Seeding the State #8 2021

Losses……real and potential

With section playoffs quickly approaching the finality of the surreal 2021 season will close. Some unforeseen injuries may take their toll on what might have been (See South Dakota State). But some teams may be knocked out not by a human opponent or twists of fate with injuries, but by the unseen virus. Already Carver county schools are in a prevent mode, shutting down their operations for the rest of the regular season. Hopkins joined them in the “pause.” Other states have had schools eliminated in the playoffs by the virus. In Wisconsin Cochrane-Fountain City was to play the section final, but, due to the virus, had to go to quarantine and therefore eliminating them from state contention. Due to the calendar there will be no pushing off the scheduled date. Expect this unfortunate circumstance to waylay a potential state contender here. This will add to the asterisk laden season—- another “what if” scenario.

It surprised me last week that the grade state tournaments could be held in this environment. Programs from throughout the state gathered and then went back home. There was no bubble. I am sure that in the coming weeks there will be more outbreaks thanks to this toxic stew.

Nevertheless here is the fantasy of what could have been minus the virus.

AAAA

1 Hopkins (6)

2 Farmington (1)

3 Chaska (2)

4 Stillwater (4)

5 Elk River (8)

6 Centennial (5)

7 Rosemount (3)

8 Forest Lake (7)

AAA

1 Becker (5)

2 Hill-Murray (4)

3 Holy Angels (6)

4 Marshall (2)

5 St. Paul Como Park (3)

6 Alexandria (8)

7 Austin (1)

8 Grand Rapids (7)

AA

1 New London-Spicer (3)

2 Fergus Falls (8)

3 Providence (5)

4 Minnehaha (4)

5 Stewartville (1)

6 Albany (6)

7 Duluth Marshall (7)

8 Lake Crystal-Wellcome Memorial (2)

A

1 Minneota (3)

2 Henning (6)

3 Sleepy Eye St. Mary’s (2)

4 Mountain Iron-Buhl (7)

5 Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa (5)

6 Mayer Lutheran (4)

7 Blooming Prairie (1)

8 Fosston (8)

UNDEFEATED 15

The ranks were thinned out with four teams falling: Rochester Mayo to Mankato East; Waconia to Marshall; Albany to Sauk Centre and then the Mainstreeters stumbled twice to BBE and then to Menahga. One more would have dropped off the list with #1 Hopkins v #1 Becker postponing their epic struggle—-thanks to the virus concerns.

AAAA: 5 (Chaska, Farmington, Hopkins, Stillwater, Elk River)

AAA: 3 (Becker, Marshall, St. Paul Como Park)

AA: 2 (New London-Spicer, Stewartville)

A: 5 (Fosston, Hancock, Houston, Minneota, Sleepy Eye St. Mary’s)

D2C