Can Benilde-St. Margaret’s compete with Edina in Section 6AA? The Red Knights are currently ranked 8th in AA and face the Hornets tonight in a section showdown.

As we head towards Christmas break, top teams start to take shape

Most teams have more than a third of their schedule completed which is about the sample size needed for teams to reveal their true identities as contenders or also-rans. As teams continue to jockey for position in the rankings, section hockey is where the real questions remain as teams get good idea on who their best competition will be come February.

If there was any doubt whether Holy Family deserved the top spot after their upset win over previously top-ranked Hill-Murray, they answered it with a pair of wins over ranked opponents last week. The Fire defeated No. 6 Bemidji 4-2 and then followed up with a 3-1 win over No. 11 Moorhead to improve to 10-0-0 on the season. They will play No. 3AA Centennial/Spring Lake Park this Saturday.

Hill-Murray got back on the winning track with three wins, outscoring their opponents 24-3.

Centennial/Spring Lake Park jumped to the No. 3 spot ahead of Minnetonka after beating No. 5 Edina 5-1 and also beating No. 15 River Cities 4-3. They are now 10-1-1 on the season.

Minnetonka fell to No. 4 after Centennial/SLP beat Edina and they tied the Hornets 4-4. They also tied Centennial/SLP earlier this season and still have not lost at 7-0-2.

Edina maintained their No. 5 spot despite a 5-3-1 record. Their three losses have come to teams ranked ahead of them.

No. 6 Bemidji suffered their first loss of the season to No. 1 Holy Family and are 7-1-0. Woodbury jumped two spots to No. 7 after a pair of wins and Benilde-St. Margaret’s stayed at No. 8 at 6-2-0.

Wayzata was one of the biggest movers, jumping into the Top 10 at No. 9 with an 8-2-1 record after a 2-1 win over Maple Grove, who fell from No. 7 to No. 10.

Stillwater made their debut this week after improving to 8-1-1 and entered the rankings at No. 19. The Ponies will get a good test Wednesday against No. 7AA Woodbury.

Some other match ups this week include: #6AA Bemidji at #18AA Roseau, #5AA Edina at #10AA Maple Grove, #1Aa Holy Family at #8AA Benilde-St. Margaret’s, #2AA Hill-Murray at #12AA Andover, #15AA River Cities at #4AA Minnetonka, and #1AA Holy Family at #3AA Centennial/SLP.