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GRG is a good team and obviously atop 7AA right now but let's not forget...anything can happen. Especially in this section. In the most recent rankings for Let's Play Hockey, 4 teams were in the top 20 in GRG, Duluth, CEC, and FL

Right now the seedings look like this?

1. GRG
2. Duluth
3. CEC
4. FL
5. PHM

and Cambrige, St. Francis, and Chisago Lakes rounding out the bottom three...all of which could upset anyone at anytime...

I think Grand Rapids/GREENWAY as I believe they are called, is the best team. Heard they put up a great showing by winning the Edina Tourny.

CEC will always be tough come playoffs. Depending on which Duluth team shows up could contend for the section. PHM will be tough but not ready to contend nor do I think Forest Lake is.

As long as GRG doesnt take any team lightly they will be ok, too much team speed from top to bottom.

Goaltending is what makes a playoff team, hot goaltending will win games, if any team gets this,

GRG could be dethroned by Cloquet, but that is the only team I see beating them in the sections. If GRG plays the way they are right now, I doubt that'll happen. Sections will be a dogfight. 7AA is extremely deep.

boblee wrote:GRG could be dethroned by Cloquet, but that is the only team I see beating them in the sections. If GRG plays the way they are right now, I doubt that'll happen. Sections will be a dogfight. 7AA is extremely deep.

Agree, GRG is playing at a very high level and has the key players to make a run for the state title. I don't think the other teams in the section are quite as strong from what I have seen, but of course anything can happen.

From what I saw at the Edina tournament, GRG can control their own fate and pert near run the table for the state. Still a lot of hockey to go but...they have buried teams and controlled games in a way I haven't seen by any girls teams

they have buried teams and controlled games in a way I haven't seen by any girls teams

Sounds like it is time to break up the cooperative?

Why is it that any time a team is decent and they are a co-op, it must be broken up?

Yes, it is unfortunate that the numbers are not there to support a team for every school in the state, but don't we want to be a little bit competitive? Come on, don't always come to that conclusion...

Here's the deal...

Greenway could not produce a girls hockey team by themselves. They simply wouldn't have enough skaters.

Grand Rapids could maybe field a varsity team, but no JV.

Remember that GRG has no 14u this year, all those girls have been pulled up to have enough players to have a V and JV team.

Co-op is working, and staying. Get used to it.

Grand Rapids/Greenway, I can buy... two relatively small towns - small combined enrollments

But Duluth - a city of nearly 90,000 - give me a break.

northhockey wrote:Grand Rapids/Greenway, I can buy... two relatively small towns - small combined enrollments

But Duluth - a city of nearly 90,000 - give me a break.

How about Minneapolis - a city of ~350,000 - with just one "co-op" team (Novas)? You would think Mpls. and Duluth could field more than one team each, but realistically they probably can't. Most people don't have a problem with co-ops until they start to win consistently, which is what prompted the original complaint about GR/G here. Personally, I don't have any problem at all with co-ops, including all of these three, EXCEPT when it starts to prevent too many girls from playing high school hockey, whether at the varsity or JV level. When a combined program begins to have to cut 10+ players from the JV team, then it's time to form separate programs, IMO.

There are plenty of AA schools with no JV's. I bet more than half of the A schools cannot field a full JV.

I don't know of any schools cutting 10+ girls ... maybe Edina?

I agree with MN hockeyfan. when a coop starts to cut a large number of players then it's time to look at the possibility of an additional team. GRG has always had some talented kids this year that grind and they are putting it together and making a good run, I wish they had more StillH20's, Roseville. HM, EP, Edina's, etc on their schedule. Should be some good play around tourney time. Only time and numbers will tell if the coop needs to be sustained. For now it is what it is, and it looks like it may make for some good hockey to watch.

[quote="goalzilla"]I wish they had more StillH20's, Roseville. HM, EP, Edina's, etc on their schedule. quote]

I've been accusing GR/G's coaches all year of padding their schedule, I'm glad someone else finally caught on to their tactics. I don't want to mention any names, Gunderson, but for crying out loud get some competition on your schedule!!! I think you guys need to travel some more to get some quality games too. Not every game can be a home game!!!

titleist wrote:I've been accusing GR/G's coaches all year of padding their schedule, I'm glad someone else finally caught on to their tactics. I don't want to mention any names, Gunderson, but for crying out loud get some competition on your schedule!!! I think you guys need to travel some more to get some quality games too. Not every game can be a home game!!!

