By the Numbers: The Strongest Sections in Each Class
The tables below display the average rating of the teams in each section. This means that it is not measuring the strength of the teams at the top, but the overall depth of each section. Sections strong at the top,…
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Continue ReadingThe tables below display the average rating of the teams in each section. This means that it is not measuring the strength of the teams at the top, but the overall depth of each section. Sections strong at the top, but weak at the bottom turn out to be average in the overall strength category. Without further ado:
Class A
A Section Power Rankings | ||
6A | -6.13632 | |
8A | -7.45158 | |
2A | -16.2412 | |
3A | -17.5324 | |
1A | -37.2329 | |
5A | -37.5252 | |
7A | -54.6279 | |
4A | -77.6963 |
For the second straight year, Section 6A rates as the toughest section in Class A. Henning has taken over as the top team in the section and a true favorite to represent 6A in the state tournament, but the reason this section is the strongest falls in it’s next five teams. Park Christian is rated as the sixth best team in the section and the 26th best team in Class A. Section 8A is similarly constructed, but does not have the team at the top to carry it the way 6A does. While Section 7A contains the top two teams in Class A and three of the top eight, the rest of it struggles big time.
Class AA
AA Section Power Rankings | ||
1AA | 24.55412 | |
8AA | 22.39222 | |
2AA | 18.36059 | |
3AA | 15.56875 | |
6AA | 10.80688 | |
7AA | 9.922143 | |
5AA | -20.2125 | |
4AA | -82.0693 |
Section 1AA is extremely strong at the top thanks to the addition of another solid program in Goodhue. The middle is above average and the bottom is improving. Winona Cotter is fifth in the section and 18th in Class AA. The other top sections in the class are also deep, 8AA has eight teams in the top 30, while 2AA has seven teams in the top 35.
Class AAA
AAA Section Power Rankings | ||
2AAA | 44.4275 | |
5AAA | 23.93429 | |
1AAA | 18.50571 | |
4AAA | 13.9625 | |
7AAA | 13.62375 | |
8AAA | 8.5625 | |
6AAA | 8.11875 | |
3AAA | -1.62125 |
Section 2AAA has a huge lead over the rest of the state. If depth is what indicates section strength, this section has it. It starts at the top with undefeated Marshall, then top ten quality teams in Waconia and Hutchinson, and followed by top 20 quality teams in St. Peter, Worthington, and Mankato West. At the “bottom” of the section is Mankato East (with a win over Hutchinson) and New Ulm, who beat Mankato East. The team that represents this section at the state tournament will have definitely earned it.
Class AAAA
AAAA Section Power Rankings | |
2AAAA | 64.05875 |
8AAAA | 59.6742857 |
3AAAA | 42.5575 |
6AAAA | 39.965 |
5AAAA | 39.6175 |
1AAAA | 34.59875 |
7AAAA | 33.7457143 |
4AAAA | 1.94125 |
The theme is not to have a couple of elite teams, but to have a number of quality teams at both the top and the bottom. Section 2AAAA has seven teams in the top 28 of Class AAAA to go with #49 Bloomington Jefferson. As with Section 2AAA, the winner of this section will have to earn it. The teams in this section will certainly be battle tested.
Remaining Unbeatens
- Pelican Rapids: 63.08% percent chance to finish the regular season unbeaten
- Hopkins: 63.48%
- Hills-Beaver Creek: 89.72%
- Marshall: 98.25%
Biggest Upset
This section will feature the most unlikely winners. The ratings at the time of the game are used to determine who goes here.
St. Paul Academy 47, CHOF 33 (0.27% chance of upset)
St. Paul Academy has played a much softer schedule than CHOF. If they had played similar schedules, this may not have been as big of an upset.
Honorable Mention: Climax/Fisher 57, NCE/U-H 48 (3.76%), Visitation 52, St. Anthony Village 49 (4.32%)
Biggest Gainers
This section will be reserved for the teams that move up the rankings the most.
A – Ogilvie (previously Class A #104, currently #95)
- Wins – A #133 McGregor (77-48), A #84 Floodwood (59-56), A #101 Hinckley-Finlayson (73-64)
- Losses – none
AA – East Grand Forks (previously Class AA #60, currently #48)
- Wins – AA #73 Thief River Falls (46-28), A #29 Red Lake Falls (66-60)
- Losses – AA #19 Hawley (62-52)
AAA – New Ulm (previously Class AAA #33, currently #29)
- Wins – AAA #45 Mound-Westonka (65-53)
- Losses – AA #15 Belle Plaine (74-65), AA #10 Waseca (64-63)
AAAA – New Prague (previously Class AAAA #18, currently #13)
- Wins – AAAA #53 Northfield (68-31), AAA #4 Hutchinson (51-37)
- Losses – AAAA #3 St. Michael-Albertville (66-63)
Biggest Fallers
This section will include the teams that fell down the rankings the most.
A – Cook County (previously Class A #96, currently #106)
- Wins – AAA #59 Duluth Denfeld (69-62), A #141 High School for the Recording Arts (58-35)
- Losses – A #99 Chisholm (47-42), A #88 Barnum (54-52)
AA – Redwood Valley (previously Class AA #49, currently #63)
- Wins – none
- Losses – AA #70 Pipestone (48-27), A #47 Sleepy Eye (60-56)
AAA –Simley (previously Class AAA #12, currently #17)
- Wins – AAA #56 South St. Paul (71-48), AAA #41 Henry Sibley (64-48)
- Losses – none
AAAA – East Ridge (previously Class AAAA #44, currently #40)
- Wins – AAAA #43 Woodbury (74-66), AAAA #58 Minneapolis Southwest (56-54), AAAA #56 Irondale (62-50)
- Losses – none
Highest Scoring Games
Offense had another surge this week, finishing at 108.7 points per game. The season average increases to 106.6 points per game.
- Rocori 103, Duluth Denfeld 81
- Sauk Rapids-Rice 90, Sartell-St. Stephen 87
- Holy Angels 91, Chanhassen 81
- Jackson County Central 93, Pipestone 74
- Proctor 83, Roseau 79 (OT)
Predictions
Each week I will list the computer predictions for some of the more interesting games around the state. These predictions may change as the week goes on due to the outcomes of previous games. All games that I am aware of each day are predicted on Twitter (@MNBBRatings).
Monday
- Cromwell-Wright @ Duluth Marshall (Duluth Marshall 72-70)
Tuesday
- Michael-Albertville @ Wayzata (Wayzata 79-74)
- Burnsville @ Lakeville North (Lakeville North 80-70)
- Proctor @ Pine City (Proctor 60-52)
Thursday
- Moorhead @ Fergus Falls (Fergus Falls 62-53)
- Hawley @ Perham (Perham 54-53)
- Belle Plaine @ Waseca (Waseca 53-46)
Friday
- Holy Angels @ St. Croix Lutheran (Holy Angels 72-67)
- Simley @ Hill-Murray (Hill-Murray 51-48)
- Red Wing @ Austin (63-55)
- Sauk Centre @ Albany (Sauk Centre 57-56)
Saturday
- Champlin Park @ Cambridge-Isanti (Champlin Park 56-50)