Prep Report

The weekly polls are out from Minnesota Basketball News and Let’s Play Hockey and there are few changes among Northland teams.
Hermantown is still third in the Class A boys hockey poll, four notches ahead of Virginia-Mountain Iron-Buhl. Duluth East moved up one spot to 11th in the Class AA poll.
Eveleth-Gilbert Area placed 12th in the final Class A girls hockey poll.
The Grand Rapids boys, at fifth in Class A, and the Class A second-ranked Barnum girls are the highest-ranked Northland teams in Minnesota.
The Superior and Northwestern boys are both ninth in the Associated Press Wisconsin rankings.

BOYS BASKETBALL
MINNESOTA
By Minnesota Basketball News
CLASS AAAA
1. Hopkins 17-2; 2. Champlin Park 15-4; 3. Osseo 16-3; 4. Cretin-Derham Hall 15-3; 5. Robbinsdale Cooper 17-3; 6. Forest Lake 15-4; 7. Eden Prairie 17-2; 8. Apple Valley 15-4; 9. Tartan 15-4; 10. St. Cloud Tech 15-3.
CLASS AAA
1. St. Paul Johnson 18-0; 2. Winona 17-1; 3. Benilde-St. Margaret’s 15-3; 4. Orono 15-3; 5. Grand Rapids 15-2; 6. De La Salle 13-2; 7. Rocori 15-3; 8. Waconia 16-3; 9. St. Paul Central 14-5; 10. Hutchinson 16-2.
CLASS AA
1. New London-Spicer 18-1; 2. Morris 16-0; 3. Plainview-Elgin-Millville 19-2; 4. Crosby-Ironton 18-1; 5. La Crescent 18-1; 6. Waterville-Elysian-Morristown 19-0; 7. Albany 16-1; 8. Byron 15-2; 9. Mayer Lutheran 16-1; 10. Staples-Motley 14-3.
CLASS A
1. MACCRAY 17-0; 2. Minnesota Transitions 17-3; 3. Sebeka 17-1; 4. Ada-Borup 19-0; 5. Park Christian (Moorhead) 15-2; 6. Maranatha Academy 17-2; 7. Upsala 13-1; 8. Cass Lake-Bena 15-3; 9. Bertha-Hewitt 15-2; 10. Minneota 14-2.

WISCONSIN
By Associated Press
DIVISION 1
1. Racine Park (9) 18-0; 2. Madison East (1) 15-1; 3. Milwaukee Hamilton (2) 13-2; 4. Madison Memorial 14-3; 5. De Pere 17-1; 6. Antigo 17-0; 7. Hartland Arrowhead 15-2; 8. Menomonee Falls 14-3; 9. Superior 15-2; 10. Waterford 14-2.
DIVISION 2
1. New Berlin Eisenhower (11) 17-0; 2. Waukesha Catholic Memorial 15-2; 3. Wisconsin Lutheran (1) 14-3; 4. Seymour 15-2; 5. Waupun 16-2; 6. Valders 15-1; 7. Port Washington 13-3; 8. Oconto 14-2; 9. Northwestern 14-3; 10. East Troy 13-3.

GIRLS BASKETBALL
MINNESOTA
By Minnesota Basketball News
CLASS AAAA
1. Lakeville North 21-0; 2. Edina 21-0; 3. White Bear Lake 19-2; 4. Maple Grove 19-2; 5. Prior Lake 16-5; 6. Chaska 16-4; 7. Bloomington Kennedy 17-4; 8. Eden Prairie 16-5; 9. Minneapolis South 16-5; 10. Hopkins 14-7.
CLASS AAA
1. DeLaSalle 21-0; 2. Benilde-St. Margaret’s 18-2; 3. Bemidji 17-1; 4. Alexandria 16-3; 5. New Prague 13-7; 6. Hill-Murray 15-5; 7. Red Wing 15-5; 8. Minneapolis North 12-7; 9. Richfield 16-6; 10. Waconia 16-4.
CLASS AA
1. Sauk Centre 20-0; 2. New London-Spicer 19-2; 3. Hawley 18-0; 4. Rochester Lourdes 18-2; 5. Caledonia 20-2; 6. Minneapolis Roosevelt 13-9; 7. Stewartville 17-3; 8. Chatfield 17-3; 9. St. Croix Lutheran 18-1; 10. Fairmont 15-2.
CLASS A
1. Cedar Mountain-Comfrey 16-0; 2. Barnum 17-2; 3. Parkers Prairie 16-1; 4. Northern 17-0; 5. Bertha-Hewitt 16-1; 6. Bigfork 17-2; 7. Canby 17-1; 8. Spring Grove 16-4; 9. New York Mills 17-1; 10. Maranatha Academy 14-5.

