The Class AA Preseason top 25
After studying all the Class AA teams for various previous I’ve been able to put together a preseason top 25 starting off with the Jays from Waseca. One. Waseca. The Jays return three starters and six of their top eight…
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Continue ReadingAfter studying all the Class AA teams for various previous I’ve been able to put together a preseason top 25 starting off with the Jays from Waseca.
One. Waseca. The Jays return three starters and six of their top eight from last year’s second place in state Class AA team. Based on returning talent and what that talent showed they can do last season, the Jays start the year at #1. That said, we all saw Caledonia beat them this summer at the Breakdown Summer State Tournament in a bruising game (Ryan Dufault played but was hurt). The Jays get the edge but it’s close. Behind them is Lake City, a state semi-finalist who was the Section 1AA rep last year in front of Caledonia. Lake City has two of the top 30 level players in the state. North comes in at four and I was initially going to have them two but the full squad game that Caledonia and North played this summer that was won handily by the Warriors was fresh in the mind when ranking were made.
2. Lake City
3. Caledonia
4. Minneapolis North
5. Perham
Six. Cristo Rey Jesuit. A 20 win team with their top three players back means expectations for the Pumas. Cristo Rey still has a bad taste in their mouth from last year when they ended their season in the first playoff game losing to SPA. That said, the trio of James Sommer, Erick Burgess, and Derek Burgess all returning means the Pumas are the Section 4AA favorite.
7. Jordan
8. Maranatha Christian Academy
9. St Croix Prep
10. Melrose
Eleven. Stewartville. A corner was turned last year late in the season when the Tigers were 4-5, but kicked off a ten game winning streak. They rode that streak into an 18-8 season and expectations for this year. Only two starters return but they are Will Tschetter – one of the top three juniors in the state of Minnesota – and Nolan Stier, a player we think will have a huge winter.
12. Esko
13. Osakis
14. Jackson County Central
15. Rockford
Sixteen. Greenway. The Raiders went 21-6 a year ago and bring back for starters including likely 3,000 point scorer Dylan DeChampeau and JJ Hall. The Class AA puzzle that jinxed them a year ago was Pequot Lakes (lost to them by double digits twice including the playoffs) but Pequot lost most of their line-up. Greenway could make a state run if they can get by Esko, Virginia, MLWR and Crosby-Ironton.
17. Albany
18. Virginia
19. La Crescent
20. St Charles
Twenty One. Eden Valley-Watkins. I have a sneaky filling that this could be a massive season for EVW. The Eagles return four starters and two top reserves led by a top five junior in state (Joshua Streit), a solid guard (Luke Jansen), and a reasonably explosive slashing wing (Kobe Beattie).
22. Dover-Eyota
23. Minnesota Valley Lutheran
24. Morris Area/Chokio-Alberta
25. Minnewaska Area