Texas High School Hockey at the Walmart

[frederick61]

Just put up an article on Houston ISHL Elite playing at the Walmart over the weekend. It can be read at

http://youthhockeyhub.com/

The article is written from a Texas High School hockey point of view.

[puckhead58]

That was amusing

[savagegopher]

How do they call themselve elite they couldnt beat St Francis,

correct me if I'm wrong, the traditional powers in Minnesota were not in the tournament?

[old goalie85]

St. Frances is going to give Besse & company a run for it in the North Sub ??? Good luck !!!

[ThePuckStopsHere]

St. Frances is going to give Besse & company a run for it in the North Sub ??? Good luck !!!

Consider the source, 50% BS & 50% inaccurate facts

[karl(east)]

St. Frances is going to give Besse & company a run for it in the North Sub ??? Good luck !!!

To say nothing of the fact that Benilde isn't even in the North Suburban anymore.

St. Francis had a nice little young team last year, with pretty everyone coming back this year, but finishing higher than a #6 seed in 7AA is highly unlikely.

[DrGaf]

aw, that article is so cute!

[puckhead58]

St. Frances is going to give Besse & company a run for it in the North Sub ??? Good luck !!!

Consider the source, 50% BS & 50% inaccurate facts

Related to a certain northern reporter?

I especially liked this one: "...played so well that you don’t notice it is a girl". (IT????)

[frederick61]

This year Benilde-St. Margaret graduates seven premier defensemen led by their #3 scorer, Christ Horn (58 points, 22 goals), their #5 scorer, Jake Horton (36 points, 12 goals), #6 scorer Jake O’Borskky (33 points, 16 goals), #7 scorer Tyler Ellegard (19 points, 6 goals), #12 scorer Alec Anderson, Jonah Johnson, and Nick Lauth.

More importantly, just looking at the stats, one can see that the Benilde forwards lived off that defense. Remember Besse scored in the State tourney on breakaways.

These seven Benilde defensemen took a lot of the ice time last year for Benilde. Newhouse and company will have their hands full. Quale will be back at goalie, but he will be the only returning senior goalie and will be fronted by a green defense. Benilde is not likely to repeat.

St. Francis last year was a young team, graduating only one senior. Their top forwards will be returning and in a game against Benilde they would be playing a green defense going through what St. Francis went through last year. Even with a young defensive team, St. Francis played tough enough to finish above .500 in the North Suburban giving up an average of 3 goals a game. St. Francis should be competitive against Benilde. Time will tell.

[karl(east)]

This year Benilde-St. Margaret graduates seven premier defensemen led by their #3 scorer, Christ Horn (58 points, 22 goals), their #5 scorer, Jake Horton (36 points, 12 goals), #6 scorer Jake O’Borskky (33 points, 16 goals), #7 scorer Tyler Ellegard (19 points, 6 goals), #12 scorer Alec Anderson, Jonah Johnson, and Nick Lauth.

More importantly, just looking at the stats, one can see that the Benilde forwards lived off that defense. Remember Besse scored in the State tourney on breakaways.

These seven Benilde defensemen took a lot of the ice time last year for Benilde. Newhouse and company will have their hands full. Quale will be back at goalie, but he will be the only returning senior goalie and will be fronted by a green defense. Benilde is not likely to repeat.

St. Francis last year was a young team, graduating only one senior. Their top forwards will be returning and in a game against Benilde they would be playing a green defense going through what St. Francis went through last year. Even with a young defensive team, St. Francis played tough enough to finish above .500 in the North Suburban giving up an average of 3 goals a game. St. Francis should be competitive against Benilde. Time will tell.

Lauth was not on the playoff roster. Horn, O'Borsky, and Ellegard were forwards. In the state tournament, they were all playing together on the Red Knights' second line. The top line of Besse, Moore, and Labosky returns intact. They have some high-end talent to step up on to that second line (Jungels, Hale), two very strong returning defensemen (Newhouse, Graham), and have brought in two quality transfers from Blake (F Naas, D Austin). They've only reloaded. They will miss Collins (left for NTDP) and Glover (also NTDP, though didn't play much last year.) The experience on defense is not ideal, but it's also not bad, and with the amount of talent this program reels in, they'll be fine.

I would also categorically disagree with the statement that the "Benilde forwards lived off the defense." If you watched BSM in their December games, the defense was the weakness, getting shredded by the likes of Maple Grove and Burnsville. It got noticeably better as the season went on, but their attack still featured a lot more end-to-end rushes by top-end forwards than any other elite team. Two of Besse's title game goals were unassisted; a third was assisted only by Horn, a forward.

