Friday's showdown between Hopkins and Wayzata is a Class 4A rematch of epic proportions, and it comes with Lake Conference implications as the Royals find themselves in the rare position of looking up at a foe in the league standings.
Hopkins (20-3, 4-1) had run through its Lake opponents for nearly a decade, finishing alone or tied atop the league standings for seven years in a row. The Royals must defeat Wayzata on Friday to have a shot at extending the run to eight years and grab a share the conference crown.
The timing is good for the No. 3-4A Royals, who will have the help of sophomore sensation Paige Bueckers. She leads the team in points (399), assists (134) and steals (75), and showed she's nearly back to normal after returning to the lineup following an ankle injury by scoring 20 points in a 81-40 win against Edina on Friday. Bueckers
Bueckers was just one of several pieces the Royals welcomed back from last season's team that went undefeated in the regular season. That talent was one reason Hopkins was ranked No. 1 in the Class 4A coaches' preseason poll and tabbed as a favorite to win the conference.
But it's the No. 2-4A Trojans (23-0, 6-0) who are atop the league standings, have a higher ranking and just three victories from capping a perfect regular season.
Wayzata strengthened its lead in the Lake Conference title chase with a 58-47 victory at Eden Prairie on Feb. 9, a win powered by a game-high 19 points from the Trojans' Kallie Theisen. The junior leads the team with 336 points (14.6 ppg) this year.
With another big performance from Theisen on Friday, Wayzata could top Hopkins and secure its first Lake Conference title outright this decade, as well as all but wrap up the top seed in the Class 4A, Section 6 tournament.
A Hopkins' win on Friday could reverse the Royals' fate and provide the confidence the team needs should it face the Trojans for a third time this season — this time in the section tournament, where a victory results in another game and a loss closes the books on the year.