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Are we close enough to the end that it's time for some Section Predictions?

1AA - Northfield - Nice win over BSM as they occasionally ventured outside the comforts of the SE Metro (unlike their Section 1 counterparts)
2AA - Minnetonka - Holy Family starts lobbying for placement in Section 3 this summer...speaking of...
3AA - Ugh - I guess Apple Valley but if Rosemount or CDH figure out how to stop 18 and 15 there could be a surprise. Regardless, whoever comes out of this section is a lamb to the slaughter at State
4AA - Hill Murray - Gentry has firepower but Hill has some strong credentials(and the better goaltending) based on their schedule. Stillwater owns this section next season
5AA - Maple Grove - Strong performances against top teams and have handled Section rivals all season
6AA - Edina - they're not overpowering but goaltending and a lifetime of learning the Edina Way get them past BSM or Blake's top line
7AA - AndoverAndoverAndoverAndover
8AA - Moorehead has handled their section foes, only losing to the big dogs. Best in a soft section

Seeds....
1 - Tonka
2 - Hill/Gentry
3 - Andover
4 - Edina
5 - Maple Grove

1A - Albert Lea
2A - Mankato East -has wins over Luverne and Owatonna
3A - Luverne - has handled New Ulm twice this season
4A - Simley -handled SSP Friday night and might be a top 10 team in either class
5A - Orono/Holy Angels toss up - both young teams, maybe Orono gets the edge with a little more experience in nets?
6A - Fergus Falls - has dipped their toes in the AA pool a couple of times and held their own. Otters swim to state
7A - Proctor/Hermantown but Duluth Marshall might give them a push
8A - WarroadWarroadWarroadWarroad - Northern MN/North Dakota All Stars will be tough to beat

Seeds...
1 - Warroad
2 - Proctor/Hermantown
3 - Simley
4 - Orono/Holy Angels
5 - Fergus Falls (guessing)

PhunnsieMcHockeyDad wrote: ↑Sun Jan 29, 2023 1:06 pm 1AA - Northfield - Nice win over BSM as they occasionally ventured outside the comforts of the SE Metro (unlike their Section 1 counterparts)

SOG for the BSM game were 42-8 in favor of BSM. One of the Lakeville's (I predict North) will make it, no one from this section deserves to go to state.

PhunnsieMcHockeyDad wrote: ↑Sun Jan 29, 2023 1:06 pm 3AA - Ugh - I guess Apple Valley but if Rosemount or CDH figure out how to stop 18 and 15 there could be a surprise. Regardless, whoever comes out of this section is a lamb to the slaughter at State

Worse than 1AA, it's a shame a team from this section will make it to state while Holy Family, Gentry/Hill, Stillwater, Centennial, BSM won't get to participate.

PhunnsieMcHockeyDad wrote: ↑Sun Jan 29, 2023 1:06 pm 4AA - Hill Murray - Gentry has firepower but Hill has some strong credentials(and the better goaltending) based on their schedule. Stillwater owns this section next season

Stillwater will be good but Hill also returns a lot even though they lose Hause. Hill will have the best goalie in the state next year. (Arguably do this year.)

PhunnsieMcHockeyDad wrote: ↑Sun Jan 29, 2023 1:06 pm 8AA - Moorehead has handled their section foes, only losing to the big dogs. Best in a soft section

Moorhead is deserving enough to not lump 8AA in with 1AA and 3AA as undeserving of a tournament berth.

1AA - Lakeville South- South over North but in overtime
2AA - Minnetonka- Duh
3AA - AVHS- WIll lose 8-0 in game 1
4AA - Hill Murray- I like overtime for this one over gentry. Stillwater doesn't have the goalie tending to get out of semi finals.
5AA - Maple Grove- Shouldn't be close
6AA - Edina- Blake beating them was a fluke. BSM will crumble.
7AA - Andover- Duh
8AA - Moorehead- Awful section. Not as bad as 3AA but still bad.

On another note, Blake and Gentry should be irrelevant for a long long time after this year.

girlshockey4ever wrote: ↑Mon Jan 30, 2023 8:26 am
On another note, Blake and Gentry should be irrelevant for a long long time after this year.

They could reload quickly though, right?

InThePipes wrote: ↑Mon Jan 30, 2023 9:35 am

girlshockey4ever wrote: ↑Mon Jan 30, 2023 8:26 am
On another note, Blake and Gentry should be irrelevant for a long long time after this year.

They could reload quickly though, right?

One more likely than the other, given its institutional advantages (academic strength, location, etc.)

jg2112 wrote: ↑Mon Jan 30, 2023 10:07 am

InThePipes wrote: ↑Mon Jan 30, 2023 9:35 am

girlshockey4ever wrote: ↑Mon Jan 30, 2023 8:26 am
On another note, Blake and Gentry should be irrelevant for a long long time after this year.

They could reload quickly though, right?

One more likely than the other, given its institutional advantages (academic strength, location, etc.)

Agree completely, but I also concur that it seems a couple of the other SW metro privates have been winning that recruiting battle recently.

"One more likely than the other, given its institutional advantages (academic strength, location, etc.)"

I didn't realize Gentry's academic reputation was that strong.

1AA - Lakeville South (the most up-in-the-air section)
2AA - Minnetonka (as easy to predict as 7AA)
3AA - Apple Valley (AV is the front runner, but as noted, anything can happen)
4AA - Gentry (arguably the toughest section)
5AA - Maple Grove (MG is clearly the best team, Centennial is a distant 2nd)
6AA - Edina (I just can't see the hornets not making state)
7AA - Andover (see 2AA)
8AA - Roseau (just to be different)

1AA - Northfield - Could be any of four teams (LS, LN, Owatonna)
2AA - Minnetonka - HF keeps it close, but talent prevails
3AA - Apple Valley - Best of the worst
4AA - Gentry – Most competitive section, but Gentry has more talent\experience
5AA - Maple Grove - Centennial keeps it close
6AA - Edina - Down year for Edina and section as a whole
7AA - Andover - Would be monumental upset if they get beat
8AA - Moorhead - Will be the most competitive of the non-seeded teams at State

State Seeding:
1 - Minnetonka
2 - Gentry
3 - Andover
4 - Edina
5 - Maple Grove

If the Top 5 all make it to state it should make for a heck of a tournament with imho no clear cut favorite to win it all.

Slap Shot wrote: ↑Sun Feb 05, 2023 2:10 am If the Top 5 all make it to state it should make for a heck of a tournament with imho no clear cut favorite to win it all.

If you are looking at the most recent coach's/hub pole, that's impossible. Hill or Gentry will be eliminated in section 4AA (both in top 5). Only 6 of the current top 10 can make it, which is still not bad.
(I think this opens the door to the annual "eliminate sections" conversation)

Lace'emUp wrote: ↑Mon Feb 06, 2023 11:27 am (I think this opens the door to the annual "eliminate sections" conversation)

Moorhead scored with 1.6 seconds left in regulation to tie the game up in Roseau and then won in OT, so I don't think it is a slam dunk that Moorhead moves on.