FINAL AA Rankings
Posted: Sun Mar 14, 2010 10:41 am
One last time for 2009-10. As with last year, I place heavy emphasis on performance in sections and state. I’m big into how teams perform under pressure.
1. EDINA
-Let them eat cake: the Hornets touched off celebration in Edina with their 7th/10th state title, depending on how you measure them. It was a roller coaster year, but I’m glad I stuck them as high as I did heading into sections, and that I picked them to win the tourney. I think it’s best if I bring back what I said after the Schwan Cup:
“It’s hard to think of Edina as sneaking up on anyone, but their overnight rebuilding project is worthy of admiration (or at least bitter envy). Who knows, maybe now that the incredible amount of hype surrounding last year’s senior class is off their shoulders, they can finally relax, play as a team, and capture the title that eluded them over the past three years. They don’t have a whole lot of front-end talent, and…on paper they remind me of the ‘08 Hill-Murray team--depth, quality goaltending, very physical, strong team defense.”
That about covers it. Props to Curt Giles and his squad for an incredible achievement.
2. Minnetonka
-They were #1 from the first set of in-season rankings through sections, but simply could not close the deal. I was pulling for them at the end; it’s unfortunate they came up short with all that talent on hand. They have little to be ashamed of with the effort they put forward, but their showing once again reminds us that all the talent in the world doesn’t guarantee anything. Best of luck to their seniors, and I expect this is only the beginning of many good things for this program.
3. Hill-Murray
-Gave Minnetonka a run for the ages and proved their strength by burying two very capable teams in the tourney. Even though they didn’t get many big wins during the regular season, anyone who knew anything about Bill Lechner and his teams in March knew just how dangerous they were. I may not root for Hill, but I have mountains and mountains of respect for his program and how it is run. They won’t be going away anytime soon, either.
4. Eden Prairie
-End of the Tonka game put a damper on the season, but they beat a strong Wayzata team in sections and were clearly a top team from start to finish. Their experience shows just how hard it is to repeat in AA these days. If everyone sticks around, they’ll be a serious threat once again next year.
5. Wayzata
-A fine regular season came to a crashing halt with a semifinal loss in the state’s toughest section. The good news is that they’re a very young team and will definitely be back with a vengeance next time around.
6. Duluth East
-The Hounds closed out on a very positive note, giving Hill a great run and marching through the consolation bracket with authority. They left this East fan pleased with the final result for the first time in 5 years and very hopeful for the future.
7. Bloomington Jefferson
-Got one big section win by knocking off Burnsville, but once again couldn’t close the deal against Edina. The Hornets’ state title makes the end result a little less painful, but the Jags have a bit of rebuilding to do now.
8. Burnsville
-Came on strong at the end of the year, but my bandwagon pick fell short at the end. Oh well; they return a pretty good core for next year and will clearly be dangerous in 2AA.
9. Holy Angels
-Gave Edina perhaps its hardest game of the title run, which raises their stock considerably. Still just a bit too much ugliness in the rest of their season to put them higher, though.
10. Blaine
-An ugly state tourney sends the Bengals falling in the rankings; they looked like a team that rode only a few forwards and little else, making their consistency in the regular season seem rather surprising to those of us who didn’t see them much. That shouldn’t completely invalidate a successful season, but it does hurt.
11. Apple Valley
-The regular season wasn’t the most impressive thing on earth, but they got through a pair of tough teams in sections, got a big upset in the first round, and did a good job of hanging with Edina and Hill in their last two losses.
12. Roseau
-Win over Blaine and successful run through 8AA lifts them in the rankings a bit, though they were clearly a step behind some of the other top teams in the state.
13. Maple Grove
-Getting to the section final was a step in the right direction for this program; I expect them to cause serious damage in 5AA next year; they may even be the section frontrunner.
14. Centennial
-Another promising season comes to a crashing halt in sections. Their section struggles are probably at the point where it’s all in their heads, which is unfortunate.
15. Eagan
-Came crashing down at the end, but all in all this season was a major success, as they firmly placed themselves on the statewide map. Should have some great races in 3AA over the next few years with Apple Valley; we’ll see if any of the SEC teams step up to challenge the Lake.
Others worthy of mention (not necessarily a strict list from #16 down)
Elk River. Had a pretty strong season, but it came to an abrupt end in the 7AA title game.
Benilde. Gave Tonka a good game; hard to judge if they were over- or underrated by that performance.
Moorhead. Couldn’t repeat last year’s run, but remain a pretty potent force.
Osseo. Improved significantly from past years and nearly pulled off a major section upset.
Lakeville South. Had a great season going until the clunker in the section final. Another team to watch over the next few years.
Lakeville North. Made state and kept things a little closer than some expected.
Woodbury. Got one big win in sections but couldn’t close the deal.
Forest Lake. Young team took some big strides forward this year.
Brainerd. Built up a gaudy record, if nothing else.
White Bear Lake. Same old story.
