2020-21 Mid-Season Review

Today marks 1 month since the 2020-21 season was finally able to start games.  It also means we are 1 month away from the end of the regular season.  So after watching 75 games and 123 teams, let's review what we've seen.  I've seen all but 3 of local teams I claim to follow in addition to leaving out the outstate teams from class AAAA.

Independents
I expected more from an experienced LILA team.  They got a cool 50 spot from Strom Norcross in an overtime win over Chesterton/ISM last week.  He also passed 1000 career points a couple weeks ago.  But he hasn't gotten any help for the 2-7 Dragons.   CHOF lost big to Legacy but I'm not worried about them.  I think they'll still be there at the end after this rough start.

EMAC
Only half of the EMAC is playing this season.  Thankfully its the top half.  United Christian's guard play has been better than I expected and that took them to a win over Hiawatha.  Adding MD Daud gives Hiawatha even more firepower on the offense end.  But I still don't trust them defensively.  The rematch that will likely determine the league title is March 4th.  Avail lost to both teams to start the season but has won 6 in a row since. 

MCAA
No surprise seeing Legacy and Lester Prairie at the top.  They split their 2 games this week.  Heritage has been the major surprise here.  Soph forward Aiden Johnson has been a revelation averaging 17.6 PPG.  Steph Sawtelle adding 21.6 a game for the 7-3 Eagles as well.  CHOF, Legacy home and home and Avail still on the schedule.

Skyline
Lots of youth in the league with Nova, New Life and Maranatha all very young plus soph AJ Greene leading Concordia.  Cristo Rey 3-2 and still 3rd in the league but they're in a tailspin right now.  They've lost 3 in a row and 4 of 6.  I had questions after seeing them on opening night and those still exist.

IMAC
Minnehaha has been what we thought.  Blake has been terrific here winning all 9 games by double figures.  That includes double figure road wins vs St. Croix Prep and Twin Cities Academy and the ugly home win on opening night vs Cristo Rey.  They now have Jasper Liu back in the lineup too.  Providence getting 14 PPG from one of the top shooters nobody knows in Sam Schroeder.  Nice win for them over Twin Cities Academy.  Breck's youth with 2 talented sophs and a crop of 8th graders coming up will be fun to watch.  Even Mounds Park Academy despite their winless record looks improved from last year and they have some freshmen in the pipeline too.

Tri-Metro
Columbia Heights knocking off Richfield and DeLaSalle at home was huge before a strange home loss to St. Croix Lutheran.  Lots of firepower for the Hylanders.  DeLaSalle being 3rd in the league is a major shock.  The graduation of Jalen Travis is really showing.  Cade Haskins is having to defend big guys which isn't a normal thing for him.  I also expected more from Holy Angels than 2-6.  Tough loss for St. Anthony this week with PG Max Kachman now out for the season.

St. Paul City
Johnson going into Central and getting a win a minor surprise. St. Paul Humboldt at 4-1 is a nice surprise.  Brian Williams (21.5 PPG) playing style is like Zion Williamson going all lefty and attacking the rim.  Xavier Garcia brings scoring (23 PPG) and a calming influence.  Highland Park with a 1 point win over Johnson and 1 point loss to Humboldt this week.  They're still in the thick of it 1 game behind the 3 leaders.

Minneapolis City
North steamrolling thru the league as expected.  Davon Townley dominant inside for the Polars.  Edison has won 6 in a row including an emphatic 36 point win over South this week.  4-1 in the league with 2 games vs North still on the schedule.  Jabari Langley and Johnny Spencer have been a dynamic scoring duo for the Tommies.

Metro East
The league has had all kinds of COVID cancellations with only South St. Paul getting in a full set of league games.  Soph G Will Underwood has been impressive for Mahtomedi as they were undefeated until losing to South St. Paul this week.  Guard Murl Smith putting up big numbers for North St. Paul.  Freshman Jaden Morgan of Henry Sibley is a future bright spot for the Warriors.

Metro West
Cooper and Chaska have split so no surprises at the top of the league.  Jefferson 2 tight wins over St. Louis Park to make the Jags a positive surprise. That included a 39-37 OT win on Thursday.  St. Louis Park 1-8 before winning a grudge match at Benilde-St. Margaret's yesterday.  Flip those 2 games and the teams would be at about where I had them preseason.

NW Suburban
Champlin Park with home wins over Maple Grove and Totino-Grace.  That keeps the Rebels undefeated and #1 in the AAAA poll.  Spring Lake Park with home wins over both of those teams as well as another positive surprise.  On the other end of expectations, there's Osseo at 5-4 (4-4) including a 22 point loss to Park Center at home.  Maybe last year isn't a write off.  Totino-Grace with 2 losses already on the season wasn't expected either.  Its a young roster learning about high expectations.

Suburban East
Gotta love Mounds View rising thru the ranks and running the table so far thru the 1st rotation at 9-0.  Great balance for that lineup.  Park has been a great story as well getting their 1st ever win over district rival East Ridge.  Speaking of East Ridge, they were in the thick of the race but lost both games this week.  Woodbury started out a surprising 1-3 but they've picked it up for 5 straight wins.  That run includes CDH, Park and East Ridge.  Soph Jack Janicki (22.7 PPG) has been outstanding for White Bear Lake.  He put up 35 points in a win at Cretin-Derham Hall.  Tre Holloman averaging 21 PPG for CDH but nobody else in double figures for the Raiders.

South Suburban
Shakopee and Eastview both undefeated and in the top 5 in the AAAA poll will play on Tuesday.  That exceeds the expectations for 2 rosters that both lost a ton.  The rest of the league is 4 games behind those 2.  Rosemount and Farmington have risen up to be in that 2nd group with the Lakeville schools.  Lakeville South lost to both of them in a stretch where they lost 4 of 5 before beating Eagan on Friday.  A very different Cougars team without Riley Mahlman.  Lakeville North fell back into the group with 2 losses this week including at 20 point loss at Rosemount on Friday.  Prior Lake with their only 3 wins over the bottom 2 in the league is not expected.  Malcolm Jones is having a big year but limited help around him.

Lake
Eden Prairie at 4-4 in a rugged league is the pleasant surprise here.  David Flom doing a great job with a revamped roster.  Soph Chiddi Obiazor has become a go to guy.  They also a have a shooter on the wing in junior Miles Smith.  Minnetonka with a heartbreaking loss at the buzzer yesterday to Armstrong.  With 4 tough games coming up they could be looking at a 3-10 record.  Granted 5 of their 6 losses have been by 6 points or less.

Wright County East
This league may be the 1 that is as close to expectations as any.  Trey Longstreet has been terrific for a Delano team that has revamped their style in-season.  Jordan beat Delano but followed that up with 3 tight losses.  Junior shooters Ashton Sivilay and Isaac Young give the Jags plenty of firepower with Reagan Koch running the show.  The AAA schedule will beat up their record but they will be tough in section 2AA.