YHH Staff Rankings (BOYS): January 8

Youth Hockey Hub staff rankings:

Class AA
(Rank-Team-Section-Dec. 18 rank)

1. Minnetonka 2AA 1
2. Wayzata 6AA 2
3. Edina 6AA 4
4. Chanhassen 2AA 6
5. St. Thomas Academy 3AA 7
6. Benilde-St. Margaret’s 6AA 3
7. Maple Grove 5AA 5
8. Andover 7AA NR
9. Holy Family 2AA 8
10. Rogers 5AA NR

Class A
(Rank-Team-Section-Dec. 18 rank)

1. Hermantown 7A 1
2. Warroad 8A 2
3. St. Cloud Cathedral 5A 4
4. East Grand Forks 8A 5
5. Mahtomedi 4A 6
6. Orono 2A 7
7. Delano 2A 3
8. Northfield 1A 8
9. Monticello 5A 10
10. Cloquet 7A 9

Bantam AA
(Rank-Team-District-Last Week)

1. Moorhead 15 WW
2. Osseo/Maple Grove 3 WW
3. Rosemount 8 WWWW
4. Prior Lake 6 LW
5. Minnetonka 6 LLW
6. Wayzata 3 LL
7. White Bear Lake 2 T
8. Stillwater 2 WWL
9. Centennial 10 LW
10. Hermantown 11 LLL

Mom always said, “if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say it at all.”

Oof. What a week for some Bantam AA teams.

After the top three teams in this week’s poll, there are more L’s than a Washington Generals game schedule. Hats off to Rosemount on four wins and nearly 600 miles on their car to get wins over Grand Rapids, Hibbing, Hermantown and Rochester Red.

Bantam A
(Rank-Team-District-Last Week)

1. Shakopee 6 TWLW
2. Hopkins 3 WWLWWW
3. Warroad 16 WWWWW
4. Rock Ridge 12 WTL
5. St. Louis Park 3 LWL
6. Osseo/Maple Grove 3 LWLW
7. Northern Lakes 15 WWWWW
8. Moorhead 15 W
9. New- Ulm Sleepy Eye 4 WW
10. Woodbury 8 WW

The new year didn’t change our Bantam A rankings much, as ranked teams either lost to AA teams; OR lost to teams ranked above them. Big shoutout to No. 3 Warroad for winning the Roseau tourney

The two changes that were made, are New Ulm-Sleepy Eye moving up one spot to No. 9 this week after extending their win streak to twelve games.

The other change is Woodbury being added to the rankings at No. 10, after defeating the previous No. 9- Mankato.

Bantam B
(Rank-Team-District-Last Week)

1. Hermantown (Blue) 11 WWW
2. Mahtomedi 2 WW
3. Bemidji (Blue) 16 LW
4. Woodbury (Black) 8 WW
5. Roseville 2 WWWW
6. Edina (White) 6 T
7. Morris-Benson 15 WWWW
8. Osseo/Maple Grove (Black) 3 WW
9. Lakeville North 8 WW
10. Eden Prairie 6 LW

The No. 1 Hermantown Blue and No. 2 Mahtomedi squared off this past week, with the No. 1 Hawks prevailing in a close 1-0 win. There could be a potential rematch in the state championship, as these are the favorites as of now. The Hawks also picked up another quality win over No. 3 Bemidji Blue.

Besides those two big games, there wasn’t much action at the BB level in the first week of 2024. It will really pick up here as we get into the season’s home stretch and get closer to playoffs every day.

Peewee AA
(Rank-Team-District-Last Week)

1. Minnetonka AA 6 DNP 1
2. Moorhead AA 15 WLWWW 2
3. Woodbury AA 8 T 3
4. White Bear Lake AA 2 DNP 4
5. East Grand Forks 16 TWWL 5
6. Stillwater AA 2 WWWWL 6
7. Osseo/Maple Grove AA 3 WW 7
8. Prior Lake 6 WW 8
9. Wayzata 3 WW 9
10. Edina 6 L 10

No major changes this week in AA. Moorhead loses to Stillwater in pool play, but avenges the loss in the championship game. Everyone else either held serve or lost to someone or tied in the top-10.

