Looking Ahead to Week #8

<p>The 2nd week of 2017 (and the 8th week of the 2016-2017 season) will feature another of a growing number of in-season jamborees, extravaganzas, showcases and “classics.” This one, at Hayfield, will feature 7 games and 14 teams, 12 of them ranked. 4 teams, all ranked, are in Class AAA; 6 teams, 5 ranked, are AA; and 4 teams, 3 ranked, are Class A. Brett is going to be in attendance and will provide a preview later in the week.</p> <p>So, today, we’re looking at all the other games on tap this week.</p> <p><strong>Tuesday January 10</strong></p> <p><strong>#6AA Annandale @ #10AA New London-Spicer, 7 p.m.</strong></p> <p>The hosts have the lower rating but are the defending champions in Section 3AA and the favorite again in 2017. The visitors, meanwhile, have the higher rating but trail Watertown-Mayer in the rankings in Section 5AA. Both teams have one loss. Annandale can throw 3 very talented front-line players—6-2 Allie Spaulding, 6-0 Kamryn D’Heilly and 6-0 Hannah Purcell—at the Wildcats. But New London probably has the best guard on the court in Shea Oman. <strong>Our pick: NLS 52 Annandale 47.</strong></p> <p><strong>#5AAAA Centennial @ #9AAAA Park Center, 7 p.m.</strong></p> <p>Who’da thought that Park Center has 4 losses by now? So, Centennial takes over as the favorite in Section 5AAAA. On the other hand, their finishing ability was exposed by Apple Valley at the Roseville holiday bash. Still, the Cougars have an awful lot of weapons, encompassing every size and shape and every manner of scoring. Hard to stop that, even at home. <strong>Our pick: Centennial 56 Park Center 55.</strong></p> <p><strong>#2AAA Northfield @ #12AAA Winona, 7:30 p.m.</strong></p> <p>Winona was the pre-season favorite in the Big 9 but Northfield now has much the higher rating. Still, both are tied with Class AAAA Owatonna for 1st place. But that logjam will be reduced by at least one team on Tuesday night. Northfield’s 6-4 Annika Hoff will battle 6-2 Danneka Voegeli inside, while Grace Touchette and Kaylyn Kidd will battle Eden Nibbelink and Maria Appicelli on the perimeter. But in the end, home court rules. <strong>Our pick: Winona 52 Northfield 46.</strong></p> <p><strong>Thursday January 12</strong></p> <p><strong>#4AAAA Elk River @ #5AAAA Centennial, 7 p.m.</strong></p> <p>Elk River remains unbeaten while Centennial lost to Apple Valley over the holidays and has a tough game at Park Center on Tuesday. I don’t know how any of that affects the outcome. It comes down to Gabi Haack, Elk River’s point guard extraordinaire, who will need a stellar night for her team to win against one of the state’s deepest and most talented teams. <strong>Our pick: Centennial 63 Elk River 55.</strong></p> <p><strong>#7AA Esko @ #5A Cromwell, 7 p.m.</strong></p> <p>Each team has 2 losses, including one each to Mountain Iron-Buhl. Esko’s loss to Hibbing is the only “bad loss.” Esko is led by 5-3 point guard Eva Gonsorowski (“Gonso” to you), Cromwell by power forward and coach’s kid Bailey Gronner. Once again, home court rules. <strong>Our pick: Cromwell 63 Esko 50.</strong></p> <p><strong>#10AAA New Ulm @ #9A Cedar Mountain-Comfrey, 7:30 p.m.</strong></p> <p>This one sends Goliath (Class AAA) New Ulm to meet David (Class A CMC). New Ulm was 10-0, now is 11-2 after a loss at Norwood Young America and, worse, a home, conference loss to Waseca. CMC got a signature win over Lyle/Pacelli in its holiday tournament. You know what they say—home court rules. <strong>Our pick: CMC 62 New Ulm 57.</strong></p> <p><strong>Friday January 13</strong></p> <p><strong>#2A Maranatha @ #6A Heritage Christian, 6:30 p.m.</strong></p> <p>After an 0-3 start, Maranatha now finds itself in more familiar territory—5 straight wins, tied for 1st in the MCAA…. But if anybody is going to beat Maranatha in the MCAA this year, it had better be Heritage at home. The point guard matchup of Kylie Post, Maranatha, and Taylie Scott, Heritage, will go a long way toward deciding this one, but the battle inside will be intense, too. Maranatha goes 6-1, 6-0, 6-0, Heritage 6-1, 6-0, 5-11. <strong>Our pick: Heritage 66 Maranatha 63. </strong>Oh, wait, we forgot to say—home court rules.</p> <p><strong>#13AAA St. Anthony @ #1AAA Holy Angels</strong></p> <p>St. Anthony is one of the surprises so far, going from nowhere to the top ten (then down to #13). But so is Holy Angels. After losing Laura Bagwell-Katalinich, the Stars were rated in the 2nd 10, only to roar up into the top spot with several easy and/or upset wins. Now, they’ll probably be an underdog once more this year in a non-conference game at Edina a month from now. <strong>Our pick: Holy Angels 63 St. Anthony 60.</strong></p> <p><strong>#11AAAA Wayzata @ #1AAAA Hopkins, 7 p.m.</strong></p> <p>Wayzata came into the season with high, high hopes and while the hopes certainly remain, unexpected losses to Forest Lake and Mahtomedi inject a dose of realism. To wit, a win at Hopkins is pretty darn unlikely. Especially after winning 3 at St. Olaf with Paige Bueckers running at somewhere between 50 and 75 percent, and Raena Suggs and Dlayla Chakolis more than filling the gap. <strong>Our pick: Hopkins 61 Wayzata 49.</strong></p> <p><strong>#6AA Annandale @ #3AA Watertown-Mayer, 7 p.m.</strong></p> <p>Annandale gets its 2nd tough road challenge of the week. If I were Watertown-Mayer, I’d hope they won at New London. But either way, it’s another classic matchup of Annandale’s inside strength versus the Royals perimeter game. Except that the Royals also have Monika Czinano on the inside while I don’t think Annandale has anybody that can run with Claire Killian and Kirstin Klitzke. <strong>Our pick: WM 53 Annandale 50.</strong></p>