Considering the recent conclusion of the boys' high school state tournaments, and the fact that the Bantam AA level is the primary feeder for the state's varsity programs, it made sense to catalog notes and observations from each of this year's Bantam AA State Tournament teams. 

The players from this weekend's teams will likely dot varsity rosters from a plethora of high school programs next November, during the height of preview and projection season. For the time being, here are a few notes on each team, and how the corresponding high school varsity could be influenced next season. 

Edina (24-21-3) 

After this year's reshuffling of Bantam AA and Peewee AA Region tournament protocols, Edina needed just two wins for a spot at the state tournament. The Hornets topped Sartell and Lakeville North, but fell to Rosemount in the Region final. The Hornets lost to Rogers 2-1 in overtime, then Farmington 2-1 in New Ulm. 

First things first - every team that makes it to the State Tournament, at any level, is talented. You're not one of the last eight teams playing if you're not, you know, a good team. The Hornets came achingly close to an appearance in the Bantam AA State Tournament semifinals, losing in overtime to Rogers, which would have meant a finish no lower than fourth. Alas, Farmington hung on for a 2-1 win over Edina in Saturday's consolation semifinals. 

How do the Hornets' prospects at the next level appear? Just fine. The varsity Hornets return a ton next season, and this year's Bantam AAs will get a chance to develop on the JV or bottom-six next season. However, that's assuming everyone from this year's team ends up at Edina High School, which is never a sure thing. 

Osseo-Maple Grove (30-22-3) 

Osseo-Maple Grove has been dominant for long enough now that the AA youth teams are on the best type of autopilot at this point. No matter who's on the roster, Leafbird teams are always well-coached and disciplined, and can win games in a variety of ways. This Bantam AA group was inches away from being knocked out in Region play, but scored in the final minute of regulation and then in overtime to edge Roseville 3-2 and earn a state tournament bid. 

Maple Grove High School graduated eight players this season, opening up a few spots for immediate varsity contributors from this year's Bantam AA team. Should any of the Leafbirds be headed to Osseo, the Orioles lose 18 seniors from the program. Opportunity for young Orioles, indeed. 

Farmington (26-28-8, Bantam AA State Tournament - 6th place) 

The Tigers gutted their way through Region play, slipping past Hermantown 1-0 in overtime and then topping Bemidji in the semifinal. A 9-0 loss to Moorhead only affected seeding, thanks to the new Region format. 

A State Tournament trip marked quite a turnaround for the Tigers, who began the season by scoring just eight goals during a six-game losing streak. This group plays the way you'd expect, coming from Farmington. They play hard, aren't afraid to throw their weight around, and rely on strong goaltending. Netminder Kian Hauser finished second among all state tournament goalies with 91 shots faced, and turned away 82 of them. 

The high school Tigers lose three of their top seven leading scorers from last season, which may leave room for a player like Joe Hambrecht, who led the Tigers in Region scoring and assisted on both goals Farmington scored at the state tournament, to slide into a top-six role. 

Minnetonka (38-9-6, Bantam AA State Tournament - 5th place) 

The only Minnesota team to have beaten the mighty Moorhead Spuds, Minnetonka's Bantam AA  group has an interesting mix of high-end skill and workmanlike depth. This team had separate runs of eight and 11-game winning streaks across 53 games, and just one of the Skippers' losses came against a team that did not make a state tournament (Shakopee). 

Six of the nine players Minnetonka High School loses to graduation are forwards, which should allow players like Dean Stevens, Colten Crook, and Cash Hardie to play key roles in their first season of high school hockey. Stevens and Crook led the Skippers with five points apiece at the Bantam AA State Tournament, and Hardie is a YHH Bantam Player of the Year finalist. Defenseman Mason Schemenauer should take on a sizable role on defense as well. 

Eden Prairie (29-21-6, Bantam AA State Tournament - 4th place) 

Section 2AA receives bountiful reinforcements next season, and not just from Minnetonka. Eden Prairie's Bantam AA team played one of the most demanding schedules in the state, and brought a hungry group to New Ulm after sweeping through Region play with three straight wins over St. Michael-Albertville, Minnetonka, and Rogers. 

