Temperatures still are hovering around 50 degrees and football is hogging most of the high school headlines, so it's understandable if the beginning of the girls' hockey season might have snuck up on folks.
With game action already in its second week, here's a look at some teams and players to watch in the west metro:
BEST CLASS 2A TEAM
• Minnetonka: The Skippers are ranked No. 1 in Class 2A and are shooting for their third consecutive state championship. The Skippers lost only two players from last season's team, so their biggest problem might be getting enough playing time to satisfy the talent.
HONORABLE MENTION
• Benilde-St. Margaret's: Perhaps the only team in the state that can match Minnetonka's talent.
• Edina: Plenty of scoring punch returns for the 2011 2A third-place winners.
• Eden Prairie: Veteran savvy in goal (McKenzie Johnson) and on defense (Tess Roehl).
BEST CLASS 1A TEAM
• Blake: With a lineup led by feisty, high-scoring forward Dani Cameranesi and most of their core returning, the Bears are stacked. Emotion is on their side, too, in their first year without beloved coach Brano Stankovsky, who died unexpectedly last April.
HONORABLE MENTION
• Breck: Defending state champion is in its first year AMM (After Milica McMillen).
