AA teams you would like to see at State

[BodyShots]

I guess I was thinking “blue collar”. What does “blue blood” mean?

Blue blood is a program with a rich history and are for the most part in contention every year: you kind of expect them to be there

Think Alabama and Ohio State in college football or Duke/Kentucky/Kansas in college basketball.

Alright then. I guess HM makes sense!

[BlueLineSpecial]

Section 1
1st choice: Hastings - I'd like to see someone else other than the Lakevilles, and have to give some love to the Tradition Rich Metro East
2nd choice: Lakeville South - Mostly because I think they have the best shot at having a competitive 1AA team at State

Section 2
1st choice: Prior Lake - Just to mix it up and there was so much hype for this team coming into the year
2nd choice: Minnetonka - Because I just don't want EP again

Section 3
1st choice: Cretin - On principal I think you should have the #1 in the state at State. Not having them feels like it would diminish it a bit
2nd choice: STA - Tradition Rich Metro East support I suppose

Section 4
1st choice: Hill Murray - I'm an alumni and fan
2nd choice: White Bear Lake - Hometown, love their jersey/colors

Section 5
1st choice: Rogers - Would be new blood, fun to see different teams at State to mix it up
2nd choice: Maple Grove - Great team, top end talent, its fun to have the best of the best playing against each other at State

Section 6
1st choice: Benilde - For a really good program they get stuck in a tough section and haven't been to State in quite a while
2nd choice: Wayzata - Mostly because I don't really want to see Edina. Plus Edina doesn't even have a mascot/logo anymore

Section 7
1st choice: Grand Rapids - Even as a private school (HM) fan, I root for the northern teams to do well
2nd choice: Andover - I don't think anyone else has even a remote chance in this section

Section 8
1st choice: Roseau - Almost a tie between them and Moorhead, but Moorhead has had plenty of trips. Be nice to see Roseau get a shot
2nd choice: Moorhead - Always had a soft spot for the Spuds. Love their colors, and the mascot of a peeved hockey playing potato can't be beat

[Sparlimb]

Assuming both make it, it will be interesting to see if CDH's schedule down the stretch still earns them the top seed. Or does HM's late season wins against Maple Grove and Moorhead stand out? Arguments to be made, but both need to answer questions in sections first. CDH needs to get past STA, whom they've lost to twice and HM needs to win two games against the trio of Stillwater, WBL and Gentry Academy.

I've watched HM for a long time. I guarantee one of their section games will be a one goal affair.

[East Side Pioneer Guy]

Assuming both make it, it will be interesting to see if CDH's schedule down the stretch still earns them the top seed. Or does HM's late season wins against Maple Grove and Moorhead stand out? Arguments to be made, but both need to answer questions in sections first. CDH needs to get past STA, whom they've lost to twice and HM needs to win two games against the trio of Stillwater, WBL and Gentry Academy.

I've watched HM for a long time. I guarantee one of their section games will be a one goal affair.

I'd sort of second that, on Hill having one one goal game. It's been some time since Hill has been an offensive juggernaut, the smothering defense has been the signature for some time now. Also, it not often Hill delivers a knockout punch in the 1st or 2nd period. They're have been a number of section or state games where I'd have liked to go into the 3rd up by 4, because I'm old enough I don't need every game to be a nail biter.

I'm hoping Cre-tine gets the #1 seed. Of late, the coaches seem to hew closely to the LPH final rankings. Hill can beat anyone now. And they could lose to any tournament team too, I take nothing for granted.

no coach, no team
no ref, no game

[East Side Pioneer Guy]

1) Lake South, because they could pull off a surprise or two, and Hastings is just a paper tiger. Or maybe a paper raider.

2) EP or Tonka, for the same reason as Lake South.

3) CDH, because I want Hill to beat them, and not the Cadets. We need more wins over other Catholic schools at state. They may not be paper raiders, more like card board raiders.

4) Duh

5) Maple Grove, because I liked the way they looked against Hill, and they would make for a better tournament field versus the rest of the section.

6) A slight edge to Edina here, over Benilde and Wayzata, but it's pretty tough. I give some love to the crosstown Catholic school in Benilde. And Wayzata is always a worthy opponent for Hill, the 2-1 semifinal game a number of years back was epic. We can ironically give the "Daddy's money" chant to all three, but with Edina we can also give them the "WHERE'S your MAS-cot?" chant.

