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What are your top teams for next year and what teams could be some sleepers?

Roseau will be back again but a team that i have a good feeling about is the Burnsville Blaze in AA and the International Falls Broncos as well as Thief River Falls

Hill-Murray will definitely be towards the top.

Some teams that come to mind are Edina, Roseau, St. Thomas Academy, and of course Holy Angels.

Hill is always picked to be near the top at the beginning of the season. Then during the season they usually are one of the top teams, but when it gets to Tourney Time they seem to falter. Going 2 and out this year and then last year losing in the semis to GR. I realize that they have many players returning and that they have good players on their JV team but the fact of the matter is that in the past two years they haven't shown that they can win at state. Can they do it next year?

My daughter's school has a larger freshman class than the entire enrollment at Hill-Murray. Hill is a 1A school in size with a smaller enrollment than St. Thomas Acadamy, therefore they overachieve just to make it to state. Of course Roseau has half the enrollment of Hill but that's another story as Roseau is practically in Canada (especially in mindset). Yes even Grand Rapids has more students than Hill-Murray.

Trashman wrote:My daughter's school has a larger freshman class than the entire enrollment at Hill-Murray. Hill is a 1A school in size with a smaller enrollment than St. Thomas Acadamy, therefore they overachieve just to make it to state. Of course Roseau has half the enrollment of Hill but that's another story as Roseau is practically in Canada (especially in mindset). Yes even Grand Rapids has more students than Hill-Murray.

I am not going to come right out and say it but hint hint there is a reason why Hill Murray is good all of the time with that enrollment size and I don't think it is because they develop players.

ROSEAU AA

Nominnhkywatcher wrote:ROSEAU AA

No question. With Ness, Landman, Lee, Knochenmus, Oliver, Nelson, and co. back for another go-round, section 8AA runs through HWY's 89 and 11.

Can anyone believe Ness, Landy, Lee, and Oliver are super sophs, with Knochenmus a lowly FRESHMAN!?!

dherman8 wrote:

Trashman wrote:My daughter's school has a larger freshman class than the entire enrollment at Hill-Murray. Hill is a 1A school in size with a smaller enrollment than St. Thomas Acadamy, therefore they overachieve just to make it to state. Of course Roseau has half the enrollment of Hill but that's another story as Roseau is practically in Canada (especially in mindset). Yes even Grand Rapids has more students than Hill-Murray.

I am not going to come right out and say it but hint hint there is a reason why Hill Murray is good all of the time with that enrollment size and I don't think it is because they develop players.

Good players CHOOSE to play for good programs so you don't have to come out and say anything. Look at their JV roster from last year and you will see that many of this years team played in their organization last year. Many of those who didn't, chose to leave weaker programs to play for a proven winner. I'm not saying that no private school has ever recruited a player merely pointing out that most don't have to. Hill-Murray had about 90 kids go out for hockey last year and only 21 of those played in the state tournament so more than 75% of those who went out for the team didn't play in the tourney and about half of those who went out didn't even get to play JV.

Also, Hill-Murray is a traditionally strong program going back to before it was Hill-Murray, when it was just Hill. I don't know for sure, but I'm guessing there are a lot of players there whose family had ties to the school long before they enrolled there.

Holy Angels and Benilde, on the other hand, are relative newcomers to hockey success. (last 10 years or so).

I agree 100% hockeydad, I noticed that in the mid 80's there was a Dolan at HM, I don't know if he was related to Bo or not but I've also noticed that Joe Phillipie's older brother played for Hill, as have a Cascalenda and a McEnaney. I've also noticed that many decent players don't make the varsity roster until their senior year, clearly many of these players could have played for their local public schools as fresman or at least sophmores, and there are also many students who have gone to private schools for there entire academic lives. Tell me Dan McEnaney played for Hill because he was "recruited" as a hockey player...he played 8 varsity games in his career. I'm so sick of ignorant people assuming the Pioneers were all recruited. I attended three public high schools at three different points of the economic scale. The first high school I attended had facilities that Hill-Murray students would drool over.
Edina, Eden Prarie, Wayzata, Minnetonka...these are the true cake eaters, with (in many cases) on campus indoor ice arenas. Private schools like Hill can't compete with the facilities these rich schools take for granted.

