High Schools
Star Tribune writer David La Vaque offers his prediction for which teams should win their respective sections and advance to Xcel Energy Center.
By David La Vaque
High school section tournament quarterfinals begin Tuesday for boys hockey, with section champions decided next week.
As postseason plays gets underway, here’s a look at which teams are likely to advance to St. Paul, the site of the boys hockey state tournament at Xcel Energy Center:
Rochester Century/John Marshall ended the Lakeville North and Lakeville South monopoly in this section by winning last season. But Rochester Century/John Marshall comes in as the third seed this time behind South and North. Pick: Lakeville South
Winners of this section a year ago, Chanhassen showed what is possible. Shakopee, the No. 2 seed, is poised to make a jump of its own. Top-seed Eden Prairie is an obstacle. Pick: Shakopee
First-year coach Mark Strobel has had St. Thomas Academy among the top teams in Class 2A all season. But this has been Cretin-Derham Hall’s section to lose for two consecutive seasons. Pick: Cretin-Derham Hall
Hill-Murray or White Bear Lake? That is always the question this time of year. Second seed Stillwater wants to crash the party this season and judging by a regular-season split with the Bears, the Ponies are indeed good enough. Pick: White Bear Lake
All signs point to Rogers winning its first section title this season. The top-seed Royals went 7-0-0 in section play. Pick: Rogers
Can Holy Angels top Edina in this section for the first time since 2021? The Stars better watch out for Wayzata and Benilde-St. Margret’s on the other side of the bracket. Pick: Edina
Hold the “Blazing Saddles” references — Rock Ridge is no laughing matter. The top-seeded program seeks to empower predecessors Eveleth and Virginia with a run to state. Pick: Rock Ridge
Moorhead, No. 1 in Class 2A much of the season, is the lead dog but Bemidji makes this far northern section one to watch. Pick: Moorhead
Northfield, the defending section champs, holds the No. 1 seed and I do not foresee any upsets, especially considering the team’s 4-0-1 record against section opponents this season. Pick: Northfield
Minneapolis is the No. 1 seed but the big-city cooperative holds a more precarious perch when you consider the team’s overall record of 15-7-3. Delano and Orono are poised to snag the upset. Pick: Orono
No. 1 seed Luverne holds a 14-0-1 section record but No. 2 seed Mankato West and No. 3 New Ulm can spring an upset. Pick: New Ulm
Chisago Lakes sports a 4-0-1 against section foes but second seed Mahtomedi has won six of the past seven section crowns. Pick: Mahtomedi
No. 2 seed St. Cloud Cathedral won the 1A state title last season but expect No. 1 Monticello or No. 3 Little Falls to offer resistance. Pick: St. Cloud Cathedral
Northern Lakes, under new coach Mike Randolph, earned the top seed with a perfect 6-0-0 record in the section. But don’t count out Alexandria for the upset. Pick: Northern Lakes
Cloquet/Esko/Carlton is the fashionable choice to reach St. Paul but Hermantown has won seven of the past eight section titles and will look to avenge that Jan. 30 loss to the ‘Jacks. Pick: Cloquet/Esko/Carlton
No. 1 seed Warroad has ruled the section for the past three seasons. But East Grand Forks looms at No. 2. Pick: Warroad
David La Vaque is a high school sports reporter who has been the lead high school hockey writer for the Minnesota Star Tribune since 2010. He is co-author of “Tourney Time,” a book about the history of Minnesota’s boys hockey state tournament published in 2020 and updated in 2024.
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