1 Hermantown vs AA Benilde
The Hawks open their season with a great AA team. They seem to have found a niche with getting on the AA Private Powers Schedules. This will be a great opener for the Hawks.
Thief River Falls @ #14 Northfield
This one is interesting as TRF is a tough team and will keep it close and there is some hype for Northfield. I do see them winning Section 1A but this is one of the few times they play someone outside of Southern MN to see how they measure up. A good Class A game to keep an eye on.
Saturday Dec. 4th
#5 East Grand Forks @ #19 St. Cloud Cathedral
The Greenwave wrap up a good swing south taking on a pesky Cathedral team who kept it close with Warroad and beat TRF the weekend before. This could be another one to keep an eye on.
#1 Hermantown vs. AA Hill Murray
Another blockbuster match up for the Hawks vs a AA Private Power. The last time these two met, Hermantown took the game over late and won vs the eventual AA Champ that year. This should be another good one to keep an eye on.
GAME OF THE WEEK
#5 East Grand Forks @ #4 Mahtomedi (Dec. 3rd)
Great Class A matchup here as the Green Wave head south looking to redeem themselves after falling to Delano last week. Mahtomedi needs these wins as they play many great AA teams and will be .500 at the end of the year so every Class A Team they play they need to make a statement so they can claim a good seed at State once they win 4A. This one should be a battle. The Greenwave will need to get good goaltending but I look for them to be much better then they were last Saturday and this one looks like a great matchup on paper.
SHOULD BE A GREAT WEEK OF CLASS A HOCKEY!
Tuesday Nov. 30th
#11 Rock Ridge @ Greenway
The official opening game of the new Rock Ridge program will be Tuesday Night. I for one will be paying attention as they take on historic Greenway at the “Snake Pit” should be a fun one. Be curious to see what this team looks like as there are lots of expectations but only time will tell welcome to MSHSL “Wolverines”!
#7 Little Falls @ #19 St. Cloud Cathedral
Big Section 5A tilt! This one features the favorite Flyers hitting the road to face their private nemesis Cathedral. St. Cloud Cathedral had an outstanding northern swing and this game will help us know if they are indeed back after a rare off year last year. Should be a good one at the MAC!
#10 Northern Lakes @ #6 Fergus Falls
Big Section 6A tilt! This one features the favorite Otters vs the mystery team in Northern Lakes. Are they for real this year or are they due for a fall back after the state tourney run last year. I love the Otters this year and this will be a great chance for them to make a Section statement on their home ice.
#4 Mahtomedi @ #1 “AA” Cretin Durham Hall
Ben Dardis and Mahtomedi will be taking on an angry group of Raiders who dropped their opener to rival STA. Mahtomedi had a great opening weekend rolling to two easy wins over good Class A teams. This one will be fun to see how well Dardis holds up with an even bigger game later on in the week.
#16 Mound Westonka @ Mankato East
Interesting game featuring Mound Westonka looking to crack the top 15 vs the Section 3A Favorite Mankato East coming off a weekend where they were not far off some AA Teams. This is an interesting Class A Game to pay attention too.
Thursday Dec 2nd
#22 Orono @ #13 Breck
Another good Section 2A Battle there will be plenty this winter. Breck opens up vs. Orono is looking to rebound after a tough weekend. We will see how much Breck has lost and how they will look this season with a bunch of Sophomores ready to step in should be a good match up as it always has been over the years.
#12 Southwest Christian @ #21 Providence Academy
Good early Section 2A matchup. Providence Academy is looking to rebound after a tough loss on Saturday. Both teams could really use this game in a deep tough Section 2A. Should be one to keep an eye on.
Friday Dec. 3rd
#8 Duluth Denfeld @ AA Gentry Academy
The Hunters will have to play better defense this coming weekend then they did last weekend. This is another big early test for the Hunters playing the Class A Champions for last year.
#1 Hermantown vs AA Benilde
The Hawks open their season with a great AA team. They seem to have found a niche with getting on the AA Private Powers Schedules. This will be a great opener for the Hawks.
Thief River Falls @ #14 Northfield
This one is interesting as TRF is a tough team and will keep it close and there is some hype for Northfield. I do see them winning Section 1A but this is one of the few times they play someone outside of Southern MN to see how they measure up. A good Class A game to keep an eye on.
Saturday Dec. 4th
#5 East Grand Forks @ #19 St. Cloud Cathedral
The Greenwave wrap up a good swing south taking on a pesky Cathedral team who kept it close with Warroad and beat TRF the weekend before. This could be another one to keep an eye on.
