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Re: Minnesota Girls High School Hockey 2019-20 Season
At last. I reap an advantage of age. And for probably the first time ever I get to add something because I know something that apparently ARM does not.
Back in the day there was no hockey in either Section 1 (Southeast, yes there was a time when Rochester did not have any hockey) or Section 2 (Southwest).
The Section 7 and 8 runners up played for the Section 1 entry to the state tournament and the runners up of Sections 3, 4, 5 and 6 had a four team two game playoff for the Section 2 entry. These two entrants were referred to as having come in the back door.
Rochester started up hockey and rather quickly John Marshall became pretty good. The name Scott Lecy rings a bell for me. Soon enough that section had enough quality that the schools there were allowed to play for their section championship and the two back doors were reduced to one. Rochester John Marshall won the south's only state championship in 1977 defeating Edina East (remember that? two Edina high schools?) 4-2 in the final.
With only one back door it was only the failed finalists from 7 and 8 getting that second chance.
Also, IIRC back when the Range was dominant Duluth wasn't particularly good yet and I am prepared to be wrong here if someone else knows for sure, but I think Duluth was in 6, the Range schools were in 7. I remember some controversy when Duluth had improved enough that Denfeld and East were legitimate powers (and Duluth Cathedral was regularly winning the Catholic school state tournament) and then a realignment moved Duluth into 7 with the Iron Range Conference schools. The complaint was too many really good teams playing down for only one spot in the tournament. Something like 6AA girls right now.
Originally posted by ARM
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Back in the day there was no hockey in either Section 1 (Southeast, yes there was a time when Rochester did not have any hockey) or Section 2 (Southwest).
The Section 7 and 8 runners up played for the Section 1 entry to the state tournament and the runners up of Sections 3, 4, 5 and 6 had a four team two game playoff for the Section 2 entry. These two entrants were referred to as having come in the back door.
Rochester started up hockey and rather quickly John Marshall became pretty good. The name Scott Lecy rings a bell for me. Soon enough that section had enough quality that the schools there were allowed to play for their section championship and the two back doors were reduced to one. Rochester John Marshall won the south's only state championship in 1977 defeating Edina East (remember that? two Edina high schools?) 4-2 in the final.
With only one back door it was only the failed finalists from 7 and 8 getting that second chance.
Also, IIRC back when the Range was dominant Duluth wasn't particularly good yet and I am prepared to be wrong here if someone else knows for sure, but I think Duluth was in 6, the Range schools were in 7. I remember some controversy when Duluth had improved enough that Denfeld and East were legitimate powers (and Duluth Cathedral was regularly winning the Catholic school state tournament) and then a realignment moved Duluth into 7 with the Iron Range Conference schools. The complaint was too many really good teams playing down for only one spot in the tournament. Something like 6AA girls right now.
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