Section 3AAAA: 26-27 First Look

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Are we going to see AV/Eagan fight it out again or is somebody ready to step into the top spot in their place? The door is open for somebody to step in. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Section Power Rankings</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:list {"ordered":true} --> <ol class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Apple Valley - The Eagles lost four starters from a state runner-up team but they do have four players back that were in the rotation last year.&nbsp; [player_tooltip player_id='2419997' first='Gio' last='Horton'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2416949' first='Tyrese' last='Hutton'] should lead them as a close to top ten team.&nbsp;</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Eagan - Eagan graduated a senior class that won a lot of games including six rotational players.&nbsp; Isaiah Robinson does have a couple good senior frontcourt players to start the new era with though.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Hastings - The Raiders return half of their rotation from a .500 team and you hope that [player_tooltip player_id='2978874' first='Marlowe' last='Strain'] has recovered from his injury to help them this year as well.&nbsp; If he is, this is a sleeper to compete in the section title game.&nbsp;</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Rosemount - The Irish won more games than expected last year which is good, but they also lose six of their top seven guys from the rotation.&nbsp; That said, they have the best player in the section in [player_tooltip player_id='2126455' first='Peyton' last='Gholson'].&nbsp;</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Park of Cottage Grove - Park lost three or four starters from a 12-win team but they have a good frontcourt and have some up and comers.&nbsp; An interesting team to keep an eye on.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Eastview - The Lightning have a youth movement going on and they have some big and talented young kids.&nbsp; Some saw action last year, more will see action this year, they could be second half season dangerous.&nbsp;</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Burnsville - The Blaze lost only one player from their roster last year after going 7-20.&nbsp; Odds are they should be better but how much better?&nbsp;&nbsp;</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Bloomington Jefferson - A three win team last season, the Jags return three starters including their top two scorers.&nbsp; Gus leading the way is a very good thing for them at point.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ol> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Preseason All Section 3AAAA</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>First Team</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2126455' first='Peyton' last='Gholson'] of Rosemount (Sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2416949' first='Tyrese' last='Hutton'] of Apple Valley (Sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2834228' first='Justin' last='Ebbers'] of Park of Cottage Grove (Sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2421164' first='Ryan' last='Miskowicz'] of Eagan (Sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2398951' first='Brady' last='Hendrickson'] of Hastings (Jr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Second Team</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2419997' first='Gio' last='Horton'] of Apple Valley (Soph)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2568101' first='Donjae' last='Knox'] of Eagan (Sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Josh Mroczenski of Rosemount (Jr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2140606' first='Ethan' last='McGrath'] of Eastview (Sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2140620' first='Gus' last='Vollmuth'] of Bloomington Jefferson (Sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Third Team</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1808444' first='Liam' last='Bernatz'] of Hastings (Sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Quintin Lewis of Apple Valley (Sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2978874' first='Marlowe' last='Strain'] of Hastings (Sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2833380' first='Dereon' last='Barnes'] of Burnsville (Jr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Connor McDevitt of Burnsville (Sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Fourth Team</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2435271' first='Kannon' last='Axdahl'] of Eastview (Fr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2560496' first='Josh' last='Running'] of Rosemount (Jr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2430632' first='Carter' last='Coombs'] of Park of Cottage Grove (Sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2917657' first='Ethan' last='Payne'] of Park of Cottage Grove (Soph)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>3AAAA Summary</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The talent in this league will not be what it's been the last three seasons.&nbsp; Eagan and Apple Valley have been going back and forth in classic three game sets the last three seasons but both teams graduated six key seniors from their eight/nine man rotations.&nbsp; Both teams have a chance to still be pretty good but they will need depth to develop to match anything they have done the last three seasons.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>That opens the door for others.&nbsp; Rosemount surprised a season ago and should be good again but they do need a few seniors to develop into rotation players (outside of Gholson of course). Hastings could really surprise if Strain is back and fully healthy plus they have always been a disciplined team.&nbsp; Then you have Eastview, Park and Burnsville.&nbsp; Eastview has some of the best (and biggest) young talent in the section, Park has a good frontline and the Blaze bring all but one player back.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>If anybody in that group that finished 3-7 can find the chemistry they can challenge Eagan or Apple Valley who will not be as deep as past years.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->