As February heads into March and boys hockey settles their state tournament berths, here is a preview of the eight Class AAAA sections.
If there's any guarantee in Section 1, The Road to The Barn will go through Lakeville and Rochester. The top seed is the Lakeville North Panthers, followed by the second seeded Rochester Mayo Spartans and the third seeded Lakeville South Cougars. Could there be a Battle of Lakeville in the section finals?
Get those fan buses ready Minnetonka bus drivers, the Skippers have the top seed in Section 2. Minnetonka, anchored by future Gopher Tori McKinney and Aaliyah Crump have been one of the state's top teams this season. They have not lost a game since they were beaten by Wayzata February 1. Can second seeded Eden Prairie and third seeded Chaska keep the Skippers ship from sailing down Highway 7?
The red hot Rosemount Irish are the top seed in Section 3, entering section play on a five game winning streak. But can they get by the second seeded Eastview Lightning and the third seeded Eagan Wildcats, also winners of five straight?
The pairings have not yet been posted in Section 4, but it's likely the top three seeds will be the White Bear Lake Bears, the Stillwater Ponies and the East Ridge Raptors.
So far, it's been an outstanding year for girls athletics in Maple Grove,. First the girls hockey team took home the Class AA consolation trophy and now the girls basketball has the number one seed in Section 5. Three of their four defeats were to St. Michael-Albertville, Hopkins and Minnetonka. Can the Crimson set up a third showdown with the second seeded Park Center Pirates?
The top seed in Section 6 is the Hopkins Royals, who ended the regular season falling to their Lake Conference rival the Minnetonka Skippers. Looking to derail the Royals path is the second seeded Wayzata Trojans. A memo to Hopkins head coach Tara Starks, you have a potential roadblock in your path as the third seeded Minneapolis Southwest Lakers who enter section play winning their last eight games. Can they unseat the perennial power Royals?
Heading to Section 7, the top seeded Andover Huskies have beaten their Northwest Suburban Conference rivals the second seeded Centennial Cougars and the third seeded Anoka Tornadoes in regular season play. Which one of them will the Huskies face in the section finals?
The defending Class AAAA champion St. Michael-Albertville Knights are the top seed in Section 8. But as the Ringo Starr song would tell them, it don't come easy to return to The Barn. The section is loaded with outstanding teams in the second seeded Elk River Elks, the third seeded Brainerd Warriors and the fourth seeded Sartell Sabers. Who will come out of this section?
Next: The eight Class AAA sections.
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