Conference preview: The new-look Mississippi 8

I’m not sure if there was a going-away party for St. Michael-Albertville or not, but it would not be difficult to round up plenty of attendees willing to celebrate the Knights departure from the Mississippi 8 conference. I’ll spare you the details but it will suffice to say that STMA pretty much won everything – and we mean everything – there was to win in the M8. Really STMA just outgrew the conference. As the Twin Cities moved westward, and the developers turned farmland into shiny new neighborhoods, the schools got bigger and the playing field became less level. As a result, STMA has now hit the road along with Buffalo and Rogers, where the suburban development patterns and resulting growth in student population has been similar. The result will surely make for some interesting basketball in the new Mississippi 8. Seven teams return. St. Francis posted a 7-6 mark one year ago, while Big Lake, Cambridge-Isanti, Chisago Lakes, Monticello and Princeton were all 6-7. North Branch was 0-13. Lest one be lulled into thinking that the remaining teams will have an easier path to a league title, we can assure you they will not. That’s because the newest conference participant will be the Becker Bulldogs, who swept the Granite Ridge conference at 12-0 last season and made it all the way to the 3A state championship game. The Bulldogs are loaded, with one of the most exciting rosters in all of Minnesota. They are clearly the team to beat. Becker has speed, skill, experience and chemistry. Top-30 point guard <strong>Julia Bengtson</strong> is one of the premier floor generals in the state, and her supporting cast is impressive. Juniors <strong>Courtney Nuest</strong>, <strong>Megan Gamble</strong> and <strong>Alayna Lindquist</strong>, along with sophomore <strong>Adeline Kent</strong>, give the Bulldogs a veteran presence. Freshmen <strong>Dani Nuest</strong> and <strong>Ayla Brown</strong> played big minutes last season. And then there is <strong>Maren Westin</strong>, the #8 prospect in the Prep Girls Hoops Class of 2023, who is going to be truly special in the not-too-distant future. The only thing Becker lacks is size, which is the most obvious reason why DeLaSalle prevailed in the championship contest last spring. So who is going to mount the most serious challenge to the new kids on the block? Cambridge-Isanti would seem like a logical pick. The Bluejackets did not graduate anyone. They have a senior-laden lineup – <strong>Amme Sheforgen</strong>, <strong>Jana Swanson</strong> and <strong>Jackie Olander</strong> have been terrific all fall – along with a rising star in sophomore <strong>Mikayla Aumer</strong>, who has become one of the most dynamic guards around. Unfortunately Aumer broke her hand in a recent training session and is expected to be out at least three weeks, but the Bluejackets have the potential to make a run at Becker. The same can probably be said of Big Lake. The Hornets have the talent to make a case for themselves, too. Their length is Big Lake’s edge – senior <strong>Reagan Sternquist</strong> and junior <strong>Caela Tighe</strong> have a huge advantage in that department – along with the toughness and savvy of junior guard <strong>Mia Huberty</strong>, who continues to get better. Senior guard <strong>Taylor Moen</strong> recently committed to Waldorf. Princeton is a bit of a wildcard. With a new coaching staff in place, it will be most interesting to watch how that changes the way the Tigers play. Last year there seemed to be a reluctance to give big guard <strong>Maddie James</strong> the minutes one might expect from the #12 player in the class, and her production was inconsistent as a result. In fall league she was handed the keys to the camper and was electric. <strong>Lauren Bjurman</strong>, <strong>Tracy McGowan</strong> and friends will have to be good, as well. Speaking of length, there are a pair of skyscrapers in Monticello who can make life miserable for anyone who can’t match up in the verticality department.  Forwards <strong>Anna Olson</strong> and <strong>Cat Terres</strong> have long been a formidable one-two punch. Olson had a great summer, earning herself a promotion to #25 in the 2020 rankings and yielding a scholarship to Vermont. Senior guard <strong>Lauren Zwack</strong> is in charge of distribution. So where does that leave St. Francis? The Saints graduated point guard <strong>Danah Ocsan</strong> (Jamestown) and 6’4 post <strong>Anna Schultz</strong> (UW-Eau Claire). The health of power forward <strong>Emma Goldeman</strong> remains in doubt. Chisago Lakes has big <strong>Sophie Woods</strong>, a top-30 junior. North Branch boasts sophomore <strong>Paige Peaslee</strong>, a promising power forward who is top 60 among the 2022s. <strong>TOP 10 PLAYERS IN THE MISSISSIPPI 8</strong> <strong>Julia Bengtson</strong> – junior guard, Becker (#29) <strong>Maddie James</strong> – sophomore guard, Princeton (#12) <strong>Mia Huberty</strong> – junior guard, Big Lake (#36) <strong>Caela Tighe</strong> – junior forward, Big Lake (#23) <strong>Anna Olson</strong> – senior forward, Monticello (Vermont) (#25) <strong>Amme Sheforgen</strong> – senior guard, Cambridge-Isanti (Bemidji State) (#44) <strong>Mikayla Aumer</strong> – sophomore guard, Cambridge-Isanti (#37) <strong>Sophie Woods</strong> – junior forward, Chisago Lakes (#30) <strong>Courtney Nuest</strong> – junior guard, Becker (#80) <strong>Adeline Kent</strong> – sophomore guard, Becker (#47) <strong>OTHER NOTABLES</strong> <strong>Jana Swanson</strong> – senior forward, Cambridge-Isanti (Bemidji State) (#47) <strong>Reagan Sternquist</strong> – senior forward, Big Lake (#82) <strong>Megan Gamble</strong> –  junior forward, Becker (#62) <strong>Maren Westin</strong> – freshman guard, Becker (#8) <strong>Dani Nuest</strong> – freshman guard, Becker (#42) <strong>Paige Peaslee</strong> – sophomore forward, North Branch (#56) <span style="font-size: 10pt;"><em>Top photo: The Becker Bulldogs had plenty to celebrate last season. This year they'll compete in the Mississippi 8. (Photo courtesy of St. Cloud Times)</em></span>