The Monday Morning Point Forward

In this edition of The Monday Morning Point Forward, a look at a difficult week for one the state's biggest turnaround stories. Also, a state record falls this week. When will it happen?

After 28 points in the Border Battle this past weekend, Minnesota Transitions star forward Kevin Noreen is only 39 points away from breaking the state's career scoring record of 3428 career points held by Ellsworth's Cody Schilling. The Wolves play at rival Minneapolis Roosevelt on Monday night before hosting International School on Thursday. Noreen scored 42 points in last year's game against Roosevelt and is averaging 33.9 points per game this season. Expect the record to fall late in Monday's game.

A very busy Monday besides Monday's possible record breaking game. St. Cloud Cathedral travels to Zimmerman for a non-conference tilt. That game could determine the top seed in the north subsection of section 5AA. Let's not forget the battle between the top 2 teams in the class AA poll either as #2 Morris travels to #1 New London-Spicer. Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop travels to Springfield. Springfield leads the Tomahawk conference by 1 game over GFW and Cedar Mountain/Comfrey.

Plenty of impact conference showdowns later in the week as well. Spring Grove at Lanesboro for the top spot in the east division of the Southeast Conference on Tuesday. #5AAAA Stillwater at #4AAAA Cretin-Derham Hall as 2 of top 3 teams in the Suburban East meet. Lester Prairie/Holy Trinity at #7A Maranatha on Thursday. Winner likely takes home the regular season MCAA trophy and earns the top seed in the MCAA tournament.

On Friday, Perham visits Breckenridge for the top spot in the Heart O'Lakes Conference. Perham won 1st battle 61-57 at home in early december. That win gives them a 1 game lead over Breckenridge coming into this game. #7AAAA Anoka hosts previously ranked Osseo. Those are 2 of the 3 teams tied for first in the Northwest Suburban Conference. In a big class 4A non-conference showdown, former Classic Lake Conference rivals get together as #2 Cooper visits #3 Hopkins. Cooper has a similar roster structure to the Minneapolis North squad that upset Hopkins earlier in January. The Hawks have quick guards and a big body inside to block shots in Calvin Godfrey.

On Saturday, Minneapolis Henry travels to Minneapolis North for the first of 2 meetings this season. Both teams currently undefeated in Minneapolis City Conference play. Westbrook-Walnut Grove only 1 game behind in the Red Rock Conference and they host league leader Ellsworth after hosting Hills-Beaver Creek on Thursday.

This week is an important week for Hutchinson. The Tigers swept their non-conference slate at 11-0. Then they opened Missota Conference play last week with a win over Red Wing. But Friday was rough with a 65-49 loss at Holy Angels. Life is no easier for the Tigers this week as they play a pair of Missota's best. New Prague makes the trip west on Tuesday before Hutchinson visits Shakopee on Friday. A pair of losses could put the Tigers 3 games back in the league standings by the end of the week.

#2AAAA Robbinsale Cooper is coming off a tough rivalry loss to Robbinsdale Armstrong last Thursday. Armstrong's Marquel Curtis scores 40 points with 20 boards in the win. Life doesn't get any easier for Cooper as they host a talented Minnetonka team on Tuesday, travel to #3AAAA Hopkins on Friday and then there's next Monday's 1 time only North Suburban showdown at #8AAA Columbia Heights.