In Bob Dylan's "Like a Rolling Stone" the Hibbing native describes someone who is lost and without a home. This week the State High School League reconfigured the Sections to ultimately align the hockey sections to be more fair and balanced.
Some teams from the East are headed West (Cretin Derham Hall) and some West are headed East (Jefferson). STMA is headed from the Northeast to the Northwest. New Prague was moved from the South to the already tough Section 2A.
State entrant in Class A Spring Lake Park, was slotted into AA next year and of all places Section 5AA with powers Centennial, Blaine and Maple Grove. Duluth Marshall is going the opposite direction, they are headed into AA and the meat grinder of 7AA where rival Duluth East is coming off seven straight trips to Xcel.
Winners
Southern Minnesota Class A: already the weakest section in the state just got weaker losing New Prague to the metro.
Prior Lake, Minnetonka and Holy Family: all avoid the elephant in the room Edina.
Jefferson: the Jags lose Edina and Prior Lake and pick up St. Thomas Academy and several teams more their size and speed.
Losers
Cretin Derham Hall: the Raiders go from the easiest sections in AA to the meat grinder of 6AA. Geographically it makes no sense and balance-wise it makes less sense.
Edina: their path to state has been fairly easy the last 7 years...having only played one tough regional game in the last four years, the Hornets will likely get tested more than that next year alone.
Old Section 8: getting STMA dropped into your section is like getting paired against the guy with blue jeans and a pull cart in your local golf league. Much like the blue jean guy, the Knights aren't pretty on paper, but the old guard of Section 8 beware, they will be the best team in Section 8 as early as next year.