Now to the smaller school portions of the section preview as there some Class AA sections underway. so who is left standing and who are the top seeds in the upcoming sections.
Section 1 has had some upsets on the road to Minneapolis that started with 13th seeded Dover-Eyota eliminating St. Charles. They will face the top seeded Caledonia Warriors, led by The Brothers King, Eli and Noah who led the Warrior football team to their fifth consecutive state title last November. The lower bracket has another surprise team with the 10th seeded Pine Island Panthers knocking out the second seeded Lake City Tigers. The Panthers head down Highway 52 to take on the third seeded Stewartville Trojans. Will a double digit seed emerge as section champion?
In Section 2, the North Subsections's top two seeds are still alive with the top seeded Minnesota Valley Lutheran Chargers battling the Belle Plaine Tigers and the second seeded Jordan Hubmen facing the Glencoe-Silver Lake Panthers. The South subsection's top seed the Waseca Bluejays have won eight straight games and they host Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton. The second seeded Blue Earth Area Buccaneers battle the third seeded Maple River Eagles. Last year, the Bluejays advanced to the Class AAA title game. Can they return to state as a Class AA school?
To Section 3 where the North Subsection top seed the Minnewaska Area Lakers have won seven straight games and face the fifth seeded Paynesville Area Bulldogs. Second seeded Morris Area/Chokio-Alberta takes on the third seeded Redwood Valley Cardinals. The South Subsection could see a battle between the Jackson County Central Huskies and the second seeded Fairmont Cardinals.
There could be a newcomer at Target Center in Section where the top seeded St. Croix Prep Lions are unbeaten. Never heard of St. Croix Prep? The school is located in Stillwater. But first they have to get past the second seeded Concordia Academy Beacons and one of the best teams you've probably never seen or heard of the third seeded Twin Cities Academy/Great River Tigers. They are a quick and athletic team that has lost only two games this season. Their losses were to St. Paul Academy and Hill-Murray. Who will come out of this section?
The top seed in Section 5 is the Minneapolis North Polars, who lost in the Class AA final to the Minnehaha Academy Redhawks. But the Polars have several challengers in their path. The second seeded Rockford Rockets, the third seeded Blake Bears and the fourth seeded Litchfield Dragons. It's a solid four team race to Target Center.
Looking at Section 6, it is a tough section to forecast because there are seven teams that have a shot at the section title trophy. There's the top seeded Eden Valley-Watkins Eagles, who lost their season opener to the second seeded Osakis Silverstreaks. Then there's the third seeded Annandale Cardinals, the fourth seeded Melrose Dutchemen, the fifth seeded Albany Huskies, the sixth seeded Mora Mustangs and a team that hasn't been to state in 40 years, the seventh seeded Pine City Dragons. Plenty of exciting basketball in central Minnesota but only two of these teams will face each other at St. John's March 11. Who will they be?
Now to Section 7 where Subsection 1 has the top seeded Esko Eskomos, the second seeded Moose Lake-Willow River Rebels, the third seeded Pierz Pioneers and the fourth seeded Pequot Lakes Patriots. A pretty tough subsection. Not so with Subsection 2 with the top seeded Virginia Blue Devils and the second seeded Greenway Raiders.
And finally in Section 8, the North Subsection's top two seeds are the East Grand Forks Green Wave and the second seeded Dilwoth-Glyndon-Felton Rebels. The South Subsection is a toughie as the top seeded Fergus Falls Otters could battle the second seeded and unbeaten Perham Yellowjackets. But look out for the third seeded Pelican Rapids Vikings and the fourth seeded Barnesville Trojans.
The Class A section preview is next.
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