#1 Hermantown vs. AA Hill Murray
Another blockbuster match up for the Hawks vs a AA Private Power. The last time these two met, Hermantown took the game over late and won vs the eventual AA Champ that year. This should be another good one to keep an eye on.
GAME OF THE WEEK
#5 East Grand Forks @ #4 Mahtomedi (Dec. 3rd)
Great Class A matchup here as the Green Wave head south looking to redeem themselves after falling to Delano last week. Mahtomedi needs these wins as they play many great AA teams and will be .500 at the end of the year so every Class A Team they play they need to make a statement so they can claim a good seed at State once they win 4A. This one should be a battle. The Greenwave will need to get good goaltending but I look for them to be much better then they were last Saturday and this one looks like a great matchup on paper.
SHOULD BE A GREAT WEEK OF CLASS A HOCKEY!
Re: A Rankings for 11/28/21
Alexandria is at River Lakes on Thursday, 12/2.
Re: A Rankings for 11/28/21
Tuesday Night (11/30/21) Class A Recap-
Games of the Night-
#6 Fergus Falls 4 #10 Northern Lakes 1- Very good 6A battles between these two. Tied 1-1 after 2 periods the Otter pulled away in the third for a big Section 6A win.
#7 Little Falls 4 #19 St. Cloud Cathedral 1- The Flyers dominated early, outshooting the Crusaders 12-2 in the first period. However, Cathedral hung around and eventually took a 1-0 lead in the 2nd period. The Flyers answered though with 4 goals and took home a key Section 5A Road win.
“AA” CDH 3 #4 Mahtomedi 1- Ben Dardis had 50 saves to keep the Zephyrs close but they were no match for the speed and depth of CDH.
Mankato East 5 #16 Mound Westonka 3- Nice win here for the Cougars over a solid Section 2A team. Mankato East will be the team to keep an eye out of Section 3A all winter.
Greenway 4 #11 Rock Ridge 3- Great win for Greenway here to start the year 3-0! Rock Ridge started slow going down 3-0 in this one they battled back but were unable to ever get lead.
Interesting Scores
Orono 4 Jefferson 3 OT- Orono gets a much needed win.
Farmington 4 #14 Northfield 2- According to Hockey hub Monson was in the lineup? Maybe he is a Raider after all this winter?
#20 Minneapolis 4 Armstrong/Cooper 3- Nice win for Minneapolis
#17 Simley 2 SPA 0- A good Section 4A win for the Spartans.
Sartell 3 #9 Alexandra 2- Alex got off to slow start here but nearly came all the way back late in the game vs a solid AA Sartell.
Luverne 7 Marshall 6 OT- A wild one in the deep south but a nice win for Luverne
New Ulm 4 Worthington 3- Worthington had a lead in the 3rd wow great to see them showing signs of progress after only having 8 skaters a few years ago.
Shocker of the Night
#5 EGF 5 Detroit Lakes 4- EGF needed 4 goals from Panzer including the game tying goal with just 30 seconds left to get to OT. The Greenwave is struggling early on the backend and in the net.
Games of the Night-
#6 Fergus Falls 4 #10 Northern Lakes 1- Very good 6A battles between these two. Tied 1-1 after 2 periods the Otter pulled away in the third for a big Section 6A win.
#7 Little Falls 4 #19 St. Cloud Cathedral 1- The Flyers dominated early, outshooting the Crusaders 12-2 in the first period. However, Cathedral hung around and eventually took a 1-0 lead in the 2nd period. The Flyers answered though with 4 goals and took home a key Section 5A Road win.
“AA” CDH 3 #4 Mahtomedi 1- Ben Dardis had 50 saves to keep the Zephyrs close but they were no match for the speed and depth of CDH.
Mankato East 5 #16 Mound Westonka 3- Nice win here for the Cougars over a solid Section 2A team. Mankato East will be the team to keep an eye out of Section 3A all winter.
Greenway 4 #11 Rock Ridge 3- Great win for Greenway here to start the year 3-0! Rock Ridge started slow going down 3-0 in this one they battled back but were unable to ever get lead.
Interesting Scores
Orono 4 Jefferson 3 OT- Orono gets a much needed win.
Farmington 4 #14 Northfield 2- According to Hockey hub Monson was in the lineup? Maybe he is a Raider after all this winter?
#20 Minneapolis 4 Armstrong/Cooper 3- Nice win for Minneapolis
#17 Simley 2 SPA 0- A good Section 4A win for the Spartans.
