By this time in two weeks, we'll be on the verge of sending teams to the Minnesota State High School Hockey Tournament.
Yes, it happened that fast.
Here are my thoughts on the local sections ahead of the upcoming playoff seeding announcements.
Section 5A
Local teams: Proctor, Moose Lake Area
Top dogs: Chisago Lakes, Princeton, Spring Lake Park
While Proctor hasn't had a great season, the Rails are actually in position for a seed as high as fourth in this section. Wins over Mora/Hinckley-Finlayson and Legacy Christian might be enough to offset a 7-17 overall record and lift Proctor to fourth. Moose Lake Area has five wins after a terrible 2012-13, but I still expect the Rebels to bring up the rear in the seedings.
1. Chisago Lakes
2. Princeton
3. Spring Lake Park
4. Proctor
5. Mora/Hinckley-Finlayson
6. Legacy Christian
7. Providence Academy
8. Pine City/Rush City
9. North Branch
10. Moose Lake Area
Section 7A
Local teams: All
Top dogs: Hermantown, Duluth Marshall
This section could be one of the more entertaining in the state. Hermantown joins this year after the MSHSL re-drew the sections. Those responsible for staging the section tournament have to be thrilled with this. While the Hawks haven't lost a section game and stand as the favorite, they haven't played great down the stretch, with ties against Duluth Denfeld and a Superior team that they beat 8-2 last month.
Of course, the Hawks also haven't lost to a Class A team all season (losses to Grand Rapids, Wayzata, Eagan, and White Bear Lake). So bet against them (figuratively) at your own peril.
Defending champion Duluth Marshall is strong again, and the section has potential darkhorses in Virginia/MIB (9-1-1 in section), Duluth Denfeld (hot lately), and Hibbing (strong defense but must score more).
1. Hermantown
2. Duluth Marshall
3. Virginia/MIB
4. Duluth Denfeld
5. Hibbing
6. North Shore
7. Eveleth-Gilbert
8. Greenway
9. Ely
Section 7AA
Local teams: Duluth East, Grand Rapids, Cloquet/Esko/Carlton
Top dogs: Duluth East, Elk River, Grand Rapids, Forest Lake
We'll save the toughest section to figure out for last.
Duluth East appears to be a lock for No. 1, even though it lost to Elk River and Cloquet/Esko/Carlton, both at home.
The fact the Elks are 3-2 against a limited section schedule doesn't help them here. Grand Rapids has a case for a high seed thanks to a 5-1 section record, but the Thunderhawks haven't helped their cause with losses to Class A foes Denfeld, Marshall, and Virginia. But Grand Rapids beat Elk River.
Forest Lake is 14-6-4 and has some nice out-of-section wins (including Tuesday over White Bear Lake), but the Rangers lost to Rapids and got pasted at home by Duluth East. Andover has been hot lately, but the Huskies lost to East and Forest Lake and split with Elk River. They also have a loss to sub-.500 Robbinsdale Armstrong.
While I'm hesitant to make final decisions based on games played in November and December, there's also a body-of-work component to this bit.
Good luck with this.
1. Duluth East
2. Elk River
3. Grand Rapids
4. Forest Lake
5. Andover
6. St. Michael-Albertville
7. Cloquet/Esko/Carlton
8. St. Francis
9. Cambridge-Isanti
Showing posts with label section playoffs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label section playoffs. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Denfeld Looks to Make History
It isn't often that history is made.
I mean, technically, history is made all the time. But not this kind of history.
The last time Duluth Denfeld made a state tournament, gas was less than a dollar a gallon, and a movie starring Jessica Tandy was winning tons of awards. The tournament was a one-class affair, with Denfeld advancing by winning Section 2 before falling to eventual runner-up Rochester John Marshall in the semifinals.
Those on that team are old enough to have grandkids now, it's been so long.
Wednesday night at Amsoil Arena, it might all change.
Denfeld will battle cross-town rival Duluth Marshall for the Section 7A championship. A win will send the Hunters off to state for the first time in 24 years, though much of their work is already done. West Duluth hasn't been known for hockey in many years, but the work Kevin Smalley has done over the years has helped reinvigorate the Denfeld program, and the Hunters hit a home run with three mainstay players who are enjoying wonderful senior seasons.