7) Andover, because I'm bemused by the lamentations I hear when there are fewer than two teams out of 218. But I don't mind seeing GR either.

8 ) Roseau, because Moorhead never brings their band or their cool Spud mascot. About 2016 I made the trek northwest to see Hill take on the Spuds, and after their 47 tournament appearances at state I finally heard the Moorhead fight song and laid on eyes (good pun there) on the Spud mascot, which is the best mascot costume I've ever seen for any MN high school. Seriously, if they brought that thing to the X, it would need an escort around the building. It would get mobbed in the concourse, and be all over Twitter. I think I still have a photo of it somewhere.

[mnmouth]

Section 1
Hastings - Could use an injection of the cool electric blue uniforms at Xcel

Section 2
Chaska - Could use an injection of new blood at Xcel

Section 3
Rosemount - The any team but Cretin or STA chant goes up. What a chump section for public schools

Section 4
White Bear Lake - The any team but Hill chant goes up. Always root for the Bears to get that elusive first quarterfinal win at State only because I once dated a girl from there and her dad would take me fishing.

Section 5
Maple Grove - Rapids needs a State rematch after getting embarrassed at home vs the Crimson

Section 6
Wayzata - The any team but Benilde chant goes up. Among all these cake eater schools, Wayzata the least offensive because my wife's cousin is linked to the program and he always shares his beer

Section 7
Grand Rapids - Two years in a row with Andover representing this section and rendering the State tournament meaningless must end here

Section 8
Roseau - When at State, Roseau knows how to finish. Moorhead only knows heartbreak. Go with the proven winner

Obviously, no private schools needed, no matter that they would give us teams to root against, or the false cry that they would make the tournament better. My hope is that all privates lose miserably to a lower seed in Sections, are forced to drag the golf clubs out of the closet and made to wait for the snow to melt

[East Side Pioneer Guy]

Section 1
Hastings - Could use an injection of the cool electric blue uniforms at Xcel

Section 2
Chaska - Could use an injection of new blood at Xcel

Section 3
Rosemount - The any team but Cretin or STA chant goes up. What a chump section for public schools

Section 4
White Bear Lake - The any team but Hill chant goes up. Always root for the Bears to get that elusive first quarterfinal win at State only because I once dated a girl from there and her dad would take me fishing.

Section 5
Maple Grove - Rapids needs a State rematch after getting embarrassed at home vs the Crimson

Section 6
Wayzata - The any team but Benilde chant goes up. Among all these cake eater schools, Wayzata the least offensive because my wife's cousin is linked to the program and he always shares his beer

Section 7
Grand Rapids - Two years in a row with Andover representing this section and rendering the State tournament meaningless must end here

Section 8
Roseau - When at State, Roseau knows how to finish. Moorhead only knows heartbreak. Go with the proven winner

Obviously, no private schools needed, no matter that they would give us teams to root against, or the false cry that they would make the tournament better. My hope is that all privates lose miserably to a lower seed in Sections, are forced to drag the golf clubs out of the closet and made to wait for the snow to melt

We privates, along with Edina, and to a lesser extent EP, are the straw that stirs the drink. Or at least the hate. And that's what draws eyeballs and sells tickets. People say they'd love to see something like a Rogers - Chaska match-up (especially a final), but that wouldn't be the spectacle of a game with one of the hated schools involved. (And I would hasten to add Hill is clearly the most hated.) And we don't need to let snow hamper our golf game, it's plenty sunny on the course in Palm Springs, thank you.

It's brings a smile to my face when someone wants new blood, and wants to see Roseau. White Bear fans at the X: "Why are they chanting 'RID-der, RID-der, RID-der'? Isn't the game at Mariucci tomorrow?" They remind me of my sister getting married again after two her divorces, it represents the triumph of hope over experience. (And the 3rd one was over the fastest.)

[mnmouth]

Section 1
Hastings - Could use an injection of the cool electric blue uniforms at Xcel

Section 2
Chaska - Could use an injection of new blood at Xcel

Section 3
Rosemount - The any team but Cretin or STA chant goes up. What a chump section for public schools

Section 4
White Bear Lake - The any team but Hill chant goes up. Always root for the Bears to get that elusive first quarterfinal win at State only because I once dated a girl from there and her dad would take me fishing.

