Bemidji to move from AA to A.

[Irishmans Shanty]

It's been a few days now and surprisingly to me, this topic seems to sustain its position towards the top of the page. Bemidji going to A neither surprises or bothers me. In fact, I think Bemidji's move is a forshadowing of another restructuring of HS hockey. Yes, you heard it here first, THREE CLASSES.

AAA will consist of the behemoth publics, the privates that want a piece of them, and a select few outstate storied programs who are holding on to the prestige of a bygone era.
A will consist of small schools who are consistantly seeded in the bottom of their current A sections who have no chance qualifying in a system that was designed to help them.
AA will take everyone else that doesn't fit into A or AAA.

Don't look for all three classes to have an equal number of teams. It's quite possible AA could have many more schools competing in it than A and AAA.

Good news Bemidji fans, you will become AA again. It just won't be the AA you left.

[WASABEMIDJIFAN]

Spend a few too many hours at the pub there Irishman???
jeez

[RamFan2010!]

Spend a few too many hours at the pub there Irishman???
jeez

lol.......

[elliott70]

mnwild 18

Bemidji's seniors
Try and remember them

biggest loss is leading scorer and a Jr A player somewhere next year
F Noah Nemgar
F Ryan Johnson - probably play jrs.
F Chris Curb - very fast

D Justin Hunt - playing college football
D Kyle Nohre
D ? Nelson (sorry just doesnt come to me
D ? Gregg (just too late and too much work)

F Riley Colley
F Ryan Jensen

G Pete Goldberg
G Aaron Carter

D Dave Larsen
F Brandon Daniesl
F smilin' Matt Boyer

Returning
Dylan Wizner, Casey Reierson, Alec Schulz, Jesse Nemgar at F
Ryan Sullivan, Jesse Ehrhorn at D (these 6 return as seniors for their third year of varsity except Nemgar who was frosh this year.
Derek Dudgeon - starting goalie and a soph.
Joseph Welle soph. at D
? Blotske soph at forward
Steven Young F Jr.

2 other D from JV they played a little varsity and will be ready to go.
And one forward line.
JV went something like 18 and 5

Bantam A will move up 2 D to varsity.
A goalie.
And one line.

I am sure I have missed someone, besides the first names.


Best I can do this time of night after working since 8 am and dealing with youth hockey regions/storm threat all day.

[Irishmans Shanty]

Spend a few too many hours at the pub there Irishman???
jeez

Too few.

[schwang17]

Shanty's 3 class post isn't ridiculous at all. In fact, I had talks with an inside source around X-mas time that said "it's very possible".

[JLS 81]

Well heck Ellot with that lneup stay AA for crying out loud....northern Minnesota needs Bemidji in AA!

[Green and White Fan]

I think they should have 153 classes for hockey or 154 if Walker is fielding a high school team next year. Then everyone could have that warm fuzzy feeling of being a state champion, heck even Moorhead would finally win one! Class A could be Walker and this year's state champ could be AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!

[Irishmans Shanty]

I'll take it one step further. Make the rink smaller and play 3x3 to get
more schools in a position to field their own teams.

Football already does it.

More classes are on the way.

[Neutron 14]

One of the best things about the Minnesota high school hockey tournament has always been the David vs Goliath matchups. 99% of us citiots LOVE Roseau. Without the small schools, we could only hate teams like Edina. How many people have office pools for tournament games? People who should care less, grab the newspaper and study who beat who, and play. Anybody have football pools? Basketball?. Multiple classes will kill what makes this tournament so special. And its this tournament that makes us the State of Hockey. Don't dilute it any more than it already is.

[mnwild18]

Thanks Elliot

[Irishmans Shanty]

This weekend the state of Indiana will crown their boys sectional champions. Most Class AAAA sectionals are played in colossal HS gymnasiums such as East Chicago (capacity 6,000) or Greencastle HS (capacity 9,000). Those gyms haven't been filled for sectional round games since the 4 class system was instituted in the mid 1990's.

No, Hickory (Milan) will not face South Bend Central (Muncie Central) for a state championship game in a packed Butler Fieldhouse.

Milan could play Blue River Valley in front of 5,000 fans on a Saturday morning in Conseco fieldhouse though.



"My team is on the floor" Coach Dale

[SB24]

That would really be a tragedy if they went to another class. I mean it was a tough blow when it went to two classes, but with the right mindset it still works. Add yet another class though, and man, i couldn't imagine anyone paying much attention to anyone but the highest class.

[northwoods oldtimer]

Boys, back to 1 single class. No more AA and A class 'B as in B S as in S' malarkey.
Single class 2 teams from each section in a 16 team state format....gitter done!!!!

[SB24]

sounds good, i'll go with that.

[ThunderStorm22]

Spin this however you want but Bemidji has NO business playing down!

[eastside68]

What a concept, a state tournament. All have home games, everyone gets a trophy. What a positive for all players. Achievement without working for it. This is what is coming in the workplace,Please don't do this to Minnesota hockey!!!

[greenway1969]

The fallout from this move makes Bemidji's decision even more irritating. Anoka gets assigned to 7AA at a time when they will have an excellent team. Section 8AA will pretty much be an easy route for Roseau to return to state while 7AA gets even more difficult.

[elliott70]

Greenway69

Hasn't section 7 always been the toughest section to get to state?

It may not have the same make-up of teams, but it is still the toughest (or close to it). Why should that change?

[beaver16]

Interesting that Bemidji makes a decision good or bad but they are considered the bad guys. They will not have any easier time winning the sections.

What about TRF, Warroad, EGF, Hibbing, I falls and the list goes on, aren't these programs at fault for making the problem we have today with Anoka and Elk River etc in 7AA & Buffalo, Monit and St.Clouds etc. in 8AA.

Plain and simple the MSHSL created the monster that gives the members the right to choose whether to go A or AA. Why don't they declare if your AA you play AA or A then you play A and all the questions would be answered.

[elliott70]

If you are AA, you must play AA. No option available.
Single A can stay or go.

If ALL single A schools opted to play double A, we would have a one class state tournament.

[beaver16]

One class is the best but if you run a league don't you think making the decisions on who plays where is what your suppose to do?

[BIAFP]

This actually makes 8a a pretty deep section.

[hockeypimp111]

if bemidgi and apollo move down Warooad and Thief river falls should go up they give the rams and spuds a good game every year

[hockeypimp111]

[quote="Bud"]If Bemidji and Apollo both move to "A", will some other team be moved into Section 8??[/quote] warroad and theif river falls should go up :mrgreen: