The New Section Assignments Are Out! The Boys

If you've read about the girls section re-assignments, you've seen that it's a big deal, potentially impacting more than a half a dozen possible section championships. Among the boys, well, let's just keep it simple. It's no big deal. I mean, the one obvious game-changer is voluntary and we knew it was coming. That of course would be Minnehaha with Jalen Suggs and Chet Holmgren moving up to AAA. They've been assigned to Section 4AAA where they'll face a good Mahtomedi team with J'Vonne Hadley. To some degree, that's unfortunate. Mahtomedi may be a top 5 team again next year. Still, it's better than being in Section 6AAA with DeLaSalle.

Other than that, there's really just a couple of section moves that seem at all likely to impact the section championships. 

• Northfield moves from Class AAA to Class AAAA but still may be a contender, especially with the departure of Lakeville North from Section 1AAAA. Lakeville South and Rochester Mayo's chances are also enhanced.

• Lakeville North will now challenge Eastview in 3AAAA.

• Waseca drops down from Class AAA to Class AA, where they'll be a heavy favorite to win in Section 2AA.

• Mankato East becomes the favorite in 2AAA.

• Osakis moves from 8AA to 6AA where it could conceivably contend but it is by no means a favorite.

• Fergus meanwhile becomes a contender in 8AA after moving down from 8AAA but it, too, is in no way the favorite. 

That's about it. For whatever reason, many of the girls teams that moved are among the powers. The boys teams that moved are generally not. And those who are didn't move. The Holy Angels boys and girls both went to state this year. The girls move from Section 3AAA to 6AAA. The boys are staying put in 3AAA. The Waconia boys and girls are both contenders. The girls moved from 6AAA to 2AAA, while the boys stayed in 6AAA.

Bottom line: The impact and import of these section changes on the boys tournaments is negligible while among the girls it is very significant.