Team Rankings: Week 6
The first month of the season is over and it’s been a wild ride already. Get ready for 2.5 more months of fun starting with today’s latest team rankings as we enter week six!
Class AAAA
Ranking | Team | Record | Key Ws | Losses | Previous |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Minnetonka | 25-6 | Lakeville South, Osseo, BSM, DeLaSalle, Buffalo (x2), Hopkins, Shakopee (x2), CDH, TG, Eagan, Wayzata | Park Center, Edina (x2), Wayzata (x2), Hopkins | 4 |
2 | Wayzata | 29-2 | Totino-Grace, Shakopee, Rosemount, Lakeville N, Buffalo (x2), East Ridge, Edina (x3), EP, (x2), Washburn, DeLaSalle, Tonka (x2), Rogers, CDH, Hopkins (x2), | Hopkins, Tonka | 1 |
3 | Park Center | 27-4 | Lakeville North, BSM, Cherry, Tonka, Edina, Osseo, MG, Rogers, MV, Maple Grove, Farmington | Totino-Grace (x2), Spring Lake Park, Eagan | 2 |
4 | Hopkins | 23-6 | Orono, East Ridge, Lakeville South, Mpls South, Osseo, Minnehaha A, EP (x2), BSM, BUffalo (x2), Wayzata, Edina, Tonka, DeLaSalle, Washburn | Totino-Grace, Breck, Edina, Tonka, Wayzata (x2) | 3 |
5 | Shakopee | 23-6 | Waconia, Edina, EP,, Chan, Farmington, L South, Lakeville N, Waconia | Wayzata, Lakeville N, Lakville S, Tonka (x2), Farmington | 7 |
6 | Cretin-Derham Hall | 25-6 | Maple Grove, East Ridge Holy Family, Mounds View (x2), DeLaSalle, Forest Lake (x2), Central, Tartan, Farmington | EP, Farmington, East Ridge, Tonka, Wayzata, Eagan | 6 |
7 | Farmington | 24-8 | CDH, Edina, Lakeville S (x2), Lakeville N (x2), Shakopee, JM , Rogers | Armstrong, AV, Chaska, Shakopee, Lakeville S, Lakeville N, CDH, Park Center | 5 |
8 | Lakeville North | 23-6 | East Ridge, Shakopee, L South (x2), Century (x2), Farmington | Park Center, Wisconsin Lutheran, Farmington (x2), Wayzata, Shakopee | 8 |
9 | Waconia | 22-6 | Edina, Hutch, EP, Delano, Orono, BSM | Lakeville S, Shakopee (x2), BSM, Chan, Orono | 9 |
10 | Eagan | 19-13 | Washburn, Century, Park Center, CDH | STA, Rosemount, Farmington (x2), Shakopee (x2), L North (x2), L South (x2), Apple Valley, Prior Lake, Tonka | NR |
Notes:
- Head to Head and Strength of Schedule is something we will always consider, it makes sense right?
- First comparison is Rochester JM (8-0) and Apple Valley (6-3). The Rockets have played a very solid schedule so far with Osseo, East Ridge, and Lakeville South in the non-league portion. Not quite what Apple Valley has but JM is undefeated and Apple Valley has likely lost a game they shouldn’t have so we go JM with eyes on AV’s game with South in three weeks as a comparison. Keep in mind, AV beat Armstrong by 28 where JM beat them by 8. Something to know.
- Chaska and Park Center are running quite parallel with their seasons and was very tough to separate. They had very similar games with Edina (both beat the Hornets). Park Center has had the tougher schedule and likely one more “resume win” so we go with them.
- EP beating Chaska and Edina over the weekend slides them up some spots including past Lakeville North who beat them. EP also had a more convincing win over Edina then some others. EP was one of several top Class AAAA teams that spent their holiday playing other top teams but unlike many of those teams, they won both their games so they shoot up the rankings.
- Looking at teams to replace 5-4 squads Woodbury and Edina (who have played such difficult schedules they have a legit gripe that they should be right there as well) we head to the Farmington vs Minnetonka vs Prior Lake triangle. These three teams are all 1-1 against one another. Minnetonka, who lost to Farmington, has beaten Prior Lake and just won the Owatonna tournament. Prior Lake lost to Tonka early but has since beat the defending South Dakota Class B champs Bridewater-Emery, beat SF Washington who recently beat Marshall, and they beat White Station out of Tennessee. We go with Tonka and PL after holiday success.