Still a lot of pivotal district games and tournaments remain prior to district and region playoffs.

Peewee A
(Rank-Team-District-Last Week)

1. Northfield 9 WWWWW
2. Warroad 16 WWW
3. Park-Cottage Grove 8 WWWWW
4. Proctor 11 WWWLL
5. Roseville 2 WWWT
6. River Lakes 5 WW
7. Marshall 4 WWWW
8. Thief River Falls 16 WWL
9. Mounds View/Irondale 2 WWWWW
10. Mankato 9 WW

For the top teams in PWA, this was the week of winning tournaments.

The No. 1 Northfield Raiders won the Owatonna tournament this past weekend and knocked off two ‘AA’ squads to do so.

The No. 3 Park-Cottage Grove Wolfpack won the Rogers tournament and defeated a solid Champlin Park squad in the championship game.

The No. 9 ranked Mounds View/Irondale won the Super Rink Spectacular this past weekend.

Mankato is on a six-game win streak and gets bumped into the rankings this week at No. 10.

Peewee B
(Rank-Team-District-Last Week)

1. Osseo/Maple Grove (Black) 3 WWW
2. East Metro 2 WLWW
3. Eden Prairie 6 WWWWWW
4. Hermantown 11 WTWW
5. Elk River 10 WWTW
6. Bemidji (Blue) 15 WWWL
7. East Grand Forks (Green) 16 WWWLL
8. Minnetonka (Blue) 6 LWLWW
9. Coon Rapids 10 W
10. Eastview 8 DNP

Pretty big shakeup all over the board in PWB this week. OMG Black is the new No. 1 team at the level, the Leafbirds have the most wins in the state with 31. What put OMG Black at the top was a win over No. 2 East Metro 3-2 in a shootout this week. Eden Prairie was a huge mover this week from unranked to No. 3. The Eagles defeated previous No. 4 Minnetonka Blue and No. 5 East Grand Forks Green: en route to a championship win in the Bemidji tournament. Hermantown also won a tournament this weekend, as the No. 4 Hawks won their home tournament.

Squirt A
(Rank-Team-District-Last Week)

1. Woodbury Royal 8 W 1
2. Moorhead 15 W 3
3. Andover 10 WWWW 4
4. Chaska/Chanhassen 6 WWWW 5
5. Park-Cottage Grove 8 LWW 2
6. Woodbury Black 8 WW 7
7. OMG Crimson 3 WWWWT 9
8. Minnetonka 6 DNP 10
9. Orono 3 LW 6
10. Stillwater 2 WLW 8

A lot of swirl last weekend as we approach the YHH Squirtacular. Andover heads up north and wins the Star of the North title at Yanmar Arena. The Huskies may have what it takes to win the coveted skates for the first time. Defending Squirtacular champ – Chaska/Chan – won’t fool anyone this year. The Stormhaws eeked past OMG Crimson Sunday in Blaine. Host Thief River Falls won their home tourney on Sunday and are a threat for top-10 honors very soon.

Squirt B
(Rank-Team-District-Last Week)

1. Chaska/Chanhassen (Gold) 6 WWWW
2. Moorhead (Black) 15 DNP
3. Mesabi East 12 DNP
4. Worthington 4 T
5. Waconia 6 WWL
6. Faribault 9 L
7. Chisago Lakes 2 WWW
8. Sauk Rapids 5 WWW
9. Osseo/Maple Grove (Black) 3 WWW
10. Mankato (Black) 9 WWWW

The top two stay the same in SQB this week, but undefeated Mesabi East takes a huge leap from No. 7 to No. 3. Worthington has the most wins at the Squirt B level, with 18 wins the Trojans jump up four spots to No. 4 this week. No. 5 Waconia had a big win for their resume, defeating No. 6 Faribault 4-2. Newly ranked Mankato Black is now 8-1-0 and coming off a weekend with 4 wins.

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