New Section Assignments are out on MSHSL.org – be sure to check out the full listing for dance team here.
Here are the highlights by section:
1A: The southeast region still appears to be suffering from a lack of jazz teams – with only 8 of the teams fielding a jazz routine last year. The threat of losing a place in favor of section 4A (with the most jazz teams at 13) is still there. Goodhue departs this group for section 2.
2A: The biggest changes in all of dance happens here with 5 teams joining the sparse field from last year. Goodhue, New Ulm Cathedral, GFW, ACGC, and Litchfield (from AA) – all join in. Notably – Columbia Heights either didn’t apply for an op-down or was denied one and will move to section 2AA. Spectrum was a no-show team removed from the list this time.
3A: With New Ulm Cathedral and GFW departing, the field gets a bit more manageable. Minnewaska (4A) and BBE/Paynesville (4AA) will move in. You’ll notice the co-ops are more generous these days since the way they calculate a co-ops numbers has loosened up. BBE will be on the class A side of that line this time.
4A: Minnewaska leaves for 3A, but the notable changes here are the no-show teams that were removed. Ely (my #1 violator of signing up and not showing up) finally left the list. I’m unsure if Sauk Centre is going to make an appearance here, but even if they don’t – spots to state won’t be threatened.
1AA: Cretin Derham Hall arrives in AA with my biggest surprise of the shuffle. I usually wouldn’t put money on a private school having an enrollment change – but Cretin will drop down and join the southeast. Faribault stays, Northfield goes up to AAA. Hill Murray and St. Paul Academy move over to make a bigger section 2.
2AA: The tiny group of AA gets a few new names. St. Paul Academy, Hill Murray, and Columbia Heights will join in, creating balance. We’ll likely see 3 teams from all AA sections happen this coming year. Totino Grace and Benilde still have a stronghold here, so that 3rd spot will very important. Monticello will depart for 4AA.
3AA: No major shakeups here. Interesting how if Holy Family an/or Mayer Lutheran didn’t have a co-op, they’d be in class A.
4AA: Monticello joins this section from 2AA, but the news-maker here is the departure of Sauk Rapids Rice up to 4AAA. I think I’ll miss their rivalry with Rocori – but then again, I’ll like seeing things open up in this group.
1AAA: Bloomington and Eagan will float on out to section 3, while Owatonna will be a brand new team here. Very exciting to see new faces. Northfield will also be back in AAA here.
2AAA: Buffalo and Rogers will move in from section 4, with all the usual west metro names still here. The Minneapolis no-show schools were dropped from this list as well as Minneapolis South from section 3.
3AAA: Eagan and Bloomington will join in from section 1, bringing the count up to 13 here. Minneapolis South didn’t field a program last year and aren’t signed up here this time.
4AAA: Sauk Rapids Rice joins in from AA, and St. Michael Albertville will be a new team in AAA next year. Rogers and Buffalo jump over to section 2 to balance it out.