Forward Levi Talarico has topped 30 goals and hit 70 points on the season. He's been the go-to offensive player for most of the season, though it isn't like he lacks help on the roster. Twin brothers Alex and Zach Thompson have been around a while, with Zach having started in goal for most of the last four years.
Alex has nine game-winning goals this season, and his 26 total goals are second on the team to Talarico. Zach has a save percentage of .901 for the season, but he's come up huge in wins like Hermantown and Duluth East, games in which Denfeld was badly outshot but still found a way to get the job done.
Denfeld's push to St. Paul will have to find a way past the experienced Hilltoppers, who don't have the dynamic players like Talarico and Alex Thompson, but have plenty of options to make Denfeld pay for an off night.
Jeremy Lopez leads the team with 35 points, and the Hilltoppers can turn to guys like Kris McKinzie, who has 18 goals, and Matt Klassen, who has 13 and scored the winner in the semifinals against Hibbing. Goalie Caden Flaherty has been good throughout the season, but he's really gotten it going as of late. Marshall has gotten healthy recently, and if the Hilltoppers can contain Talarico and Alex Thompson, they have a very good chance of pulling the upset.
Hopefully, Amsoil Arena sees a big crowd Wednesday night. It could be a huge moment for the western part of Duluth if the Hunters make state, and it certainly would be a great way for this strong Denfeld senior class to close out its time at the school.
I mean, technically, history is made all the time. But not this kind of history.
The last time Duluth Denfeld made a state tournament, gas was less than a dollar a gallon, and a movie starring Jessica Tandy was winning tons of awards. The tournament was a one-class affair, with Denfeld advancing by winning Section 2 before falling to eventual runner-up Rochester John Marshall in the semifinals.
Those on that team are old enough to have grandkids now, it's been so long.
Wednesday night at Amsoil Arena, it might all change.
Denfeld will battle cross-town rival Duluth Marshall for the Section 7A championship. A win will send the Hunters off to state for the first time in 24 years, though much of their work is already done. West Duluth hasn't been known for hockey in many years, but the work Kevin Smalley has done over the years has helped reinvigorate the Denfeld program, and the Hunters hit a home run with three mainstay players who are enjoying wonderful senior seasons.
Forward Levi Talarico has topped 30 goals and hit 70 points on the season. He's been the go-to offensive player for most of the season, though it isn't like he lacks help on the roster. Twin brothers Alex and Zach Thompson have been around a while, with Zach having started in goal for most of the last four years.
Alex has nine game-winning goals this season, and his 26 total goals are second on the team to Talarico. Zach has a save percentage of .901 for the season, but he's come up huge in wins like Hermantown and Duluth East, games in which Denfeld was badly outshot but still found a way to get the job done.
Denfeld's push to St. Paul will have to find a way past the experienced Hilltoppers, who don't have the dynamic players like Talarico and Alex Thompson, but have plenty of options to make Denfeld pay for an off night.
Jeremy Lopez leads the team with 35 points, and the Hilltoppers can turn to guys like Kris McKinzie, who has 18 goals, and Matt Klassen, who has 13 and scored the winner in the semifinals against Hibbing. Goalie Caden Flaherty has been good throughout the season, but he's really gotten it going as of late. Marshall has gotten healthy recently, and if the Hilltoppers can contain Talarico and Alex Thompson, they have a very good chance of pulling the upset.
Hopefully, Amsoil Arena sees a big crowd Wednesday night. It could be a huge moment for the western part of Duluth if the Hunters make state, and it certainly would be a great way for this strong Denfeld senior class to close out its time at the school.
Thursday, February 07, 2013
High School Hockey: What Should Playoff Seedings Look Like?
Local high school hockey playoffs start in a little more than a week, and it's almost time for the best time on the area sports calendar.
Playoff seeds should be out by the end of next week, and there are a few things left to be decided. That said, here's a look at what teams are worth keeping a real eye on once the postseason begins.
