State High School Tournament

[Bryce]

Why not have Hermantown move up too? Seem to be pretty successful in their own right. One class. EVERY kid does not need a ribbon.

[otterman91105]

It's nice to see st thomas move to class aa. It will give some of these other teams a chance to win.

[harvey lee]

Why not have Hermantown move up too? Seem to be pretty successful in their own right. One class. EVERY kid does not need a ribbon.

HELLO, anyone home?

How in the world does compare the 2 schools?

I am not sure if this is serious or if you are just kidding. Sorry

[harvey lee]

Easy fix for a 1 tier tourny. Dump the recruiting and go back to the 1 class tourny.

Back in the late 60's while I attended South St Paul, it was fun to see the smaller schools defeat the big city schools and back then, they still had a chance to do that.

Many times I watched the Warriors, Rams and IF come to St Paul with the best team in the state. Cannot forget Grand Rapids and Greenway of Coleriane either. But, they did not have all the recruiting they have now so the smaller northen schools could win. This recruiting has ruined HS hockey tournies, not like they were in the 60's at all.

Move ahead some years and create more private schools and all the kids going from this school to that one and now the smaller teams cannot compete with the privates and some of the larger schools. One can look back at the records and see what I mean.

I would love to see it go back to a one tier hockey tourny but end all the kids going from this school to that one, no more recruiting.

Even though I lived in SSP during most of my high school time, after moving away, I always find myself routing for the northern smaller schools unless SSP makes it.

I remember all the tournies SSP made over the years and getting to approx 5-6 championship games and then to lose it. It was tough but I would still go back to the 1 class tourny.

[Bear55]

Why not have Hermantown move up too? Seem to be pretty successful in their own right. One class. EVERY kid does not need a ribbon.

They are a school that seems pretty consistant in single A that is for sure. At the same time everyone use to scream about Warroad moving up and they havn't been around in a while. These smaller schools just can't reload like the privates and large public schools. They usually have a group come up through the ranks that is good and they have a one to two year window to make good and then slip back with the pack.

[DTro]

Even if you eliminated private schools/recruitment from the tournament you would still deal with open enrollment. Just like in the video I posted, Bruce said he had several emails from kids from different schools asking to come and play for him.

Having said that, the state tournament is about having the best team in the state. I think all sports should only have one class. Yes, it basically eliminates a shot of most schools competing, but it also makes for a better game when that small school does finally make it.

[harvey lee]

It's one thing to have the best team in the state but when you have players like STA with players from numerous states on your high school team, I am sorry but that is wrong.

[harvey lee]

Why not have Hermantown move up too? Seem to be pretty successful in their own right. One class. EVERY kid does not need a ribbon.

Hermantown does it the right way.

They bring thier players up through thier system and then groom them along the way. You do not see them recruiting as Bruce is so against that.

Now, STA, where can we get out next stud players, state lines mean nothing.

[DTro]

Its not just private schools and its not just hockey. I happen to know of a certain wrestling program in the South East Metro that conveniently finds out of state kids on their roster.

I'm sure it happens in all the sports.

[harvey lee]

All I am saying is, work with the kids you have in your system and this recruiting can go away.

I have no issues with kids changing schools for academics but when they promote building thier sports teams, that is so wrong and the MSHSL should be ashamed of them selves for allowing this.

Noit sure anymoe what the difference is between a college hockey team is and a team that does alot of recruiting.

Seems the MSHSL promotes winning and not participating.

[DTro]

Unfortunately even if you eliminated open enrollment and private schools, "Recruiting" will never go away. Too much money and politics involved to get rid of it.

The sadder thing is that a lot of the best high school hockey players aren't even in the system anymore and playing in the MNJHL or for teams like Shattuck.

[harvey lee]

I agree DTro that it will never go totally away but it surely could be controlled by the MSHSL alot bette than what we have now.

At least try.

[DrJuice1980]

I'm not with the "everybody gets a trophy" mentality but it seems unfair to have a school with way less numbers attempt to compete with the big boys and ones that recruit. Hermantown played out of their arse last night against a school that had no business being there in single A. Yes, you will, every couple if years have a solid group of kids from 1A be able to compete at AA but for the most part grouping them all together is not fair one bit. There is no fool proof method but I think next years tourney won't have the controversy or nearly as much.

[fishing tech]

Hermantown may be doing it right, but from what I hear from friends in the Duluth area is that they recruit. They do it at the lower levels though. Who wouldn't want their kid to play for Sertich at the bantam A level.

Edina does it that way also. Hurley was an Eagan player in squirt for 1 year and the next him and 2 others are playing for Edina.

Willie Brown(IGH/Hill) and Jake Wahlin WBL both played Bantams for Woodbury.

Heck I have seen kids that were in private schools their whole life transfer back to public school cuz the HS coach told them they would play for the private school.

Eden prairie football is probably the biggest recruiter in the state. Coach Grant and his boosters are the biggest opponents of adding another HS out there.

Sad to say but it will never stop.

[harvey lee]

According to the coach for Hermantown in numerous interviews Bruce said he DOES not recruit at all. He even stated he has gotten calls from parents asking if thier kids could play for them and he stated that he told the parents to have thier kids play for thier home town and make them proud.

That's from his mouth, not rumor. Lot's of people assume alot but we need fact.

[fishing tech]

He doesn't have to recruit, if the parents want their kid to play there they sign them up. Open enrollment.

How about a 3 tier tourney? A AA and nonresident.

Nonresident tourney would be for any team that has players from outside of their district lines.

Harvey, did you know Tim Egan, he play at SSP in the late 60's.

[harvey lee]

Well, Bruce the coach of Hermantown states as I posted above that he tells the parents to have the kids play for thier hometown and make them proud. So no, even with open enrollment, Hermantown does not sigh them up or recruit. At least that is what he states and has said in the past. Also has been in the newspapers that he does not allow those kids to play for his team that he coaches.

Yes, I remember the name. Some of the others in that era that were good were the Bonk,s and Warren Miller along with of course many others.

Then of course the best from SSP, Mr Phil Housley.

[fishing tech]

I grew up in WSP. Tim is retired but works PT where I work. Great guy. He went out east and played D1. I am in between him and the Housley era.

[harvey lee]

If I remember correctly, didn't WSP beat SSP in the section finals Phil's senior year?

I went to that game, was the score 4-3? I believe this was in 1981. Was the game in St Paul at the Fairgrounds rink?

Other notables from SSP and in the Hockey Hall of Fame, Ken Yackel and his boys played for SSP also and Doug Woog, a coach for years for SSP, maybe that was in your era with WSP.

Lefty Smith, a longtime coach from SSP was probably a bit before your time as I think he left in the late 60's to early 70's. Long time ago to remember.

[fishing tech]

Yes, I had a lot of friends on that Sibley team, and later a few from the SSP team.

[fishing tech]

I was class of 81, Phil was 83 I believe. Sibley went to state in 83. The 81 team was pretty good though. A lot of good battles in the 70s and 80's.

I had talk to Rak, (he ran wakota arena) and he said that they are lucky to get 100 fans at a Sibley SSP game now. Most of Sibley's good players go to Cretin,STA, or Hill now.

[buzbunni]

How bout them Hornets?!

Played a good game in the championship vs. The Hill.

Nice job boys.