Going to have to disagree with you here. Overall they play a pretty tough schedule against some very good opponents, and by my count this year they will have played 13 home vs. 12 away games - pretty balanced I would say. Teams that they have played or still remain on the schedule include Edina, Roseville, Hopkins, Breck, Hill Murray, CDH, BSM, White Bear Lake, Alexandria, Crookston, Cloquet, Duluth, Blaine, Roseau, Proctor, and Bemidji. All of these are quality teams that on any given night could beat just about anybody.

I dont think they pad the schedule its just diffecult for them to load up with a tough schedule due to location. I'm sure if they could it would be a pretty good litmus test. But being north is tough just because of travel. Of all the nortern teams I think GRG is for real. Like I said I think we are going to see some good hockey the remainder of the season.

I would agree I think they tried to pad the schedule but they got unluckey when it turned out Crookston, Roseau, Bemidji, Edina, Breck, and Hopkins turned out to be very good teams. Getting in the Edina tourney turned out to be a great move, I hear you can't get into the Kaposia Tourney unless your one of the states elite teams. Besides, why would they want to take the chance and get beat up again by a superior Roseville team who dominated them earlier in the year. The lightning program is young and they and their coaches can learn alot from the great programs in the cities like EP, Stillwater and Roseville. Do they even pay the coache in those programs to work with such talented players. Roseville has one of the most talented defensive cores in the state.

After looking at their schedule, Kudos to GRG for loading up as much as they did. Talk of padding is for Charmin heads.

"Speedy Delivery!" - Mr McFeely

MNHockeyFan wrote:

northhockey wrote:Grand Rapids/Greenway, I can buy... two relatively small towns - small combined enrollments

But Duluth - a city of nearly 90,000 - give me a break.

How about Minneapolis - a city of ~350,000 - with just one "co-op" team (Novas)? You would think Mpls. and Duluth could field more than one team each, but realistically they probably can't. Most people don't have a problem with co-ops until they start to win consistently, which is what prompted the original complaint about GR/G here. Personally, I don't have any problem at all with co-ops, including all of these three, EXCEPT when it starts to prevent too many girls from playing high school hockey, whether at the varsity or JV level. When a combined program begins to have to cut 10+ players from the JV team, then it's time to form separate programs, IMO.

For the sake of conversation and information - you also have to look at how Title IX does not affect "co-op" schools. I believe that a vast majority of the co-op's combine for #'s! IMO there are programs that co-op players to avoid Title IX, it's a back door around it.

Sometimes you gotta know the author... The padding the schedule thing was a joke.

It'll be nice to see how GRG and CEC do against common opponent Edina this weekend. I like the Lightning over the Hornets 5-3 tonight.

Some big games coming up in Section 7AA - they will really effect the seedings...

Right now according to QRF:

Grand Rapids 91.3
Duluth 78.1
Cloquet 67.2
PHM 63.5
Forest Lake 60.1
Cambridge 51.9
St. Francis 50.8
Chisago Lakes 41.4

Is this accurate right now???

northhockey wrote:Some big games coming up in Section 7AA - they will really effect the seedings...

Right now according to QRF:

Grand Rapids 91.3
Duluth 78.1
Cloquet 67.2
PHM 63.5
Forest Lake 60.1
Cambridge 51.9
St. Francis 50.8
Chisago Lakes 41.4

Is this accurate right now???

Yes according to the QRF formula it is accurate and up-to-date, but as you probably know QRF is not how the teams are ultimately seeded. By the end of the regular season it should be fairly close however.

Don't forget that GRG vs. Blaine from 12/29/07 can be seen on FSN tonight at 9:30 p.m.

northhockey wrote:Grand Rapids/Greenway, I can buy... two relatively small towns - small combined enrollments

But Duluth - a city of nearly 90,000 - give me a break.

duluth did have more than one team until last year when all 3 of the hgh schools combined. in the first season there was no JV. i know that there were numbers for it but i dont know why there wasn't one. this year there is a JV.

Girls hockey no matter how much better it is than the boys game at some of high schools is never going to be as popular. i think its that way everywhere. its a real shame because people are missing out on a good game

Seeding meeting week from tomorrow.

My take:

1. Grand Rapids/Greenway
2. Duluth
3. Cloquet
4. PHM
5. Forest Lake

the rest


any thoughts?