The Class AAA Power Rankings – Take 2

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We have continued to evaluate and research teams as well as monitor transfers leading to making adjustments in rankings. Here is the power rankings update for Class AAA heading into the season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Five Points to Make</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One. DeLaSalle looks to be the deepest team in Class AAA with Totino-Grace right there with them, only the Eagles have the experience as champions and players that have earned championships. These are the strong, strong favorites to win the title. Everything about this 26-27 season points to Eagles vs Islanders in the title game once again and the only thing that can slow that down is injuries, a major upset, or Richfield playing together in a way that makes up for the loss of a transfer. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Two. [program_tooltip program_id='2075852' first='Spartans' last=''] vs [program_tooltip program_id='2075852' first='Spartans' last='']. If somebody can challenge TG or De at state it will be whomever comes out of 6AAA between the [program_tooltip program_id='2075852' first='Spartans' last=''] and the [program_tooltip program_id='2075852' first='Spartans' last=''] (Orono and Richfield). Richfield won it last year and has a lot of pieces back but they need to replace their point guard. People will talk about De/TG all season but [program_tooltip program_id='2075852' first='Spartans' last='']/[program_tooltip program_id='2075852' first='Spartans' last=''] is another key item to keep an eye on. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Three. South. Minneapolis South would be in this chatter but Wright went to prep school, Ramadan transferred to Washburn, and Gales moved out of the state. Minneapolis South was right there and just like that two players graduated and three playeers transferred and South is now starting over. It's the story of a wonderful team to follow turned into sad story of player movement. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Four. Who will be the top outstate team in AAA? That is a great, great question. I really like Stewartville led by Peter Tschetter and [player_tooltip player_id='2393884' first='Dexter' last='Simmons'], the St. Cloud schools Apollo and Tech will be a big factor, Northern Minnesota teams Grand Rapids, Denfeld and Hibbing will battle for a spot, and then Marshall, St. Peter, New Ulm and Mankato East will fight for a spot. Sixteen of the top twenty-five teams in AAA will be outstate teams. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Five. There are nine new coaches in Class AAA and many of them are metro programs that have potential, but do they have the talent to join the best teams in the state? Teams like Hill-Murray, Benilde-St. Margaret's. and South St. Paul. Can one of these teams - all of which who have three returning or transferred in good players - put things together and have a great season?</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Class AAA Power rankings</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list {"ordered":true} --> <ol class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Totino-Grace</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>DeLaSalle</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Richfield</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Orono</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Mahtomedi</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Stewartville</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Hibbing</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>St. Cloud Apollo</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>St. Paul Johnson</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Grand Rapids</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>St. Paul Highland Park</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Northfield</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Mankato East</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>St Cloud Tech</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>St. Peter </li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Marshall</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Sartell</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Duluth Denfeld</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>New Ulm</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Benilde- St. Margaret's</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Fergus Falls</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Mankato West</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>HIll-Murray</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Byron</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Willmar</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Bloomington Kennedy</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Zimmerman</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Becker</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Big Lake</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Academy of Holy Angels</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Worthington</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Princeton</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Kasson-Mantorville</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Austin</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Sauk Rapids</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>St. Thomas Academy</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Westonka</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Delano</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Columbia Heights</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Minneapolis Southwest</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>St. Anthony Village</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Minneapolis Roosevelt</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Fridley</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Winona</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Minneapolis Camden</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Simley</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>South St. Paul</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Hermantown</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Robbinsdale Cooper</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>St. Francis</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Little Falls</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Hutchinson</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Chisago Lakes</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Detroit Lakes</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Rocori</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Minneapolis South</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Rock Ridge</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>St. Paul Como Park</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Cloquet</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Faribault</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Minneapolis Edison</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>North St. Paul</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>North Branch</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ol> <!-- /wp:list -->