MSHSL approves new seedings for four sports

Alicia Tipcke WDIO
The Hermantown and St. Cloud Cathedral boys hockey teams enter the Xcel Energy Center for the Class A state championship game Saturday 3/9/24.

This winter Minnesota State high school girls and boys hockey and basketball tournaments will look different.

The Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) Board of Director’s approved seeding teams one through eight in a meeting on Tuesday.

Originally teams were seeded one through five, with three random draws.

So, why the change? Well, some teams have argued, like the Minnetonka girls hockey team this year, that despite earning the number one seed in their class they’re still drawing the toughest team to open the tournament with the Random Draw system. They only beat Maple Grove 2-1 in their quarterfinal, while No. 4 Edina beat No. 5 Northfield 5-0.

Additionally, this fall girls volleyball will move to 1-8 state seedings. Football has gone to a North 1-4 and South 1-4 state quarterfinal seeding system.