- Just Missed: Edina and Woodbury are right there and if they get on a winning streak they will be back as their schedules included resume wins and losses to some of the best. Farmington is 6-2 and also right there. North St. Paul is close as well but recently lost to Woodbury. Don’t forget about Wayzata who is 5-3 and a good win from a jump back in (I would say they are 11). Forest Lake is the 7AAAA team to watch as they had the large margin win over Cambridge and are 7-2, and then you have Tartan who is 8-0 but as the CzarPI showed last night, they have played the lowest ranked strength of schedule in all of Class AAAA.
- Who has the toughest SofS? Edina followed by Burnsville, Prior Lake, and Champlin Park.
- The CzarPI with the strength of schedule is located here: http://tchoops.blogspot.com/
Class AAA
Ranking | Team | Record | Top Ws | Top Ls | Last Rank |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | DeLaSalle | 17-4 | Cedar Falls, BSM, Madison East, White Station, Brooklyn Center, St Croix L, C Heights | Iowa City West, Hopkins, EP, CDH | 1 |
2 | Austin | 21-1 | Totino-Grace, Mankato East (x2), Northfield (x2), Lakeville N, Forest Lake, JM, Minnehaha | Owatonna | 2 |
3 | Mankato East | 18-4 | Waseca, Winona, Marshall, Orono, JM, Northfield | Austin (x2), JM, Owatonna | 4 |
4 | Marshall | 21-3 | Fairmont, Orono, JCC. Jordan, JCC, Waseca, Willmar | SF Washington, SF Lincoln, Kato East | 5 |
5 | Orono | 17-5 | Monticello, Wayzata, Woodbury, Chaska, Breck, HF, Waconia, Delano, Edina | CDH, Marshall, Minnehaha, Mankato East, Hopkins | 6 |
6 | Willmar | 21-2 | Big Lake, Tech (x2), Apollo, Willmar, Sauk Rapids | Fergus Falls, Marshall | 3 |
7 | Waseca | 20-3 | Byron, StCLutheran, WEM, Winona | Delano, Kato East, Marshall | 7 |
8 | Sauk Rapids-Rice | 16-6 | Waconia, Delano, Tech, Fergus Falls | Hopkins, Brainerd (x2), Alexandria, Willmar, Fergus | 10 |
9 | Fergus Falls | 16-6 | Sauk Rapids, Alexandria (x2), Tech, Willmar | Breckenridge, Delano, Sauk Rapids (x2), Willmar, Brainerd | NR |
10 | Columbia Heights | 15-5 | BSM, Mahtomedi, Brooklyn Center, Lake City, Esko, Fridley, St Croix L | Hopkins, St Anthony, Roosevelt, DeLaSalle, Minnehaha Academy | 9 |
Notes:
- Let’s get to the top spot. The Islanders are the six time defending champions and they haven’t lost to a Class AAA basketball team in two years. Their losses this year are to Iowa City West, the number one ranked big school team in Iowa, and Hopkins, the second ranked big school squad in Minnesota. The Islanders just won an event in South Dakota and there is no way with their resume they deserve to fall from the top Class AAA spot unless they pick up a bad loss.
- Austin moves up to the second spot. With every game that goes by the Packers look more and more like a challenger to the Islander throne. The wins over Lakeville North and Forest Lake sent shock waves around the state as those wins let everyone know that even though the Packers lost Both Gach, they are still a veteran team that needs to be looked as a state title contender. The Packers will play with that chip on their shoulder all year too because they all have something to prove as they were looked over when Both left and they’ve lost in the Class AAA title game to DeLaSalle in three of the past five years. This Friday Austin and Northfield play a huge game followed by that game with JM in two Saturdays. Get to that one early.
- Columbia Heights is just kind of waiting in the weeds ready to strike. Games with North St. Paul, Esko, and Brooklyn Center are coming up.
- Marshall’s two losses are to Sioux Falls teams: one is among the best in the state and the other was to an average big school South Dakota team
- Mankato East is 8-0 but their schedule has been very weak compared to the rest of the ranked teams. Waseca was a very good win but they have played winless Richfield and the bottom half of the Big Nine (which is not good) and that’s why their Strength of Schedule shown in the CzarPI is ranked 58 out of 63. We can’t push them too high yet until we see how they do against the monster of a January schedule they will face (Orono, Northfield, Austin, JM, Marshall) starting this Thursday.