Sartell 3 #9 Alexandra 2- Alex got off to slow start here but nearly came all the way back late in the game vs a solid AA Sartell.
Luverne 7 Marshall 6 OT- A wild one in the deep south but a nice win for Luverne
New Ulm 4 Worthington 3- Worthington had a lead in the 3rd wow great to see them showing signs of progress after only having 8 skaters a few years ago.
Shocker of the Night
#5 EGF 5 Detroit Lakes 4- EGF needed 4 goals from Panzer including the game tying goal with just 30 seconds left to get to OT. The Greenwave is struggling early on the backend and in the net.
Re: A Rankings for 11/28/21
Does anyone have Intel on this game beyond the box score? Sounds like it was pretty much a shooting gallery for CDH until Mahtomedi picked up a late goal.
The Zephyrs have a brutal upcoming schedule, so this could just be a taste of what is to come over the next several weeks.
Re: A Rankings for 11/28/21
Stang I watched parts of this game on youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ZephyrSportsLive streams most of their games and you could watch the reply if you wanted. More a heads up for those who want to see the EGF vs Zephyr game FRIDAY.Stang5280 wrote: ↑Wed Dec 01, 2021 3:44 pmDoes anyone have Intel on this game beyond the box score? Sounds like it was pretty much a shooting gallery for CDH until Mahtomedi picked up a late goal.
The Zephyrs have a brutal upcoming schedule, so this could just be a taste of what is to come over the next several weeks.
In regards to the game Mahtomedi did give up a ton of shots but you could see the start of the formula that won them a title in 2020. They kept things to outside and Dardis if he can see it will stop it. The CDH team is just so deep up front and on the back end they came wave after wave and eventually just wore Mahtomedi out. You are correct EGF, Hill Murray, STA the next 3 games for Mahtomedi what schedule they have. They will battle test when they arrive at the X.
Re: A Rankings for 11/28/21
Thanks bud, I appreciate the recap. I watched some games on the Mahtomedi YouTube channel last season, but forgot to add it back to my subscription list for notifications. I scrubbed through most of the game a few hours ago, and you are correct that it wasn’t a total mismatch. CDH definitely has superior speed, and Dardis had to come up with some big saves at times (and the D hung him out to dry a few times). Mahtomedi could surprise a few of the big boy AA teams coming up on their schedule.
Side note: the streaming quality was pretty poor. I also tried to watch the Greenway game last night, but the stream was so choppy that I gave up. Get it together, arenas and schools! (And that was a paid stream on MNhockey.tv)
Side note: the streaming quality was pretty poor. I also tried to watch the Greenway game last night, but the stream was so choppy that I gave up. Get it together, arenas and schools! (And that was a paid stream on MNhockey.tv)
Re: A Rankings for 11/28/21
Thursday Night (12/2/21) Class A Recap-
Games of the Night-
#22 Orono 4 #13 Breck 0- Big statement win for the Spartans in 2A on the road.
#21 Providence Academy 3 #12 SWC 2 OT- Very evenly matched teams and Providence Academy finds a way to win a key Section 2A game in OT.
Interesting Scores
#7 Little Falls 5 Princeton 2- Flyers keep rolling in 5A
New Ulm 6 Marshall 1- Good Big South and Section 3A win for the Eagles.
#9 Alexandria 4 River Lakes 1- Nice rebound win for the Cards
#20 Minneapolis 5 Hopkins 2- Nice week for Minneapolis continues
#18 Chisago Lakes 8 Sauk Rapids 0- Schmidt has 11 points and Helland 9 points in only 2 games the Wildcats can score.
Shocker of the Night
Red Wing 6 #17 Simley 2- Wow didn't see that result coming….
Games of the Night-
#22 Orono 4 #13 Breck 0- Big statement win for the Spartans in 2A on the road.
#21 Providence Academy 3 #12 SWC 2 OT- Very evenly matched teams and Providence Academy finds a way to win a key Section 2A game in OT.
Interesting Scores
#7 Little Falls 5 Princeton 2- Flyers keep rolling in 5A
New Ulm 6 Marshall 1- Good Big South and Section 3A win for the Eagles.
#9 Alexandria 4 River Lakes 1- Nice rebound win for the Cards
#20 Minneapolis 5 Hopkins 2- Nice week for Minneapolis continues
#18 Chisago Lakes 8 Sauk Rapids 0- Schmidt has 11 points and Helland 9 points in only 2 games the Wildcats can score.
Shocker of the Night
Red Wing 6 #17 Simley 2- Wow didn't see that result coming….