Lessons in ranking learned this year:
-Looking back at the preseason rankings, several top teams are significantly higher now: Edina, Wayzata, Duluth East, Apple Valley, Eagan. What do all of these teams have in common? Perhaps the best Bantam A teams two years ago. With EP winning the state title from a similar position last year, it’s probably time that we take note of this and adjust rankings accordingly.
-Just because a team is at the head of a conference doesn’t mean they deserve a high ranking. This was especially true in the SEC, and to some degree with Benilde also.
-In general, inertia is a very powerful force.
-We are, in my opinion, moving out of the era of the private school and into the era of the giant West Metro program. This isn’t to say AA privates won’t be good anymore; they’ll still reel in their share of great players and contend for section titles--especially Hill, which is a bit more established than the other three. But it looks as if the transfer rule is finally taking effect, as the other top privates seemed a bit thinner and younger this year. To compete for the top players, some now appear compelled to bring them in and give them playing time as freshmen. Though it might be a good strategy from a player development standpoint, it makes dominance on the state level a bit harder. The winners from the transfer rule are, of course, the programs that lost a lot to these and some of the big A privates over the years--mostly large West Metro teams. Not sure if dominance by the likes of Eden Prairie and Edina is what we were looking for when we implemented the transfer rule, but it’s what we’ve gotten so far. That’s how I see it, at least; we’ll see where things go from here.
That about does it. Some acknowledgments to those websites who make this possible:
-Followthepuck, for the most complete and reliable information out there when it comes to quick scores, scheduling, rosters, and so much more. Without it, these would take double the time.
-Minnesota Hockey Hub, which made some big strides this year in centralizing good information on the state and offered strong in-depth analysis and commentary throughout the season. Thanks to our friends and colleagues over there for their work.
-Myfoxhockey, for usually high-quality online feeds of so many big games during the regular season. It’s a valuable resource for us Minnesota expats, and thanks to Pete, Bart, Doug, and all the crew for their continually improving coverage.
-Minnesota Sports Broadcast Network, for radio and sometimes video coverage of many big games, particularly when sections roll around. The scope of your operations is admirable.
-Prep Hockey North, for being the best site on NE MN hockey.
-Minnhock, whose archives are incredibly valuable, and whose PS2 makes for an interesting comparison to what I do.
-The website I am inevitably forgetting.
-Everyone who contributed to the rankings throughout the year with comments, insights, criticisms, and so on. If these rankings have any value, you’re a huge part of the reason.
Have a lovely spring and summer. I’m sure I’ll be lurking around here to watch and see what comes up, so keep in touch and thanks once again for reading. Please continue to infuse this bored with your passion and insight; just remember, as always, to keep things in perspective.
1. EDINA
-Let them eat cake: the Hornets touched off celebration in Edina with their 7th/10th state title, depending on how you measure them. It was a roller coaster year, but I’m glad I stuck them as high as I did heading into sections, and that I picked them to win the tourney. I think it’s best if I bring back what I said after the Schwan Cup:
“It’s hard to think of Edina as sneaking up on anyone, but their overnight rebuilding project is worthy of admiration (or at least bitter envy). Who knows, maybe now that the incredible amount of hype surrounding last year’s senior class is off their shoulders, they can finally relax, play as a team, and capture the title that eluded them over the past three years. They don’t have a whole lot of front-end talent, and…on paper they remind me of the ‘08 Hill-Murray team--depth, quality goaltending, very physical, strong team defense.”
That about covers it. Props to Curt Giles and his squad for an incredible achievement.
2. Minnetonka
-They were #1 from the first set of in-season rankings through sections, but simply could not close the deal. I was pulling for them at the end; it’s unfortunate they came up short with all that talent on hand. They have little to be ashamed of with the effort they put forward, but their showing once again reminds us that all the talent in the world doesn’t guarantee anything. Best of luck to their seniors, and I expect this is only the beginning of many good things for this program.
3. Hill-Murray
-Gave Minnetonka a run for the ages and proved their strength by burying two very capable teams in the tourney. Even though they didn’t get many big wins during the regular season, anyone who knew anything about Bill Lechner and his teams in March knew just how dangerous they were. I may not root for Hill, but I have mountains and mountains of respect for his program and how it is run. They won’t be going away anytime soon, either.
4. Eden Prairie
-End of the Tonka game put a damper on the season, but they beat a strong Wayzata team in sections and were clearly a top team from start to finish. Their experience shows just how hard it is to repeat in AA these days. If everyone sticks around, they’ll be a serious threat once again next year.
5. Wayzata
-A fine regular season came to a crashing halt with a semifinal loss in the state’s toughest section. The good news is that they’re a very young team and will definitely be back with a vengeance next time around.
6. Duluth East
-The Hounds closed out on a very positive note, giving Hill a great run and marching through the consolation bracket with authority. They left this East fan pleased with the final result for the first time in 5 years and very hopeful for the future.
7. Bloomington Jefferson
-Got one big section win by knocking off Burnsville, but once again couldn’t close the deal against Edina. The Hornets’ state title makes the end result a little less painful, but the Jags have a bit of rebuilding to do now.
