Peewee A Hermantown Tournamanet

[Ron Hextall]

Standard eight team bracket play tournament, with two overtimes and a shoot out if needed.

Quarterfinals:

Hermantown vs Alexandria
The first quarterfinal should be the best game of the first round. Alexandria comes in having proved they can score some goals, but when the competition gets tougher they have a little more trouble (9-3 loss to Bemidji). This match up will provide Alexandria with a measuring stick with some city teams, a victory with putting up 6-7 goals would put them on par with the teams that have visited Hermantown this year. After struggling to find their groove in the first part of the season, Hermantown has rebounded to win their last four games. In those four games they have beaten Sibley in North Metro, two teams that average around two goals per game, but Hermantown gave up 7 against these two in battling out 1 goal victories. I would like to believe that Alexandria gets the victory here, but a little home cookin' in the home town team's tournament looks inevitable.

St. Paul Saints vs Duluth Lakers
The combination of Johnson and Como allows both associations to field an 'A' level team for the first time in a few years. After getting off to a rough start the Saints secured their first victory over Tartan last week. Their defense is starting to improve as their offense continues to work out the kinks, as they have not scored more than 2 goals in any one game. A first round match-up with the Duluth Lakers looks daunting, on paper, out-of-town tournaments tend to be a good bonding experience for teams, will that have a positive effect on the Saints remains to be seen. The Lakers are a competitive team in D11 and will have just enough fire power to advance to the semi's with a 3-1 or 4-1 type of victory.

Superior vs Fargo North Raiders
Superior is a team that keeps things close but have struggled to win consistently. While losing in the consolation finals at the Hall of Fame tourney and losing in the third place game in their own tourney, they get in a position to win and the wins just aren't coming as of right now, it's early and they are competing which is a good sign if things stay positive. They face off against the Fargo Raiders, who I know very little about, other than a 6-1 loss to an Eagan team that lost 7-6 to Apple Valley (see below). Superior should find a win here and advance.

Apple Valley vs Cloquet
In the last semi-final of the day we see Apple Valley, a team the gives up close to 7 goals a game in tough district, squaring off against a solid team from Cloquet. If score comparisons are any indicator, they have both played against Edina, where Cloquet lost 7-2 and Apple Valley, well lets just say if you throw out the Edina game Apple Valley drops 2 goals in the goals against average department. In the end Cloquet's size and depth will wear down Apple Valley.

Semi-finals:
Hermantown vs Duluth Lakers
An all D11 semi-finals in a D11 tournament, it makes sense and D11 is a solid district this year from top to bottom there is more balance and less blowouts. These two teams tied each other earlier this year, and this one will be close as well. Lakers come out on top.

Superior vs Cloquet
These two teams also played earlier with Cloquet coming out on top 2-1. Second game of the tournament tends to go to the physically stronger team, Cloquet pulls away late for the victory and a spot in the finals.

Championship:
Cloquet vs Duluth Lakers
Recent history shows Cloquet winning 3-0. While yet another close game among D11 foes, the Jacks will pull out their first championship of the year.

[northernlaker]

Duluth Lakers 3
Cloquet 2
Duluth East kickoff tourney in early November.

Duluth Lakers 3
Cloquet 0
November 29th.

Fyi.....

[getoveryourbadself]

ROUND 1
Hermantown 4
Alexandria 2

Superior 9
Fargo 1

Cloquet 4
Apple Valley 2

Duluth Lakers 6
St. Paul Saints 3

ROUND 2
Alexandria 6
St Paul Saints 3

Hermantown 2 as of end of 1st period
Lakers 1

[getoveryourbadself]

Duluth Lakers 7
Hermantonwn 4

[No Political Connections]

Championship Game: Lakers vs Cloquet
3rd Place Game: Superior vs Hermantown

[CreaseMonkey]

Lakers 5
Cloquet 2

Hermantown defeated Superior, but not positive on the score. I believe it was 4-3, but know it was a 1 goal game.