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AA Section Winners/Lets Play Hockey Ranking/Projected 1-4 Seed

Section 1AA - Lakeville S. - Not Ranked

Section 2AA - Edina - #4 - Projected #3 Seed

Section 3AA - Eagan - #9 Projected #4 Seed

Section 4AA - Stillwater - #2 - Projected #1 Seed

Section 5AA - Irondale - #13

Section 6AA - Hopkins - #3 - Projected #2 Seed

Section 7AA - Cloquet/Esko/Carlton #14

Section 8AA - Elk River/Zimmerman - #19


A Section Winners/Lets Play Hockey Ranking/Projected 1-4 Seed

Section 1A - Red Wing #14

Section 2A - Hutchinson #17

Section 3A - New Ulm #13 - Projected #4 Seed

Section 4A - Mahtomedi unranked

Section 5A - Blake #2 - Projected #1 Seed

Section 6A - Fergus Falls #10 - Projected #3 Seed

Section 7A - Eveleth-Gilbert #19

Section 8A - Warroad #3 - Projected #2 Seed

Good luck to all!

Agree with these projections but no way is new ulm better than Red Wing or Hutch...Look at New Ulms schedule vs others,..I have played both teams and watched other games they played Red Wing is #4.

Brackets are posted on the mshsl.org

Here is the link for the State Brackets:

http://www.mshsl.org/mshsl/showxmlbrack ... acket=4509

Hard not to feel slighted by the Twin City teams when you only beat Eagan 5-1 and they get seeded #4. I guess it had to do with their # of wins and not with their SOS.

is it just me, or is this the weakest field for class 1A in the history of the girls state tournament. Blake and Warroad are going to walk through the tournament. Its a shame that breck, roseau and even crookston have to sit and watch this tournament unfold when they should clearly be in the tournament.

Congratulations to the teams that earned the right to play in this state tournament!! Hope the many new teams to the tournament and the returning ones have a great tournament experience making lifelong memories with their teammates, coaches, fans and families!

Participation of the teams that are new to the tourney is a great thing for hockey - especially girls’ hockey - in the state. Building excitement and helping create more interest in these communities is part of the MSHSL goal of multiple classes I believe. These teams had to battle through sections, which is never easy no matter which one you're in.

By design we can't compare A to AA so that's never fair to do. I also think that since the inception of classes and the expansion to 8 teams per tourney that the landscape of the classes has changed a bit. Some teams have opted up to AA as they feel that's a better fit, and the end result has been growth opportunities for other teams and communities that otherwise may not have been afforded this opportunity to participate and compete for a state tourney experience and all that comes with that. I'd say the end result is win-win for all involved.

My one request of the MSHSL would be to allow a shorter duration for opt-up. Decreasing this commitment from 4 to 2 years would allow for more teams to opt into the right fit without taking such a big risk that they wouldn’t' be able to have the correct competition in the last half of the current commitment. Why not put the opt-up option on the same timeline as the section realignment cycle (every 2 years)???

GOCARDS1 wrote:is it just me, or is this the weakest field for class 1A in the history of the girls state tournament. Blake and Warroad are going to walk through the tournament. Its a shame that breck, roseau and even crookston have to sit and watch this tournament unfold when they should clearly be in the tournament.

O yeah, this is what happens when the top five teams in the state are found in two sections. Its kinda sad but but at least the championship game should be fun to watch. knock on wood for both Warroad and Breck

warriors41 wrote:

GOCARDS1 wrote:is it just me, or is this the weakest field for class 1A in the history of the girls state tournament. Blake and Warroad are going to walk through the tournament. Its a shame that breck, roseau and even crookston have to sit and watch this tournament unfold when they should clearly be in the tournament.

O yeah, this is what happens when the top five teams in the state are found in two sections. Its kinda sad but but at least the championship game should be fun to watch. knock on wood for both Warroad and Breck

Whoops, i meant Blake.

ghshockeyfan wrote: My one request of the MSHSL would be to allow a shorter duration for opt-up. Decreasing this commitment from 4 to 2 years would allow for more teams to opt into the right fit without taking such a big risk that they wouldn’t' be able to have the correct competition in the last half of the current commitment. Why not put the opt-up option on the same timeline as the section realignment cycle (every 2 years)???

I think this suggestion makes good sense.

How about if the MHSL had the top 4 seeds in the A state tourney automaticly opt up for two years. It seems to defeat the purpose of the two tier tourneys if the same teams dominate it every year.

royals dad wrote:How about if the MHSL had the top 4 seeds in the A state tourney automaticly opt up for two years. It seems to defeat the purpose of the two tier tourneys if the same teams dominate it every year.

Interesting thought. The only issue I'd have with that is what if you had a senior heavy team that was set to graduate the bulk of what brought the team to the top-4-seed level? I guess I'm saying that especially in smaller communities I would imagine there are ups and downs and this may be true even at the privates in class A as well?

What's another solution? To do tiers like the boys did years ago pre-2 "classes" on the boys side. This wasn't well received for multiple reasons as it essentially put the top half of the teams record wise in "Tier 1" and the rest of the teams in T2...

No perfect solution, but I believe the MSHSL is hoping that teams will opt up if they're perennial powers vs win multiple class A tourneys. BUT, that "4-year-commitment" is an awful long time to agree to I believe even for the best Class A programs.

Could we see a Warroad or Blake compete at Class AA? Sure, but I'm not certian that there are but a handful of Class A teams (if any) that would be able to say that for the next 4 years they can compete at that level. It's tough to make this jump for that long at these sized schools...