Edina and Eden Prairie will be stiff challengers, but Benilde's odds for a repeat are better than most recent AA champions.

Link to last year's St. Francis/BSM game: http://www.mnhockeyhub.com/game/game_sheet/2102148

The play on Feb. 7 this year--plenty of time for that BSM defense to jell. No disrespect to St. Francis, who will likely have one of the better seasons in their program's history, and with Benilde out of the picture, might make a run at a conference title in a weak NSC (though I'd put my money on Totino). But I'd be surprised if they stay within 4 or 5 goals.

[Napalm187]

Frederick, Frederick...I don't even know where to begin? Being a "journalist" requires some semblance of accuracy with the facts and spelling. I really like what your trying to do, but your limitations makes it hard to take anything you say at face value.


"Graduated seven premier defenseman"?? Led by Christ Horn?? I don't even know what to say?

Of those listed only Johnson and Horton were D, and Horton played up at F a decent amount.

Of their defenseman in the championship game, it was two seniors, Horton & Johnson, one junior Graham, two sophs Glover & Collins and one frosh, Newhouse.

I wouldn't call Johnson premier, so technically...their only graduating one premier defenseman in Horton!

Glover and Collins left for the NTDP...so they did not graduate from the program. They just left.

As for the D being the catalyst for the offense...maybe not till the end of the year. Pauly himself would even admit, that halfway through the year the D was a huge letdown. They were in trouble because Collins and Glover were still adjusting to varsity hockey, Horton was all O and no D. Newhouse was a frosh and Johnson and Graham were good, but not great. They all improved as the year went on and were definitely a factor in helping them win it all, but it was the offense that carried that team all year.

Your whole post is just inane. You make it sound like they were the 93 Jefferson D, which had 5 D1 defenseman.

Benidle won it because they had two great lines. Usually most great teams, have one great line. Even Edina just had one great line last year with Malmquist, Hurley and Jordahl. Benilde had two of the top 10-15 lines in the state. Because it wasn't just Besse, Moore, Labosky...it was Horn's line with O'Borsky and Ellegard. That coulda been the first line on 90% of the teams' in the state. The question for Benilde who will be playing an independent schedule by the way, will be can they replace that second line. Can Hale, Jungels and player x fill that role? The D will be an adjustment for the newcomers to varisty, just like last year and Quale will be fine. The key will be that second line if they want to beat Edina at state next year.

[frederick61]

Kids change during the season, but all seven listed were listed by the Benilde Coaches as defensemen at the start of the season. That means to me that they are rated at defense and moved because of team play during the season.

The fact remains that the seven defensive oriented players will be gone this year and with it goes 50 goals and 100 assists. The kids left behind will never produce a 150 points over and above what they produced last season.

In a good season, they will be lucky to get an additional 30 scores and Besse would have to get over 60 goals and 100 points. He won’t get enough ice time to make that happen. Benilde's average score 7-2 that they enjoyed last year simply isn’t in the cards this year. Their average score will dip to 4-5 goals per game and they will give more than 3 goals a game. That drives their 19-6 record last season to closer to .500.
But as I said before, time will tell.

[Napalm187]

O'Borsky and Horn have been exclusively at F since they started at BSM.

Besse will score over 100 points next year while Moore & Labosky will combine for 155 pts. If they stay healthy.

Naas will juice the second line, and they will have #'s comparable to this last years' #2 line.

What I am missing? The thing that is going to hurt is Collins and Glover leaving. But this is HS hockey...you only need a few good kid to put the puck in the net, some fast skaters amongst your other forwards and 2-3 really competent defenseman with a quality goalie to win state. Seems like they'll have that. Have some issues with BSM Fred? I can't believe I'm defending BSM. Felt like I had too, with all the inaccuracies.

[frederick61]

O'Borsky and Horn have been exclusively at F since they started at BSM.

Besse will score over 100 points next year while Moore & Labosky will combine for 155 pts. If they stay healthy.

Naas will juice the second line, and they will have #'s comparable to this last years' #2 line.

What I am missing? The thing that is going to hurt is Collins and Glover leaving. But this is HS hockey...you only need a few good kid to put the puck in the net, some fast skaters amongst your other forwards and 2-3 really competent defenseman with a quality goalie to win state. Seems like they'll have that. Have some issues with BSM Fred? I can't believe I'm defending BSM. Felt like I had too, with all the inaccuracies.