Section 5
Maple Grove - Rapids needs a State rematch after getting embarrassed at home vs the Crimson

Section 6
Wayzata - The any team but Benilde chant goes up. Among all these cake eater schools, Wayzata the least offensive because my wife's cousin is linked to the program and he always shares his beer

Section 7
Grand Rapids - Two years in a row with Andover representing this section and rendering the State tournament meaningless must end here

Section 8
Roseau - When at State, Roseau knows how to finish. Moorhead only knows heartbreak. Go with the proven winner

Obviously, no private schools needed, no matter that they would give us teams to root against, or the false cry that they would make the tournament better. My hope is that all privates lose miserably to a lower seed in Sections, are forced to drag the golf clubs out of the closet and made to wait for the snow to melt

We privates, along with Edina, and to a lesser extent EP, are the straw that stirs the drink. Or at least the hate. And that's what draws eyeballs and sells tickets. People say they'd love to see something like a Rogers - Chaska match-up (especially a final), but that wouldn't be the spectacle of a game with one of the hated schools involved. (And I would hasten to add Hill is clearly the most hated.) And we don't need to let snow hamper our golf game, it's plenty sunny on the course in Palm Springs, thank you.

It's brings a smile to my face when someone wants new blood, and wants to see Roseau. White Bear fans at the X: "Why are they chanting 'RID-der, RID-der, RID-der'? Isn't the game at Mariucci tomorrow?" They remind me of my sister getting married again after two her divorces, it represents the triumph of hope over experience. (And the 3rd one was over the fastest.)

What brings a smile to my face is a claim that privates, Edina or EP are what stir the drink , though they likely are what stir the hate. Alhough I am likely in an increasing minority, having private schools lose before even getting a sniff at State is wonderfully therapeutic. As a hardened 218er, a Rogers-Chaska final conjures a smell just as malodorous as a Hill-Eden Prairie final.

[East Side Pioneer Guy]

Section 1
Hastings - Could use an injection of the cool electric blue uniforms at Xcel

Section 2
Chaska - Could use an injection of new blood at Xcel

Section 3
Rosemount - The any team but Cretin or STA chant goes up. What a chump section for public schools

Section 4
White Bear Lake - The any team but Hill chant goes up. Always root for the Bears to get that elusive first quarterfinal win at State only because I once dated a girl from there and her dad would take me fishing.

Section 5
Maple Grove - Rapids needs a State rematch after getting embarrassed at home vs the Crimson

Section 6
Wayzata - The any team but Benilde chant goes up. Among all these cake eater schools, Wayzata the least offensive because my wife's cousin is linked to the program and he always shares his beer

Section 7
Grand Rapids - Two years in a row with Andover representing this section and rendering the State tournament meaningless must end here

Section 8
Roseau - When at State, Roseau knows how to finish. Moorhead only knows heartbreak. Go with the proven winner

Obviously, no private schools needed, no matter that they would give us teams to root against, or the false cry that they would make the tournament better. My hope is that all privates lose miserably to a lower seed in Sections, are forced to drag the golf clubs out of the closet and made to wait for the snow to melt

We privates, along with Edina, and to a lesser extent EP, are the straw that stirs the drink. Or at least the hate. And that's what draws eyeballs and sells tickets. People say they'd love to see something like a Rogers - Chaska match-up (especially a final), but that wouldn't be the spectacle of a game with one of the hated schools involved. (And I would hasten to add Hill is clearly the most hated.) And we don't need to let snow hamper our golf game, it's plenty sunny on the course in Palm Springs, thank you.

It's brings a smile to my face when someone wants new blood, and wants to see Roseau. White Bear fans at the X: "Why are they chanting 'RID-der, RID-der, RID-der'? Isn't the game at Mariucci tomorrow?" They remind me of my sister getting married again after two her divorces, it represents the triumph of hope over experience. (And the 3rd one was over the fastest.)

What brings a smile to my face is a claim that privates, Edina or EP are what stir the drink , though they likely are what stir the hate. Alhough I am likely in an increasing minority, having private schools lose before even getting a sniff at State is wonderfully therapeutic. As a hardened 218er, a Rogers-Chaska final conjures a smell just as malodorous as a Hill-Eden Prairie final.

Oh please. The 218ers are the darlings of the tournament. The wailing and gnashing of teeth when there are not a pair of teams from the 218 is annoying. And when there were none, why it was nauseating. And I suspect much of the wailing is from people who rarely if ever venture inside the bounds of the 218, save for a possible visit to the casino in Hinckley or the Port of Duluth.