WISCONSIN
By Associated Press
DIVISION 2
1. Monroe (12) 16-0; 2. Freedom 14-1; 3. Hayward (1) 14-0; 4. New Berlin Eisenhower 15-1; 5. Columbus 12-2; 6. Winneconne 15-1; 7. Pewaukee 14-1; 8. Wittenberg-Birnamwood 15-1; 9. New London 14-2; 10. Rice Lake 11-2.
Others receiving votes: Union Grove 14-2; Ashland 13-1; Green Bay Notre Dame 12-3;, Lake Mills 13-3; Waukesha Catholic Memorial 9-4, Sauk Prairie 13-3; Seymour 11-2; Pioneer Westfield 13-2; Lakeside Lutheran 13-2.

BOYS HOCKEY
MINNESOTA
By Let’s Play Hockey
CLASS AA
1. Minnetonka (10); 2. Wayzata; 3. Blaine; 4. Hill-Murray; 5. Bloomington Jefferson; 6. Eden Prairie; 7. Edina; 8. Burnsville; 9. Centennial; 10. Eagan; 11. Duluth East; 12. Elk River; 13. Holy Angels Academy; 14. Benilde-St. Margaret’s; 15. Andover.
CLASS A
1. Breck (6); 2. St. Thomas Academy (4); 3. Hermantown; 4. Warroad; 5. Mahtomedi; 6. Thief River Falls; 7. Virginia-Mountain Iron-Buhl; 8. Rochester Lourdes; 9. St. Cloud Cathedral; 10. Blake; 11. Alexandria; 12. Faribault; 13. Sartell-St. Stephen; 14. Hibbing-Chisholm; 15. Spring Lake Park.

WISCONSIN
By wisconsinprephockey.net
1. Wausau West 20-1-1; 2. Notre Dame Academy 22-1; 3. Stoughton 20-1-1; 4. Eau Claire Memorial 16-5-1; 5. Appleton United 16-4-3; 6. Superior 11-7-1; 7. Madison Edgewood 14-6-2; 8. Cedarburg 16-5-2; 9. Middleton 16-4-1; 10. Waukesha 17-4-1.

GIRLS HOCKEY
MINNESOTA
By Let’s Play Hockey
FINAL
CLASS AA
1. Roseville (10); 2. Minnetonka; 3. Edina; 4. Irondale; 5. Elk River-Zimmerman; 6. Hopkins; 7. Hill-Murray; 8. Roseau; 9. White Bear Lake; 10. Stillwater; 11. Benilde-St. Margaret’s; 12. Bemidji; 13. Lakeville South; 14. Hastings; 15. Centennial.
CLASS A
1. Warroad (10); 2. Breck; 3. Blake; 4. Crookston; 5. Mound-Westonka; 6. South St. Paul; 7. Red Wing; 8. East Grand Forks; 9. Totino-Grace; 10. Orono; 11. Rogers; 12. Eveleth-Gilbert Area; 13. Faribault; 14. Visitation-St. Paul Academy United; 15. Mankato West.

A busy night of prep games was highlighted by the Hermantown-Duluth Denfeld hockey game at Heritage Center. So busy, in fact, that I wasn’t able to cover that game or any others. Here’s the roundup as it looks from my desk at the office.

Andrew Oakes’ goal 1:31 into overtime gave Hermantown a 5-4 come-from-behind win over Duluth Denfeld on Tuesday night at Heritage Center and put the Hawks in the driver’s seat for the Lake Superior Conference high school boys hockey title.
The Hunters (11-10-2, 6-1-1) took a 3-0 lead in the second period on a pair of Jason Johnson goals, but the third-ranked Hawks (19-3, 7-1) struck back for the next four goals.
Tyler Kaspari’s goal at 6:47 of the third period evened the score at 4. Denfeld would have won the LSC outright with a tie, but Oakes’ goal gives Hermantown a chance to clinch outright next week against Duluth Central.
Hermantown outshot Denfeld 53-27.
DULUTH EAST 4,
CLOQUET-ESKO-CARLTON 3
Dom Toninato scored two third-period goals as the Greyhounds (14-5-3) edged their rivals at Cloquet to complete a season sweep and extend their unbeaten streak to seven games.
GRAND RAPIDS 6,
HIBBING-CHISHOLM 2
Travis Underwood scored twice in the first period and the host Thunderhawks (9-11-2, 3-1-2) scored five consecutive goals to move into a tie for first place in the Iron Range Conference.
Jake Suihkonen scored both goals for the Bluejackets (10-9-2, 2-3).
PROCTOR 4,
DULUTH CENTRAL 1
The Rails scored three unanswered third-period goals to secure the LSC victory at Heritage Center.

