Class AA Team Rankings–2018 final, and 1st cut for 2019

<p>Our final top 25 Class AA team rankings for 2018 have now been posted under the High School pull-down menu. And, along with that, our 1st cut at our top 30 Class AA teams for next season (2019) are also up. Just scroll down below the final rankings for 2018 and there they are.</p> <p><strong>Final 2018</strong></p> <p>For 2018 our rankings pretty much mirror last week’s state tournament. Sauk Centre holds on to the #1 spot as it has from wire to wire this entire year. Roseau moves from #7 to #2, where it finished in the tournament. Norwood Young America moves from #5 to #3, Maranatha drops from #1 to #4, and Tracy-Milroy-Balaton moves up from #10 to #5.</p> <p>2 schools jumped up by double figures. Byron, with Yokie Lee finally healthy—well, okay, with Yokie Lee playing—swept to the Section 1AA title and led #1 seed Sauk Centre much of the way in the state tourmanent’s 1st round before losing. They jumped from #17 to #7.</p> <p>And, St. Cloud Cathedral gave state champion Sauk Centre is good a game as anybody in the section final. They also upset #3 Rush City in the section semi-final. They move all the way from #25 to #11.</p> <p><strong>1st Cut at 2019</strong></p> <p>Maranatha went into the state tournament ranked and seeded #2, but lost a pair of upsets to Roseau and Norwood Young America to fall to 4th place. But, while their top players were seniors Jaclyn Jarnot and Kylie Post, they showcased a deep, young roster that makes them our early favorite for 2019. They include juniors Kae Seana Barth-Lofton, a tough 5-10 forward, and Breianna Smestad and K.J. Davis, quick, athletic guards; and 9th grade guard Macy Smith, a gifted offensive player, and 5-4 8th grader Desiree Ware. Ware may in fact have the most upside of any of them. She’s a quick, hard-nosed pest on defense, and she can score inside and out, despite her (for now) small stature. Look out for the Mustangs again in 2019.</p> <p>Minnehaha had its 2nd straight disappointing state tournament, but the Hawks also return some very solid talent led by sophomore guard Mia Curtis. We have them rated #2 for 2019 at the present time.</p> <p>Holy Family and Rush City were in the same sections as Maranatha and #1 Sauk Centre, respectively, so a state tournament appearance was not in the cards. But both get just about everybody back, and are rated #3 and #4 for next year.</p> <p>Rounding out our top 10 for next year are 3 top 10 teams this year—Eden Valley-Watkins at #5, Sauk Centre at #6 and Stewartville at #8—plus dark-horse Royalton at #7 and up-and-coming Concordia, led by freshman guard Ivanae Tensaie, at #10. Roseau gets Kacie and Katie Borowicz back but loses much of its supporting cast, and drops from #2 to #11.</p> <p>Based on our top 25 for next year, here is a way-premature look at some possible state tournament matchups next year at this time.</p> <p><strong>Possible Class AA State Tournament Matchups 2019</strong></p> <p>#1 Maranatha vs. Glencoe-Silver Lake</p> <p>#4 Eden Valley-Watkins vs. #5 Stewartville</p> <p>#2 Minnehaha vs. Mesabi East</p> <p>#3 Rush City vs. Roseau</p> <p> </p>