- Delano lost to 3-6 Apollo which is definitely a bad loss for their resume. Apollo played their hearts out and earned that win, but they are 3-6.
- Willmar is 9-0 which is great. It means they are a contender in their section and a tough CLC team. They have some good wins too which is why they are ranked, but we are holding off on a big push as they schedule is 55th out of 63. They move up a spot.
- St. Thomas Academy is out of the rankings, for now. They are 4-5 and all five losses are to Class AAAA teams four of which are ranked and of those four, three are top five teams. They have challenged themselves and when they hit conference play they will be right back. Need a good win though as 4-4 Shakopee is their top victory.
- Next Up: Fridley win over Eastview at 6-1 says something, Northfield is right there although the SOS is low, Totino-Grace is coming back, St. Croix Lutheran is 7-1, Monticello is 7-2, Waconia 6-3, and Fergus Falls is on a winning streak with four in a row so watch for them coming back
Class AA
Ranking | Team | Record | Key Ws | Losses | Previous |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Breck | 31-1 | Alexandria, Mpls North (x2), Osseo, Hopkins, Blake (x3), LCWM, Holy Family, Minnehaha (x3), Esko, C Heights, MCA, Waseca Lake City | Washburn | 1 |
2 | Lake City | 26-6 | Byron, Caledonia, Cannon Falls (x2), Byron, Minnehaha A, Maranatha, Albany, Pelican Rapids | Albany, Stewartville (x2), LA, Cannon Falls, Breck | 3 |
3 | Albany | 30-3 | Lake City, Mora, Melrose, Sauk Rapids-Rice, SW Christian, P Lakes, Osakis, Mora, Foley (x2), Sauk Centre, Pequot Lakes, Minnehaha (x2), Spectrum, Annandale, JCC, | EVW, Annandale, Lake City | 2 |
4 | Annandale | 26-4 | Albany, Spectrum, Hutch, Osakis (x2), Big Lake, GSL (x2), DC, Esko | Legacy Christian, DC, Albany | 4 |
5 | Cannon Falls | 24-6 | KM, Goodhue (x2), Esko, Byron, Lake City, LA, Caledonia | Lake City, Stewartville (x2), Byron, Caledonia Lake City | 5 |
6 | Pequot Lakes | 28-5 | CI, Mora (x2), MLWR, Bemidji, Esko, Waseca, JCC | Esko, Albany, Minnehaha A | 6 |
7 | Eden Valley-Watkins | 24-5 | LP, Albany, Annandale, NLS, Morris Area | Belle Plaine, Osakis, Paynesville, Morris Area | 7 |
8 | Pelican Rapids | 24-7 | Hawley (x2), Fergus F, West Central Area, WDC, | DGF, Barnesville, Sauk Centre, Ada Borup, Hillcrest Lutheran, Lake City, JCC | 8 |
9 | Jackson County Central | 22-9 | Waseca, Montevideo, R Valley (x2), New Ulm, Maple River, Pipestone A (x2), Morris Area, Pelican Rapids | Luverne, Waseca (x2), Marshall (x2), Worthington, Fairmont, Albany, P Lakes | NR |
10 | Minneapolis North | 16-11 | Holy Family (x2), AV, SSP, Esko, Mpls SW, | Breck (x2), Tartan, Mpls S (x2), De, Washburn (x2), Mpls SW, Maple Grove | 9 |
Notes:
- Top ranked Minnehaha Academy has played big school teams in 9 of their first 10 games. The month of January changes things up as they play mostly Class AA schools at their class level.
- Minneapolis North has still played only four games but they did beat BC by 22.
- Cathedral won 2 of three in their event but lost to Mandan who some feel is the best team in North Dakota right now.
- Perham moves up beating Anndandale and Anoka. Annandale is a great Class AA win for them and it was a five point game. Perham pounded Anoka who is 6-2 and improved (vs the third weakest AAAA schedule) but that will likely even out soon now that Anoka plays their league schedule. Great weekend for Perham.
- Lake City gave third ranked Class AAA Columbia Heights an overtime push in Roch but came up a basket short. Lake City also gave Caledonia a tougher game that Cathedral did so that is why they are higher than them.
- Brooklyn Center showed the difference between Class AA and Class A when they thumped Cleveland but then BC was handled by North.
