EP 116: The Skippers Stay the Course, a Boys Basketball State Tourney Recap!

Logan, Matt, and Bill put a capper on the winter sports season in Minnesota as they recap last weekend’s Boys State Basketball Tournament, breaking down two major upsets in Class 4A and talking how three title favorites went through a gauntlet to take home the crown in each of the other three classes.

Also discussed is a highlight-reel dunk from Isaiah Johnson-Arigu of Totino-Grace, some predictions for this week’s Mr. Basketball announcement, and some way too early thoughts on teams to watch out for next year.

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EP 114: Let them Eat Cake, a Boys State Hockey Recap PLUS a Preview of this Week’s Girls Hoops’ Tourney with Grant McGinnis!

The podcast crew are back for a two-parter episode, recapping the weekend’s Boys High School Hockey Tournament before welcoming in Grant McGinnis of Prep Girls Hoops Minnesota to preview this week’s big dance in girls basketball!

Starting at (5:00), Matt, Logan, and Bill go through the prep sports headlines of the week, including reacting to Sunday’s announcement of Mr. Hockey Minnesota.

At (9:33), they dive into their State Boys Hockey recap, touching on each game of the Class AA Tournament first at (10:57), culminating with the Edina Hornets capturing their 14th State title. Starting at (29:10), they discuss each game of a compelling Class A tourney (29:10), and spotlight some great goaltending and an MVP performance for senior Andrew Dwinnell for St. Cloud-Cathedral.

Starting at (38:29), Grant McGinnis joins the show to preview the Girls Basketball State Tournament! They talk favorites in each class, potential upset picks to look out for, and discuss the wealth of talented players in the State fom Class 4A and the likes of Aaliyah Crump (Tonka) & Liv McGill (Hopkins) all the way down to Class A standouts like Jordan Zubich of Mountain Iron-Buhl.

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EP 113: “Tourney Time:” A Boys HS Hockey State Tournament Preview with the Star Tribune’s David La Vaque

It’s State Tournament week at “the X” as the podcast previews the Boys High School Hockey Tourney with David La Vaque, a prep sportswriter at the Minneapolis Star Tribune and author of “Tourney Time: Stories from the Minnesota Boys State Hockey Tournament!”

The guys get into the show by welcoming in La Vaque, before toouching on some prep sports headlines this week, including some ticket snafus at last week’s Section Finals and a record-setting performance in girls basketball.

Starting at (12:43), they get into their State Tourney talk by recapping last week’s slate of Section Finals, including detailed breakdowns of Chanhassen, Edina, and White Bear Lake’s wins that La Vaque covered for the Strib, as well as Logan’s thoughts on the upset of the week down in Rochester!

At (38:15), they react to the seedings and matchups of both the Class A and Class AA Tournaments and muse on how the tournaments might play out this week in St. Paul.

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EP 112: “A Bunch of Nobodies” with Centennial Boys Hockey’s Rich Menne, Previewing this Week’s Section Finals & a Girls State Hockey Recap!

Before welcoming in the head coach of Centennial Boys Hockey, Matt, Logan, and Bill reconvene, first talking about the announcement of Mr. Hockey & Frank Brimzak award finalists, as well as their predictions for who the top-10 finalists for Mr. Basketball will be later this week.

Starting at (13:08), they recap last week’s Girls Hockey State Tournament, talking about Hockey Town Minnesota storming to their third straight title in Class A and Edina’s sterling display at the X last week.

At (23:30), they transition to boys hockey and talk all the notable results from the past week in Class AA, starting with St. Cloud’s stunning upset of Roseau last Tuesday, and how Elk River and Buffalo will make history in this Wednesday in the Section 8AA Final! They break down each Section Final going down this week, including Matt’s thoughts after calling one of the 5AA Semis and Logan preparing for this Thursday’s Section 1AA Final call.

Interview with Rich Menne, the 13th year head coach of Centennial, starts at (44:03). Menne talks about his team’s battle with Rogers Saturday, Harper Searles’ Mr. Hockey finalist snub, how impressed he’s been with Rogers, Champlin Park, and Maple Grove’s seasons this year, and the “bunch of nobodies” mantra that has the Cougars buzzing into their first Section Final in three years!

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EP 111: Girls State Hockey Preview & Tiger Talk with Farmington Boys Hoops’ Tharen Johnson!

Before welcoming in the head coach of the No. 7 ranked Farmington Boys Basketball program, Matt, Logan, & Bill first hit on some prep sports headlines, including boys hockey player of the year candidates, Miss Hockey semifinalists, and a big Lake Conference rivalry matchup on the hardwood from Friday night.

Starting at (12:24), they react to the results of Sunday’s Section seeding meetings in Boys Class AA hockey, and preview some of the notable Section playoff matchups that get underway this week.

At (25:26), they review each of last week’s girls hockey Section Final results, and preview the State Tournaments in both Class A and Class AA that start Wednesday morning in St. Paul!

Interview with Tharen Johnson, the 8th year head coach of the Tigers, starts at (49:28). Topics discussed include the Tiger program consistency as they approach their fourth straight winning season, Farmington’s proclivity for crashing the glass, and how the Tigers will fare as they look to snap an over 80-year State Tourney drought.

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EP 110: “Winning Anyways” with Shakopee Boys Hockey Coach Calvin Simon, plus Bill Hupp Shines in the Super Bowl!

Before welcoming in the head coach of the 7th-ranked Shakopee Boys Hockey Team, Matt & Bill first grapple with the implications of Bill’s newfound stardom after a Super Bowl commercial appearance, before getting into some of the prep sports headlines of the week at (4:39). Headlines this week include a monumental clash between Tonka and Edina on the ice, a recent losing skid for another State Tourney contender, and one of the top boys hoops teams in the State seeing their unbeaten season squashed over the weekend.

Starting at (15:30), they recap the action on the ice from the girls hockey Section playoffs last week, including a stunning upset by Rosemount behind some hot goaltending, and tee up the Section Finals of note this week around the State!

Interview with Coach Simon starts at (26:30). Topics include the Sabers’ forward depth that includes electrifying goal-scorers Cooper Simpson and Cooper Siegert, Shako clinching their first-ever conference title, the Sabers’ Frank Brimzak contender between the pipes, “Hockey Day” Minnesota preparations for next year, and more!

Finally, Matt and Bill close with “notes from the field” at (53:18), talking Eastview Divison 1 standout Jon Mekonnen and a golf mishap from over the weekend.

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