Minnesota High School Basketball Rankings Week 4

Minnesota Basketball News provides the ranking of high school basketball teams with the latest selections made last week.

Faribault remains among elite of Class 3A, and undefeated Cannon Falls enters in Class 2A.

Goodhue was dropped out of the Top 10 in Class 1A, Waseca is #3 in Class 2A behind Caledonia at #2 and Albany on top, with Lake City #8.

Mankato East was elevated to #4 in Class 3A, Stewartville #7, Byron #8, Faribault #9.

Two teams from the South Suburban Conference are represented in the Class 4A rankings, #8 Prior Lake, #9 Eagan.

Defending Class 1A champion Cherry remains atop those rankings, Rushford-Peterson is #7.

Benilde-St. Margaret's is numero uno in Class 3A, Cretin-Derham Hall tops 4A rankings.

Each Top 10 is listed below.

Class 1A

1. Cherry
2. Dawson-Boyd
3. Henning
4. Nevis
5. Deer River
6. Park Christian
7. Rushford-Peterson
8. Cedar Mountain
9. Ada-Borup
10.Red Lake County

Class 2A

1. Albany
2. Caledonia
3. Waseca
4. Jackson County Central
5. Pequot Lakes
6. Breck
7. Blake
8. Lake City
9. Montevideo
10.Cannon Falls

Class 3A

1. Benilde-St. Margaret's
2. Orono
3. Alexandria
4. Mankato East
5. DeLaSalle
6. Totino-Grace
7. Stewartville
8. Byron
9. Faribault
10.Richfield

Class 4A

1. Cretin-Derham Hall
2. Hopkins
3. Sauk Rapids-Rice
4. Wayzata
5. Champlin Park
6. Tartan
7. St. Michael-Albertville
8. Prior Lake
9. Eagan
10.St. Louis Park

KDHL had some great performances the last week on the radio by Cannon Falls and Triton.  The teams played each other Friday with Cannon Falls pulling away for a 70-55 win.

Then Saturday, December 28, 2024 the Bombers cruised to running time in a 96-63 win over Kenyon-Wanamingo in the Hangar at Cannon Falls.

The 96 point performance was 3 points away from the all-time record for most points in a game by Cannon Falls boys basketball (99 points vs. Minneapolis Lutheran in 1992, before there was running time).  It most certainly would have been broken without running time, which I frankly am not in favor of primarily because it takes away from substitutes playing time.

These individuals work hard in practice just like the starters do.  I understand the "mercy rule" purpose, but believe it can be accomplished without shortening the game.

Simply impose a rule whereby no starters can be in the game when the lead is 35 points or greater with under 10 minutes to go in the game.

That way the bench players get to have fun in a game with fans in the stands for a longer period than typically.

In the Saturday run away by Cannon Falls Gavin Johnson, 6'5 senior, delighted the crowd with some breakaway dunks and nearly broke his brother Aiden's record for points in a game.

Aiden scored 42 points against Plainview-Elgin-Millville in February of this year.

Gavin had 21 points at the half, finished with 34 points and probably would have achieved the record if not sitting on the cushioned chair with around 10 minutes to go.

In the Friday win Johnson was one of four players in double figures for Cannon Falls.

Pierce Petersohn, 6'5 junior for Triton had 33 points including a breakaway reverse dunk.  The athletically gifted player excels in track and football also.

The Bombers even tried a triangle and two defense but he still got his points.  He was 11 for 14 from the free throw line.

Petersohn scored 31 points against Winona Cotter the previous weekend in Winona while going 18 for 23 from the so-called charity stripe in a 63-50 win..

When he brings the ball up the floor full speed he reminds me of the fastest guy I've seen off the dribble in high school, Mitch Ohnstad, who played for the Faribault Falcons.

Shouldn't be a surprise because Petersohn has been working out with Ohnstad in the Twin Cities.