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I know we talked about this a couple months ago but, a lot of talking going on and some OE's so lets get everybodies new top 10 Class AA and Class A.
I will go first -
Class AA
1-EP
2-Roseville
3-Edina
4-Coon Rapids
5-Stillwater
6-Cloquet
7-Holy Angels
8-BSM
9-Bemidji
10-Wayzata
Class A
1-Blake
2-New Prague
3-Hibbing
4-Warroad
5-Alexandria
6-SSP
7-Crookston
8-Farmington
9-Silver Bay
10-Totino Grace

Where's Centennial in AA and Simley in A?

There are #11 on both?
You are free to post your own rankings!

AA
1. EP
2. Benilde
3. Stillwater
4. Cretin
5. Holy Angels
6. Roseville
7. Cloquet
8. Edina
9. Bemidji
10. Roch Mayo

1. EP
2. Holy Angels
3. Edina
4. Roseville
5. Stillwater
6. Cloquet
7. BSM
8. Bemidji
9. Wayzata
10. Grand Rapids

D5Dreamer wrote:Where's Centennial in AA and Simley in A?

Simley will not be a high ranked A team this year immediately, but may be by year end. Simley isn't playing the strong SOS to get ranked with lots of close L's like last year. Simley has only 17 experienced skaters out for their JV & V teams (& hopefully two goalies). Simley could have tried to take every eligible player (25+ 7th/8th grade kids are eligible I think) but will have only U14 & older eligible skaters on the HS roster with the exception of maybe one outstanding U12 player & a goalie. Simley will have 5 or so "newer" players with limited experience. Of the 17 experienced skaters, 8 are in the 7th (1), 8th (5) & 9th (2) grades and these players haven't played much V hockey if any. There are no experienced sophomores, only 3 11th graders, and 6 seniors at the top. A year from now, this program looks to become the youngest HS program in the state with the bulk of a top ranked U12 team moving up. Only 5 kids in 10th-12th & 20+ in 7-9th then. It's a building period to say the least. The Simley coaching staff has seen this phenomenon before during their stay in Bloomington. 15 8th & 9th graders on the 2003-4 BK HS V team, many off a top ranked U12.... Déjà Vu to say the least...

The Grand Rapids-Greenway lightning should be very tough if they can get some point production from people such as michelle tanner, jessi hiipakka, and dana gallop. good d though. they need a goalie too.

I guess they lost a goalie to Warroad. Don't they anything comeing up from the youth program? Their 14u team was ranked most of the year and had a good season.

GRG lost a goalie to warroad? I have not heard this. They do return Sara Hammann. She had an average year but needs to step it up big time with the graduation of Lisa Rantala. They do have a young girl named Jessica Havel coming up, but from what I've seen, she is not ready to step in and lead this team to state. But she may need to have a lead role if this team is going to advance past Paige Thunder and Sadie Lunquist of the Cloquet girls team.

It was the Benzie girl in the youth program. Will be backing up Piper I think at Warroad Varsity.

Havel played a lot of hockey this summer. saw her name at some summer tournys in canada. Was listed on the MN hockey select 15 camp this summer in Mankato. Hamman is inconsistant, I agree. we will know in few weeks.

Can anyone post more specific info on transfers to EP now that the school has begun?

I haven't heard much of anything about transfers this Fall in general. I'm thinking that there are not as many, or not as many high profile, as in the past.

Osborne (goalie) has transferred from Crookston to Bemidji.

elliott70 wrote:Osborne (goalie) has transferred from Crookston to Bemidji.

http://www.ushsho.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=4405

AA

1. EP
2. EP (jv)
3. Benilde
4. Cloquet
5. Roseville
6. Holy Angels
7. Cretin
8. Stillwater
9. Bemidji
10. Roch Mayo

PONYDAD wrote:AA

1. EP
2. EP (jv)
3. Benilde
4. Cloquet
5. Roseville
6. Holy Angels
7. Cretin
8. Stillwater
9. Bemidji
10. Roch Mayo

You forgot the EP U19. I woudl think they must be up there as well?

I BELIEVE TWO GIRLS FROM MOUND (CATCHER - SP?) ARE NOW ENROLLED AT EP.

PONYDAD wrote:I BELIEVE TWO GIRLS FROM MOUND (CATCHER - SP?) ARE NOW ENROLLED AT EP.

This is true from what I understand. Carissa Sr & Kelsey Jr?

Jumping back a little here....Shelby Anzlie-Benzlie from Grand Rapids did move to Warroad. She isn't however backing up Peiper. The Warroirs will be going with one goalie for this season and Shelby will be playing 14-U.