Roseau needs to be the front-runner with so many returning.

In the rest of the state here are some teams who will be strong.

Duluth East
Elk River
Centennial
Hill Murray
WBL
Edina
Holy Angels
Blaine

I know there are more!

I for one am looking forward to the 07/08 season. The teams we all watched this past weekend will be strong and contenders once again. Some of the new section assignments will be interesting to see them unfold. The Sophmore class is very strong state wide. Eden prarie Centenial Edina Benilds St Thomas Hill White Bear New Prague Woodbury Blake Blaine Duluth East Roseu Just To name a few Lets add Roseville and Holy Angels. I wish I could see those northern teams play more. Maybe some road trips. Any one up for a road trip to Warroad or Roseu
Lets Not forget those Spuds. What a great hockey community we all live in. We are so spoiled with this much talent and exciting hockey to watch. Private Public it doesnt matter there are plenty of kids to go around. By the way Trashman you are correct in your assesment. We struggle with are emotions weekly. My pick for next year is a Hill Murray and Moorhead Final.

Trashman wrote:I agree 100% hockeydad, I noticed that in the mid 80's there was a Dolan at HM, I don't know if he was related to Bo or not but I've also noticed that Joe Phillipie's older brother played for Hill, as have a Cascalenda and a McEnaney. I've also noticed that many decent players don't make the varsity roster until their senior year, clearly many of these players could have played for their local public schools as fresman or at least sophmores, and there are also many students who have gone to private schools for there entire academic lives. Tell me Dan McEnaney played for Hill because he was "recruited" as a hockey player...he played 8 varsity games in his career. I'm so sick of ignorant people assuming the Pioneers were all recruited. I attended three public high schools at three different points of the economic scale. The first high school I attended had facilities that Hill-Murray students would drool over.
Edina, Eden Prarie, Wayzata, Minnetonka...these are the true cake eaters, with (in many cases) on campus indoor ice arenas. Private schools like Hill can't compete with the facilities these rich schools take for granted.

Sure, the hockey powerhouse private schools don't really have to recruit. Whether kids could have started in their home high school programs or not, they leave to go to Hill to play hockey at a more successful program. This has nothing to do with education. A good percentage of kids are going there merely for hockey reasons. This is not in the spirit of any transfer rule. It is essentially recruiting, even though it might not be blatant.

BTW - I can't speak for EP, and I know one of Mtka's rinks is on the campus, but the Wayzata and Edina arena's are definitely not on campus.
Mound-Westonka has an on-campus ice arena, too. To say that Hill can't compete with the facilities of "these rich schools" is more than a little disingenuous. I don't see Mound-Westonka as having an edge over anyone, just because they have a nice on-campus facility.

All that being said, I think Hill does a great job for their kids. I simply do not see them on a level playing field as public schools. Even though Mound-Westonka has good, on-campus facilities, and a good education track record.................try convincing a kid to transfer there.

I agree this years group of sophmores might be the best ever.

Next years sophs? Bantam A state tourney is played next weekend at Alexandria.

Centennial
WBL
Wayzata
Bemidji
Roseau
Eden Prarie
Rochester
Duluth East

Trashman, the Pioneers are recruited to play for Hill-Murray by only their own parents (and older siblings)! It often is the other way around with kids pleading with parents to part with the dough-re-me!

Ankles Pierre was one of seven siblings to attend Hill, and AP knew countless kids (incuding hockey players) who worked many hours to save their own tuition! Think of all the things you wanted to do with your money as a teenager... was high school tuition on the list? Hill kids have a dedication to their school that would be hard to duplicate outside maybe other Catholic schools!

