Section 1 gets shakeup in wrestling, hockey, volleyball, baseball, softball

Apr. 7—ROCHESTER — The Minnesota State High School League has announced section alignments for the next two sports seasons and there has been shuffling when it comes to wrestling, hockey, volleyball, softball and baseball.

First in wrestling, the most noteworthy is defending Section 1A champ and Class A state runner-up Caledonia/Houston being bumped up to 1AA, joining the likes of Kasson-Mantorville and Zumbrota-Mazeppa. Lewiston-Altura/Rushford-Peterson will take the Warriors' spot in Section 1A. Austin was moved down from 1AAA to 1AA, with Albert Lea then replacing the Packers by going up to 1AAA. The rest of Section 1 stayed the same.

Section 1A: Chatfield, Dover-Eyota, Fillmore Central/Lanesboro/Mabel-Canton, Goodhue, GMLOS, Kenyon-Wanamingo, Lewiston-Altura/Rushford-Peterson, St. Charles, Triton, Wabasha-Kellogg.

Section 1AA: Austin, Byron, Caledonia/Houston, Cannon Falls, Kasson-Mantorville, La Crescent-Hokah, Lake City, Pine Island, Plainview-Elgin-Millville, Stewartville, Zumbrota-Mazeppa.

Section 1AAA: Albert Lea, Faribault, Northfield, Owatonna, Century, John Marshall, Mayo, Winona/Winona Cotter.

In softball, Lewiston-Altura and Blooming Prairie both drop down to 1A from 1AA, while Glenville-Emmons/Alden-Conger and Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton are no longer in 1A. Randolph is now in 1AA after being in Section 4A the previous seasons. Northfield will be dropping down to 1AAA, while New Prague goes up to 1AAAA.

Section 1A: Bethlehem Academy, Blooming Prairie, Fillmore Central, Goodhue, Hayfield, Houston, Kenyon-Wanamingo, Lewiston-Altura, Lyle/Pacelli, Mabel-Canton, Rushford-Peterson, Schaeffer Academy, Southland, Spring Grove, Wabasha-Kellogg.

Section 1AA: Caledonia, Cannon Falls, Chatfield, Winona Cotter, Dover-Eyota, GMLOK, La Crescent-Hokah, Lake City, Pine Island, Plainview-Elgin-Millville, Randolph, Lourdes, St. Charles, Triton, Zumbrota-Mazeppa.

Section 1AAA: Austin, Byron, Faribault, Kasson-Mantorville, Northfield, Red Wing, Stewartville, Winona.

Section 1AAAA: Farmington, Lakeville North, Lakeville South, New Prague, Owatonna, Century, Mayo, John Marshall.

On the boys side of the ball diamond, the changes were similar to softball. Blooming Prairie and Lewiston-Altura jump down to 1A, while Northfield drops to 1AAA and New Prague goes up to 1AAAA.

Section 1A: Blooming Prairie, Fillmore Central, Glenville-Emmons/Alden-Conger, Goodhue, Hayfield, Houston, Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton, Kenyon-Wanamingo, Lewiston-Altura, Lyle/Pacelli, Mabel-Canton, Rushford-Peterson, Schaeffer Academy, Southland, Spring Grove, United South Central, Wabasha-Kellogg.

Section 1AA: Caledonia, Cannon Falls, Chatfield, Winona Cotter, Dover-Eyota, GMLOK, La Crescent-Hokah, Lake City, Pine Island, Plainview-Elgin-Millville, Randolph, Lourdes, St. Charles, Zumbrota-Mazeppa.

Section 1AAA: Austin, Byron, Faribault, Kasson-Mantorville, Northfield, Red Wing, Stewartville, Winona.

Section 1AAAA: Farmington, Lakeville South, Lakeville North, New Prague, Owatonna, Century, John Marshall, Mayo.

In volleyball, there were just two changes. Randolph goes up to 1AA with Blooming Prairie replacing the Rockets in 1A. The rest of Section 1 remained unchanged.

Section 1A: Alden-Conger, Bethlehem Academy, Blooming Prairie, Fillmore Central, Glenville-Emmons, Goodhue, Grand Meadow, Hayfield, Houston, Kenyon-Wanamingo, Kingsland, Lanesboro, LeRoy-Ostrander, Lyle/Pacelli, Mabel-Canton, Minnesota State Academy for the Deaf, Rushford-Peterson, Schaeffer Academy, Southland, Spring Grove, Wabasha-Kellogg.