[mnmouth]

[/quote]

Oh please. The 218ers are the darlings of the tournament. The wailing and gnashing of teeth when there are not a pair of teams from the 218 is annoying. And when there were none, why it was nauseating. And I suspect much of the wailing is from people who rarely if ever venture inside the bounds of the 218, save for a possible visit to the casino in Hinckley or the Port of Duluth.
[/quote]

. . . The 218ers are the darlings of the tournament.

It's about time you wrote something I agree with

[hockeyhockeyhockey]

Unrealistic give me a blue blood state tourney all teams that have atleast 1 title.

1AA John Marshall
2AA Jefferson
3AA Burnsville
4AA Hill Murray
5AA Anoka
6AA Edina
7AA Grand Rapids
8AA Roseau

A blue blood state and you list Hill Murray! Now that is hilarious!

Hill Murray-

23 State Tournament appearances
14 Times reached state semifinals
Played in 10 state championship games (7 in 14 years, 1980-1993)
Won 6 runner-up, 2 3rd Place, & 2 consolation titles
Won 4 State Titles - 1983, 1991, 2008, 2020
Won 2 Independent State Titles - 1970, 1972

As a boy of the North I hope Hill Murray never again wins a state title but I think the above indicates blue blood. 50+ years of excellence

did they get (in that 23) the credit for last years appearance that they did not appear at? (other team covid issue)

seems like 23 is low they are there so often either making a run to SEMIS or 2 and out (they have a ton of those also) they do not win that second game after a loss.

[Sparlimb]

A blue blood state and you list Hill Murray! Now that is hilarious!

Hill Murray-

23 State Tournament appearances
14 Times reached state semifinals
Played in 10 state championship games (7 in 14 years, 1980-1993)
Won 6 runner-up, 2 3rd Place, & 2 consolation titles
Won 4 State Titles - 1983, 1991, 2008, 2020
Won 2 Independent State Titles - 1970, 1972

As a boy of the North I hope Hill Murray never again wins a state title but I think the above indicates blue blood. 50+ years of excellence

did they get (in that 23) the credit for last years appearance that they did not appear at? (other team covid issue)

seems like 23 is low they are there so often either making a run to SEMIS or 2 and out (they have a ton of those also) they do not win that second game after a loss.

They get credit for earning the trip. Their official record was 0-0 as the games were called a no contest by the high school league.

[BlueLineSpecial]

A blue blood state and you list Hill Murray! Now that is hilarious!

Hill Murray-

23 State Tournament appearances
14 Times reached state semifinals
Played in 10 state championship games (7 in 14 years, 1980-1993)
Won 6 runner-up, 2 3rd Place, & 2 consolation titles
Won 4 State Titles - 1983, 1991, 2008, 2020
Won 2 Independent State Titles - 1970, 1972

As a boy of the North I hope Hill Murray never again wins a state title but I think the above indicates blue blood. 50+ years of excellence

did they get (in that 23) the credit for last years appearance that they did not appear at? (other team covid issue)

seems like 23 is low they are there so often either making a run to SEMIS or 2 and out (they have a ton of those also) they do not win that second game after a loss.

No private schools were allowed to play in the state tournament until 1975. Prior to that, private schools played in various iterations of their own tournament that isn't counted/recognized by the MSHSL. For example, Cretin won 11 titles between 1949 and 1963 in what they called the MN Prep School Tourney at the time. To my understanding those titles aren't broadly acknowledged. Hill won a couple of titles in the 1970s when they played in the State Independent Tourney. This includes 1972, when International Falls beat Grand Rapids in the State tournament. I'd guess any old timers would, rightfully in many ways, say International Falls was the champ that year.

Hill has made the State tournament exactly 50% of the years they were eligible, from 1976 through 2021 (23 appearances in 46 years). That's pretty good, and I'd put that number against any other team in the state.

Remember too that White Bear Lake was a force to be reckoned with for many years. The Bears had top teams that competed with, and regularly beat, the Pioneers. That rivalry is considered one of the best in the state for a reason. As east siders will well know, White Bear Lake has been to the tourney almost two dozen times - with less than stellar results - having never won a quarterfinal game. Is it 0-19 now? So they were no slouch for Hill for a long time.

Its really only in recent years that Hill has separated a bit from WBL and the rest of the section 4AA foes.