8. Burnsville
-Came on strong at the end of the year, but my bandwagon pick fell short at the end. Oh well; they return a pretty good core for next year and will clearly be dangerous in 2AA.
9. Holy Angels
-Gave Edina perhaps its hardest game of the title run, which raises their stock considerably. Still just a bit too much ugliness in the rest of their season to put them higher, though.
10. Blaine
-An ugly state tourney sends the Bengals falling in the rankings; they looked like a team that rode only a few forwards and little else, making their consistency in the regular season seem rather surprising to those of us who didn’t see them much. That shouldn’t completely invalidate a successful season, but it does hurt.
11. Apple Valley
-The regular season wasn’t the most impressive thing on earth, but they got through a pair of tough teams in sections, got a big upset in the first round, and did a good job of hanging with Edina and Hill in their last two losses.
12. Roseau
-Win over Blaine and successful run through 8AA lifts them in the rankings a bit, though they were clearly a step behind some of the other top teams in the state.
13. Maple Grove
-Getting to the section final was a step in the right direction for this program; I expect them to cause serious damage in 5AA next year; they may even be the section frontrunner.
14. Centennial
-Another promising season comes to a crashing halt in sections. Their section struggles are probably at the point where it’s all in their heads, which is unfortunate.
15. Eagan
-Came crashing down at the end, but all in all this season was a major success, as they firmly placed themselves on the statewide map. Should have some great races in 3AA over the next few years with Apple Valley; we’ll see if any of the SEC teams step up to challenge the Lake.
Others worthy of mention (not necessarily a strict list from #16 down)
Elk River. Had a pretty strong season, but it came to an abrupt end in the 7AA title game.
Benilde. Gave Tonka a good game; hard to judge if they were over- or underrated by that performance.
Moorhead. Couldn’t repeat last year’s run, but remain a pretty potent force.
Osseo. Improved significantly from past years and nearly pulled off a major section upset.
Lakeville South. Had a great season going until the clunker in the section final. Another team to watch over the next few years.
Lakeville North. Made state and kept things a little closer than some expected.
Woodbury. Got one big win in sections but couldn’t close the deal.
Forest Lake. Young team took some big strides forward this year.
Brainerd. Built up a gaudy record, if nothing else.
White Bear Lake. Same old story.
Lessons in ranking learned this year:
-Looking back at the preseason rankings, several top teams are significantly higher now: Edina, Wayzata, Duluth East, Apple Valley, Eagan. What do all of these teams have in common? Perhaps the best Bantam A teams two years ago. With EP winning the state title from a similar position last year, it’s probably time that we take note of this and adjust rankings accordingly.
-Just because a team is at the head of a conference doesn’t mean they deserve a high ranking. This was especially true in the SEC, and to some degree with Benilde also.
-In general, inertia is a very powerful force.
-We are, in my opinion, moving out of the era of the private school and into the era of the giant West Metro program. This isn’t to say AA privates won’t be good anymore; they’ll still reel in their share of great players and contend for section titles--especially Hill, which is a bit more established than the other three. But it looks as if the transfer rule is finally taking effect, as the other top privates seemed a bit thinner and younger this year. To compete for the top players, some now appear compelled to bring them in and give them playing time as freshmen. Though it might be a good strategy from a player development standpoint, it makes dominance on the state level a bit harder. The winners from the transfer rule are, of course, the programs that lost a lot to these and some of the big A privates over the years--mostly large West Metro teams. Not sure if dominance by the likes of Eden Prairie and Edina is what we were looking for when we implemented the transfer rule, but it’s what we’ve gotten so far. That’s how I see it, at least; we’ll see where things go from here.
That about does it. Some acknowledgments to those websites who make this possible:
-Followthepuck, for the most complete and reliable information out there when it comes to quick scores, scheduling, rosters, and so much more. Without it, these would take double the time.
-Minnesota Hockey Hub, which made some big strides this year in centralizing good information on the state and offered strong in-depth analysis and commentary throughout the season. Thanks to our friends and colleagues over there for their work.
-Myfoxhockey, for usually high-quality online feeds of so many big games during the regular season. It’s a valuable resource for us Minnesota expats, and thanks to Pete, Bart, Doug, and all the crew for their continually improving coverage.
-Minnesota Sports Broadcast Network, for radio and sometimes video coverage of many big games, particularly when sections roll around. The scope of your operations is admirable.
-Prep Hockey North, for being the best site on NE MN hockey.
-Minnhock, whose archives are incredibly valuable, and whose PS2 makes for an interesting comparison to what I do.
-The website I am inevitably forgetting.
-Everyone who contributed to the rankings throughout the year with comments, insights, criticisms, and so on. If these rankings have any value, you’re a huge part of the reason.
Have a lovely spring and summer. I’m sure I’ll be lurking around here to watch and see what comes up, so keep in touch and thanks once again for reading. Please continue to infuse this bored with your passion and insight; just remember, as always, to keep things in perspective.
