Single A Top 20 1-5-2020

[elliott70]

1/5/2020
1 Hermantown
2 Warroad
3 St Cloud Cathedral
4 East Grand Forks
5 Orono
6 Mahtomedi
7 Thief River Falls
8 Alexandria
9 Duluth Denfeld
10 Gentry
11 Little Falls
12 St Paul Johnson
13 Greenway
14 Delano
15 Eveleth
16 Monticello
17 Tartan
18 South St Paul
19 North Branch
20 Pine City

Consideration:
Mankato West, Faribault, Kittson Central, St Paul Academy, Minneapolis, Mankato East, Dodge County, Mound- Westonka

[ClassAGuy]

1/5/2020
1 Warroad
2 Hermantown
3 East Grand Forks
4 St. Cloud Cathedral
5 Orono
6 Mahtomedi
7 Duluth Denfeld
8 Alexandria
9 Little Falls
10 Thief River Falls
11 Gentry Academy
12 St Paul Johnson
13 Greenway
14 Delano
15 Mound Westonka
16 Monticello
17 Tartan
18 North Branch
19 Pine City
20 Eveleth

[Stang5280]

After weeks of stability near the top of the rankings, we finally had a significant shakeup thanks to one of the most exciting games of the regular season. There is still a pretty clearly defined top six teams, with chaos reigning after that. Can any of the interlopers step up and stake out their spot just outside of that group?

1. Warroad (13-0-0) [LW 2]
W 6-2 @ Fergus Falls, W 10-1 @ Detroit Lakes
The Warriors finally ascend to the top spot, thanks in part to the tie between the teams behind them, and continuing to run roughshod over the lightest stretch of their schedule. Warroad has been compiling obscene offensive stats in the process, with senior Grant Slukynsky leading the entire state in scoring. The week ahead is highlighted by a trip to historic rival Roseau.
Next: Thu @ Roseau, Sat vs Crookston

2. St. Cloud Cathedral (9-1-1) [LW 3]
T 5-5 @ Hermantown
The Crusaders pulled off a near-miraculous comeback against Hermantown, clawing their way back to score the final four goals of the game. While it is impossible to truly replace a player like Jack Smith, Warner and Perbix stepped up and took over the third stanza. In a strange scheduling quirk, Cathedral now faces the #1 AA team, followed by two more manageable contests.
Next: Tue @ Andover, Thu vs Delano, Sat vs Sartell

3. Hermantown (9-1-2) [LW 1]
T 5-5 vs SCC
The Hawks all but had the win wrapped up against St. Cloud Cathedral, but couldn't close the deal. I put them a tick behind SCC given that it was a home game against a team missing one of its best players. Hermantown jumps back into the AA pool with matchups against two ranked opponents.
Next: Tue vs Grand Rapids, Sat vs CDH

4. East Grand Forks (8-2-2) [LW 4]
L 0-1 vs GF Central
A bizarre situation for the Green Wave Thursday evening, as the power went out in much of EGF, and the game was stopped with Central leading 1-0 midway through the third. The game eventually was counted as a win for Central, with the two rivals splitting the season series. A difficult three-game slate awaits, capped off by a crucial section clash with Thief River Falls.
Next: Tue vs Moorhead, Thu @ Bemidji, Sat @ TRF

5. Orono (11-1-1) [LW 5]
W 7-1 @ LDC
Not much to say here, as the Spartans easily slayed the Dragons in their only action of the week. Orono should likewise be heavily favored in the next two contests.
Next: Tue vs New Prague, Fri vs Hutchinson

6. Mahtomedi (10-3-0) [LW 6]
W 7-1 vs Sibley, W 4-2 vs STA
Ben Dardis stood on his head and propelled the Zephyrs to an upset of St. Thomas. I'm not prepared to give Mahtomedi a rankings bump just yet given their recent decisive losses to the #3 and #4 teams above, but they have responded with two nice wins. It's basically rinse and repeat this week, with the highlight being a chance to avenge an ugly loss to HM earlier in the season.
Next: Thu @ Tartan, Sat vs Hill-Murray

7. Little Falls (12-2-1) [LW 11]
W 6-2 @ Monticello
The Flyers are one of my risers of the week after pulling away from Monticello for their fifth straight triumph. The young Flyers are a high-scoring bunch (3rd best goals per game in Class A), and have really been clicking on all cylinders lately. The upcoming schedule is pretty light, so Little Falls looks poised to continue their winning ways.
Next: Tue vs River Lakes

