The Minnesota Top 25
Records through Monday
1. Edina (2-1): Defending Class 2A champ possesses enough proven talent to expect at least a similar postseason run.
2. Shakopee (2-1): Appears poised to take Chanhassen's role as Section 2 champion.
3. Moorhead (2-1): The best team of Jon Ammerman's coaching tenure.
4. Rogers (3-1): Solid high-end scoring should mean big things for the Royals' Section 5 title plans.
5. Cretin-Derham Hall (1-0-1): Some great top-end talent should result in the Raiders' continued mastery of Section 3.
6. St. Thomas Academy (3-0): New coach Mark Strobel will be out to dethrone Cretin-Derham Hall from its perch atop Section 3.
7. Maple Grove (1-2): Overcoming significant graduation losses will be coach Todd Bergland's focus.
8. Minnetonka (1-2): One year after a stunning loss in the Section 2 title game, the Skippers must pick up the emotional pieces.
9. Wayzata (3-1): One year after a stunning loss in the Section 6 title game, the Trojans also must pick up the emotional pieces.
10. St. Cloud Cathedral (0-1-1): Robbie Stocker's 1A champs are locked and (almost) as loaded for a repeat.
11. East Grand Forks (2-3): The Green Wave should bully their way past Warroad and into a top-four 1A state tournament seed.
12. Hermantown (0-1-1): Graduation and early departures could haunt the Hawks.
13. Holy Angels (2-0): With 17 letter-winners and 13 of the top 14 scorers returning, the Stars appear loaded.
14. Stillwater (3-0): A nice core group of scorers returns, aided by transfer goaltender Cal Conway.
15. Grand Rapids (2-1): Second-year coach Grant Clafton will build around goalie Carter Casey and a strong junior class for a second consecutive Section 7 title pursuit.
16. Andover (0-3): Section 7 runner-up must rebuild/reload to counter Grand Rapids.
17. White Bear Lake (1-1): Leo Gabriel is the man between the pipes. He will be supported by his defensemen as the offense takes time to jell.
18. Mahtomedi (1-3): Questions abound for the Zephyrs this season, such as: Where will the scoring come from?
19. Hibbing-Chisholm (2-2): A loaded junior class brings hope to the Bluejackets faithful.
20. Warroad (1-0-1): Graduation losses threaten to bring the Warriors back to Earth after three consecutive Section 8 titles.
21. Cloquet-Esko-Carlton (3-0): Coach Shea Walters calls this Lumberjacks collection of talent "the deepest team I've had since being coach."
22. Lakeville South (1-0): The Cougars are in pursuit of the Section 1 title lost last season to Rochester Century.
23. Benilde-St. Margaret's (1-0): A smattering of skilled but small seniors returns, but the Red Knights are unproven in goal.
24. Hill-Murray (2-0): "ZZ Top" best describes forwards Caden Zasada and Riley Zupfer, two sophomore forwards leading the Pioneers.
25. Delano (2-1): Coach Gerrit van Bergen is counting on both last season's highs and lows to inform his team this year.