A nice field of teams come to Duluth at the Bantam level including the top 4 teams in Minnesota: Centennial, Edina, Grand Rapids, and Minnetonka. Last weekend, Tonka and Centennial fought to a 2-2 tie. This weekend the Skippers get a pool play game with Grand Rapids. Edina gets a shot at Cloquet making the pool play games very important to advance to Bracket Play.

Pool Play

Pool A: Duluth East, Woodbury, Eden Prairie, and Anoka

Prediction: EP should slide into their second consecutive Final Four in two weeks.

Pool B: Forest Lake, Minnetonka, Superior and Grand Rapids

Prediction: Rapids should sneak by Tonka on Saturday to advance.

Pool C: Hermantown, Centennial, Thunder Bay, and St. Cloud

Prediction: Centennial should carry this pool, but it won't be a cakewalk, all three teams have some serious star power. Tyler Watkins from Hermantown is a top 10 Bantam for a reason.

Pool D: Edina, Cloquet, Stillwater, and Blaine

Prediction: Edina will win this pool, but it won't be easy. Cloquet has size and skill on both sides of the ice that will give these three teams trouble. Watch out for Ryan Nelson and Brendan Durand for the Lumberjacks. 

Bracket Play

Semis: Centennial > Eden Prairie and Grand Rapids > Edina

Finals: Grand Rapids > Centennial

Prediction: The Thunderhawks are the complete package of skill, size, offense, defense, goaltending and grit. Add in some seasoning with players like Hain, Mclaughlin, and Heitkamp...this team will be poised to win the Spirit this weekend.

The PeeWee field isn't as strong as the Bantam field on paper, but there are a lot of good teams with a lo to prove in the crazy PeeWee level this year. One team has not emerged yet as the clear number 1 team in Minnesota. Several have had a taste, but none has truly washed it down yet. The Spirit may do a good job of clearing things up if Edina were to win in convincing fashion like they have done the past two years. Don't count out Wayzata, Blaine or Cloquet from the equation. Unfortunately, three of those mentioned (Blaine, Cloquet and Edina) will all knock each other out by Saturday.

Pool Play

Pool A: Centennial, Superior, Wayzata, and Minnetonka

Prediction: Wayzata is the best team in this pool, but sometimes the team with the best player wins a pool Don't count out Tonka and Griffin Streeter to win the A pool if they bring their A game.

Pool B: Madision, Eden Prairie, Duluth East, and Grand Rapids.

Prediction: Very evenly balanced pool. All 4 have a chance to advance, YHH will give the home ice advantage and take the improving Hounds to win it.

Pool B: Elk River, Hermantown, Prior Lake, and Thunder Bay

Prediction: Similar to Pool B a very evenly balanced pool. Any of the 4 has a chance to advance. It will come down to star power and goaltending. The slight edge goes to Elk River in this pool.

Pool D: Blaine, Cloquet, Edina and Forest Lake

Prediction: Before I begin, I first must say, "poor Forest Lake." Credit their coaches for taking on the best in the PeeWee AA tournament circuit. Last weekend they faced Rosemount (#1 YHH and EP Champion), Stillwater (#7 YHH), and always tough Prior Lake. This week they face Edina (#2 YHH), Blaine (#6 YHH) and Cloquet (#5 YHH). This tough stretch will make this team stronger down the stretch. Kudos to them. Edina should get back on track, but it won't be easy against Cloquet and Blaine.

Bracket Play

Semis: Wayzata > Duluth East - Edina > Elk River

Finals: Edina > Wayzata

Prediction: Edina will face Wayzata three times in one week. Wayzata won Sunday and Edina won Wednesday. They should have no trouble winning the Spirit for the third year in a row.