Here we are on Super Bowl Sunday as we inch closer and closer to the finish line of the regular season with the culminating MIAC Playoffs and some major shifts in my Power Rankings on this day after this last week of action as likely anticipated. So here we go:
1. GAC
2. Bethel
3. Hamline
4. (tie) Concordia & CSB
5. St. Scholastica
6. SMU
7. St. Kate's
8. Macalester
9. Carleton
10. St. Olaf
11. Augsburg
After spending the last three weeks looking up, the Gusties reclaim the top spot in my Power Rankings by virtue of racing past SMU at home this last Wednesday night and then - more importantly - turning the tables and avenging their only loss thus far this season by knocking off Bethel yesterday over in Arden Hills in a game that wasn't as close as the score suggested as GAC was never in any real danger yesterday. Are the Gusties beginning to peak at the right time? Perhaps but they've got to keep their focus sharp in this home stretch as this week they'll run over to the west side of Northfield to take on St. Olaf on Wednesday night before returning home for a tilt with CSB on Saturday........Meanwhile, it was a nice little three-week run at the top spot for the Royals but even though they got a solid victory down in Northfield this last Wednesday night against Carleton, Bethel saw its ten-game win streak snapped yesterday by GAC in convincing fashion. And although the Royals may be reeling a bit at the moment, they've got to find a way to refocus and quickly as they make the dreaded trip up US Highway 10 and the BNSF's Staples Sub mainline to Moorhead to face Concordia on Wednesday night and then face a high-octane Hamline team back home this next Saturday at Robertson Center.
Speaking of the Pipers, they're the one team this week that didn't have any room to move up and certainly had no reason to fall down as they held serve by clobbering Augsburg in Minneapolis this last Wednesday night and took care of Macalester yesterday at home. They should continue their winning ways this coming Wednesday night at least as Carleton ventures to venerable Hutton Arena but Hamline faces a huge challenge this coming Saturday when they make the quick run over to Robertson Center to face Bethel........Below this is where things start getting a little tricky. First, Concordia makes the jump to the number four spot in my Power Rankings but they sure did it in ways you probably wouldn't expect. First, they almost got caught playing with matches (sigh, AGAIN) as they had to go to an extra session to fend off a stubborn St. Olaf team this last Wednesday night and then pulled off a huge dub in Claire Lynch yesterday in knocking off CSB. But before the Cobbers can start celebrating their latest gains, they've got to quickly refocus as well as they've got Bethel coming into cavernous Memorial Auditorium on Wednesday night before heading over to the frigid shores of Gitche Gumee to take on St. Scholastica this coming Saturday.......Sharing the fourth spot on this day is CSB and although the Bennies got a big win this last Wednesday night over at St. Scholastica, their five-game win streak cam to a halt yesterday at home in Claire Lynch against aforementioned Concordia team. This coming week is going to be anything but easy for CSB as they've got Macalester coming to St. Joe on Wednesday night before making a trip to St. Peter this next Saturday to face GAC.
Things were looking much brighter for St. Scholastica a mere week ago but this last week was nothing short of a disaster for the Saints as they first took it on the chin at home against CSB this last Wednesday night (a team they beat by 20 + three weekends ago) before yesterday's debacle down in Winona against SMU so one has to wonder right now how damaged the Saints are. And things certainly won't be any easier for St. Scholastica this week either as they come down to the Cities to take on St. Kate's on Wednesday night before before Concordia invades Reif Center this coming Saturday........Speaking of the Cardinals, many - including yours truly - had left them for dead after the four-game skid but they got things turned around yesterday with the big home win against aforementioned St. Scholastica team. On paper anyway, SMU appears to have the most favorable home stretch as a home game against Augsburg on Wednesday night before a trip to Northfield to face Carleton this coming Saturday would suggest........Trying its damndest to stay alive is St. Kate's and they really needed to take care of business this last week but instead had to settle for a split as they faltered in the fourth period this last Wednesday night over at Macalester before recovering and sending Carleton packing with a big home win yesterday. And there's really no more room for error for the Wildcats either as they host St. Scholastica in a huge game Wednesday night at Butler Center before running over to Minneapolis to take on Augsburg this next Saturday.
So that's how I'm seeing things on this Super Bowl Sunday. As always, please feel free to fire away with thoughts.
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