BOYS BASKETBALL
INTERNATIONAL FALLS 58,
VIRGINIA 42
Shawn Filipiak scored 24 points and the Broncos outscored the visitors 33-17 in the second half to win the IRC game and end the Blue Devils’ 14-game winning streak.
DULUTH MARSHALL 44,
TWO HARBORS 43
Connor Erickson capped a rally from a 12-point deficit in the final 2:17 with a 3-point basket with 2.1 seconds to play as the host Hilltoppers won for the second straight night after enduring two eight-game losing streaks.
COOK COUNTY 71, ALBROOK 70
Kolten Karppinen scored all four of the Falcons’ points in overtime to lead his team to the nonconference home victory. Karppinen and his cousin, Bryce Karppinen, each scored 19 points.
James Groth, who led the Vikings with 17 points, sent the game into overtime with one of his four 3-pointers in the final minute.
DULUTH CENTRAL 69,
PROCTOR 28
Darcell Williams’ 32 points and six 3-pointers keyed the Trojans’ LSC road victory.

GIRLS BASKETBALL
ASHLAND 57,
DULUTH DENFELD 39
Emily Stephenson scored 11 of her 14 points in the second half as the host Oredockers (14-1, 7-0) recorded their 13th straight win and wrapped up the outright LSC championship.
Anika Whiting added 20 points for Ashland, which overcame a 22-18 halftime deficit.
HIBBING 66, HERMANTOWN 45
Laicee Grahek scored a game-high 22 points as the host Bluejackets sprinted to a 14-point halftime advantage and cruised to the nonconference win.
DULUTH CENTRAL 59,
PROCTOR 23
Mary VonRueden scored 28 points and made three 3-pointers in the Trojans’ LSC win at home.
ESKO 77,
HINCKLEY-FINLAYSON 30
Keely Deadrick’s 26-point effort helped the visiting Eskomos raise their record to 16-3. 
 

ALPINE SKIING
STATE MEET IS WEDNESDAY AT GIANTS RIDGE
Duluth East junior Henry Roningen heads Section 7 entrants in today’s Minnesota high school Alpine championships at Giants Ridge in Biwabik.
Advancing as teams from Section 7 are the Chisago Lakes and East boys, and Cook County-Silver Bay and Duluth Marshall-Lakeview Christian Academy girls.
Roningen has won two straight Section 7 boys individual titles. Hermantown ninth-grader Megan Danelski won the 2010 Section 7 individual girls championship.
There are two runs in today’s finals at 9 a.m. and noon.

NOTES
SHEEDY, MCLAUGHLIN NAMED
MSHSL EXCEL AWARD WINNERS
Duluth Marshall’s Patrick Sheedy and Hibbing’s Katie McLaughlin were among the 32 winners of the Minnesota State High School League’s 2010 ExCEL Award, the league announced Wednesday.
The ExCEL — excellence in community, education and leadership — is given to high school juniors who are leaders in their schools and who work voluntarily in their community helping others.
The winners came from a pool of 256 nominated students. They will be recognized during television broadcasts of winter state tournaments and be honored at halftime of the Class AA girls basketball championship game March 20.
FRIDAY MARKS DEADLINE FOR
DULUTH COACHES TO APPLY
Those interested in applying or re-applying for fall sports head-coaching positions in Independent School District 709 must submit an online application by Friday.
Due to Duluth Central’s imminent closure as part of the district’s long-range facilities plan, all head coaching positions were re-opened for the 2010-11 school year. Interviews for fall coaches will be conducted later this month.
To apply, visit www.duluth.k12.mn.us.

Here’s the highlights of Saturday’s action, led by Duluth East’s streak-busting win over Superior in boys basketball.

Dyami Starks scored 32 points and Johnny Woodard added 29 as host Duluth East defeated Superior 89-77 in a high school boys basketball game Saturday, ending the Spartans’ 44-game winning streak vs. Minnesota schools.
Starks, bound for Division I Columbia in the Ivy League, made four 3-pointers and finished the game at 2,261 career points, moving into 25th place in state history. East improved to 13-7 with its fourth consecutive victory.
Joel Lindberg, another Division I recruit, led Superior (15-2) with 35 points and made six of the Spartans’ nine 3-pointers.
The loss was Superior’s first against a Minnesota foe since a Dec. 7, 2006 home loss to Duluth Central and also snapped its 24-game road win streak against Minnesota teams.
GRAND RAPIDS 94, DEER RIVER 42
Michael Johnson scored a career-high 35 points and made a school-record 11 3-pointers in the Thunderhawks’ home win.
Austin Pohlen added a trio of 3-pointers as Grand Rapids (14-2) connected on 14 long-range baskets to win its sixth straight game.

