11-12 Sections 4A-4AA Preview

This is the 23rd and final preview in my 2011-2012 season preview series.  We finish with a look at the little guys.  Its time to preview sections 4AA and 4A.  For a list of all the season previews, click here.

Section 4AA
Defending Champion: Minnehaha

Predicted Seeding

1. Concordia
2. Minnehaha
3. Trinity
4. St. Croix Lutheran
5. St. Agnes
6. Breck
7. St. Paul Academy
8. New Life Academy
9. Minneapolis Edison
10. St. Paul Humboldt
11. Brooklyn Center
12. Mounds Park Academy
13. International School
14. Great River
15. Hmong Academy

Another down year in section 4AA, especially with Blake moving up to 6AAA.  For sake of this preview, I'll assume Minneapolis Roosevelt stays in 6AAA.  The bottom 7 all figure to seriously stuggle this season.  EMAC gets the short end of the stick with the last 3 seeds.  New Life will be better than I expected (I messed up their preview) but the MCAA schedule won't do them any favors in seeding.  4-7 fall into place based on Tri-Metro finish.  Trinity wins their half of the MCAA and gets a 3 seed.  Concordia and Minnehaha are the 2 favorites.  I like Concordia with 9 seniors but don't count out the defending champs with one of the best scorers in the section, Gerald McCarver.

Sleeper: Breck.  Coach Matt McCollister has a group of 4 talented freshmen.  They'll take some lumps early but with a year under their belt, come tourney time they will be a tough out.

Section Winner: Concordia. Post Cutler Finneman is too much inside and he'll have help.


Section 4A
Defending Champion: Maranatha

I won't bother with seeding predictions because you never know who will actually play come section time.  23 teams are listed but I'll be surprised if more than 19 actually play.   Big story is the move of Minneapolis North into the section from 6AAAA.  The 2 favorites have to be Maranatha and Prairie Seeds Academy.  Garrison Gillard joins an already talented class at Maranatha and should have a big year.  Gage Deis joins Prairie Seeds and will be the top post in the section.  Heritage and Minnesota Transitions are 2 other teams I'm keeping an eye on.  Heritage has plenty returning from a 19-9 squad.  MTS won't be a juggernaut likes years past but will still have plenty to work with in forward David Wallendorf, wing Terrence Lofton and post Tevin Simms.  North, Legacy, CHOF, West Lutheran, Four Directions, FAIR, PACT and St. Croix Prep should make up the best of the rest in no particular order.  Ben Freeby (Legacy), Kyle Roy (Four Directions) and Tyler Strandlund (CHOF) are posts that will need to be prepared for.

Sleeper: Minnesota Transitions.  I see most sleeping on the Wolves with a Noreen no longer on the roster.

Section Winner: Maranatha.  I see too much talent and tradition there to pick against the Mustangs.