Section 1AA: Caledonia, Cannon Falls, Chatfield, Winona Cotter, Dover-Eyota, La Crescent-Hokah, Lake City, Lewiston-Altura, Medford, Pine Island, Plainview-Elgin-Millville, Randolph, Lourdes, Shattuck-Saint Mary's, St. Charles, Triton, Zumbrota-Mazeppa.

Section 1AAA: Albert Lea, Austin, Byron, Faribault, Kasson-Mantorville, Red Wing, Stewartville, Winona.

Section 1AAAA: Farmington, Lakeville North, Lakeville South, New Prague, Owatonna, Century, John Marshall, Mayo.

Northfield and New Prague met for the Section 1A boys hockey championship last month at the Rochester Recreation Center. Northfield came out on top to earn the program's second-ever trip to the Class A state tournament.

Neither of those teams will have a chance to return to the Section 1A championship game for at least the next two years.

As part of section realignment for the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons, the Raiders and Trojans are moving out of Section 1A and moving up a class, to Section 1AA.

Their reclassification was the biggest shakeup to Section 1 boys hockey, as the Minnesota State High School League announced adjusted section alignments on Friday in all sports for the next two school years.

The change-up leaves Section 1A wide open — and with nine teams instead of 11 — with Dodge County, Rochester Lourdes, La Crescent-Hokah, and Faribault all looked at as potential favorites.

Dodge County, which lost to Northfield in the section semifinals, brings back two of southeastern Minnesota's top playmakers and scorers, Gryff Funke and Brett Ludvigsen. Funke, who'll be a senior in the fall, scored 31 goals and had 52 points. Ludvigsen finished with 21 goals and a team-best 54 points.

La Crescent-Hokah returns the state's leading goal-scorer, senior-to-be Wyatt Farrell (52 goals in 2022-23). Lourdes and Faribault have some of the more talented young players in the section.

While New Prague and Northfield move into 1AA, Hastings moves out. The Raiders will now play in Section 3AA, which includes Cretin-Derham Hall and St. Thomas Academy, among others.

The new Section 1AA will be home to eight or nine teams, depending on what happens with the Rochester John Marshall program. The Rockets, due to low participation numbers, may enter into a co-op for next season. Final word on that is expected before the end of this school year. As of right now, the Rockets are still listed as a standalone team on the MSHSL's section alignment list.

—Section 1A (9 teams): Albert Lea, Austin, Dodge County, Faribault, La Crescent-Hokah, Red Wing, Rochester Lourdes, Waseca, Winona.

—Section 1AA (8 or 9 teams): Farmington, Lakeville North, Lakeville South, New Prague, Northfield, Owatonna, Rochester Century, Rochester John Marshall (may enter a co-op this fall), Rochester Mayo.

Section 1 in both classes, A and AA, will see somewhat significant changes for the next two seasons.

The realignment of the sections for the 2023-24 and 2024-25 school years have moved some teams out of their traditional sections and brought some strong teams in from the outside.

Section 1A will go from a five-team section in recent seasons to a six-team section for at least the next two years. The new addition is a good one, too: the Simley Spartans. Simley, out of Inver Grove Heights, was the Section 4A runner-up this past season, posting a 21-5-1 overall record. The Spartans were ranked No. 2 in the final Class A state poll of the regular season, before being knocked off by No. 6-ranked South St. Paul in the section title game.

They'll pose a strong challenge to Dodge County (ranked No. 12 in the final Class A poll) and defending Section 1A champ Albert Lea (No. 14). Simley topped Dodge County 6-3 in the regular season this past season; the Spartans didn't face Albert Lea.

Waseca and Winona will remain in Section 1A, while Red Wing will move back into 1A from Section 4A after a two-year absence.

One team departs Section 1A. It's the Austin Packers, who have been shifted up a class to Section 1AA.

The Packers are one of a handful of interesting adjustments to 1AA, as Mankato East will also enter the section, coming from Section 3, Class A. East is just more than a year removed from winning a section championship and going to the state tournament in Class A.

One other interesting shuffle in Section 1AA is defending section champion Lakeville North moving out of the section and into Section 3AA. Lakeville South, however, will remain in 1AA.

—Section 1A (6 teams): Albert Lea, Dodge County, Red Wing, Simley, Waseca, Winona.

—Section 1AA (8 teams): Austin, Farmington, Lakeville South, Mankato East, Northfield, Owatonna, Rochester Century/John Marshall, Rochester Mayo.