GIRLS BASKETBALL
BLOOMINGTON JEFFERSON 49,
DULUTH EAST 43
The Greyhounds fell on the road despite Alex Freeman’s game-high 23 points and three 3-pointers.

BOYS HOCKEY
CLOQUET-ESKO-CARLTON 5,
ANOKA 3
Paul Ryan scored two goals and John Scheuer made 39 stops as the visiting Lumberjacks won the nonconference game.
DULUTH CENTRAL 5,
EVELETH-GILBERT 4
Ben Wrazidlo scored the tying goal late in the second period and put in the game-winner at 12:21 of the third period in the Trojans’ nonconference win at Heritage Center.
SARTELL 5, VIRGINIA-MIB 3
Brent Orndorff stopped 36 shots as Sartell-St. Stephen snapped the visiting Blue Devils’ eight-game unbeaten streak.
HERMANTOWN 7,
MONTICELLO 0
Seven players scored goals and Tiegen Brickson made a 14-save shutout to lead the host Hawks (18-3) to the nonconference win.
MOOSE LAKE AREA 8,
MINNEAPOLIS EAST 7
Ville Mattala’s goal at 14:59 of the third period completed a six-goal period for the Rebels and completed a comeback from a 6-0 deficit after one period.

GIRLS HOCKEY
PHM 8, CAMBRIDGE-ISANTI 0
Emma Stauber scored the first two goals and assisted on four more while Anja Morris made 26 saves as the Mirage (17-6-2) closed the regular season with the nonconference win.
Section 7AA seedings will be done today.

WRESTLING
NORTHWESTERN PLACES THIRD
AT HEART O’NORTH MEET
Northwestern’s Nate Nelson at 130 pounds, Wes Snow at 140, Ryan Miesbauer at 215 and Niko Bogocevic at 285 each won their weight class at the Heart O’North Conference meet at Chetek, Wis.
The Tigers finished third in the team competition with 160 points, behind winner Cumberland (201) and runner-up Ladysmith (196.5).
 

Perhaps the most shocking prep news Thursday was third-ranked Hermantown’s 3-2 overtime loss to Cloquet-Esko-Carlton, the Hawks’ first to a team from the Northland this season.
Mark Savage’s goal 1:06 into the extra session lifted the Lumberjacks (7-12-2, 4-3) to the upset. Hermantown (17-3, 6-1) can still win the Lake Superior Conference by defeating Duluth Denfeld and Duluth Central in its final two conference games. The Hunters (11-9-2, 6-0-1), who tied Duluth Marshall 3-3 on Thursday, could have clinched a tie for the conference crown if it had held on to its 3-1 lead in the third period.
Hermantown, which should still earn the top seed in Section 5A, proved three years ago that an LSC title doesn’t matter that much when it lost out to CEC in the league but went on to win a Class A state championship.
International Falls (12-6-2, 3-2-2) stayed alive in the Iron Range Conference race with a 5-3 win over Hibbing (10-8-2, 2-2). The Broncos trail league-leader Virginia-Mountain Iron-Buhl by two points and need to beat Grand Rapids next week and hope the Blue Devils (14-5-3, 4-1-2) fall to Hibbing on Feb. 16 to force a tie for first. Either way, defending champion Virginia will likely earn the No. 1 seed in 7A.
In boys basketball, Duluth East crushed Cloquet 79-45 behind Johnny Woodard’s 25 points to set up a big home encounter Saturday.
The Greyhounds (12-7) square off against Superior (15-1) at 2:30 p.m. in a game that matters little for the upcoming playoffs, but is a huge battle for pride. The Spartans won the first meeting 75-63 and haven’t lost to a Minnesota team in nearly four years (44 consecutive games overall and 24 straight on the road), including a last-minute come-from-behind win over East a year ago.
In girls basketball, Barnum’s 24-point victory over Moose Lake-Willow River kept the Bombers (16-2, 8-0) in charge of their destiny in the Polar League despite trailing Esko for the top spot on points. Barnum defeated the Eskomos head-to-head and only needs to win out to capture another league crown.
Hibbing’s 78-29 rout over Virginia puts the Bluejackets (14-5, 4-0) in control of a weaker-than-usual IRC. Ashland (13-1, 6-0) can wrap up the LSC with a win next week over Denfeld.