The Eagles have gamers up and down the lineup, players who seem to dig deep and find whatever they need in high-intensity games. They block shots, forecheck like maniacs, and work the defensive zone as hard as any other team. After holding on for a 4-2 win over Osseo-Maple Grove in the quarterfinals, the Eagles were doomed by a three-goal first period from Moorhead in the semifinal round. 

Perhaps no other team's high school on this list was hit as hard by graduation as Eden Prairie. Last year's top eight leading scorers are gone, as is goaltender Keegan Fryar, who played a third of the season. If Bantam AA Eagles are worried about what their playing time could look like next season, those facts should calm their nerves - lots of room to play right away. 

Rogers (41-17-6, Bantam AA State Tournament - 3rd place) 

There may be a small piece of the Royal faithful that's glad to see the season come to an end, if only to save themselves some blood pressure points. The Bantam AA Royals played 31 games this year decided by two goals or fewer. Talk about stress. 

Numbers-wise, that means 15 of the Royals' 17 losses on the season were by two goals or fewer, which is a good sign as some of this group prepares to enter the high school ranks. The trend continued at the state tournament, where the Royals' Landon Medin knocked in a rebound in a quarterfinal win over Edina, before Bauer Sullivan hung three on the Royals in a 3-1 semifinal loss to Rosemount. Undaunted, the Royals went 8-for-8 on the penalty kill in a 2-1 win over Eden Prairie in Sunday's third-place game. 

Rogers High School loses 10 seniors to graduation, including three defensemen and a goaltender. The Royals have now had multiple seasons of high-quality Bantam AA play, so the pipeline is well-stocked. As this group leaves youth hockey, they only add to the swell of talent in the program. 

Rosemount (42-10-9, Bantam AA State Tournament - runner-up)

That's back-to-back Bantam AA State Tournament runs for the Irish, and this season saw arguably the program's most talented roster advance all the way to the season's ultimate game. The loss to Moorhead in Sunday's championship was the first loss the Irish had suffered since Jan. 17, coincidentally also a loss against Moorhead. Six of the Irish's 10 losses on the year were by two goals or fewer. 

A 3-0 win over Farmington was followed by Bauer Sullivan's hat trick in the semifinal round against Rogers, which pushed the Irish into the state title game against Moorhead. Sullivan scored the lone goal of the game for the Irish, finishing the state tournament with four goals and six points. He factored into six of the team's seven goals on the weekend. 

Of the six players that graduate from the Rosemount varsity, three are defensemen, which bodes well for Bantam AA's defenders, particularly Jack Lonke and Ryan Bartol. Sullivan could have contributed this season but should find time on the top power-play unit and possibly the Irish's top forward line next year. 

It's fitting that this story was published on St. Patrick's Day because, with all this talent, it's a good day to be part of the (Rosemount) Irish community. 

Moorhead (50-3-1, Bantam AA State Tournament - champions)

Over the last five years, there has not been a more dominant Bantam AA team than Moorhead, and this year's team may have been the most talented of the bunch. 

The Spuds won their second straight state title on Sunday, but that only scratches the surface of the last decade. The Spuds have now advanced to four consecutive Bantam AA championship games, winning three, and the lone loss came in overtime in 2023. In 2016, the Spuds fell in double overtime. That means, dear reader, that Moorhead has been a bounce or two away from five state crowns in 10 years. Goodness. 

This year, Moorhead topped Minnetonka, Eden Prairie, and Rosemount in succession in New Ulm. The outcomes of the games were never in doubt, and the Spuds got quality performances from every player that touched the ice, including undervalued goaltenders Will Arnold and Maddox Gregoire. The duo combined to stop 51 of 55 shots over the weekend. 

The "downside" to all this success? A logjam of talent at virtually every position. Some Bantam AA pieces could end up on different teams next season, as could a few key players from this year's Class AA champs. The Spuds are loaded with difference-makers at every spot, which could lead to some defections as players seek more playing time or other opportunities. That all remains to be seen. 

For now, the Spuds reign supreme at the state's premier levels of boys' hockey.