This is the Lake Conference but its really last year's Classic Lake Conference with Eden Prairie replacing Robbinsdale Armstrong. Armstrong is off to the Northwest Suburban after they were kicked out. After the rest of the old Lake Conference didn't like the former Classic Lake members, they decided to leave all of these teams to go form the South Suburban Conference. Regardless of the teams, its tough schedules and strength at the top with a better than record appears team at the bottom.
Eden Prairie Eagles (2009-10 season 26-5, 19-3 Lake Conference, 1st)
Eden Prairie moves in and look at the rivalries in this league with Minnetonka and Hopkins. Should be fun. The Eagles lose leading scorer and top interior player Brett Ervin to UMD but plenty returns. Lefty shooter Grant Soderberg is the leading returning scorer. Expect a couple of summer teammates to have breakout seasons. That's Conner Nord inside and athletic wing Dylan Stewart. Jack Klukas is another scorer who returns. Defensive stopper Grayson Levine is also back. Junior shooter Sander Mohn is another to keep an eye on. The schedule is an absolute nightmare with Minnesota Transitions and league contenders Minneapolis Washburn, Maranatha, Apple Valley, Waconia, Chaska, Shakopee, DeLaSalle and St. Paul Johnson all on the schedule.
Edina Hornets (2009-10 season 12-15, 1-7 Classic Lake Conference, 5th)
Edina would be a solid team in most other leagues but the top of this league leaves them lagging behind. I see no changes to that this year. Guards Brendan Canova and Graham Woodward return along with Nate Carlson. The forwards were the leading scorers last season and both are gone.
Hopkins Royals (2009-10 season 30-2, 8-0 Classic Lake Conference, 1st)
Ah Hopkins, another year, another state title. Expect no different this season from the defending champs. The Royals aren't big and they aren't deep, but they weren't last year either. Their talent is just that good despite graduating 3 contributing seniors and seeing 2013 star Riley Dearring transfer to DeLaSalle. The state's top 2011 recruit and Minnesota commit Joe Coleman is back after a monster breakout season last year. Northern Iowa commit Marvin Singleton is undersized but quick and he overpowers people inside. Siyani Chambers is a Rivals top 100 point guard who is their leader. Forward Zach Stahl does a bit of everything. The 5th spot is open but I expect it to go to forward Nick Jorgenson. I also look for Demetrius Martin to make a contribution in the backcourt.
Minnetonka Skippers (2009-10 season 14-14, 3-5 Classic Lake Conference, tied 3rd)
Talk about a change. Coach Tom Dasovich comes over from Henry Sibley where he had bruising teams and an abundance of size. He has neither this season. 4 of the top 5 double figure scorers from last season are gone, but with major chemistry problems last season, it may be some addition by subtraction. Lefty wing Nick Latzke averaged 15 a night last season and is the top returning player. Andy Jones and Tommy McDermott are also scorers at the Skippers disposal. Size is a major question mark. Andrew Turnblad will have to fill the minutes in the middle. Guard Larry Rice had heart surgery last month. If he's cleared to return, he could provide quality defensive minutes in the backcourt.
Wayzata Trojans (2009-10 season 10-15, 3-5 Classic Lake Conference, tied 3rd)
Forwards Eric Robertson and Chris Burt return and were the top 2 scorers last season. Burt is the interior presence of the 2. Robertson is a lanky athletic wing who can shoot it. Add in his younger brother Zach, a sophomore who saw varsity minutes last year, and this group should be competitive.
Predicted Order of Finish
- Hopkins
- Eden Prairie
- Minnetonka
- Wayzata
- Edina
Underclassmen to watch:
Jake Wright, Eric Hedstrom - Hopkins
Grant Schaeffer - Eden Prairie
Brendan Taylor, Mike Fernando - Minnetonka
Zach Robertson -Wayzata
Graham Woodward -Edina
Games that will determine the conference title
- Eden Prairie at Hopkins - February 1st
- Hopkins at Eden Prairie - February 18th
- Hopkins vs Osseo - Dec 11th (Breakdown Tipoff Classic at Minnetonka)
- Hopkins at Lakeville South - Dec 14th
- Eden Prairie at Apple Valley - Dec 17th
- Benilde-St. Margaret's at Hopkins - Dec 18th
- Eden Prairie Holiday Tournament with Waconia and Benilde-St. Margaret's - Dec 28 and 30th
- Minnetonka at Granite City Tournament in St. Cloud - Dec 28-30th
- Hopkins vs Johnson - Dec 30th (projected Augsburg tournament championship)
- Shakopee at Eden Prairie - Jan 4th
- Minnetonka at Cedar Rapids Washington - Jan 7th
- Johnson at Eden Prairie Jan 13th
- Eden Prairie at Cretin-Derham Hall - Jan 15th
- Hopkins vs Madison East - Jan 29th (Border Battle in St. Cloud)
- DeLaSalle at Eden Prairie - Jan 29th
- Eden Prairie at Waconia - Feb 5th
- Eden Prairie at Chaska - Feb 8th
- Hopkins at Duluth East - Feb 19th
- Minnesota Transitions at Eden Prairie - Feb 25th
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