8. Gentry Academy (11-2-0) [LW 13]
Idle
Another big climber this week, the Stars sat back and watched as the chaos unfolded around them. Gentry is unlikely to be challenged by either of their upcoming opponents.
Next: Thu @ Proctor, Sat @ Sibley

9. Duluth Denfeld (10-2-1) [LW 10]
W 3-2 vs Kennedy
The Hunters labored to defeat a struggling Kennedy squad. Denfeld nonetheless steps up a spot thanks to the misfortunes of others. They have now won five straight since the Hermantown debacle, but haven't been particularly impressive in the process. The coming week leads off with the annual crosstown rivalry game against East, and Denfeld has a strong opportunity to claim their win in the series since 2013.
Next: Mon @ Duluth East, Fri vs Chanhassen

10. Alexandria (9-4-0) [LW 7]
L 1-4 vs Brainerd, W 5-3 @ Bemidji
The tough times continued to start the week, as the Cardinals suffered their second straight ugly loss. They did rebound against Bemidji, though nearly coughed up a four-goal third period lead. Sartell should provide a needed confidence boost before things become more challenging next week.
Next: Tue @ Sartell

11. Thief River Falls (7-5-1) [LW 8]
L 4-5 vs Rogers
The Prowlers are my rankings kryptonite; it's like being in a bad relationship with a cycle of drawing me back in and then breaking my heart. This time TRF coughed up a late lead to Rogers in an uncharacteristically high-scoring affair.
This weekend will be telling as to whether TRF can turn the corner to become a real contender in 8A, with the Green Wave paying a visit.
Next: Thu @ Park Rapids, Sat vs EGF

12. Delano (8-4-0) [LW 14]
W 2-0 @ Mound Westonka
Well, hello there old friend. Weren't you just up here in the rankings? The Tigers picked up a nice victory over a section and conference rival. This isn't a flashy group, but they are defensively sound and have avoided any bad losses. Unfortunately, Delano has not fared as well against elite teams, and they have a looming date with Cathedral, sandwiched around two winnable conference contests.
Next: Tue vs Hutchinson, Thu @ SCC, Sat @ LDC

13. St. Paul Johnson (9-3-0) [LW 16]
W 3-1 vs New Prague, W 4-2 vs Woodbury
The Governors grabbed two wins over decent AA foes en route to the consolation championship of the South St. Paul tournament. A three-game week awaits, with an interesting clash against Kittson Central to round it out.
Next: Mon @ Highland Park, Thu vs Mpls, Sat vs Kittson

14. Greenway (4-7-0) [LW 12]
W 3-2 (OT) @ Hibbing, L 1-5 vs Holy Family
Ouch, literally. With Troumbly and two defensemen out of the lineup, the Raiders needed extra time to shake previously winless Hibbing and were no match for Holy Family. I won't ding them too badly for now given the injury situation, but things could easily go south if the missing players, particularly Troumbly, don't return soon. Greenway's lengthy home stand continues with two challenging contests against ranked AA competitors.
Tue vs North Shore, Fri vs Roseau, Sat vs Grand Rapids

15. Mound Westonka (8-4-1) [LW 10]
L 0-2 vs Delano
The White Hawks plummet after a tough loss to Delano. Their signature win over Little Falls is fading into the rear view mirror, but it's still more than most teams in this range can boast. Mound Westonka has a good opportunity to pick up at least two, and perhaps three wins this week.
Next: Tue @ Waconia, Thu vs Providence, Sat vs New Prague

16. Eveleth-Gilbert (8-6-0) [LW 20]
W 5-1 vs Mayo
Next: Tue @ Hibbing, Sat vs Princeton

17. Monticello (8-5-1) [LW 15]
L 2-6 vs Little Falls
Next: Thu @ North Branch

18. North Branch (11-3-0) [LW NR]
W 6-2 vs Superior, W 5-2 @ Chisago Lakes
Next: Thu vs Monticello

19. Pine City (11-2-0) [LW 19]
Idle
Next: Tue @ Highland Park

20. Tartan (6-5-0) [LW 18]
W 4-3 vs Simley, W 3-2 @ Anoka
Next: Thu vs Mahtomedi, Sat @ Hastings

Out: South St. Paul (6-5-2) [LW 17],

Others Considered: Breck (6-7-0), Kittson Central (9-1-0), Mankato West (7-5-0)