- St. Charles is still undefeated. They have not faced the schedule others have but they have handled their games with double figure wins the last five outings.
- Esko is 8-1 and grabbed a nice win against Hinckley-Finlaysion (and they play BC, GR, and CH coming up) so we were close but they lost to Annandale and need another good win.
- Next Up: Fairmont isn’t quite ready for a ranking as they’ve been hammered by Marshall and St. Croix Lutheran but watch for them at 8-2, Cristo Rey is undefeated and one to watch but their schedule is not what the others that are ranked have faced (99 out of 125 in Class AA and they don’t face a ranked team at any level all year) so we have to watch that, Melrose only has one loss, Eden Valley-Watkins is undefeated against a low strength of schedule (89), Annandale is 5-2, Virginia is 8-1 but lost recently lost to 6-1 Proctor, and don’t forget about 7-2 Breckenridge or Jordan who is 6-2 and just fell out of the top ten.
- Holy Family is surely a top ten deserving team after the Annandale win and the GSL event championship.
Class A
Ranking | Team | Record | Key Ws | Losses | Previous |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Cherry | 31-2 | Deer River, Holy Family, Superior, MLWR, Cass Lake Bena, Esko, Blake, Solon Springs (WI), Ada Borup, Nevis, Fertile-Beltrami (x2), Rock Ridge, N Woods, Nevis, RTR | Park Center, Forest Lake | 1 |
2 | Fertile-Beltrami | 27-7 | Ada Borup (x2), Win EMac (x2), Nevis, S Heart (x2) red Lake County, GGG, Red Lake, Goodhue, West Central Arwa | N Freeze, WAO, Cherry (x2), CG, Cass Lake-Bena | 5 |
3 | West Central Area | 28-5 | Morris Area/CA, Hillcrest Lutheran, Sauk Centre, BOLD, Melrose, Morris Area, Wadena Deer Creek, Ada Borup, BBE, Heritage Christian | Melrose Area, Pelican Rapids, Sauk Centre, Fertile-Beltrami, Nevis | 2 |
4 | Dawson-Boyd | 26-3 | RTR, Cass Lake-Bena, MACCRAY, (x2) Pipestone A, RP, SW MN Chr, .CMC (x2), NLA | Montevideo, Castlewood (SD), Minneota | 4 |
5 | Ada Borup West | 24-6 | P Christian (x2), Cass Lake Bena, WinEMac, MW, Nevis, EGF, Sacred Heart, Henning | Cherry, WAO, Fertile-Beltrami, Henning, West Central Area | 6 |
6 | Henning | 26-3 | Pillager, Wadena DC (x2), Ada Borup West, Underwood, Park Christian | Morris Area, Worthington, Ada Borup West | 7 |
7 | Blooming Prairie | 28-3 | JWP, (x2) Maple River, Southland, Kingsland | Cotter, KW, Goodhue | 8 |
8 | Nevis | 25-8 | Red Lake (x2), BBE, MIB, MW, Mountain Lake Area, East Central, West Central | Fertile-Beltrami, Sacred Heart, Ada Borup, Cass Lake Bena, Spring Grove, Cherry | NR |
9 | Mountain Lake Area-Comfrey | 27-5 | Springfield (x2), RTR, RRC, SW MN Christian, WWG, MCC, SESM, Sleepy Eye, Hills-Beaver , LP | MCC, RTR (x2), SW MN Christian, Nevis | 3 |
10 | Russell-Tyler-Ruthton | 24-9 | CMC, SW MN C, Mt Lake Area Comfrey, RRC (c3), Mountain Lake Comfrey | DB, SW MN C, Minneota, MT Lake Area-C, TMB, HBC, Cherry, Heritage Christian | 9 |
Notes:
- Number one Springfield was challenged for the first time this year beating Minnewaska Area by two scores.
- North Woods is winning games by 47 points a night. Their schedule is ranked 108 out of 163 in Class A so we aren’t sure “how good” yet but that will change soon with games against Virginia and Nevis upcoming.
- Love how Cleveland challenges themselves each year. This year they were in the Mpls North holiday event and split games.
- Nevis is still undefeated but they’ve haven’t played in weeks and have a 131 of 163 in strength of schedule
- We jumped Cass Lake-Bena up for winning a holiday event and pushing to 10-0.
- Why no Class A movement? Because nearly half of the ranked teams haven’t played since days before Christmas and the losses H-F and Cleveland had were against really good teams.