Section realignment sort of came and went with not a lot of big surprises for Shakopee.
The Minnesota State High School League realigns sections every two seasons and only two Saber sports will be on the move next school year — boys and girls lacrosse.
Both teams have been in Section 2 since their inception in 2015 with the likes of perennial power Eden Prairie, along with Chanhassen and Minnetonka. The Sabers will move to Section 6 next year, which will be just as strong if not stronger.
The boys field features Prior Lake, winners of three of the last six state titles and state runner-up the last two seasons. Rosemount, Bloomington Jefferson, Edina, Eastview, Kennedy-Burnsville, Holy Angels and Minneapolis are also in the field and, to make it just a little harder, Eden Prairie moves to that section, as well.
On the girls side, Eden Prairie stays in Section 2. Burnsville is a co-op with Apple Valley, while Eastview is joined with Eagan.
Other than that, the rest of the Shakopee sports teams stayed in the same section, including wrestling remaining in Section 6AAA with the likes of Waconia and Eden Prairie.
Sabers boys and girls cross country could find things a little easier in Section 2AAA with perennial power Edina moving to Section 6AAA, leaving the section with seven teams.
In girls hockey, Section 2AA will lose Bloomington Jefferson and gain New Prague. Boys hockey adds Waconia to make a nine-team field.
In boys and girls basketball, Section 2AAAA goes from eight to seven teams with Edina being moved to Section 6AAAA.
Section 2AAA golf for Shakopee goes from 12 to 13 teams with the additions of Delano and Worthington, while Prior Lake moved to Section 6AAA.
In football, 32 teams make up the largest class, 6A. There are two new schools in the top class in Buffalo and Rochester Mayo while Totino-Grace went down to Class 4A and Brainerd is back in 5A.
There’s a 32-team playoff bracket for the top football class. Shakopee will be seeded with Eden Prairie, Minnetonka, Wayzata, Prior Lake, Edina, Hopkins and Buffalo in Section 6AAAAAA.
Rochester Mayo was placed in Section 3AAAAA with Lakeville North, Lakeville South, Burnsville, Eagan, Eastview, Rosemount and Farmington.
Section 4AAAAAA includes East Ridge, Stillwater, Park, Woodbury, Mounds View, Forest Lake, Roseville and White Bear Lake, while Section 5AAAAA consists of Maple Grove, Blaine, Centennial, Champlin Park, Anoka, St. Michael-Albertville, Coon Rapids and Osseo.
Enrollment-wise, according the MSHSL, Shakopee is the ninth biggest school in the state with an enrollment of 2,354. Minnetonka surpassed Wayzata for No. 1 with numbers of 3,348 and 3,321, respectively.
Prior Lake is third (2,655), followed by Blaine (2,535), Edina (2,506), Champlin Park (2,499), Eden Prairie (2,479) and Stillwater (2,441). Rosemount is No. 10 (2,224).
Prior Lake, Shakopee and Rosemount are three biggest South Suburban Conference schools, followed by Eastview (14th, 2,049), Farmington (15th, 2,011), Eagan (17th, 1,973), Lakeville South (No. 24, 1,725), Lakeville North (No. 25, 1,694), Burnsville (No. 31, 1,633) and Apple Valley (No. 40, 1,488).
To see how the MSHSL realigned all of the sections, as well as the enrollment numbers, go to mshsl.org/tournaments/competitive-sections.