The final section basketball preview of 2019 examines the eight Class A sections. Some are already underway.
Section 1 has started and the top seeded Spring Grove Lions look to duplicate their championship success in Nine Man Football on the basketball court with Alex Folz, who quarterbacked the Lions to the state title. But there's plenty of competition ahead with the second seeded Randolph Rockets, the third seeded Rushford-Peterson Trojans who are looking for their 16th trip up Highway 52 and the fourth seeded Hayfield Vikings who enter section play on an eight game winning streak.
In Section 2, the top seed in the North Subsection is another school who had success on the gridiron, the BOLD Warriors. The Warriors lost to Mahnomen/Waubun by one point in the Class A final but they have a shot at state in basketball if they can get past the second seeded Minnesota Valley Lutheran Chargers or the third seeded Mayer Lutheran Crusaders. The South Subsection will be a three team race between the top seeded Waterville-Elysian-Morristown Buccaneers, the second seeded Springfield Trojans and the third seeded Mountain Lake Area/Comfrey Wolverines.
What a season for basketball in Minneota. First the girls are the top ranked team in Class A and the boys are the top seeded team in the North Subsection as they lost their only two games by two points to second seeded Lac Qui Parle Valley and the Yellow Medicine East Sting. The Southwest MN Christian Eagles are the top seed in the South Subsection which also has the second seeded Murray county Central Rebels and the third seeded Westbrook/Walnut Grove Chargers.
Heading to Section 4, the top seeded Christ's Household of Faith Lions look to return to their first state tournament since 2001 when they lost in the Class A final to the Southwest MN Christian Eagles. But there are a couple of teams you've probably never heard of that could keep CHOF in St. Paul. They play in the Twin Cities Athletic Conference and they are the second seeded Avail Academy Valor and the third seeded Liberty Classical Academy Lions who are on a seven game winning streak. Avail Academy is based in Fridley and formerly known as Calvin Christian and Liberty Classical Academy is headquartered in White Bear Lake. No TCAC school has ever advanced to the state tournament. Could this be the year?
A couple of hot teams are the top two seeds in the North Subsection of Section 5. The top seeded Cromwell-Wright Cardinals enter section play with an 11 game winning streak and the second seeded Pine River-Backus Tigers have won eight straight. The Tigers are on a quest to return to Minneapolis for the first time since 2001. The South Subsection final could be a "Battle of the Jaguars" with top seeded Hinckley-Finlayson battling Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa. Looking to crash the battle is the third seeded Upsala Cardinals, who are looking up into section play after finishing the season with a four game winning streak.
Now to Section 6, where the top seed in the North Section the Henning Hornets could head to the state tournament for the first time since 1966. The town of 802 inhabitants can celebrate if the get past second seeded Mahnomen/Waubun and the top seeded team in the South Subsection their only loss, the Parkers Prairie Bulldogs. The Bulldogs beat the Hornets in their final regular season game 77-74 in overtime. Could another overtime game be possible in the section final?
In Section 7, the top seeded North Woods Grizzlies lost their second straight Class A title game last season and being a 14 game win streak into section play. But the second seeded Nashwauk-Keewatin Spartans and the third seeded Lakeview Christian Lions, who are looking for their first trip down I-35 to Minneapolis since 2013 could keep the Iron Range team back in the range.
Wrapping up the section preview is Section 8 with the top seed in the East Subsection, the Cass Lake Panthers who are in the hunt for their eighth state tournament appearance. The Panthers only loss was to Mahnomen/Waubun on February 5 64-36. First they have to get past the second seeded Win-E-Mac Patriots, in the hunt for their first trip to state since 2000. In the West Subsection, the top seeded Ada-Borup West Cougars are the top seed and it could mean that fans could see one of the great pep bands in the state for the second state week if the girls head to Minneapolis the preceding week. It could be tough for the Cougars as the second seeded Sacred Heart Eagles from East Grand Forks enter section play winning their last four games and the third seeded Fertile-Beltrami Falcons could end their 18 year tournament drought.
There you have it. The four section previews in each class. Plenty of drama and excitement coming up.
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