[karl(east)]

Fun read as always. The top six certainly seem to be the top six in Class A this season, with Warroad now in the driver's seat for the top spot following the SCC-Hermantown tie. If the Warriors lose the rematch to EGF but no other Class A games, that could make the top few teams very difficult to rank against one another. I like the Little Falls and Gentry calls at this point in the season. Will be curious how Denfeld matches up with East tomorrow. Other than a 13-0 laugher two seasons ago, the crosstown rivalry has typically been a pretty close (even if sometimes not particularly pretty) game. I'm sure the Hunters know they have a fighting chance at it.

[Stang5280]

Fun read as always. The top six certainly seem to be the top six in Class A this season, with Warroad now in the driver's seat for the top spot following the SCC-Hermantown tie. If the Warriors lose the rematch to EGF but no other Class A games, that could make the top few teams very difficult to rank against one another. I like the Little Falls and Gentry calls at this point in the season. Will be curious how Denfeld matches up with East tomorrow. Other than a 13-0 laugher two seasons ago, the crosstown rivalry has typically been a pretty close (even if sometimes not particularly pretty) game. I'm sure the Hunters know they have a fighting chance at it.

Thank you, Karl. I appreciate the kind words, especially coming from the guru himself! I don’t envy you with the mess that AA has been this year.

Yeah, the 8A rematches, especially the Warroad-EGF one, could create some difficult comparisons among the top teams. As for Little Falls and Gentry, it feels a bit aggressive ranking them so highly given their weaker schedules, but no one else has been jumping up to grab those spots. I tend to be more reactive with my rankings rather than trying to be predictive. I also am looking forward to the big game tomorrow, even though it doesn’t appear there is a way to watch it. Hopefully it will at least be entertaining.

[Stang5280]

PageStat Top 20
Overall ranks in parentheses

1. (10) HERMANTOWN 7A
2. (13) WARROAD 8A
3. (15) ST CLOUD CATHEDRAL 6A
4. (21) EAST GRAND FORKS 8A
5. (25) ORONO 2A
6. (30) MAHTOMEDI 4A
7. (39) THIEF RIVER FALLS 8A
8. (40) LITTLE FALLS 6A
9. (48) GENTRY ACADEMY 4A
10. (51) DELANO 2A
11. (54) GREENWAY 7A
12. (56) DULUTH DENFELD 7A
13. (58) ALEXANDRIA 6A
14. (60) ST PAUL JOHNSON 4A
15. (61) MOUND WESTONKA 2A
16. (62) PINE CITY 5A
17. (63) EVELETH GILBERT 7A
18. (65) BRECK 2A
19. (68) MONTICELLO 5A
20. (69) ROBB ARMSTRONG/COOPER 2A

[elliott70]

Page stat got the first 7 right

[Puck8]

After weeks of stability near the top of the rankings, we finally had a significant shakeup thanks to one of the most exciting games of the regular season. There is still a pretty clearly defined top six teams, with chaos reigning after that. Can any of the interlopers step up and stake out their spot just outside of that group?

1. Warroad (13-0-0) [LW 2]
W 6-2 @ Fergus Falls, W 10-1 @ Detroit Lakes
The Warriors finally ascend to the top spot, thanks in part to the tie between the teams behind them, and continuing to run roughshod over the lightest stretch of their schedule. Warroad has been compiling obscene offensive stats in the process, with senior Grant Slukynsky leading the entire state in scoring. The week ahead is highlighted by a trip to historic rival Roseau.
Next: Thu @ Roseau, Sat vs Crookston

2. St. Cloud Cathedral (9-1-1) [LW 3]
T 5-5 @ Hermantown
The Crusaders pulled off a near-miraculous comeback against Hermantown, clawing their way back to score the final four goals of the game. While it is impossible to truly replace a player like Jack Smith, Warner and Perbix stepped up and took over the third stanza. In a strange scheduling quirk, Cathedral now faces the #1 AA team, followed by two more manageable contests.
Next: Tue @ Andover, Thu vs Delano, Sat vs Sartell

