Section Preview: 5 teams to watch in the post-season

As the high school regular season winds down in Minnesota we wanted to take a look at some teams that are well-positioned to make some noise in the post season. There’s a few obvious teams that come to mind, but we wanted to highlight a few teams that are getting hot at the right time. Rogers Royals Sitting at an impressive 22-2 and riding a 19-game winning streak are the Rogers Royals. Let by the sharp-shooting Grand Canyon University commit [player_tooltip player_id="12718" first="Ellie" last="Buzzelle"] and UC Davis commit [player_tooltip player_id="108300" first="Clara" last="Glad"], the Royals are playing as well as any team in the state right now. Buzzelle is averaging 20.7 points a game including a 38-point explosion and Glad is chipping in at a shade over 13 ppg. The road to state won’t be easy as all signs point to St. Michael-Albertville being the favorites in section 8AAAA, and a potential 3rd match up with Elk River looms in the shadows. STMA knocked off Rogers to begin the season, but with the roll the Royals are on now I wouldn’t bet against them! Stillwater Ponies Stillwater is another team that has quietly put together a nice season. They are 20-4 and lost those 4 games by a combined 12 points! St. Thomas commit [player_tooltip player_id="57928" first="Amber" last="Scalia"] is lighting up the scoreboard averaging just a shade under 21 ppg. The Ponies present a balanced attack on offense and a player that could help push them over the hump is junior [player_tooltip player_id="148318" first="Lexi" last="Karlen"] as she has the pedigree. They have impressive wins over STMA, East Ridge and St. Paul Como Park on their resume, so they are battle-tested. The Ponies have to be the slight favorite to come out of the Section, but East Ridge might have something to say about that before it’s all said and done. St. Croix Lutheran Crusaders Sitting on a 13-game winning streak and playing inspired ball are the St. Croix Lutheran Crusaders. Top 10 sophomore [player_tooltip player_id="178263" first="Laura" last="Hauge"] leads the charge for the Crusaders averaging 21 ppg per game and shooting an incredible 43% from behind the arc and just a tick under 90% from the charity stripe. Keep an eye on Haley Orvick as her size and presence could be the X factor. Minnehaha Academy looks to be the team that stands in the way of the Crusaders getting to dip their toes in the state tournament pool, but if Hauge gets hot and they play defense the way they have all season, look out!! Grand Rapids Thunderhawks On the back of a 12-game winning streak of their own. and currently sitting at 22-2 with two games left in the regular season are the Grand Rapids Thunderhawks. Led by the super-talented North Dakota State commit [player_tooltip player_id="108316" first="Taryn" last="Hamling"], the Thunderhawks are poised to make a deep tournament run and have to be considered the favorite to come out of Section 7AAA and make a 2nd straight appearance in the state tournament. Along with Hamling, who’s shooting an incredible 44% from 3-point territory we fully expect sophomore forward [player_tooltip player_id="302296" first="Jessika" last="Lofstrom"] to be a force around the basket and a threat from behind the arc where she’s shooting 40% for the season. The Thunderhawks are no stranger to the big dance as they’ve made five state tournament appearances since 2015 and are fully equipped to to make it three in a row. Shakopee Sabers The Shakopee Sabers having been quietly taking care of business all season long with their last lost coming back in December. Currently sitting at 21-3 and boasting an impressive 16 game winning streak, the Sabers are getting it done by playing lockdown defense. They are holding opponents to 39 ppg which gives them a chance to compete night in and night out. [player_tooltip player_id="109179" first="Kate" last="Cordes"] leads the Sabers scoring attack with 14 ppg with [player_tooltip player_id="215985" first="Olivia" last="Pawlicki"] chipping in 10. They have a really balanced attack as with six players scoring between 6 and 14 ppg. Shakopee will certainly have to claw their way out of section 2AAAA as they have one of the toughest sections in AAAA with the likes of the defending state champs Chaska, and veteran-heavy Eden Prairie looking to make a return to the big show. With the way the Sabers defend, they give themselves a chance every time they step on the floor.

