Class AA Statewide Preview

You may have noticed that our Class AA pre-season rankings are now posted in the table under the “High School” pull-down menu. Now, for something completely different, we’re going to highlight the teams in our top 25 who are not to the manor born, teams that do not have the usual pedigree of state tournament entries, which is to say, a long and illustrious string of successes. For example: #4 Rush City. The Tigers were 25-0 last year going into the Section 6A final against perennial power Sauk Centre, and as is almost always the case these days, the rich got richer, 52-50. Rush City has never played in a state tournament, while Sauk has now played in 7 of the last 8, though it’s true that they've never won a state title, having lost in the state final in 2012, 2015 and 2017. Albany and St. Cloud Cathedral from Section 6A are also rated in our top 25, but this section is going to come down to Sauk and Rush City again. If I were a betting man, which I’m not, but if I were, I wouldn’t bet against Rush City with Jamie Guptill and Shawna Mell, both 6-footers, at the forward positions, and the unorthodox but sometimes overpowering Elena Herberg at the point. But, nor would I bet against Sauk. But as we have seen over and over again, winning begets winning and it is fiendishly difficult for a team break through at or much less above their established level of success. #6 Maranatha. Couldn’t resist pointing out that here's a team that has had no previous success in Class AA. Of course, there’s the small matter of 8 straight appearances in the Class A tournament. But, now, the Mustangs have moved up into Class AA and into one of he toughest sections in AA. That would be 5AA, where they’ll face Annandale (#9), Holy Family (#13), Watertown-Mayer (#23) and Providence (#25). For one thing, there’s a lot of size in Section 5AA, certainly among these 4 contenders. Maranatha does seem to have an edge at the guards, where Kiley Post and Brieanna Smestad return for the Mustangs. Still, this will be a big challenge for Maranatha. But, on the other hand, the section just became more of a challenge for all the existing Class AA teams there as well. #11 Byron. The Bears have never been to a state tournament, and in Section 1AA they’re rated behind #7 Rochester Lourdes, who has been to 18 state tournaments and has won 8. This is not a recipe for success. But the Bears have 6-5½ senior post Yokie Lee, one of the state’s top 5 players, and nobody else in Class AA can match up with that, well, with the possible exception of Watertown-Mayer, but they’re not in the same section. #14 Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton. DGF has never played in a state tournament and in Section 8AA they start the season rated 11 slots behind defending state champion Roseau. Still, they’ve got 5-7 senior Natalie Steichen, one of the state’s best point guards that you very likely have never seen. #17 International Falls. The Broncos have not been in the tournament for 28 years but in Section 7AA they’re the top-rated team this year, even at a lowly #17. Perennial power Esko is rebuilding so there’s a window and I-Falls, with a 10-girl rotation, would seem to be best poised to take advantage. So with those 5 in mind as dark horses and breakthrough possibilities, here are some possible state tournament matchups. #1 Sauk Centre Eden Valley-Watkins EVW moves from Section 5 to Section 3 just in time to win a section championship for the 1st time since 2006. But we don’t see them getting by a determined Sauk Centre with senior point guard Maesyn Theisen. #4 Norwood YA #5 Maranatha NYA is our choice to return to the tournament for the 3rd time in 4 years. A game matching Maranatha and NYA would be pretty much of a tossup. #2 Minnehaha International Falls Minnehaha returns to its 4th straight tournament and its 11th this century. They’ve already suffered one upset loss this year, but there’s too much talent for that to be anything but a blip. #3 Roseau Rochester Lourdes We pick Lourdes to come to its 19th tournament, the most ever, but not to get past Roseau if such a matchup were to occur. All-State Class AA Center—Yokie Lee, Byron, 6-5½, senior Power Forward—Jaclyn Jarnot, Maranatha, 6-1, senior Small Forward—Hannah Purcell, Annandale, 6-0. junior Point Guard—Maesyn Theisen, Sauk Centre, 5-8, senior Combo Guard—Kacie Borowicz, Roseau, 5-9, junior 2nd Team Center—Monika Czinano, Watertown-Mayer, 6-2, senior Power Forward—Olivia Lane, Pequot Lakes, 6-1, junior Small Forward—Alyssa Ustby, Rochester Lourdes, 5-11, sophomore Point Guard—Natalie Steichen, DGF, 5-7, senior Combo Guard—Taytum Rhoades, Minnehaha, 5-8, junior 3rd Team Center—Tiahna Nicholson, Thief River Falls, 6-2, senior Power Forward—Maggie Murphy, Providence, 6-0, junior Small Forward—Shawna Mell, Rush City, 5-10, junior Point Guard—Shea Oman, New London-Spicer, 5-8, senior Combo Guard—Nicole Herbranson, Barnesville, 5-9, senior Breakouts Center—Ali Hunstad, Zumbrota-Mazeppa, 6-0, sophomore Power Forward—Erin Lamb, Stewartville, 6-1, sophomore Small Forward—Tori Peschel, Sauk Centre, 5-10, sophomore Point Guard—Paige Meyer, Albany, freshman Combo Guard—Katie Borowicz, Roseau, 5-4, freshman