The Granite Ridge Preview

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Albany enters the season on a 28 game winning streak in Granite Ridge play and odds are - barring injury - they will leave the season on a 42 game conference winning streak. Here is your Granite Ridge Conference preview!</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 Team in State</strong>: Albany, Pequot Lakes</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Albany has their pair of stars back for one more run. Austin &amp; Hondl. They led Albany to a title two years ago and then the final four last year. Breck won a title last year. It seems like Breck and Albany at some point are headed for a monster battle. Albany has a nice group of solid role players that are seniors as well.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Pequot Lakes has three starters back, but losses three of their top six guys overall. The Patriots have their 7th man returning but they do lose four of their top eight to graduation. They have been to state the last three years in a row, but they have a four game losing streak to Albany and all losses were by double digits. So I think we do have to find more respect for Pequot Lakes, but also know they have some obstacles to clear to get where they want this year. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Top Ten Potential</strong>: Mora</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Injuries got in the way of their rhythm last season leading to a somewhat surprising 14-13 season. I do not think that will be the case this year as I think Mora has a chance to be a top ten team. They look to have a lot of the pieces to give Albany and Pequot Lakes some battles. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Compete with Most</strong>: Foley, St. Cloud Cathedral</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>At 19-9 Foley was good last year but they were 8-6 in league play as third and fourth place in the league were a far cry from first and second. And Foley lost three of their top four players from a season ago including their top two scorers. Cathedral won 11 games a season ago and they should be moving towards .500. That said, Cathedral did lose their top two guys from last year (top two scorers who were the all league players) so we wonder if their biggest improvement is two years away, as they have a big junior class and a small senior class. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Rebuilding</strong>: Little Falls, Milaca</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Little Falls lost just about everything from a 13-14 team including a pair of all league players. Much will depend on how the junior varsity players convert to the varsity level. Milaca was winless in the league last season, they lost a handful of Senior starters, and it looks like their sophomore class is where their hopes are pinned. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>24-25 Conference Prediction</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>(1) Albany</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>(2) Pequot Lakes</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>(3) Mora</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>(4) Foley</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>(5) St. Cloud Cathedral</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>(6) Little Falls</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>(7) Milaca</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Preseason All Granite Ridge</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>First Team</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1286547' first='Sam' last='Hondl'] of Albany (Sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1575328' first='Ezekial' last='Austin'] of Albany (Sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1584900' first='Gage' last='Braiedy'] of Mora (Sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1535036' first='Noah' last='Oberfeld'] of Mora (Sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2109875' first='Harrison' last='Kennen'] of Pequot Lakes (Sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Second Team</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Cole Ruckert of Foley (Sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Blake Spiczka of Pequot Lakes (Jr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Josh Hegerness of Mora (Sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2402270' first='Ethan' last='Quale'] of Pequot Lakes (Jr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Zach Schultz of Little Falls (Sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Third Team</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Cole Schrwarzbauer of Mora (Sr) </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2575647' first='Micah' last='Nwachukwu'] of St. Cloud Cathedral (Jr) </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Jacob Oliver of St. Cloud Cathedral (Jr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1560825' first='Dane' last='Wheeler'] of Foley (Jr) </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1579920' first='Ethan' last='Meyer'] of Albany (Sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>HM</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Jack Stang of St. Cloud Cathedral (Sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1579919' first='Elliott' last='Burnett'] of Albany (Sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Colin Marudas of Milaca (Sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->