As the high school regular season winds down in Minnesota we wanted to take a look at some teams that are well-positioned to make some noise in the post season. There’s a few obvious teams that come to mind, but we wanted to highlight a few teams that are getting hot at the right time.

Rogers Royals

Sitting at an impressive 22-2 and riding a 19-game winning streak are the Rogers Royals. Let by the sharp-shooting Grand Canyon University commit Ellie Buzzelle Ellie Buzzelle 5'9" | SG Rogers | 2022 State #60 Nation MN and UC Davis commit Clara Glad Clara Glad 6'0" | SF Rogers | 2023 State MN , the Royals are playing as well as any team in the state right now. Buzzelle is averaging 20.7 points a game including a 38-point explosion and Glad is chipping in at a shade over 13 ppg. The road to state won’t be easy as all signs point to St. Michael-Albertville being the favorites in section 8AAAA, and a potential 3rd match up with Elk River looms in the shadows. STMA knocked off Rogers to begin the season, but with the roll the Royals are on now I wouldn’t bet against them!

Stillwater Ponies

Stillwater is another team that has quietly put together a nice season. They are 20-4 and lost those 4 games by a combined 12 points! St. Thomas commit Amber Scalia Amber Scalia 5'9" | CG Stillwater | 2022 State MN is lighting up the scoreboard averaging just a shade under 21 ppg. The Ponies present a balanced attack on offense and a player that could help push them over the hump is junior Lexi Karlen Lexi Karlen 6'0" | SG Stillwater | 2023 State MN as she has the pedigree. They have impressive wins over STMA, East Ridge and St. Paul Como Park on their resume, so they are battle-tested. The Ponies have to be the slight favorite to come out of the Section, but East Ridge might have something to say about that before it’s all said and done.

St. Croix Lutheran Crusaders

Sitting on a 13-game winning streak and playing inspired ball are the St. Croix Lutheran Crusaders. Top 10 sophomore Laura Hauge Laura Hauge 5'9" | SG St. Croix Lutheran | 2024 State MN leads the charge for the Crusaders averaging 21 ppg per game and shooting an incredible 43% from behind the arc and just a tick under 90% from the charity stripe. Keep an eye on Haley Orvick as her size and presence could be the X factor. Minnehaha Academy looks to be the team that stands in the way of the Crusaders getting to dip their toes in the state tournament pool, but if Hauge gets hot and they play defense the way they have all season, look out!!

Grand Rapids Thunderhawks

On the back of a 12-game winning streak of their own. and currently sitting at 22-2 with two games left in the regular season are the Grand Rapids Thunderhawks. Led by the super-talented North Dakota State commit Taryn Hamling Taryn Hamling 5'9" | PG Grand Rapids | 2023 State MN , the Thunderhawks are poised to make a deep tournament run and have to be considered the favorite to come out of Section 7AAA and make a 2nd straight appearance in the state tournament. Along with Hamling, who’s shooting an incredible 44% from 3-point territory we fully expect sophomore forward Jessika Lofstrom Jessika Lofstrom 5'11" | SF Grand Rapids | 2024 State MN to be a force around the basket and a threat from behind the arc where she’s shooting 40% for the season. The Thunderhawks are no stranger to the big dance as they’ve made five state tournament appearances since 2015 and are fully equipped to to make it three in a row.

Shakopee Sabers

The Shakopee Sabers having been quietly taking care of business all season long with their last lost coming back in December. Currently sitting at 21-3 and boasting an impressive 16 game winning streak, the Sabers are getting it done by playing lockdown defense. They are holding opponents to 39 ppg which gives them a chance to compete night in and night out. Kate Cordes Kate Cordes 5'7" | CG Shakopee | 2022 State MN leads the Sabers scoring attack with 14 ppg with Olivia Pawlicki Olivia Pawlicki 6'1" | SF Shakopee | 2024 State MN chipping in 10. They have a really balanced attack as with six players scoring between 6 and 14 ppg. Shakopee will certainly have to claw their way out of section 2AAAA as they have one of the toughest sections in AAAA with the likes of the defending state champs Chaska, and veteran-heavy Eden Prairie looking to make a return to the big show. With the way the Sabers defend, they give themselves a chance every time they step on the floor.