Weekly 360 Windmill, Jan 24, 2016

After a week off due to technical issues, the Weekly 360 Windmill returns.  Its my look at the week that was and the week that will be.  A big week on the schedule last week.  In some conferences we got clarity, in others the waters became more cloudy.

Last week

• Minnehaha with wins over SPA and at Breck to take charge in the IMAC.
• Woodbury makes a firm claim to the top spot in section 4AAAA and ties for 1st in Suburban East with the grudge home win vs Cretin-Derham Hall.  The Royals have won 12 straight since the last second loss to the Raiders. 
• Cretin-Derham Hall could have gone 2 games up in the Suburban East and taken a strong hold of section 4AAAA with 2 wins.  Instead they go 0-2 and fall to 2nd in the section and tied for 1st in the league.
• Great week for Chaska as they go 3-0 with wins at Cooper, at St. Louis Park and at home vs Orono.  They stay in 1st place alone in the Metro West.
• Eden Prairie goes on the road this week and beats Cretin-Derham Hall by 30 and Edina by 11.  We've wondered about the Eagles but a deeper look shows that 8 of their 9 losses are by a grand total of 20 points.  That includes 3 losses by a single point.
• CHOF falls from the ranks of the unbeatens with a blowout loss at Cannon Falls.  Its a tough week ahead for the Lions with SW Christian and a trip to New Life.  Then Brooklyn Center comes calling to start the following week.
• Hope Academy is now 9-0 since New Year's and they've already knocked off all the top contenders in the EMAC.
• Richfield has now lost 4 of 5 in the last 2 weeks to fall out of the top spot in section 3AAA.
• Highland Park with 2 road wins to extend their streak to 5 in a row to take over that top spot in section 3AAA.

This Week
Monday games of note

• #6AAAA Wayzata at #1A Minneapolis North
• #2AAA Red Wing at Northfield.  Quality Big 9 road test for the undefeated Wingers.

Tuesday games of note

• Watertown-Mayer at Rockford.  Its arguably the best chance for metro fans to see Watertown-Mayer star Trae Berhow.  These teams also slugging it out for position in 5AA West.  Rockford won the 1st meeting by 2 in mid-December.
• Bloomington Jefferson at Eden Prairie
• Benilde-St. Margaret's at Chaska.  Chaska's only league loss is giving up a 17 pt 2nd half lead at BSM.
• Minneapolis Henry at New Prague.  Big game for Henry as it helps the strength of schedule and gives a comparison to all the teams in the loaded Wright County East.
• SW Christian at CHOF.  Good test for both.
• Totino-Grace at Armstrong.  Both trying to get back on track as they've each lost 6 of their last 8.
• Johnson at Central.  Johnson trying to jump back into 1st in the St. Paul City but its always a struggle for them at Central.
• Nicollet Avenue bragging rights night
• Washburn at Holy Angels
• Richfield at Kennedy

Thursday games of note

• #1AAA De La Salle at #1AA St. Croix Lutheran. Last week we had an instant classic with #1AAAA Hopkins and #1A North, now the other 2 classes get their chance.
• Braham at Barnum (Great River vs Polar leaders)
• Northern Freeeze at Fosston (Six Star vs Pine to Prairie).  Showcase game for Cole Dahl.

Friday games of note

• Wayzata at Hopkins.  Top 2 in the Lake Conference.  Hopkins can de facto clinch with a win.
• Tartan at Mahtomedi.  Both trying to keep pace with North St. Paul in the Metro East.  A Mahtomedi win would put both teams 2 games back.
• Chaska at Jefferson.  Chaska can de facto clinch the Metro West with 2 wins this week.
• Waconia at Delano.  Another Wright County East battle for 1st and placement in section 6AAA.
• Central at Highland Park.  Central with 2 wins this week would go 2 games up in the St. Paul City and de facto clinch.
• Monticello at Rogers (top 2 in the Mississippi 8)
• Fosston vs Waubun (Pine to Prairie division leaders)

Saturday games of note
2 events highlight the weekend.  Locally its the Super 60 event at Hopkins.  #10A Battle Lake vs #1AA St. Croix Lutheran and #1AAAA Hopkins vs #2AA Caledonia highlight that schedule

I return to The Old Kingdom for the 10th annual Border Battle.  This year its in Onalaska, WI.  Beware of the big white wall as the hideous backdrop behind one of the baskets.  Home state teams have won a staggering 27 of the last 28 games over the past 5 seasons including the last 21.  Minnesota leads the all-time series 29-22.

11:00 a.m. -- #3 D5 Marshfield Columbus (WI) vs. #2A Spring Grove (MN)
12:45 p.m. -- #13 D3 Westby (WI) vs. #5AA Lake City (MN)
2:30 p.m. -- Eau Claire Memorial (WI) vs. Tartan (MN)
4:15 p.m. -- #6 D2 La Crosse Central (WI) vs. #1AAA De La Salle (MN)
6:00 p.m. -- #8 D2 Onalaska (WI) vs. #1A Minneapolis North (MN)
7:45 p.m. -- #1 D1 Stevens Point (WI) vs. Minnetonka (MN)

My predictions
I think the home state streak goes seriously bad this year.
Spring Grove, Lake City, Tartan, De La Salle, North and Stevens Point all get wins.

Chase Grinde, Brady Kuchinka, Jordan Horn, Jarvis Thomas, Gabe Kalscheur, Goanar Mar, Tyler Johnson, Jamil Jackson, Patrick Dembley, Isaac Johnson, Amar Miller, Seth Coatta is a group of Minnesota kids to watch.  A shame that Caledonia is coming up here to play instead, but a matchup with Hopkins is understandable.

Isaac Appleby, Bailey Kale, Kobe King (WI commit), Sam Hauser (Marquette commit), Joey Hauser, Trev Anderson (UWGB commit) are just some of the Wisconsin guys of note that are playing. 

Amar Miller vs Trev Anderson and Kobe King vs Gabe Kalscheur are the 2 individual matchups of the day that stick out.

Chess match of the day.  Central vs De La Salle.  Central will play a ton of zone and De La Salle will focus on slowing down King and Kale.  1st one to 40 wins.  Both teams are essentially 2 man bands.  Central is deeper.   But the zone will give De La Salle's guys chances.  I hate picking against the alma mater but I like the Islanders in a close one.  Central does have the advantage of it being a familiar gym.

Sleeper game of the day: Marshfield Columbus vs Spring Grove