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Re: A Rankings for 11/28/21
Simley out shot Red Wing 52-24 and they didn’t start their top goalie tonight.ClassAGuy wrote: ↑Thu Dec 02, 2021 10:18 pm Thursday Night (12/2/21) Class A Recap-
Games of the Night-
#22 Orono 4 #13 Breck 0- Big statement win for the Spartans in 2A on the road.
#21 Providence Academy 3 #12 SWC 2 OT- Very evenly matched teams and Providence Academy finds a way to win a key Section 2A game in OT.
Interesting Scores
#7 Little Falls 5 Princeton 2- Flyers keep rolling in 5A
New Ulm 6 Marshall 1- Good Big South and Section 3A win for the Eagles.
#9 Alexandria 4 River Lakes 1- Nice rebound win for the Cards
#20 Minneapolis 5 Hopkins 2- Nice week for Minneapolis continues
#18 Chisago Lakes 8 Sauk Rapids 0- Schmidt has 11 points and Helland 9 points in only 2 games the Wildcats can score.
Shocker of the Night
Red Wing 6 #17 Simley 2- Wow didn't see that result coming….
Re: A Rankings for 11/28/21
Some Friday Fun for Class A puck lovers. Below is the official Class A Boys Hockey Poll. They use this for all outlets and publications. Also, these fina rankings always mirror the state tournament seeds.
Class A Hockey (Dec. 2nd 2021) Poll
1. Hermantown
2. Warroad
3. Mahtomedi
4. Delano
5. East Grand Forks
6. Duluth Denfeld
7. Little Falls
8. Fergus Falls
9. Breck
10. Northern Lakes
11. Southwest Christian
12. Orono
13. Greenway
14. Monticello
15. Rock Ridge
16. Minneapolis
17. St. Cloud Cathedral
18. Thief River Falls
19. Sartell
20. Alexandria
Others Receiving Votes- Mankato East, Chisago Lakes, St. Paul Johnson, LDC, Hibbing, Detroit Lakes, Totino- Grace
Overall the poll is not way off like it has been in the past however, Alexandria at 20 seems very low. Greenway at 13 I love the raiders but probably too high. The major issue here is Sartell and TG are AA yet they are getting votes in the Class A poll and Northfield and New Prague are still be considered AA. If you going to be the official poll can we at least get the Classes right for teams. To me pretty embarrassing when the Boys High School Poll has teams in the wrong Classes.
I always think let's just have Stang, Elliott, Tony Scott and myself sit down weekly on a zoom call and hash it out haha.
Again just more frustrating to see Sartell and TG in and Northfeild and New Prague up at AA still... Just get the class right.
Ok my vent is done!
Class A Hockey (Dec. 2nd 2021) Poll
1. Hermantown
2. Warroad
3. Mahtomedi
4. Delano
5. East Grand Forks
6. Duluth Denfeld
7. Little Falls
8. Fergus Falls
9. Breck
10. Northern Lakes
11. Southwest Christian
12. Orono
13. Greenway
14. Monticello
15. Rock Ridge
16. Minneapolis
17. St. Cloud Cathedral
18. Thief River Falls
19. Sartell
20. Alexandria
Others Receiving Votes- Mankato East, Chisago Lakes, St. Paul Johnson, LDC, Hibbing, Detroit Lakes, Totino- Grace
Overall the poll is not way off like it has been in the past however, Alexandria at 20 seems very low. Greenway at 13 I love the raiders but probably too high. The major issue here is Sartell and TG are AA yet they are getting votes in the Class A poll and Northfield and New Prague are still be considered AA. If you going to be the official poll can we at least get the Classes right for teams. To me pretty embarrassing when the Boys High School Poll has teams in the wrong Classes.
I always think let's just have Stang, Elliott, Tony Scott and myself sit down weekly on a zoom call and hash it out haha.
Again just more frustrating to see Sartell and TG in and Northfeild and New Prague up at AA still... Just get the class right.
Ok my vent is done!
Re: A Rankings for 11/28/21
Agreed. And Hockey Hub doesn't have their section assignments updated for this year, at least for 6A. Cathedral, Little Falls and River Lakes still show up on a 6A sort, but Northern Lakes and Willmar do not.
Re: A Rankings for 11/28/21
Just for fun before the weekend clarifies somethings.
