BOYS: Quarterly Section Check-in (Part II)

This year has been WILD. Yes, the top 5ish teams look elite, but everything after that has been a crap shoot. We have had upsets, blowouts that we thought would be close, close games we thought would be blowouts, newcomers, top teams from the past few years completely dropped out. It’s been crazy. But, as we always say, regular season doesn’t really matter, everyone makes the playoffs, so, it’s mostly about who plays their best lacrosse in June.

Section 1

Front Runner - Lakeville North

Challenger - Farmington

Dark Horse - Rochester Mayo

Lakeville North has been just an electric team this year. They win every face-off, score with efficiency and sometimes it looks like ease. They are 7-0 and have a pretty tough slate of games in their final 6 contensts. It’s hard to say where they are potentially weak at this point - we have yet to see a team that can match them at the Face-Off X.

Farmington has been a very up and down team this year. They have played down to some of their opponents and then looked their best against Eagan in a huge win. However, quickly humbled by a good Rosemount squad. They certainly have the potential to be good and win the section. They will need to go back and find out what worked for them against Eagan because that looked like a top 10 team.

Rochester Mayo is slowly racking up wins and their only loss this year is a close one against a good Farmington team, where they had the lead at one point in the 4th quarter. They don’t get too many out of conference games but their upcoming game against Wayzata will be telling. Wayzata is a middle of the pack metro team but play a way tougher schedule throughout the year. If Mayo can prevail and hang in that game, I think they are plenty capable of competing with the other SSC teams in section 1.

Section 2

Front-Runner: Chanhassen

Challengers: Shakopee

Dark Horse(s): Minnetonka/EP

Chanhassen has sort of pulled away as the front-runner in this section. When we posted our first Qtr check-in, Chan had only one game under their belt. While Shakopee is right there, Chanhassen has really dominated everyone they have played and will continue to play tough games the rest of the year. They are the team to beat.

Shakopee sputtered against Moorhead, but, I am not going to over-react to that loss. They look athletic and great defensively, but not as explosive on offense as a year ago. Great defense can win you a section, so, they are plenty capable of representing Section 2 at State.

Minnetonka probably has established themselves as really the other challenger in this group but some weird moments against some of the better teams - sometimes they make me wonder. Talent is 100% there and they are strong defensively. They have playmakers on offense to score pretty much at will…. Sometimes I feel like they sort of go into “club mode” and just mess around once they have a lead. Plenty of big games coming up for them to prove where they really are. I want to say they are more of a challenger than a dark horse.

EP is the other true Dark Horse. They don’t look as skilled/talented as the other teams, but, they are well coached and find ways to win games or play close with top opponents. I think there will need to be more offense for them to win the section, but, as of now, still not a team I’d want to face in playoffs.

Section 3

Front-Runner: STA

Challenger: Woodbury

Dark Horse(s): Eagan

This has become the most interesting and wide open section. STA dropped their first game against Woodbury, but, has looked much better since, despite 3 losses all to teams that have spent time in the top 10. The look to be the most complete team right now but I am not so sure they will run away with this section by any means. Have the most talented individual player in the section, in Matt Hudson, who can score at will. Getting great goaltending and winning face offs. Have had some weird moments, but, have also played top teams tough… they stay as the front runner for now.

Woodbury looked great to start the year and is on par as the challenger in this section. They beat STA but lost to Eagan. So, I feel like all three teams are probably able to beat each other on the right day. They play good defense, win face offs and are smart on offense. They aren’t an explosive team but they are disciplined and don’t make a lot of mistakes. They seem like they are built for the post-season and probably the most likely challenger right now.

Eagan, is 2-3, but losses have been to STA, Farmington and Shakopee, all strong teams. They beat Woodbury as well as Armstrong who is having a great season. They most certainly could be a “challenger” but are probably more of a dark horse right now just due to record. I have a feeling Eagan is going to make some noise as the season wears on. Tonight’s game against Rosemount will tell us a lot.

Section 4

Front-Runner: Stillwater

Challenger: WBL

Dark Horse(s): Mahtomedi

This section has shaken up quite a bit in the last few weeks.

Stillwater, did not look good in the first game against BSM, but, ever since have been taking care of business. Maybe not as explosive as years past, but, wins are wins. I think they still have a quality program and will find their identity. If you can deal with a lot of graduation and still be 6-1 half way through… that is quite impressive.

White bear lake was sort of under the radar this year for me, but, I think they have a really good team and are the most likely challenger for this section. Unfortunately, they have fallen victim to a few very close losses. They will need to tie up some loose ends and start closing out games because I have a feeling the section 4 playoffs will be tight.

Mahtomedi, who I thought would be the top of this section has not looked like a front runner. I don’t think they are a bad team but they have dropped down into Dark Horse territory for now. I think with a strong FO guy you have a chance to win any game, and that is their saving grace right now. They do need to lock in on a few of the details if they want to beat Stillwater or WBL in sections.

Section 5

Front-Runner: BSM

Challenger: Maple Grove

Dark Horse(s): Armstrong

Although BSM has had their moments of looking mortal this season, it is still very much their section to lose. They have depth and talent that goes far beyond what any other team in the state is working with. As long as they play to their potential, they are the team to beat in Section 5 and the state of Minnesota. I will be curious how they fair against teams with strong face off and offensive efficiency. That will be the real indication on where they really are. Going to take a near perfect game to beat them.

