2021 conference preview: It’s loaded in the Lake

Can anyone beat Hopkins? It’s a question I am asked often, but even in a pandemic-tainted, topsy-turvy, stop-and-start kind of a high school basketball season that will likely require players to be masked, parents to stay home and teams to be in turmoil from beginning to end, my answer remains the same: Probably not. The Royals are that good. Fortunately, even in this chaotic year, the games will still be decided on a basketball court and, as we all know, anything can happen on the hardwood. Still, the Royals haven’t lost a Lake Conference game in forever and even though they graduated a generational player in University of Connecticut freshman [player_tooltip player_id="1915" first="Paige" last="Bueckers"], Hopkins is the prohibitive favorite once again. Here’s a look at the Lake Conference in 2021, beginning with a reminder of how things ended up last spring. 2019-20 STANDINGS <ul> <li>12-0 – Hopkins</li> <li>9-3 – Wayzata</li> <li>8-4 – St. Michael-Albertville</li> <li>6-6 – Eden Prairie</li> <li>5-7 – Minnetonka</li> <li>1-11 – Edina</li> <li>1-11 – Buffalo</li> </ul> GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN Five graduates who will be missed <ul> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="1915" first="Paige" last="Bueckers"] – #1, guard, Hopkins (UCONN)</li> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="1916" first="Mackenzie" last="Kramer"] – #4, guard, St. Michael-Albertville (Lehigh)</li> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="110525" first="Nneka" last="Obiazor"] – #8, forward, Eden Prairie (Youngstown State)</li> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="28788" first="Annika" last="Stewart"] – #14, forward, Wayzata (Nebraska)</li> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="1945" first="Natalie" last="Mazurek"] – #16, forward, Eden Prairie (South Dakota)</li> </ul> THE FAVORITE Hopkins <ul> <li>Record – 12-0, 30-0</li> <li>Departed – [player_tooltip player_id="1915" first="Paige" last="Bueckers"] (UCONN), [player_tooltip player_id="110536" first="KK" last="Adams"] (Hutchinson CC), [player_tooltip player_id="110539" first="Jaide" last="Pressley"] (Rochester CC)</li> <li>Returning – [player_tooltip player_id="12712" first="Maya" last="Nnaji"], [player_tooltip player_id="12713" first="Amaya" last="Battle"], [player_tooltip player_id="57915" first="Alayna" last="Contreras"], [player_tooltip player_id="108298" first="Taylor" last="Woodson"], [player_tooltip player_id="108348" first="Nunu" last="Agara"], [player_tooltip player_id="108320" first="Kelly" last="Boyle"]</li> <li>New additions – #2 freshman [player_tooltip player_id="178269" first="Alivia" last="McGill"] transfers from Park Center.</li> <li>Notable – Tara Starks replaces the legendary Brian Cosgriff as head coach.</li> </ul> THE CONTENDER Wayzata <ul> <li>Record – 9-2, 24-5</li> <li>Departed – [player_tooltip player_id="28788" first="Annika" last="Stewart"] (Nebraska), [player_tooltip player_id="110540" first="Jasmine" last="Smiley"], [player_tooltip player_id="56269" first="Lydia" last="Hay"] (MSU-Moorhead), [player_tooltip player_id="110875" first="Alivia" last="Arnebeck"] (UW-LaCrosse)</li> <li>Returning – [player_tooltip player_id="2090" first="Jenna" last="Johnson"] (Utah), [player_tooltip player_id="12715" first="Mara" last="Braun"] (Minnesota), [player_tooltip player_id="108345" first="Brynn" last="Senden"]</li> <li>New additions – [player_tooltip player_id="148340" first="Shannon" last="Fornshell"]</li> <li>Notable – Top-20 sophomore [player_tooltip player_id="108312" first="Abby" last="Krzewinski"] will miss the season with a torn ACL. Johnson returns after missing all of last season with the same injury.</li> </ul> IN THE HUNT St. Michael-Albertville <ul> <li>Record – 8-4, 20-9</li> <li>Departed – [player_tooltip player_id="1916" first="Mackenzie" last="Kramer"] (Lehigh), [player_tooltip player_id="56242" first="Lily" last="Tennyson"] (MSU-Moorhead), [player_tooltip player_id="110550" first="Vanessa" last="Alexander"] (Winona State)</li> <li>Returning – [player_tooltip player_id="109742" first="Kendal" last="Cox"] (Winona State), [player_tooltip player_id="109124" first="Emma" last="Miller"], [player_tooltip player_id="220824" first="Piper" last="Carlson"], [player_tooltip player_id="178259" first="Kaylie" last="Cox"]</li> <li>New additions – Lauren Hoselton, Alycia Haus</li> <li>Notable – [player_tooltip player_id="108299" first="Tessa" last="Johnson"], the #1-rated prospect in Minnesota’s class of 2023, suffered a broken femur in fall league and is expected to miss the season.