Section 5A
Defending champion: Hermantown
Local teams: Hermantown, Proctor
Hermantown should be the No. 1 seed, as the Hawks lap the field in strength of schedule. The negative there is the Hawks don't have a ton of section games under their belt. St. Cloud Cathedral, who will draw a top three seed, beat Hermantown in St. Cloud earlier this season. Princeton (16-5-1) could be a dangerous team, too, but the Tigers lost to SCC this week. They split their season series, with each winning at home. Hermantown didn't play Princeton. Proctor hasn't had a good first season under Steve Rodberg, winning just four games out of 21 so far and dropping seven straight.
Legacy Christian has a gaudy 9-1 in-section record, but that loss came to Mora/Hinckley-Finlayson, not exactly a juggarnaut. Expect nothing better than a fifth seed for the Lions.
Section 7A
Defending champion: Duluth Marshall
Local teams: All
Looking for its first trip to state since 1989, Duluth Denfeld should have the top seed. The Hunters are 6-0 in the section, 15-7 overall, and have wins over Hermantown and Duluth East outside of section play. Look for the defending champions and Hibbing to be seeded behind Denfeld. Virginia/MIB and International Falls will fight for the last home-ice quarterfinal game, but I think VMIB has the upper hand, having won and tied in the season series.
The Broncos could be a tough out, thanks to strong defensive play and a formidable top line.
Section 7AA
Defending champion: Duluth East
Local teams: Cloquet/Esko/Carlton, Duluth East, Grand Rapids
The local representation should all be really tough. East and Rapids should be the top seeds, with the potential existing for Elk River to swipe the third seed. What would hurt CEC in that regard is -- for example -- this week's 3-0 loss to Andover, a team the Elks beat twice. Elk River doesn't have much in the way of sectional play, with the two Andover wins and a loss to Grand Rapids.
Andover is a darkhorse, floating around .500 but possessing perhaps the best goalie in the section in Chase Perry. The Huskies won two games in the section tournament last year, so there's no reason to assume they can't get to Amsoil Arena again.
Playoff seeds should be out by the end of next week, and there are a few things left to be decided. That said, here's a look at what teams are worth keeping a real eye on once the postseason begins.
Section 5A
Defending champion: Hermantown
Local teams: Hermantown, Proctor
Hermantown should be the No. 1 seed, as the Hawks lap the field in strength of schedule. The negative there is the Hawks don't have a ton of section games under their belt. St. Cloud Cathedral, who will draw a top three seed, beat Hermantown in St. Cloud earlier this season. Princeton (16-5-1) could be a dangerous team, too, but the Tigers lost to SCC this week. They split their season series, with each winning at home. Hermantown didn't play Princeton. Proctor hasn't had a good first season under Steve Rodberg, winning just four games out of 21 so far and dropping seven straight.
Legacy Christian has a gaudy 9-1 in-section record, but that loss came to Mora/Hinckley-Finlayson, not exactly a juggarnaut. Expect nothing better than a fifth seed for the Lions.
Section 7A
Defending champion: Duluth Marshall
Local teams: All
Looking for its first trip to state since 1989, Duluth Denfeld should have the top seed. The Hunters are 6-0 in the section, 15-7 overall, and have wins over Hermantown and Duluth East outside of section play. Look for the defending champions and Hibbing to be seeded behind Denfeld. Virginia/MIB and International Falls will fight for the last home-ice quarterfinal game, but I think VMIB has the upper hand, having won and tied in the season series.
The Broncos could be a tough out, thanks to strong defensive play and a formidable top line.
Section 7AA
Defending champion: Duluth East
Local teams: Cloquet/Esko/Carlton, Duluth East, Grand Rapids
The local representation should all be really tough. East and Rapids should be the top seeds, with the potential existing for Elk River to swipe the third seed. What would hurt CEC in that regard is -- for example -- this week's 3-0 loss to Andover, a team the Elks beat twice. Elk River doesn't have much in the way of sectional play, with the two Andover wins and a loss to Grand Rapids.
Andover is a darkhorse, floating around .500 but possessing perhaps the best goalie in the section in Chase Perry. The Huskies won two games in the section tournament last year, so there's no reason to assume they can't get to Amsoil Arena again.
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