Filling the gap: 10 stops for high school sports fans between the holidays

The week between Christmas and New Year's Day offers an annual buffet of high school sports. Here's a list of 10 events for prep sports fans to consider, some in the Twin Cities, some farther flung. Some are tournaments, some are gatherings of great teams, some are single games.

This tournament bracket always features some of the top-ranked teams in the state. All eight teams this year (Holy Family, Stillwater, Minnetonka, Moorhead, Maple Grove, Andover, Grand Rapids and Edina) are ranked in the top 20 by Let's Play Hockey, with five teams in the top 10. No. 2 Minnetonka played in the past two Walser Invitational championships, winning last year. Northwest Suburban Conference rivals Maple Grove and Andover face off in the tournament quarterfinals.

The schedule shows three games each day starting at 2:30 p.m. and features nine Class 2A teams, including six ranked in Let's Play Hockey's top 20. No. 8 Maple Grove faces No. 3 Chanhassen in the first nightcap. The next evening, the Crimson play No. 9 Rosemount. Maple Grove dropped its first two games this season against Edina and Wayzata before a current five-game winning streak with three shutouts. Seniors Lucas Busch and Andrew Karkoc and junior Brady Aubut share the team goals lead with five each.

This Holiday Classic schedule in Plymouth includes the top two teams in the state rankings, plus another in the top 10. No. 1 Minnetonka and No. 2 Wayzata face off at 2:45 p.m. Dec. 29. Could each enter the game with an undefeated record? Rogers, previously ranked third but down to sixth now, and No. 16 Lakeville South also play against all three opponents in this four-team event. The Skippers have dominated this season, outscoring opponents 37-5 through six games.

Another girls eight-team bracket features a matchup of ranked teams in the quarterfinal between top-ranked Hill-Murray and No. 10 Lakeville North at 3:30 p.m. Dec. 27. The Pioneers are allowing less than a goal per game with senior Grace Zhan in net, while senior Chloe Boreen and freshman Emily Pohl lead the way offensively. Six of the first nine wins for Lakeville North this season were shutouts.

Crookston has already shut out Section 8 rival and defending Class 1A champion Warroad this season, 2-0. Crookston, ranked eighth in Class 1A, has scoring depth, with more than a dozen players with goals. Warroad is ranked third in 1A. Junior Kaiya Sandy and sophomore Taylor Reese led the team with seven goals each through nine games. The game is part of the Warroad Holiday Tournament.

Providence Academy, from Class 2A, fell a bucket short in a loss at 2022-23 state runner-up Albany on Dec. 19. Its next opponent? Class 4A's third-ranked team, Hopkins, on the College of St. Benedict floor. The Lions got the better of Hopkins last season, winning 87-80, also at a neutral site. Maddyn Greenway averaged 32.8 points per game through nine games this season for Providence Academy. Also on the schedule for this event at various St. Cloud sites: Class 4A, No. 7 Wayzata faces No. 5 Lakeville North on Dec. 30.

Defending Class 1A state champion Mountain Iron-Buhl travels to St. Cloud for a meeting with 1A foe Goodhue at 4:15 p.m. at St. Cloud Tech on Dec. 29. The schedule pits MIB against Class 2A's Albany the next night at St. John's. Jordan Zubich, committed to North Carolina for college, paced the scoring for MIB at 27.5 points per game through 10 games. Albany (7-0) comes into the tournament as the top-ranked team in Class 2A after its win over Providence Academy.

The No. 2 team in Class 4A, Park Center, will look to rebound from a recent loss to Class 3A power Totino-Grace. The Pirates will face Minnetonka, ranked fifth in Class 4A, at 6 p.m. Dec. 28 at Concordia University (St. Paul). The undefeated Skippers (5-0) also will face Benilde-St. Margaret's, ranked second in Class 3A, at 2 p.m. Dec. 29 at Concordia. The Skippers have three high scorers: Jordan Cain (20.2 points per game), Greyson Uelmen (19.0) and Andy Stefonowicz (18.2).

Dozens of teams will be in St. Cloud for this tournament. A couple of Class 3A suggestions on the boys side? How about Alexandria, featuring Gophers recruit Grayson Grove, vs. Stewartville at 6:45 p.m. Dec. 29 at St. Cloud State. Alexandria is ranked third and Stewartville fifth in Class 3A by Minnesota Basketball News. No. 7 Orono will take on No. 4 Mankato East on Dec. 29 along with facing Stewartville the next afternoon. Mankato East and Alexandria play on Dec. 30.

Orono, ranked No. 4 in Class 1A, relies on the senior duo of John Engebretson and Joey Mugaas for offense and defense on its top blue-line pairing. Mugaas had a team-leading eight assists, four on the power play, and 11 points through eight games this season. Engebretson has seven assists. Defending Class 1A champion Mahtomedi is No. 6 despite a sub-.500 record with losses to Class 2A and highly ranked Class 1A foes.