CherryPicker99 wrote:Thanks chalk talk for the stats. I didn't realize that New Ulm had been beaten that bad at state. I understand that section 3a is the weakest section but I thought they could compete a little better than that.
In the last 15 years of class A hockey there has been only 3 public schools to win the tournament. Eveleth Gilbert, Warrroad (2), and Hermantown. The system is flawed, everyone knows it!! Once these privates figured out they didn't have to compete with the large suburban schools it was an arms race to attarct talent. Personally, i would like to see the privates in one conference and they can compete in AAA hockey like Shattuck does or they have to play AA in the MSHL.
Now as for section 3A.. Well that is completely different story. The teams are not historically known for their hockey programs. I mean Hutch is a football town, New Ulm is a baseball town, LDC has a bunch of Fins, and Marshall has the Schwans Company. Not a lot of hockey tradition there.
Most years the team that is seeded number 1 in this section or the team that makes it out of the section would probably be a 3, 4, 5 or higher seed some years in just about every other section in Class A. The talent pool is just not there. You could put a All Star team together from this section and they still wouldn't have as much talent as the top privates from year to year. That just shows how flawed the system is! It is not that this section is so bad it is that privates are that good! Take away the privates and the best public team in Class A and this Section will compete with the rest of the teams, it may not be pretty but they would compete.
I would also like to see the MSHL bring a team into this section this will enhance the level of play. A class A program that has been very competitive since the inception of the Class A/AA tournaments. A program like Orono, Delano or an Alexandria would serve this section wonders.
Best of luck to the Section winner because with the way they are seeding the teams 1-5 now. It is all but impossible to avoid the double digit, running time third period embarassment. Which is pretty sad because although i personally have never liked New Ulm you dam near gotta feel sorry for them because they are doing the right things down their with their hockey program.