GundersonDC wrote:Agree with these projections but no way is new ulm better than Red Wing or Hutch...Look at New Ulms schedule vs others,..I have played both teams and watched other games they played Red Wing is #4.

Maybe a weak schedule but New Ulm beat Hutch 4-2 and beat the mighty DC 6-2, which a week later lost to RW 2-1. so whats your logic to the seedings.

No good games until the championship.

starmvp wrote:No good games until the championship.

Guess your local team didn't make the big show, huh?

GOCARDS1 wrote:is it just me, or is this the weakest field for class 1A in the history of the girls state tournament. Blake and Warroad are going to walk through the tournament. Its a shame that breck, roseau and even crookston have to sit and watch this tournament unfold when they should clearly be in the tournament.

Is it a weak field or are there some misplaced teams? My opinion is that Blake, Warroad, Breck, and Roseau could have been and may be should have been playing AA.

OntheEdge wrote:

GOCARDS1 wrote:is it just me, or is this the weakest field for class 1A in the history of the girls state tournament. Blake and Warroad are going to walk through the tournament. Its a shame that breck, roseau and even crookston have to sit and watch this tournament unfold when they should clearly be in the tournament.

Is it a weak field or are their some misplaced teams? My opinion is that Blake, Warroad, Breck, and Roseau could have been and may should have been playing AA.

EXACTLY! What I can't figure out is why the parents at these private schools are okay with staying A. Although it almost ensures a state appearance, I would prefer playing against the strongest and the best all season long - win or lose. These schools cannot deny they are hockey magnets regardless of enrollment.

GOCARDS1 wrote:is it just me, or is this the weakest field for class 1A in the history of the girls state tournament. Blake and Warroad are going to walk through the tournament. Its a shame that breck, roseau and even crookston have to sit and watch this tournament unfold when they should clearly be in the tournament.

This is the beauty of high school hockey in Minnesota, whether it is boys or girls. A small town that manages to be playing it's best hockey and makes it to the state tournament. Will you be talking the same way, when the sections that these powerful schools come from are down? Any section in Minnesota A or AA can list teams on the basis of rankings who should be in the State Tournament. That is why we play the games!

I was under the impression that the Tournament split into two classes based on the size of the school. Are people more in favor of trying to create "A" teams and "B" teams like youth hockey? Where's the fun in that?

I don't see why it should be such a problem with some of the top teams in the state staying in Class A as long as they make a good effort to play a tough non-conference schedule. At the moment, some do, some don't; tough luck to those who don't approve.

GOCARDS1 wrote:is it just me, or is this the weakest field for class 1A in the history of the girls state tournament. Blake and Warroad are going to walk through the tournament. Its a shame that breck, roseau and even crookston have to sit and watch this tournament unfold when they should clearly be in the tournament.

Class AA is really no different. Stillwater, Hopkins and Edina are clearly heads and tales stronger teams then the rest of the field…and yes Roseville, Hill Murray and Minnetonka would make for a better tournament. However…everyone had their shot and when it’s all said and done the best team in the State will be crowned Champion, so it’s all good.

I know it will never happen, but I would like to see is; after the A & AA champs are decided they play for an overall championship.''

Ms. Conduct wrote:I was under the impression that the Tournament split into two classes based on the size of the school. Are people more in favor of trying to create "A" teams and "B" teams like youth hockey? Where's the fun in that?

I don't see why it should be such a problem with some of the top teams in the state staying in Class A as long as they make a good effort to play a tough non-conference schedule. At the moment, some do, some don't; tough luck to those who don't approve.

I always thought the split was more about giving more schools a chance to experience the state tournament and not so much just about school size. This concept is more like A and B at the youth level. If it is just about school size why let anyone opt up. Right now you have class A teams that could compete against any class AA schools. How is that an improvement on the one class tourney. Did they really break up into two just so Blake and Warroad could fill up thier trophy cases? IMO If there are class A perenial powers they should be moved up to AA and let some one else skate at the X.

hockeyheaven wrote:

GOCARDS1 wrote:is it just me, or is this the weakest field for class 1A in the history of the girls state tournament. Blake and Warroad are going to walk through the tournament. Its a shame that breck, roseau and even crookston have to sit and watch this tournament unfold when they should clearly be in the tournament.

Class AA is really no different. Stillwater, Hopkins and Edina are clearly heads and tales stronger teams then the rest of the field…and yes Roseville, Hill Murray and Minnetonka would make for a better tournament. However…everyone had their shot and when it’s all said and done the best team in the State will be crowned Champion, so it’s all good.

Being from Hopkins I hope your right but every year people say something similar then it seems like at least one side of the bracket doesn't work like everyone expects. Hopefully its the other side of the bracket this year. Cheers to another great tourney, go Royals!

GOCARDS1 wrote:is it just me, or is this the weakest field for class 1A in the history of the girls state tournament. Blake and Warroad are going to walk through the tournament. Its a shame that breck, roseau and even crookston have to sit and watch this tournament unfold when they should clearly be in the tournament.

With seven of the eight teams ranked in the top twenty, three in the top ten I wouldn't call the field really "weak".

No way that Roseau, Warroad, Blake, and Breck should bo to AA, they're small schools for crissakes. Besides, we all know in hockey that the difference in A and AA is not that big a deal anyway. The A programs just have fewer girls to choose from and are usually not as deep as a AA team. Alexandria showed this the last two years, a big AA school may have been able to sustain success a little longer...or not.