</li> </ul> Eden Prairie <ul> <li>Record – 6-6, 18-13</li> <li>Departed – [player_tooltip player_id="110525" first="Nneka" last="Obiazor"] (Youngstown State), [player_tooltip player_id="1945" first="Natalie" last="Mazurek"] (South Dakota)</li> <li>Returning – [player_tooltip player_id="12732" first="Nia" last="Holloway"] (Minnesota), [player_tooltip player_id="108302" first="Molly" last="Lenz"], [player_tooltip player_id="109758" first="Destinee" last="Bursch"] (MSU-Mankato), [player_tooltip player_id="108308" first="Savanna" last="Jones"], [player_tooltip player_id="108323" first="Ashley" last="Fritz"], [player_tooltip player_id="57120" first="Allison" last="Miranda"]</li> <li>New additions – Senior [player_tooltip player_id="109749" first="Katie" last="Leisen"] (Augustana) is back from injury and will be important.</li> <li>Notable – Top 30 junior [player_tooltip player_id="12745" first="Myra" last="Moorjani"] is out with a torn ACL which should open the door for Fritz to play a much bigger role.</li> </ul> MOST IMPROVED (and in the hunt!) Minnetonka <ul> <li>Record – 5-7, 17-10</li> <li>Departed – none</li> <li>Returning – [player_tooltip player_id="13055" first="Sophie" last="Haydon"] (George Washington), [player_tooltip player_id="57907" first="Desiree" last="Ware"] (Alabama-Birmingham), [player_tooltip player_id="178260" first="Emma" last="Dasovich"], [player_tooltip player_id="109785" first="Piper" last="Terry"], [player_tooltip player_id="215958" first="Tori" last="McKinney"]</li> <li>New additions – [player_tooltip player_id="12727" first="Kiani" last="Lockett"] (from DeLaSalle), [player_tooltip player_id="57078" first="Nora" last="Francois"] (from DeLaSalle) (NIACC), [player_tooltip player_id="220828" first="Tootie" last="Cade (Lewis)"] (from Cretin-Derham Hall)</li> <li>Notable – Minnetonka was the last team from the Lake Conference to win a state championship other than Hopkins when they took home the title in 2016.</li> </ul> NOT THIS YEAR Edina <ul> <li>Record – 1-11, 9-17</li> <li>Departed – Miriam Diaby, Caroline Murray</li> <li>Returning – [player_tooltip player_id="29504" first="Caiya" last="Wulf"], [player_tooltip player_id="6408" first="Allie" last="Murphy"] (Pomona-Pitzer), [player_tooltip player_id="30159" first="Ella" last="Campbell"], [player_tooltip player_id="109126" first="Dorothy" last="Stotts"]</li> <li>Key additions – [player_tooltip player_id="109157" first="Abby" last="Grussing"] (transfer from Minnetonka). Underclassmen [player_tooltip player_id="108327" first="Sierre" last="Lumpkin"], [player_tooltip player_id="220830" first="Isa" last="Nelson"] and [player_tooltip player_id="186135" first="Braziel" last="Fairbanks"] should play more prominent roles.</li> <li>Notable – With the core of their lineup returning, the Hornets should be better. How much better remains to be seen.</li> </ul> Buffalo <ul> <li>Record – 1-11, 8-19</li> <li>Departed – none</li> <li>Returning – [player_tooltip player_id="109162" first="Lauren" last="Feddema"], Macie Guida, Brooke Gunderson, Lindsay Hartman, [player_tooltip player_id="220842" first="Jordan" last="Anderson"], Emma Bjerke</li> <li>Key additions – To be determined</li> <li>Notable – Buffalo took a beating in its first year in the Lake Conference. With one more year of experience the Bison should be a lot better overall but still not ready for the Lake life.