Remember Besse scored 75 points (40 goals) for BSM last year. Moore had 59 points (27 goals), and Labosky had 56 points (14 goals). All three would have to serious increase their output without gaining a lot of ice time to add 65 points.

The only "inaccuracy" in my story on Texas High School hockey at the Walmart was my comment that St. Francis was strong enough to compete with BSM next year. Time will judge that "inaccuracy". The rest of the story is accurate. I saw the games played up close and the Houston Elite team was competitive with Minnesota High School Hockey.

The BSM fans want a repeat of last season and I simply stated they are lost their senior defensive play and would have a tough road to improve on their 19-6 record. It has been a fun discussion on a sultry day in July. That is hockey.

[OnFrozenPond]

O'Borsky and Horn have been exclusively at F since they started at BSM.

Besse will score over 100 points next year while Moore & Labosky will combine for 155 pts. If they stay healthy.

Naas will juice the second line, and they will have #'s comparable to this last years' #2 line.

What I am missing? The thing that is going to hurt is Collins and Glover leaving. But this is HS hockey...you only need a few good kid to put the puck in the net, some fast skaters amongst your other forwards and 2-3 really competent defenseman with a quality goalie to win state. Seems like they'll have that. Have some issues with BSM Fred? I can't believe I'm defending BSM. Felt like I had too, with all the inaccuracies.

Remember Besse scored 75 points (40 goals) for BSM last year. Moore had 59 points (27 goals), and Labosky had 56 points (14 goals). All three would have to serious increase their output without gaining a lot of ice time to add 65 points.

The only "inaccuracy" in my story on Texas High School hockey at the Walmart was my comment that St. Francis was strong enough to compete with BSM next year. Time will judge that "inaccuracy". The rest of the story is accurate. I saw the games played up close and the Houston Elite team was competitive with Minnesota High School Hockey.

The BSM fans want a repeat of last season and I simply stated they are lost their senior defensive play and would have a tough road to improve on their 19-6 record. It has been a fun discussion on a sultry day in July. That is hockey.

The difference between last year and next year in both goal production and record will have very little to do with losing seniors and everything to do with schedule. As others have posted, BSM will not feel the impact you suggest. They have too much talant returning, transferring or in the pipeline. The difference will come from the upgraded schedule. You could argue that they underachieved by posting a 19-6 regular season record considering the weak conference schedule they played. And the point production looks nice, but is meaningless given 5 games with 15 goals or more against the likes of Cooper (21) and Spring Lake Park (15 twice).

The independent schedule they play next year is much more difficult so the points and wins will be much harder to obtain, but I would expect them to enter the season number 1, be a top 5 team throughout the season and battle EP and Tonka for the section 6 title.

[frederick61]

You bring up an interesting point on BSM’s independent schedule for the 2012-2013 season. I checked and their preliminary schedule has them playing Shattuck, Moorhead (at Moorhead), Burnsville, Hill-Murray, Holy Angels (at Richfield), Blaine, Maple Grove (at MGCC), Duluth Marshall (at Mars), Hibbing (at Hibbing), Wayzata, St. Thomas Academy, Minnetonka, Mounds View, Rochester Century, Elk River, Rochester Lourdes (at Graham), Holy Family, Totino Grace, Eden Prairie (at EP), and Stillwater (at the Blizzard).

It is a tough schedule, but the one that is a must see based on this thread is the Feb 7, 2013 game against St. Francis at East Bethel.

I like what BSM has done with this schedule, but wonder if they will play Edina? With all 12 of their home games played out of the St. Louis Park Arena (plus BSM playing a Holiday Classic tourney out of the SLP Rec Center), it should be an exciting season for BSM and Stl Louis Park hockey.

[Shinbone_News]

Not to pile on late in the third period here, but not a lot of impartial folks would say that BSM's strength was defense last year. As others have already pointed out, they got hung out to dry by Maple Grove and Burnsville. Did Pauly adjust the game plan late in the season? Probably they reeled in their double-pinch five-man forecheck when it was discovered that anyone who could bounce it off the glass got a breakaway on poor old Quale or Jecha. I agree with those who think BSM will be a serious contender again, and it will be because of their offensive fire-power and speed, and their indie schedule -- which begins to look a bit like East's come to think of it -- will definitely be a step up from last year. The two weak games ~I~ see on this sked are, frankly, Elk River and St. Francis. Good programs, but state-bound? Nah.