1. Hermantown 0-0
2 Mahtomedi 2-1
3 Delano 2-0
4 Warroad 2-0
5 Little Falls 4-0
6 East grand Forks 1-1
7 Fergus falls 2-0
8 Duluth Denfeld 1-1
9 Alexandra 1-1
10 Orono 2-2
11 St Cloud Cathedral 1-2
12 Chisago Lakes 2-0
13 St Paul Highland 2-2
14 Northfield 0-1
15 New Prague 1-0
16 Norhtern Lakes 0-1
17 Thief River Falls 0-3
18 Mound 1-1
19 Breck 0-1
20 Providence 1-1
1. Hermantown 0-0
2 Mahtomedi 2-1
3 Delano 2-0
4 Warroad 2-0
5 Little Falls 4-0
6 East grand Forks 1-1
7 Fergus falls 2-0
8 Duluth Denfeld 1-1
9 Alexandra 1-1
10 Orono 2-2
11 St Cloud Cathedral 1-2
12 Chisago Lakes 2-0
13 St Paul Highland 2-2
14 Northfield 0-1
15 New Prague 1-0
16 Norhtern Lakes 0-1
17 Thief River Falls 0-3
18 Mound 1-1
19 Breck 0-1
20 Providence 1-1
Re: A Rankings for 11/28/21
Is LPH a coaches’ poll? I would love to know who is on the voting panel. This week wasn’t their worst work overall, but Sartell and Totino grace still receiving votes is a pretty egregious error, particularly when TG has played at the AA level for a few years now.
Also, Elliott is coming in strong on some teams that had nice early results. It should be an interesting weekend with her quite a few matchups between ranked teams.
Also, Elliott is coming in strong on some teams that had nice early results. It should be an interesting weekend with her quite a few matchups between ranked teams.
Re: A Rankings for 11/28/21
To me, results matter and should be rewarded.
Except Hermantown - no results but still think they may end up being good.
(and TRF, no wins but still have a decent team.)
Except Hermantown - no results but still think they may end up being good.
(and TRF, no wins but still have a decent team.)
Re: A Rankings for 11/28/21
Friday Night (12/3/21) Class A Recap-
Games of the Night-
#3 Mahtomedi #5 East Grand Forks 0- EGF dominated this game in the first but could not get anything by Dardis. In the second the backend issues for them showed again and the Zephyrs rolled to a very convincing 5-0 win.
Gentry Academy 9 #8 Duluth Denfeld 2- Speaking of backend issues, the Hunters are really struggling; they have given up 21 goals in the first 3 games. Not going to win many doing that. They need something good today vs East Ridge as their stock is falling here early.
#14 Northfield 3 Thief River Falls 1- Cayden Monson is with the raiders this winter and his 3 point effort allowed Northfield to get a very nice home opening Class A win over TRF team still in search of a win after 4 games.
#1 Hermantown 6 Benilde St Margarets 5- The Hawks looked really good at times and uncharacteristically sloppy at other moments. Overall they beat a really solid AA Club and Plante and Hanson are very good. Another tough AA test as they take on Hill Murray today.
Interesting Scores
Hibbing 4 #11 Rock Ridge 1- Rock Ridge is taking time to figure it out and will be exiting the Class A poll this week and Hibbing gets a nice win here.
Rochester Century 5 Mankato East 3- Century coming off a loss to Faribault jumped all over the Cougars. This was a bad loss for Mankato East after such an impressive win over Mound Westonka on Tuesday.
Games of the Night-
#3 Mahtomedi #5 East Grand Forks 0- EGF dominated this game in the first but could not get anything by Dardis. In the second the backend issues for them showed again and the Zephyrs rolled to a very convincing 5-0 win.
Gentry Academy 9 #8 Duluth Denfeld 2- Speaking of backend issues, the Hunters are really struggling; they have given up 21 goals in the first 3 games. Not going to win many doing that. They need something good today vs East Ridge as their stock is falling here early.
#14 Northfield 3 Thief River Falls 1- Cayden Monson is with the raiders this winter and his 3 point effort allowed Northfield to get a very nice home opening Class A win over TRF team still in search of a win after 4 games.
#1 Hermantown 6 Benilde St Margarets 5- The Hawks looked really good at times and uncharacteristically sloppy at other moments. Overall they beat a really solid AA Club and Plante and Hanson are very good. Another tough AA test as they take on Hill Murray today.
Interesting Scores
Hibbing 4 #11 Rock Ridge 1- Rock Ridge is taking time to figure it out and will be exiting the Class A poll this week and Hibbing gets a nice win here.
Rochester Century 5 Mankato East 3- Century coming off a loss to Faribault jumped all over the Cougars. This was a bad loss for Mankato East after such an impressive win over Mound Westonka on Tuesday.