</li> </ul> TOP 10 AVAILABLE PROSPECTS There’s a ton of talent in the Lake Conference. Every team has at least one Prep Girls Hoops Top-100 player on the roster, and there are nearly 50 in all. Hopkins has 11. Many of the top players are already spoken for including senior [player_tooltip player_id="2090" first="Jenna" last="Johnson"] #3 (Utah) and juniors #2 [player_tooltip player_id="12715" first="Mara" last="Braun"] (Minnesota), #5 [player_tooltip player_id="12732" first="Nia" last="Holloway"] (Minnesota) and #10 [player_tooltip player_id="57907" first="Desiree" last="Ware"] (Alabama-Birmingham). Junior [player_tooltip player_id="12712" first="Maya" last="Nnaji"] has already named her finalists. These are the best available regardless of class. <ul> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="108299" first="Tessa" last="Johnson"] – #1 sophomore, guard, STMA</li> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="12713" first="Amaya" last="Battle"] – #3 junior, guard, Hopkins</li> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="108298" first="Taylor" last="Woodson"] – #2 sophomore, forward, Hopkins</li> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="108348" first="Nunu" last="Agara"] – #3 sophomore, forward, Hopkins</li> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="178269" first="Alivia" last="McGill"] – #2 freshman, guard, Hopkins</li> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="12727" first="Kiani" last="Lockett"] – #8 junior, guard, Minnetonka</li> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="178260" first="Emma" last="Dasovich"] – #3 freshman, forward, Minnetonka</li> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="108302" first="Molly" last="Lenz"] – #7 sophomore, guard, Eden Prairie</li> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="57915" first="Alayna" last="Contreras"] – #24 junior, guard, Hopkins</li> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="108308" first="Savanna" last="Jones"] – #14 sophomore, forward, Eden Prairie</li> </ul> NEWCOMERS TO WATCH Three outstanding transfers have arrived in time for the 2020 season and all three are likely to make a major impression. <ul> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="12727" first="Kiani" last="Lockett"] – #8 junior, guard, Minnetonka (from DeLaSalle)</li> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="178269" first="Alivia" last="McGill"] – #2 freshman, guard, Hopkins (from Park Center)</li> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="57078" first="Nora" last="Francois"] – #34 senior, forward, Minnetonka (from DeLaSalle)</li> </ul> ABOUT TO BREAK THROUGH <ul> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="148340" first="Shannon" last="Fornshell"] – #60 sophomore, forward, Wayzata</li> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="220824" first="Piper" last="Carlson"] – #61 sophomore, forward, St. Michael-Albertville</li> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="220830" first="Isa" last="Nelson"] – #97 sophomore, guard, Edina</li> </ul> MOST IMPROVED PLAYERS <ul> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="57915" first="Alayna" last="Contreras"] – #24 junior, guard, Hopkins</li> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="13055" first="Sophie" last="Haydon"] – #35 senior, forward, Minnetonka (George Washington)</li> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="109162" first="Lauren" last="Feddema"] – #66 junior, guard, Buffalo</li> </ul> UNDERAPPRECIATED TALENTS <ul> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="108333" first="Jasmine" last="Dupree"] – #38 sophomore, guard, Hopkins</li> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="109155" first="Alicia" last="Bates"] – #79 junior, guard, Hopkins</li> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="108323" first="Ashley" last="Fritz"] – #25 sophomore, guard, Eden Prairie</li> </ul> NAMES TO REMEMBER These players might not be quite ready for prime time simply because they are part of a loaded roster and need to wait their turn. When the time comes, however, they will have been worth the wait. <ul> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="215954" first="Sidney" last="Reed"] – #15 freshman, forward, Minnetonka</li> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="220826" first="Ella" last="Wolff"] – #82 sophomore, forward, Minnetonka</li> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="220827" first="Annika" last="Anderson"] –#84 sophomore, guard, Eden Prairie</li> </ul> Top photo: Coach Tara Starks takes over at Hopkins where most of her AAU Metro Stars play. (Photo courtesy of Crissha Walton)