We could have a long thread listing Pioneers who followed their parents/siblings/other relatives/even friends and neighbors to attend Hill-Murray! Throughout the Seventies, it seemed the Pioneers could not field a hockey team without at least one Conroy! One of Trashman's examples, Bo's dad, Dan Dolan, was a sarcastic but well-liked small kid with Zepeda-like speed and AP-like heart!

Many more hockey players had older or younger relatives who never played hockey at all.... If the decision to send your hockey player to H-M is based on Hill's rich hockey tradition, why pay tuition for the whole clan? As superior as the hockey program is at Hill, it is definitely near the bottom on parents' lists of reasons to send their kids to Hill-Murray (AP is in a position to KNOW this)!

Don't forget about Burnsville! They are losing only a few players and have the ability to score very quickly. The new section 2AA is going to be a tough one with Holy Angels, Edina, Burnsville and Jefferson

Ankles Pierre, Jr. wrote:Trashman, the Pioneers are recruited to play for Hill-Murray by only their own parents (and older siblings)! It often is the other way around with kids pleading with parents to part with the dough-re-me!

Ankles Pierre was one of seven siblings to attend Hill, and AP knew countless kids (incuding hockey players) who worked many hours to save their own tuition! Think of all the things you wanted to do with your money as a teenager... was high school tuition on the list? Hill kids have a dedication to their school that would be hard to duplicate outside maybe other Catholic schools!

We could have a long thread listing Pioneers who followed their parents/siblings/other relatives/even friends and neighbors to attend Hill-Murray! Throughout the Seventies, it seemed the Pioneers could not field a hockey team without at least one Conroy! One of Trashman's examples, Bo's dad, Dan Dolan, was a sarcastic but well-liked small kid with Zepeda-like speed and AP-like heart!

Many more hockey players had older or younger relatives who never played hockey at all.... If the decision to send your hockey player to H-M is based on Hill's rich hockey tradition, why pay tuition for the whole clan? As superior as the hockey program is at Hill, it is definitely near the bottom on parents' lists of reasons to send their kids to Hill-Murray (AP is in a position to KNOW this)!

Does HM not have an English program?
Why does "Ankles Pierre" speak in the third person?
You may have wasted some of your Burger King payroll, as a youth.

WayOutWest wrote:A good percentage of kids are going there merely for hockey reasons. This is not in the spirit of any transfer rule. It is essentially recruiting, even though it might not be blatant.

AP is less concerned with your English but wonders about your math and "WayOut" logic!

Twenty possible positions/over a thousand students=good percentage of kids are going there merely for hockey reasons in "WayOutWorld!"

Here is another math question:

What is so small about WayOut, that makes him overcompensate by ruminating against Catholics?

Roseau will almost certainly be a title contender next year. I hate to say it, but unless some of the Moorhead JV players really step up the work they do this off season it's going to be aa rocky road for the spuds next year. Losing something like 15 seniors is always hard on a team.

What is so small about WayOut, that makes him overcompensate by ruminating against Catholics?

Maybe WayOutWest has Pioneers-envy!

Ankles Pierre, Jr. wrote:What is so small about WayOut, that makes him overcompensate by ruminating against Catholics?

Maybe WayOutWest has Pioneers-envy!

Pioneers envy? I know they are good but what have you done for me lately? Oh yeah, the slump just extended to 17 years.

Roseau and Little Falls

The Edina Hornets have their 5 super soph's returning who are:

Zach Budish
Marshall Everson
Connor Gaarder
Brendan Baker
Patrick Regan

Also returning to the Hornets:

Joe Gleason
Matt Leer
Casey Gaarder
Jack Jorgensen
Derrick Caschetta


I know also as everyone has said that the Roseau Rams will be a extremely good hockey team next year as well. How will Moorhead be does anyone know?