Following an undefeated regular season, Jackson County Central was seeded first for the Section 3AA playoffs as the Huskies continue to check items off their ‘to-do list’ for the 2024 season.
JCC, 8-0, will open postseason play at 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26 at home vs. the winner of Tuesday’s game that will have fifth-seeded Lake Crystal Wellcome Memorial (3-5) playing at fourth-seeded LeSueur-Henderson (4-4), 7 p.m.
There was a change in format for the playoffs this year as only the top six teams qualify. That gives the number one and two seeds a first-round bye.
Does Huskies coach Tom Schuller think it’s nice to not have to play that first-round game and then get ready for another contest with only three days in between?
“It’s not nice. It’s great,” said Schuller, who is at 219 career wins as the JCC mentor heading into the postseason. “I’m not a fan of the Tuesday-Saturday player safety scheduling out the window thing. But that’s what we’re given so we do it. Thankfully we get the bye and don’t have to do it.”
LCWM and LSH will be meeting for the second time in seven days. The Giants earned the right to host the playoff game by beating the Knights 28-19 on Wednesday in Lake Crystal.
Tuesday’s other first-round game has sixth-seeded Windom (4-4) at third-seeded Redwood Valley (6-2). The winner of that game plays at second-seeded Pipestone (6-2) in the semifinals.
The section championship game will be played at 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 1 at Trojan Field in Worthington. That’s game had originally been scheduled for Matke Feld at Southwest Minnesota State University but was moved due to Marshall High School possibly hosting its section championship game.
Look for more on the Class 2A section playoffs statewide in another newsletter.
SECTION 3AA
Tuesday, Oct. 22
First round
Lake Crystal Wellcome Memorial (3-5) at LeSueur-Henderson (4-4), 7 p.m.
Windom (4-4) at Redwood Valley (6-2), 7 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 26
Semifinals
LCWM-LSH winner at Jackson County Central (8-0), 3 p.m.
Windom-Redwood winner at Pipestone (6-2), 3 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 1
Championship
At Worthington
Semifinal winners, 7 p.m.
State appearances
Following are appearances in the state tournament for teams in Section 3AA.
Jackson County Central (10): 1997 3A Runner-up, 1998 3A Runner-up, 2001 3A Champion, 2012, 2013, 2015 3A Runner-up, 2016, 2019, 2022, 2023
Pipestone (7): 1977, 1980 A Runner-up, 2014, 2015 AA Runner-up, 2017 AA Runner-up, 2019, 2021
Minnesota Valley Lutheran (5): 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 2005
Windom (4): 1996 B Runner-up, 1999, 2001 AA Runner-up, 2002
LeSueur-Henderson (3): 2007, 2008, 2010
Redwood Valley (3): 2003, 2004, 2018
Sibley East (2): 1986, 2012
Lake Crystal Wellcome Memorial (1): 1987