3. Hermantown (9-1-2) [LW 1]
T 5-5 vs SCC
The Hawks all but had the win wrapped up against St. Cloud Cathedral, but couldn't close the deal. I put them a tick behind SCC given that it was a home game against a team missing one of its best players. Hermantown jumps back into the AA pool with matchups against two ranked opponents.
Next: Tue vs Grand Rapids, Sat vs CDH

4. East Grand Forks (8-2-2) [LW 4]
L 0-1 vs GF Central
A bizarre situation for the Green Wave Thursday evening, as the power went out in much of EGF, and the game was stopped with Central leading 1-0 midway through the third. The game eventually was counted as a win for Central, with the two rivals splitting the season series. A difficult three-game slate awaits, capped off by a crucial section clash with Thief River Falls.
Next: Tue vs Moorhead, Thu @ Bemidji, Sat @ TRF

5. Orono (11-1-1) [LW 5]
W 7-1 @ LDC
Not much to say here, as the Spartans easily slayed the Dragons in their only action of the week. Orono should likewise be heavily favored in the next two contests.
Next: Tue vs New Prague, Fri vs Hutchinson

6. Mahtomedi (10-3-0) [LW 6]
W 7-1 vs Sibley, W 4-2 vs STA
Ben Dardis stood on his head and propelled the Zephyrs to an upset of St. Thomas. I'm not prepared to give Mahtomedi a rankings bump just yet given their recent decisive losses to the #3 and #4 teams above, but they have responded with two nice wins. It's basically rinse and repeat this week, with the highlight being a chance to avenge an ugly loss to HM earlier in the season.
Next: Thu @ Tartan, Sat vs Hill-Murray

7. Little Falls (12-2-1) [LW 11]
W 6-2 @ Monticello
The Flyers are one of my risers of the week after pulling away from Monticello for their fifth straight triumph. The young Flyers are a high-scoring bunch (3rd best goals per game in Class A), and have really been clicking on all cylinders lately. The upcoming schedule is pretty light, so Little Falls looks poised to continue their winning ways.
Next: Tue vs River Lakes

8. Gentry Academy (11-2-0) [LW 13]
Idle
Another big climber this week, the Stars sat back and watched as the chaos unfolded around them. Gentry is unlikely to be challenged by either of their upcoming opponents.
Next: Thu @ Proctor, Sat @ Sibley

9. Duluth Denfeld (10-2-1) [LW 10]
W 3-2 vs Kennedy
The Hunters labored to defeat a struggling Kennedy squad. Denfeld nonetheless steps up a spot thanks to the misfortunes of others. They have now won five straight since the Hermantown debacle, but haven't been particularly impressive in the process. The coming week leads off with the annual crosstown rivalry game against East, and Denfeld has a strong opportunity to claim their win in the series since 2013.
Next: Mon @ Duluth East, Fri vs Chanhassen

10. Alexandria (9-4-0) [LW 7]
L 1-4 vs Brainerd, W 5-3 @ Bemidji
The tough times continued to start the week, as the Cardinals suffered their second straight ugly loss. They did rebound against Bemidji, though nearly coughed up a four-goal third period lead. Sartell should provide a needed confidence boost before things become more challenging next week.
Next: Tue @ Sartell

11. Thief River Falls (7-5-1) [LW 8]
L 4-5 vs Rogers
The Prowlers are my rankings kryptonite; it's like being in a bad relationship with a cycle of drawing me back in and then breaking my heart. This time TRF coughed up a late lead to Rogers in an uncharacteristically high-scoring affair.
This weekend will be telling as to whether TRF can turn the corner to become a real contender in 8A, with the Green Wave paying a visit.
Next: Thu @ Park Rapids, Sat vs EGF

12. Delano (8-4-0) [LW 14]
W 2-0 @ Mound Westonka
Well, hello there old friend. Weren't you just up here in the rankings? The Tigers picked up a nice victory over a section and conference rival. This isn't a flashy group, but they are defensively sound and have avoided any bad losses. Unfortunately, Delano has not fared as well against elite teams, and they have a looming date with Cathedral, sandwiched around two winnable conference contests.
Next: Tue vs Hutchinson, Thu @ SCC, Sat @ LDC