Maple Grove is the likely challenger right now and I will tell you for sure after their game with Maple Grove. Despite getting beat by Chanhassen, the game was a 8-6 midway through the second half. They have the athletes to compete but struggle at the Face Off X. Against most teams, this isn’t an issue, but when you play one of the top 3 teams in the state, they all have great face off specialists and offenses that can score when they get the ball. I can see them matching up just fine athletically with BSM, but, having the ball and making it count will be the key to their success

Armstrong has been the surprise team for me this season, not that they are good, but more so how explosive they are. Been able to score a ton of goals and crush the teams they’ve played. Until Eagan. Was this an indicator that they are the best team in a weak schedule or is Eagan slowly gaining steam? They are obviously good, but, the upcoming game against Maple Grove will be a good indicator on where they are at. Still definitely very capable of getting to the section final. Not sure the defense is there to beat Benilde, but, crazier things have happened

Section 6

Front - Runner: Edina

Challenger: The Valley, Rosemount

Dark Horse(s): PL

This was the hardest section for me… on where to put teams

Edina looks to be the toughest team in this section right now. Sitting at 4-1, they have two quality wins against Rosemount and EP with a 6 goal loss to BSM. They played BSM close for 3 quarters, but, as every team has seen BSM finds a way to pull away at the end. They have a ton of tough games coming up and will be battle tested come playoffs.

I debated putting The Valley as the front runner as they have taken care of business in all of their games except BSM. Sitting at 7-1, coming off a nice win vs PL, their schedule gets tougher for the rest of the year. Talent is there from a senior led group with a few solid underclassmen. I put them as the challenger mainly because they struggled more with BSM than Edina did. Splitting hairs at this point and very much a viable candidate to win section 6 right now.

Rosemount has been off and on this year… a 2 goal loss to edina is looking more like a “quality loss” (if there is such a thing) and they got blown out by Lakeville North, who again, have seemed to be amongst the states elite right now. They turned around and crushed Wayzata, Farmington and Holy Angels after that LVN loss, so, I think when they are playing to their potential they are as good as any team in this section.

PL has definitely had a struggle to the start of the season, but, from watching them, I really don’t think they are a bad team by any means. They do need to figure some things out for me to move them back up to challenger status, so, today they sit as the Dark Horse. While they may not be the team they were the past few years… I am not sure any of the section 6 teams want to play them in the playoffs with their track record of success in the post season.

Section 7

Front-Runner: Chisago Lakes

Challenger: Centennial

Dark Horse: Duluth

Chisago Lakes has bumped up as the front-runner for me due to the combination of them being a really good team, but, also Centennial looking to have taken a step back. I think they are the team to beat in section 7 and have really been decisive in all their wins this year. The only downside for them is their weak schedule and they will probably be 15-0 going into the section final where there could be a bit more pressure and tight game. Right now though, they are the front runners for Section 7.

Centennial was my original pick for front-runner but I had to bump them down to Challenger at this point. They have been going through an adjustment this year from their big graduation losses. They are still a good team, capable of winning the section, but, I think they will need to tie up some things on the defensive end. That being said, they are 2 goals away from being a 6-1 team right now so, it’s hard to really say the drop has been THAT far off. Not a team I’d want to play in playoffs with a guy like Brol Sherman at attack

Duluth has been solid this year with a weak schedule. They got crushed by The Valley and let a lead slip away in the Hill-Murray game. I think they are one of the teams that is dominant in the outer metro, but, struggle a bit with the better teams in the metro. That being said, they won’t need to compete with any of the teams in the metro for the section, so, they very much could find their way through this section. They play Chisago Tuesday 5/9 which will be telling on how far the gap is here between these teams. They also have added Prior Lake, White Bear Lake and Mahtomedi to their schedule this year, too, so they should be battle tested come playoffs. Depending on how these upcoming games go, we could see them bumping up as section 7s top seed.

Section 8

Front-Runner: Moorhead

Challenger: Elk River/Zimmerman

Dark Horse: St. Cloud

Section 8 just got interesting after Elk River played Moorhead to an OT game. The Spuds prevailed, but, we very likely will see a rematch between these two teams.

Moorhead had the massive win vs Shakopee and looks to be the most complete/deepest team in the section. They are the favorite right now, but, by how much? They have a do it all middy in Oliver Judd and some talented offensive guys. Their defense is physical and is willing to do whatever it takes to keep the ball out of the net. I don’t really see any high end superstars on Moorhead, but, they have good players at all positions

Elk River was sort of on the radar but really got on after their game vs Moorhead. From watching them, they aren’t the most skilled but they are one of the toughest teams i’ve seen. They just work and work to get the job done. At the end of the day they don’t ask how - they ask how many? They just find a way. Extremely physical team that got into penalty trouble against Moorhead in the first game, though, which may have cost them the game. Need to be a bit more disciplined in the rematch.

St. Cloud is 5-2 this year with their only two losses being to Chisago Lakes and Moorhead. They unfortunately have a pretty weak schedule the rest of the way, so, it will be hard to find out where they really stand. The 5 goal loss to Moorhead intrigues me as maybe there is something there to work with. They will probably battle for the 3 seed with STMA, who, plays a much tougher schedule… If STMA wins one of their lake conference games, they probably get the 3. I don’t know much about them, but, they look to have three guys who all have nearly 30 pts. So, there are options there on offense.