[karl(east)]

Not to pile on late in the third period here, but not a lot of impartial folks would say that BSM's strength was defense last year. As others have already pointed out, they got hung out to dry by Maple Grove and Burnsville. Did Pauly adjust the game plan late in the season? Probably they reeled in their double-pinch five-man forecheck when it was discovered that anyone who could bounce it off the glass got a breakaway on poor old Quale or Jecha. I agree with those who think BSM will be a serious contender again, and it will be because of their offensive fire-power and speed, and their indie schedule -- which begins to look a bit like East's come to think of it -- will definitely be a step up from last year. The two weak games ~I~ see on this sked are, frankly, Elk River and St. Francis. Good programs, but state-bound? Nah.

I had the same thought when I first saw BSM's schedule--looks a lot like East's. Lots of top teams in the state, though it tails off a bit at the end, with more games against teams in their former conference. I'd disagree about Elk River, though; they're a top-20 AA team that is probably better than 7-10 other teams on this schedule.

When deciding where Benilde will be ranked this coming year, it's worth looking at what other top teams are losing, too. Without going through and doing the math, the only real top teams last year that are returning more are Edina and Eden Prairie. (Maybe Andover and Blaine, if you considered them top teams; I wouldn't have.) Everyone else--Duluth East, Minnetonka, Maple Grove, Eagan, Hill-Murray, Lakeville South, Moorhead, Wayzata--is losing more.

And to answer the question, they won't play Edina in the regular season, though they do play EP once, quite possibly twice with the holiday tournament. Full schedule is here: http://nsconference.org/g5-bin/client.c ... &category=

[2boys1girl]

Hey Freddy - Stick to Peewee's. We don't need your unfactual writings in H.S. Hockey now. You clearly have no clue about hockey and do little research and fact checking.

[old goalie85]

Nice 2nd post !!

[2boys1girl]

OG85 - Great response! Because I choose to read most posts and not respond 2211 times I have no right to do so. I've been reading this forum for years. I'm sick and tired of Freddy61's countless B.S. he puts on here. FREDDIE YOU SIR ARE NO JOURNALIST. Now your trying to do H.S. SMH.

[MrBoDangles]

OG85 - Great response! Because I choose to read most posts and not respond 2211 times I have no right to do so. I've been reading this forum for years. I'm sick and tired of Freddy61's countless B.S. he puts on here. FREDDIE YOU SIR ARE NO JOURNALIST. Now your trying to do H.S. SMH.

You're upset that he said St. Franny might be competitive with BSM next year? SF should have a pretty good and senior dominated team next year. I think Spring Lake Park even took a game from them(BSM) recently when they had a strong year.

They must have left St. Franny on that tough schedule knowing that they should be fairly strong this year, right?

Just curious of what part made you snap.

[2boys1girl]

Its not that St. Francis won't give them a game. It's his facts, he comes on here on weekly basis talking out his butt. He stats that BSM is losing 7 premier dman but doesn't know who plays where. Im done now with this I'm going back to just reading. You can't argue stupid.

[Mr Hockey]

They will give them a game by St. Francis standards. If the score ends 7-2 or 9-2 that will be a good game considering most players on St. Francis did not play A Bantams as I dont think they had an A Bantam team when the players were in bantams.

Benilde and St Francis aren't even close. However St. Francis could finish second in the North Surburban this year which would still be an accomplishment for them. They are not a bad team. Not up to Benilde stanards but an improving program that has players all from their own area on the team unlike Benilde who recruits.

Maybe the coaches do not recruit at Benilde but their parents certainly do and should. It is a private school and that is what they should do however to make them better. St. Francis can not do that obviously. I would like to see how the Saints do against Forest Lake this year if they play them. That is the next step for the saints. To not finish 7th, 8th, or 9th in their section. Good luck Mr. Schaff!!!

[MrBoDangles]

They will give them a game by St. Francis standards. If the score ends 7-2 or 9-2 that will be a good game considering most players on St. Francis did not play A Bantams as I dont think they had an A Bantam team when the players were in bantams.

Benilde and St Francis aren't even close. However St. Francis could finish second in the North Surburban this year which would still be an accomplishment for them. They are not a bad team. Not up to Benilde stanards but an improving program that has players all from their own area on the team unlike Benilde who recruits.

Maybe the coaches do not recruit at Benilde but their parents certainly do and should. It is a private school and that is what they should do however to make them better. St. Francis can not do that obviously. I would like to see how the Saints do against Forest Lake this year if they play them. That is the next step for the saints. To not finish 7th, 8th, or 9th in their section. Good luck Mr. Schaff!!!

Pretty sure the reason they didn't have an A team was because most of the talent moves up to varsity by 9th grade.