13. St. Paul Johnson (9-3-0) [LW 16]
W 3-1 vs New Prague, W 4-2 vs Woodbury
The Governors grabbed two wins over decent AA foes en route to the consolation championship of the South St. Paul tournament. A three-game week awaits, with an interesting clash against Kittson Central to round it out.
Next: Mon @ Highland Park, Thu vs Mpls, Sat vs Kittson

14. Greenway (4-7-0) [LW 12]
W 3-2 (OT) @ Hibbing, L 1-5 vs Holy Family
Ouch, literally. With Troumbly and two defensemen out of the lineup, the Raiders needed extra time to shake previously winless Hibbing and were no match for Holy Family. I won't ding them too badly for now given the injury situation, but things could easily go south if the missing players, particularly Troumbly, don't return soon. Greenway's lengthy home stand continues with two challenging contests against ranked AA competitors.
Tue vs North Shore, Fri vs Roseau, Sat vs Grand Rapids

15. Mound Westonka (8-4-1) [LW 10]
L 0-2 vs Delano
The White Hawks plummet after a tough loss to Delano. Their signature win over Little Falls is fading into the rear view mirror, but it's still more than most teams in this range can boast. Mound Westonka has a good opportunity to pick up at least two, and perhaps three wins this week.
Next: Tue @ Waconia, Thu vs Providence, Sat vs New Prague

16. Eveleth-Gilbert (8-6-0) [LW 20]
W 5-1 vs Mayo
Next: Tue @ Hibbing, Sat vs Princeton

17. Monticello (8-5-1) [LW 15]
L 2-6 vs Little Falls
Next: Thu @ North Branch

18. North Branch (11-3-0) [LW NR]
W 6-2 vs Superior, W 5-2 @ Chisago Lakes
Next: Thu vs Monticello

19. Pine City (11-2-0) [LW 19]
Idle
Next: Tue @ Highland Park

20. Tartan (6-5-0) [LW 18]
W 4-3 vs Simley, W 3-2 @ Anoka
Next: Thu vs Mahtomedi, Sat @ Hastings

Out: South St. Paul (6-5-2) [LW 17],

Others Considered: Breck (6-7-0), Kittson Central (9-1-0), Mankato West (7-5-0)

Well done, Stang! Agree that the top 6 are well defined. The thought was that injuries to top stars may derail teams (Smith, Hagstrom) but others seem to be stepping up. The top teams really show their depth at those times. Will be interesting to see if Mahto is able to mount a challenge vs HM this time around. Can’t see any of the next group and beyond elevating into the top 6. Battling out for the Best of the Rest.

[Stang5280]

Page stat got the first 7 right

Maybe if you’re a hater who just focuses on the numbers I prefer to think that the top three are all within margin of error for the computations, and Hermantown deserves to drop after gagging away a big lead at home. (Plus it’s more fun as a story until they inevitably return to the top.)

[elliott70]

Page stat got the first 7 right

Maybe if you’re a hater who just focuses on the numbers I prefer to think that the top three are all within margin of error for the computations, and Hermantown deserves to drop after gagging away a big lead at home. (Plus it’s more fun as a story until they inevitably return to the top.)

That is why it is nice having 3 people giving opinions.
From 3 different parts of the world with 3 different backgrounds. Overall we are very close.

[BSUBeaver]

If Kittson Central is going to be under consideration, should Morris/Benson should be as well?

[rainier2]

14. Greenway (4-7-0) [LW 12]
W 3-2 (OT) @ Hibbing, L 1-5 vs Holy Family
Ouch, literally. With Troumbly and two defensemen out of the lineup, the Raiders needed extra time to shake previously winless Hibbing and were no match for Holy Family. I won't ding them too badly for now given the injury situation, but things could easily go south if the missing players, particularly Troumbly, don't return soon. Greenway's lengthy home stand continues with two challenging contests against ranked AA competitors.
Tue vs North Shore, Fri vs Roseau, Sat vs Grand Rapids

Troumbly played and scored vs Hibbing, and their top two defenseman were playing, so I don't think they were really all that hamstrung by injuries. As far as I could tell, the only impact player the Raiders were missing was Vekich. That said, if they have everyone back for the rematch in Coleraine in a month, I'm pretty sure they will beat Hibbing by 2+ goals.

