The CMC Preview

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Next up, the Central Minnesota Conference. A league won by BBE last year on their way to the Class A State Tournament. The Jags are the certain favorite coming into the season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Conference Commentary</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Top Ten in State:</strong> BBE</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>BBE has two of their best three players back and with that at the Class A level, coming off of a state tournament team, expectations will be high. That's a good thing. On the flip side, BBE has four spots to fill in the rotation and it has to come from older players with little experience, or younger talent that will grow on the job. Pieper and Dingmann are all league worthy and they will win a lot. But they will need a few others to step up in support. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Top Ten Potential</strong>: Paynesville Area, Eden Valley-Watkins </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Paynesville Area and Eden Valley-Watkins bring back most of their rotations and these were 10-4 teams in the league. That said, neither team did well in non league play at all. Both were under .500 outside of the conference. Do they have top ten in state potential? Maybe an outside shot because so much talent is back. But they have to figure out how to win outside the league like they do inside the league.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Compete with Most</strong>: Royalton, ACGC</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Royalton is a squad to keep an eye on because most of their rotation returns. They won half of their CMC games last year and went 12-14 overall. That record will improve but can they step by Paynesville and EVW? That could be tough, but they might be close. ACGC won nine games last season but should improve with several key guys back.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Rebuilding</strong>: Kimball Area, Maple Lake, Holdingford</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Kimball Area had a solid 2021-22 season but most of their rotation was seniors. They are likely to take a step back while Maple Lake and Holdingford are in a massive hole as they are struggling programs looking to rebuild. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>22-23 Conference Predictions</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list {"ordered":true} --> <ol><li>BBE</li><li>Paynesville Area</li><li>Eden Valley-Watkins</li><li>Royalton</li><li>ACGC</li><li>Kimball Area</li><li>Holdingford</li><li>Maple Lake</li></ol> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Preseason All CMC</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>First Team</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='962264' first='Kaden' last='Pieper'] of BBE (sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1284178' first='Luke' last='Dingmann'] of BBE (jr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1288730' first='Max' last='Athmann'] of Paynesville Area (sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1434977' first='Noah' last='Stommes'] of Eden Valley-Watkins (jr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1225659' first='Eli' last='Nelson'] of Paynesville Area (sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Second Team</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1434065' first='Nolan' last='Geislinger'] of Eden Valley-Watkins (jr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Tanner Shelton of BBE (sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Landon Neiman of Eden Valley-Watkins (jr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1288664' first='Thor' last='Goerish'] of ACGC (sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Joseph Achen of Royalton (sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Third Team</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='962313' first='Connor' last='Carlson'] of Royalton (sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2398530' first='Kyler' last='Pickle'] of ACGC (jr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Blayke Plung of Paynesville Area (sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Ryder Peterson of Holdingford (sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Grayson Fuchs of Paynesville Area (sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->