When will Ken Novak Jr. Break the All Time Record

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Two weeks ago Hopkins beat Maple Grove giving Ken Novak Jr the 1,000th win of his high school basketball coaching career. The all time mark is 1,012 wins set by Bob McDonald who coached at Chisholm. When will Novak break McDonald's record? We have a look today.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Hopkins is 9-4 half way through the season and Novak is officially at 1,002 career wins. With at least 14 games left on the schedule and assuming Novak is coaching the games and doesn't have a stomach bug that day, the Royals simply need to win 10 of their next 14 games. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>So when would that be?</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Consider the fact that the Hopkins four losses are two understandable defeats to Tartan and Totino-Grace, a small upset when it comes to the recent Eden Prairie loss, and a monster upset with the St. Louis Park loss. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Royals have defeated Maple Grove, Apple Valley, and Eagan for their top wins and those teams are or have been ranked in the top ten. So knowing the wins and losses they have lets project when Novak should tie the record and break the record....</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The next 14 games for Hopkins are Buffalo, Minnetonka, at Wayzata, Edina, at Maple Grove, vs STMA, vs Eden Prairie, at Mankato East, at Minnetonka, Wayzata, at Edina, at DeLaSalle, at Buffalo, and the first section game which will be Hopkins as a two seed most likely playing the seven seed (which is the bottom seed in this seven team section). </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Based on results above I will predict no more shocking upsets and likely one more loss to a team the Royals should pry beat but also a win that ranks as a really really good win. So lets go with....</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>wins over Buffalo (twice), Tonka (twice), Edina (twice), STMA, EP</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>losses to Wayzata (twice) Maple Grove</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>and based on results we will say a split with East and DeLaSalle.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This is saying the second to last win of the regular season ties the record and the final win of the season breaks the record. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>So I would guess that the Hopkins at Edina game on February 20th ties the record and Novak goes for the record break at DeLaSalle or at Buffalo. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Five of the last six games for Hopkins this year are on the road so it's most likely that these historic wins will come when the team is on the road. Unless they lose more than expected which would mean it would be section home games to tie and/or break the record. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>But if you are an out of town guy who wants to come home, I would be looking at those at Edina, at DeLaSalle and at Buffalo dates for the potential historic games. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->