Holiday best: The top high school tournaments around the state

BOYS' HOCKEY

Schwan Cup, Gold Division
When, where: Monday through Wednesday, Ridder Arena, University of Minnesota

Quarterfinals: No. 11 Hill-Murray vs. No. 6 Wayzata, No. 2 Eden Prairie vs. No. 20 Burnsville, No. 14 Minnetonka vs. No. 15 Centennial, No. 18 St. Thomas Academy vs. No. 5 Edina.

Who to watch: Division I-bound players include Eden Prairie's Michael Graham (Notre Dame) and Casey Mittelstadt (Minnesota) and Edina's Casey Dornbach (Nebraska Omaha).

Holiday Hockey Classic
When, where: Monday through Wednesday, St. Louis Park Recreation Center

Teams: No. 1 Benilde-St. Margaret's, No. 4 Stillwater, No. 8 Lakeville North, No. 10 Holy Family, No. 12 Prior Lake, No. 13 Elk River/Zimmerman, Maple Grove and Moorhead.

Who to watch: Division I-bound players include Benilde-St. Margaret's Connor Mayer (Connecticut) and Lakeville North's Max Johnson (Bowling Green), Keaton Pehrson (Michigan Tech) and Ryan Poehling (St. Cloud State).

GIRLS' HOCKEY

Mid-Winter Meltdown

When, where: Monday through Wednesday, Eden Prairie Community Center

Quarterfinals: No. 10 Chaska/Chanhassen vs. No. 9 Cretin-Derham Hall, No. 16 Eagan vs. No. 3 Wayzata, Benilde-St. Margaret's vs. No. 2 Minnetonka, Roseau vs. No. 6 Eden Prairie.

Who to watch: Division I-bound players include Minnetonka's Presley Norby (Wisconsin), Wayzata's Paige Sorensen (Merrimack) and Eden Prairie's Crystalyn Hengler (Minnesota).

Walser Tournament
When, where: Monday through Wednesday, Braemar Arena, Edina

Quarterfinals: No. 14 Stillwater vs. Hopkins, No. 5 Maple Grove vs. Irondale/St. Anthony Village, Grand Rapids/Greenway vs. No. 2 (Class 1A) Breck, No. 11 Lakeville South vs. No. 4 Edina.

Who to watch: Division I-bound players include Breck's Grace Zumwinkle (Minnesota), Maple Grove's Taylor Wente (Minnesota) and Edina's Grace Bowlby (Wisconsin).

Kaposia Classic
When, where: Dec. 31 to Jan. 2, Doug Woog (formerly Wakota) Arena, South St. Paul

Quarterfinals: No. 15 Mounds View vs. No. 1 (Class 1A) Blake, No. 1 Hill-Murray vs. Bloomington Jefferson, No. 8 Elk River/Zimmerman vs. Roseville, No. 19 (1A) Hibbing/Chisholm vs. No. 14 (1A) South St. Paul

Who to watch: Division I-bound players include Hill-Murray's Mekenzie Steffen (Wisconsin), Elk River/Zimmerman's Shae McLean (Ohio State) and Hibbing/Chisholm's Mallorie Iozzo (Ohio State).

Of note: Mounds View forward Sydney Brodt and Blake defenseman Madeline Wethington will miss some or all of the tournament while playing with the U.S. Under-18 Team.

DAVID La VAQUE

BOYS' BASKETBALL

Granite City Classic

When, where: Tuesday, at St. Cloud State; Wednesday, at St. Cloud Apollo High School

Tuesday: Becker vs. Rocori (No. 8, 3A), 11 a.m.; Monticello vs. Sartell, 12:30 p.m.; Minneapolis North (No. 1, 1A), vs. Rogers, 2:15 p.m.; St. Cloud Apollo vs. Albany (No. 9, 2A), 3:45 p.m.; Orono (No. 4, 3A) vs. St. Cloud Tech, 5:30 p.m.; Wayzata (No. 8, 4A) vs. Champlin Park (No. 4, 4A), 7 p.m.; Apple Valley (No. 2, 4A) vs. Maple Grove (No. 3, 4A), at 8:30 p.m.

Wednesday: Same teams and times, different matchups and location. Highlights include Champlin Park vs. Minneapolis North, 3:45 p.m., and Wayzata vs. Apple Valley, 8:30 p.m.

Who to watch: Maple Grove's Reed Nikko (Missouri) and Tywhon Pickford; Champlin Park's McKinley Wright and Theo John; Wayzata's Johnny Beeninga and Apple Valley's Gary Trent Jr., Tre Jones and Brock Bertram (Buffalo). Minneapolis North guard Tyler Johnson is resting a sore knee and might not play.

TCO Holiday Classic

When, where: Tuesday through Thursday, Augsburg College

Tuesday: Henry Sibley vs. Minnehaha Academy (No. 5 2A), 3 p.m.; St. Paul Johnson vs. Chanhassen, 5 p.m.; Eastview vs. Hopkins (No. 1, 4A), 7 p.m.

Wednesday: Eastview vs. Henry Sibley, 3 p.m.; Chanhassen vs. Hopkins, 5 p.m.; Minnehaha Academy vs. St. Paul Johnson, 7 p.m.

Thursday: Henry Sibley vs. St. Paul Johnson, noon; Eastview vs. Chanhassen, 2 p.m.; Minnehaha Academy vs. Hopkins, 4 p.m.

Who to watch: Amir Coffey, Hopkins (Minnesota); Simon Wright, Hopkins; Xavier Johnson, Hopkins; JaVonni Bickham, Minnehaha Academy; Jalen Suggs, Minnehaha Academy; Sean Ryan, Eastview.

GIRLS' BASKETBALL

St. Olaf Classic

When, where: Monday through Wednesday, St. Olaf College, Northfield

Monday: Eastview (No. 1, 4A) vs. Prior Lake, 6:45 p.m.; Hopkins (No. 2, 4A) vs. Orono (No. 1, 3A), 8:30 p.m.

Tuesday: Prior Lake vs. Hopkins, 6:45 p.m.; Eastview vs. Orono, 8:30 p.m.

Wednesday: Prior Lake vs. Orono, 3:15 p.m.; Eastview vs. Hopkins, 5 p.m.

Players to watch: Rachel Ranke, Eastview (Kansas State), Nia Hollie, Hopkins (Michigan State); Ashley Bates, Hopkins (Hampton); Meghan Mandel, Orono (Marquette); McKenna Hofschild, Prior Lake.

St. Michael-Albertville Tournament

When, where: Semifinals Tuesday, finals Wednesday, at St. Michael-Albertville.

Semifinals: White Bear Lake vs. Edina (No. 7, 4A), 5 p.m.; Maple Grove vs. St. Michael-Albertville (No. 5, 4A), 7 p.m.

Who to watch: Sydney Tracy, St. Michael-Albertville (South Dakota State); Rae Johnson, St. Michael-Albertville; Annika Jank, Edina; MackenzieBarta, Maple Grove; Alison Hinck, White Bear Lake.

WRESTLING

The Clash Duals

When, where: Jan. 1-2, Rochester Community and Technical College.

Overview: Considered the nation's top high school dual-meet tournament, it features 32 teams that are among the best in Minnesota (including Apple Valley, St. Michael-Albertville, Simley, Kasson-Mantorville) and the nation, such as St. Edward's of Ohio; Glenbard North of Illinois; and Oak Park River Forest of Illinois.

Schedule: Friday, pool play, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Saturday, morning sessions at 9 a.m., championship sessions at 4 p.m.

JIM PAULSEN