We are a day away from sections, and we still have a couple more sections to preview. The seeds and brackets are all out. Section 5A has three contenders: No. 1 Seed Little Falls, No. 2 Seed Cambridge- Isanti, No. 3 Seed St. Cloud Cathedral. The section quarterfinals are on Tuesday the 22nd, Semis on Saturday the 26th, and then the finals are on Wednesday, March 2nd. In this article, we will highlight the top five most impactful players in this section. Let’s get right to it!
No. 1 Seed Little Falls (2 Players)
#1. Matt Filippi | 6’2 Forward | #18 Ranked ’23
Matt Filippi is the top player in this section, he had a very impressive regular season this year. He finished with 34 goals, 37 assists for 71 total points. Filippi had a very impressive 2.84 points per game this season. He is the most impactful player in the section and has a good chance at sending his Flyers to the X. We have covered Filippi a lot this year, but he is in the top 5 ’A’ players in the state and it would be electric to watch him at state.
#2. Hayden Johnson Hayden Johnson 6'0" | Forward Little Falls | 2022 State MN | 6’0 Forward | #53 Ranked ’22
Hayden Johnson Hayden Johnson 6'0" | Forward Little Falls | 2022 State MN is Filippis’ sidekick and they are one of the top ’A’ duos in the state. Johnson has 27 goals and 42 assists for 69 total points. The duo combined for 140 total points this regular season. Hayden Johnson Hayden Johnson 6'0" | Forward Little Falls | 2022 State MN has a good chance at playing in some form of juniors after high school. Johnson is a very solid playmaker and sets Filippi up a lot. Johnson needs to be at his best, and if he is: the Flyers will score a lot of points.
No. 6 Seed Mora/Milaca (1 Player)
#3. Parker Mitchell Parker Mitchell 5'10" | Forward Mora/Milaca | 2022 State MN | 5’10 Forward | #122 Ranked ’22
Parker Mitchell Parker Mitchell 5'10" | Forward Mora/Milaca | 2022 State MN is the type of player that can give Mora/Milaca a bit of a playoff run. This is a very scary player/team for any team to match up against in the section. Parker Mitchell Parker Mitchell 5'10" | Forward Mora/Milaca | 2022 State MN is currently 3rd in points in the state after the regular season, with 84 total points. Mithcell is leading the state in goals with 52 total goals. Mitchell really makes Mora/Milaca a team to look out for going forward. What a career and especially a great career for Mitchell.
No. 2 Seed Cambridge-Isanti (1 Player)
#4. Adam Puder Adam Puder 6'2" | Defense Blaine | 2023 State MN | 6’1 Forward | #141 Ranked ’23
Cambridge-Isanti has been a very surprising team this year in ’A’. Adam Puder Adam Puder 6'2" | Defense Blaine | 2023 State MN is the main reason for that, as finished the regular season with 30 points. This team hasn’t had the best finish to the year, but being a two-seed is something I don’t think they have ever done. Overby is key to how this team ends up this year, and the likely section semifinal against St. Cloud Cathedral or Mora/Milaca: he needs to come up huge for his team. He is a balanced offensive playmaker and scorer that is someone to watch out for in this section and in his senior year next year.
No. 3 Seed St. Cloud Cathedral (1 Player)
#5. Nolan Widman Nolan Widman 5'8" | Forward St. Cloud Cathedral | 2022 State MN | 5’8 Forward | #50 Ranked ’22
St. Cloud Cathedral didn’t have the best season but still got the 3 seed in section 5A. When they were at their best this season, Widman was a big part of that. He is our #5 player to watch out for, as his team is officially on upset watch in-game one of the section playoffs. He needs to shut down the offensive playmakers of Mora/Milaca and contribute some points of his own, or Cathedral could be sent home early.
Pick to win: Little Falls- Carter
Pick to win: Cambridge-Isanti- Blake