Pool A: Duluth East, Minnetonka, Centennial, Wayzata

TS: Best pool of the eight we had to review...all four have T10 and State tourney potential, but need more consistency every game. Not a bad game of the six. We drew Centennial out of our pick 'em hat, but still went with Duluth East.

Pool B: Duluth Denfeld, Grand Rapids, Eden Prairie, and Blaine

TS: Eden Prairie gets two tough pool play games with Blaine and Grand Rapids. Blaine will be tough because they handled the Bengals a few weeks ago in Moorhead (young minds have a hard time forgetting). Rapids is a mystery team...they come with a very similar resume as Duluth East and Cloquet. EP better be ready.

Pool C: Superior (WI), Edina, Moorhead, and Thunder Bay
 

TS: Edina won't be challenged in pool play, unless Thunder Bay brings back the Staal brothers for an alumni appearnce. 

Pool D: Hermantown, Prior Lake, Cloquet, and Elk River

TS: Another really good pool with no prohibitive favorite. Elk River and Prior have no love lost between them, nor does Hermantown and Cloquet...which makes predicting games way harder when more than hardware is on the line. Elk River has a few weapons the other three teams don't have, slight edge to the Elks.

The Bantams are also matched into four even pools of four of North, Metro and outstate teams. Cloquet is the best northern team, while top metro teams Minnetonka, Eden Prairie, and Blaine lace them up on back to back weekends.

Pool A: Duluth Lakers, Centennial, Eden Prairie and St. Cloud

TS: EP the class of this pool, St. Cloud gets their first taste of some top teams this weekend. Duluth and Centennial lookng to get healty at the Heritage.

Pool B: Hermantown, Madison Capitols, Minnetonka, and Elk River

TS: Mad Caps are a mystery they could give teams trouble...no matter what, Tonka the front runner in this pool

Pool C: Cloquet, Lakeville South, Blaine, and Forest Lake

TS: Cloquet and Blaine square off Saturday morning for what likely amounts to a Quarterfinal game. Winner moves to semis, loser heads to consolation

Pool D: Grand Rapids, Stillwater, Thunder Bay, Prior Lake

TS: Prior Lake and Stillwater have both shown signs of top 10 (Lakers beat #1 Edina this week) and Stillwater has skated with but not beaten some of the best already. Thunder Bay and Grand Rapids could shake things up a little, too.

The Call:

Final 4

Eden Prairie > Minnetonka...re-match of EP title game last Sunday
Cloquet > Prior Lake...Lumberjacks win in re-match of Blue Ox first round game.

Championship

Cloquet > Eden Prairie..playing near home, after resting over Thanksgiving will be a key for Lumberjacks.