Pioneer Press 12-5-06 (before last night's games)

METRO AREA RANKINGS

1. Eden Prairie 3-0-0
2. Holy Angels 6-0-0
3. Breck 8-0-0
4. Wayzata 2-0-3
5. Roseville 4-1-0
6. Forest Lake 6-1-0
7. Minnetonka 4-1-0
8. Richfield 6-0-0
9. Eagan 5-1-1
10. Simley 7-0-0

xk1 wrote:Pioneer Press 12-5-06 (before last night's games)

METRO AREA RANKINGS

1. Eden Prairie 3-0-0
2. Holy Angels 6-0-0
3. Breck 8-0-0
4. Wayzata 2-0-3
5. Roseville 4-1-0
6. Forest Lake 6-1-0
7. Minnetonka 4-1-0
8. Richfield 6-0-0
9. Eagan 5-1-1
10. Simley 7-0-0

Other than Nos. 1 and 2 this is a very poor job of ranking the Metro Area's top teams, in my opinion. Edina, Benilde and Blake definitely deserve to be listed in there somewhere, and I would seriously question the inclusion of Minnetonka, Richfield and Eagan. I realize this was compiled before last night's games, but it was not surprising to see Minnetonka losing (convincingly) to Wayzata. And Richfield lost to lowly St. Louis Park, which posted their first win of the season. Also Breck is off to a great 8-0 start, but their schedule has been pretty weak thus far.

Someone should forward them the link to Goski's rankings. Obviously they aren't real followers of girls hockey and are going by records and who knows what other sources.

FWIW, I think if you average the ranking systems out there, you'll find that they would provide a decent guess at this point as to where teams may belong.

I also don't believe that Class A teams deserve much consideration for top "Metro" ranking. Top 10 in Class A? Yes, maybe top 5, but not overall including AA & A. Just my opinion. Many times we class A teams don't play the SOS (check out the SOS values for these teams - including my own - in the KRACH rankings - they're quite weak schedules) necissary to justify a top metro ranking with all the big schools. The exceptions historically are those A teams that play AA scheudles or that bump up to AA like BSM, AHA, SSP (historically). The one exception to all of this is Blake maybe.

Breck is very good. Richfield is a very solid team with amazing G and will give anyone trouble but may at times struggle to find offense but they are a very good team. I don't think that Simley and many other Class A teams are Top 10 Metro teams for the reasons I've cited above I'm not so sure of that though, and I say this knowing that my own team is on that list too. One thing we have to keep in mind is that early on the records and early sucess can be deciving, but the press/accolades/recognition are deserved until which time proven otherwise I suppose...

Bottom line, all teams need to prove it on the rink and not on paper/rankings...


One thing that this leads to though is the notion again of why I like the ideas of tiers vs. classes for the state tourney... If you have a Class A team that has an amazing year and should b eplaying with the big guns, they would get to play up based on their rank/record at end of year vs. winning an easy Class A title. I would think that any coach would rather play for the AA-like title in an amazing year for their otherwise small-school team vs. play for an A title, but that's just my feelings. I know tiers are hated because they are what replaced the old historic boys one-class tourney first, but they are what's best at getting the best teams to the "big show" or AA-equivalent tourney and also what's best for creating a "participation based" A or 2nd tier tourney. This wouldn't require the 4-year op-up A to AA deal as we have now, and would be best for the sport in my mind... It woudl be an honor for a class A team to make the T1 tourney and would lead to Class A schools retaining their talent vs. losing it I think as happens sometimes as some think that Class AA = better opportunity...

MNHockeyFan wrote:

xk1 wrote:Pioneer Press 12-5-06 (before last night's games)

METRO AREA RANKINGS

1. Eden Prairie 3-0-0
2. Holy Angels 6-0-0
3. Breck 8-0-0
4. Wayzata 2-0-3
5. Roseville 4-1-0
6. Forest Lake 6-1-0
7. Minnetonka 4-1-0
8. Richfield 6-0-0
9. Eagan 5-1-1
10. Simley 7-0-0

Other than Nos. 1 and 2 this is a very poor job of ranking the Metro Area's top teams, in my opinion. Edina, Benilde and Blake definitely deserve to be listed in there somewhere, and I would seriously question the inclusion of Minnetonka, Richfield and Eagan. I realize this was compiled before last night's games, but it was not surprising to see Minnetonka losing (convincingly) to Wayzata. And Richfield lost to lowly St. Louis Park, which posted their first win of the season. Also Breck is off to a great 8-0 start, but their schedule has been pretty weak thus far.

You are right...How can you not have Edina and Benidle or Blake in the top ten.

hockeywise wrote:

MNHockeyFan wrote:

xk1 wrote:Pioneer Press 12-5-06 (before last night's games)

METRO AREA RANKINGS

1. Eden Prairie 3-0-0
2. Holy Angels 6-0-0
3. Breck 8-0-0
4. Wayzata 2-0-3
5. Roseville 4-1-0
6. Forest Lake 6-1-0
7. Minnetonka 4-1-0
8. Richfield 6-0-0
9. Eagan 5-1-1
10. Simley 7-0-0

Other than Nos. 1 and 2 this is a very poor job of ranking the Metro Area's top teams, in my opinion. Edina, Benilde and Blake definitely deserve to be listed in there somewhere, and I would seriously question the inclusion of Minnetonka, Richfield and Eagan. I realize this was compiled before last night's games, but it was not surprising to see Minnetonka losing (convincingly) to Wayzata. And Richfield lost to lowly St. Louis Park, which posted their first win of the season. Also Breck is off to a great 8-0 start, but their schedule has been pretty weak thus far.

You are right...How can you not have Edina and Benidle or Blake in the top ten.

Maybe it's a boycott of all cake-eaters? Just kidding...

I think that some also point ot the readership of the publication as a rationale for the ranking. I don't totally buy this always, but just wanted to throw that out there as none of the above-mentioned tri likely read the Pioneer Press much?