The Granite Ridge Preview

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Pequot Lakes took over the league last season with a perfect record in league play and a 30-win season. What's next for them? For Albany? For Pierz and Cathedral? We dive in now! </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Conference Commentary</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Top Ten in State:  Pequot Lakes, Albany</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Albany had to restart last year and they were still really good, this year they have some talent back so you almost have to assume they will be in a top ten spot in state once again and battling for league and section titles. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Pequot Lakes is a legit title contender. They have the size, the depth, and the talent to make a push for the state title. Do they have the guard depth? That is what we will see. It's going to be a great year and a special year.... a trophy year. But how many trophies? </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Top Ten Potential: Pierz, Cathedral</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Cathedral lost their top two scorers but three starters are back as well as key reserves. Cathedral won 19 games last season and we think they could be quite good again this season with most of their line-up back (minus a couple starters). </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Pioneers lost their top player but return everything else from the 25-26 rotation. They won 21 games last year and with most of the rotation is back so they could hit 20 plus wins again.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Compete with Most: Little Falls, Foley</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Little Falls didn't have the talent to win enough games last year but they played hard and played the right way. Now with more experience they should be a bit better. Early in the year Little Falls got beat by double digits to Foley, and then they turned it around for a 61-47 victory. Foley has even more back than Little Falls including their top player and two other starters. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Rebuilding: Milaca</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Milaca was a three win team from last year but they do return their best players so Milaca has a chance to take a step forward, but tough to know how big that step is. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>26-27 Conference Power Rankings</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>(1) Pequot Lakes</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>(2) Albany </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>(3) Pierz</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>(4) St. Cloud Cathedral</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>(5) Foley</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>(6) Little Falls</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>(7) Milaca</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Preseason All Granite Ridge Conference</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>First Team</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2395557' first='Gus' last='McKenna'] of Pequot Lakes (jr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2527108' first='Jaxson' last='Austin'] of Albany (sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2127213' first='Tollef' last='Birkeland'] of Pequot Lakes (sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='3594077' first='Samuel' last='Afagwu'] of Pequot Lakes (sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2025921' first='Lucas' last='Hondl'] of Albany (sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Second Team</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2371558' first='Jack' last='Abfalter'] of Foley (sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2406558' first='Nicholas' last='Vanheel'] of Albany (jr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2128248' first='Rock' last='Holubar'] of Pequot Lakes (sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2395830' first='Oliver' last='McKenna'] of Pequot Lakes (jr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2808569' first='Tyler' last='Kimman'] of Pierz (sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2126463' first='Owen' last='Grove'] of St. Cloud Cathedral (sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Third Team</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2843362' first='Daniel' last='Lee'] of St. Cloud Cathedral (jr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2437715' first='Brandon' last='Solinger'] of Pierz (sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2439275' first='Nicholas' last='Virnig'] of Pierz (sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2813689' first='Isaiah' last='Schultz'] of Little Falls (sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Samuel Haedt of Milaca (sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Fourth Team</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Willam Broskovetz of Pequot Lakes (sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2873528' first='Noah' last='Ludwig'] of Foley (sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2435292' first='Judah' last='Schultz'] of Little Falls (fr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='3345853' first='Colton' last='Bauer'] of Albany (sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Howie Duke of St. Cloud Cathedral (sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->