[elliott70]

If Kittson Central is going to be under consideration, should Morris/Benson should be as well?

yes

[Stang5280]

14. Greenway (4-7-0) [LW 12]
W 3-2 (OT) @ Hibbing, L 1-5 vs Holy Family
Ouch, literally. With Troumbly and two defensemen out of the lineup, the Raiders needed extra time to shake previously winless Hibbing and were no match for Holy Family. I won't ding them too badly for now given the injury situation, but things could easily go south if the missing players, particularly Troumbly, don't return soon. Greenway's lengthy home stand continues with two challenging contests against ranked AA competitors.
Tue vs North Shore, Fri vs Roseau, Sat vs Grand Rapids

Troumbly played and scored vs Hibbing, and their top two defenseman were playing, so I don't think they were really all that hamstrung by injuries. As far as I could tell, the only impact player the Raiders were missing was Vekich. That said, if they have everyone back for the rematch in Coleraine in a month, I'm pretty sure they will beat Hibbing by 2+ goals.

Thanks for the correction. I didn’t check the box scores that closely, and my apologies for the oversight. I assumed that Greenway was still suffering from the injury bug the way they struggled with Hibbing, but I’m glad to hear that most everyone is back on the ice.

[Stang5280]

Page stat got the first 7 right

Maybe if you’re a hater who just focuses on the numbers I prefer to think that the top three are all within margin of error for the computations, and Hermantown deserves to drop after gagging away a big lead at home. (Plus it’s more fun as a story until they inevitably return to the top.)

That is why it is nice having 3 people giving opinions.
From 3 different parts of the world with 3 different backgrounds. Overall we are very close.

Just giving you some grief, my friend. I’m sure you know that I respect your opinions and knowledge, and it’s always good to see other approaches to the rankings.

[elliott70]

Too much stress at my age could be.....

[elliott70]

QRF 1-6-2020

1 Hermantown (9-1-2) 81.8
2 St. Cloud Cathedral (9-1-1) 76.0
3 Warroad (13-0) 73.9
4 Mahtomedi (10-3) 73.8
5 Orono (11-1-1) 70.2

6 Gentry Academy (11-2) 68.0
7 East Grand Forks (8-2-2) 64.1
8 Alexandria (9-4) 60.5
9 Duluth Denfeld (10-2-1) 59.2
10 St. Paul Johnson (9-3) 58.8
11 Thief River Falls (7-5-1) 57.8
12 Little Falls (12-2-1) 56.9
13 Pine City Area (11-2) 56.2
14 Mound Westonka/Watertown-Mayer (8-4-1) 53.0
15 Morris/Benson Area (12-1) 51.1
16 Delano (8-4) 49.8
17 Marshall (10-5) 48.4
18 Kittson Central (9-1) 47.0
19 Hutchinson (8-4-1) 45.9
20 Providence Academy (7-4) 45.7
21 AC Wings (5-5-1) 45.6
22 Monticello (8-5-1) 44.1
T-23 Luverne (9-4) 43.9
T-23 Tartan (6-5) 43.9
T-25 Mankato West (7-6) 43.1
T-25 North Branch (11-3) 43.1

[Stang5280]

Just as a programming note, I am planning on posting a section breakdown on Wednesday. I am mainly waiting for results from two 1A games Tuesday to help sort out that mess.

[bardown27]

Just as a programming note, I am planning on posting a section breakdown on Wednesday. I am mainly waiting for results from two 1A games Tuesday to help sort out that mess.

my guess for those will be:

Dodge County over Lourdes
Albert Lea over Faribault
East over West
Mn River over Austin

[Stang5280]

Here's my first look at sections, bearing in mind that there are still many important section games coming up.

Section 1A
Mankato East
Mankato West
Faribault
Albert Lea

Great, we start out with perhaps the ugliest section, with no ranked teams and none really standing out yet. Tuesday provided some temporary clarity, with East soundly defeating rival West, and Faribault and Albert Lea fighting to a draw. East has the most talent, though West has been the more consistent team. Faribault has compiled a nice record against a weaker schedule. Albert Lea gets the nod for #4 over Dodge County after the latter dropped a game to Waseca last week.

