Minnesota Class A & AA Surprise Teams

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Somehow, we’re at about the midway point of the season already. Standings are taking shape for the postseason. Teams are rounding into form and it’s easier to get a sense now of what teams are truly capable of with regards to the rest of this season. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Here are some of the surprise teams from Class A and AA at the midway point of the year:</span></p> <p><em><strong>Class A</strong></em></p> <p><strong>New Ulm Cathedral</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Greyhounds won 22 games last year and were returning their best player in Jon Zinniel. They were going to be a solid team this winter, but they’ve been even better than expected. Zinniel has taken his game to even another level as a shot-creator and defender. He’s joined by Chris Knowles and Sam Knowles in the frontcourt which makes the Greyhounds extremely difficult to matchup with from a size perspective. </span></p> <p><strong>Nashwauk-Keewatin</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Spartans aren’t coming out of nowhere by any stretch as they won 19 games a year ago. But early in the year, they’ve emerged as a legitimate threat to North Woods in Section 7A. Armed with an elite offense, the Spartans average nearly 80 points per game with five guys who can score and make plays. With Jeff and Jack Lorenz up front, the Spartans have the size to do damage inside and senior guards Jager Nash and Spencer Engel give them an excellent backcourt. </span></p> <p><strong>Minneota</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Minneota entered the year as a top-five team in Class A but has struggled through the first half of the year, going 8-7. This is a product of a number of factors. One has been the Vikings playing some really strong teams including top-ranked BOLD and Springfield in the non-conference. They are also missing what would’ve been their second-best player for the season. Logan Sussner has been putting up ridiculous numbers all year and the Vikings have talent to certainly enjoy a good season. It hasn’t been what we thought it could be, but we’ll see what the rest of the season brings. </span></p> <p><em><strong>Class AA</strong></em></p> <p><strong>St. Croix Prep</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Here’s another team that was expected to be good...but this good? The Lions are undefeated and have beaten some terrific teams including Minneapolis North, Stewartville and Rochester Century. Dan McCarrel and Addison Metcalf are combining to average nearly 38 points per game, forming one of the top one-two punches in the state. Zach Doely has been consistent again this year too. This group isn’t just explosive and dynamic offensively; it’s shown it can win gritty too. </span></p> <p><strong>Eden Valley/Watkins</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Since losing its season-opener to Osakis, the Eagles have won 12 games in a row and are holding teams to less than 40 points per game. Josh Streit is the fulcrum in the attack as the 6-foot-7 junior big man can dominate the paint on both ends of the floor. Around him, the Eagles have an experienced group of upperclassmen like Luke Jansen and Kobe Beattie who fill roles to a tee. </span></p> <p><strong>Minnesota Valley Lutheran</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Chargers moved up to Class AA this season and while their QRF number may not reflect it, they are one of the best teams in the state. Dunwa Omot is having a terrific senior year, averaging 22 points, 4.4 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 3.8 steals per game. Jace Marotz is having a terrific year, averaging nearly 14 points and six rebounds. And Mason Cox is averaging nearly a double-double inside. </span></p>