Section 2A
Orono (5)
Delano (12)
Breck
Mound Westonka (15)

The former "section of death" is now pretty tame and well defined, with Orono easily leading the pack. Delano's recent win over MW settles the order between those two for now. MW drops another slot due to their Tuesday loss to Waconia. Breck started out the season with losses to the top two teams, but recently knocked off Armstrong/Cooper. Unfortunately Breck and MW don't play one another due to old grudges.

Section 3A
Hutchinson
Litchfield/Dassel-Cokato
New Ulm
Marshall

This falls into the same boat as 1A, with no ranked teams and no clear favorite. Hutchinson leads the pack for now, with wins over Marshall and rival LDC. The Dragons have a victory over New Ulm, who in turn knocked off Marshall early in the season. As usual, the semifinals and final at GAC look to be entertaining toss ups. But the more challenging schedules of the Wright County teams tend to pay off come playoff time.

Section 4A
Mahtomedi (6)
Gentry Academy (8)
St. Paul Johnson (13)
Tartan (20)

What looked like a cakewalk for Mahtomedi prior to the season has turned into an interesting race. The young Gentry team has been a pleasant surprise and has emerged as a prime challenger. Unfortunately Mahtomedi does not play either Gentry or Johnson, so the Governors' visit to Gentry on 1/31 is probably the biggest remaining section contest. Tartan has been a mild disappointment and has a loss to Gentry, but remains ahead of SSP for now.

Section 5A
Monticello (17)
Pine City
North Branch (18)
Northern Lakes

Everyone, myself included, looked at North Branch as the clear preseason favorite, but the Vikings have dropped some inexplicable games, including one against Northern Lakes. Monticello has taken some lumps outside of section play, but is 7-0-0 against 5A foes. Pine City has compiled a 12-2 overall record, though one loss was to Monti. Northern Lakes does have the big triumph over NB, but also has bad losses to Sauk Rapids and St. Francis. The first matchup between Monticello and North Branch tomorrow night will go a long way toward shaping the order of things here.

Section 6A
St. Cloud Cathedral (2)
Alexandria (10)
Little Falls (7)
River Lakes

This is typically one of the most hotly contested sections, but looks like Cathedral's to lose at this point. The Crusaders will face off against Alex and Little Falls over the next few weeks, so we will see if those teams can pose any threat. Alex defeated Little Falls early in the season, and is undefeated so far in section play. River Lakes just knocked off LF, but also has a bad loss to Morris/Benson. I kept LF out of the dreaded four seed for now, but they are on thin ice.

Section 7A
Hermantown (3)
Duluth Denfeld (9)
Greenway (14)
Eveleth-Gilbert (16)

Not much to think about here. Hermantown has the best overall body of work, and has dispensed with Denfeld and E-G. Denfeld has a win over Greenway, who in turn defeated Eveleth-Gilbert. The Raiders need to avoid slipping up against E-G in their rematch, and also make sure they hover around .500. It's hard to see any of the other teams threatening the top four at this juncture.

Section 8A
Warroad (1)
East Grand Forks (4)
Thief River Falls (11)
Kittson Central

Another top-heavy section, though there is still plenty of potential for upheaval here. Warroad has wins over EGF and TRF, but both were close contests and there are rematches looming. EGF has yet to face TRF; they square off next week and again in the final regular season game. Kittson has been a nice story, but has yet to tangle with any of the big boys. The Bearcats face TRF and EGF over the next few weeks, so we will see how competitive they are.

[Stang5280]

I like the Little Falls and Gentry calls at this point in the season.

Well, that was the kiss of death! My take on LF aged as well as the #1 teams in AA

[elliott70]

Nice job

[Stang5280]

Nice job

Much appreciated, Elliott. Most of the sections were pretty straightforward, but a few upsets always seem to throw a wrench into things as we progress.

[karl(east)]

I like the Little Falls and Gentry calls at this point in the season.

Well, that was the kiss of death! My take on LF aged as well as the #1 teams in AA

Apparently my ability to cast curses is contagious for Class A teams, too.

Very intrigued to see how 5A shakes out in the coming weeks, and see just how big the gap is in a section like 4A between Mahtomedi and the chase pack.

[Duckguy13]

Thanks for all your guys info and takes, it's my favorite read of the week. I think you are all correct in how big a game it is for both NB and Monti tomorrow. Monti previous tough schedule should make a difference.
Losses to Mahtomedi, Orono, LF, Delano, and AA Chamlin Park.