MN Hockey Mag Special Tournament Edition

Hermantown
For the past five years, Hermantown has played
for a championship on the final day of the
season — and five times has finished second.
Is six times the charm? The Hawks are back at the Class 1A
tournament again, this time as the top overall seed after another
impressive regular season. Hermantown is riding a 23-game unbeaten
streak (22-0-1) into the tournament and have rarely had an opponent
come within three goals in almost three months.
Colorful coach Bruce Plante is a media favorite at the tourney for his
“no punches pulled” approach to interviews. But ending a tournament
without the inevitable runner-up questions must be high on his
bucket list.
He certainly has the team to close the deal this winter. The Hawks
seemingly have no weaknesses, with solid goaltending, a deep
defensive corps, and multiple scoring lines.
It starts up front with high-scoring seniors Ryan Kero (29-37-
66) and Nate Pionk (31-32-63) and junior Cole
Koepke (20-22-42). Pionk is a great skater with
vision who has moved up to No. 6 on the school’s
career scoring list, while Kero has a great motor that
never quits. Koepke rounds out the unit with great
skills around the goal. Parker Hawk (10-17-27),
Jesse Jacques (9-16-25) and Kyle Amundson
(11-17-28) add plenty of offense from the second line.
Ryan Kero
Defensively, the Hawks have arguably the best top tandem in Class
1A in junior Wyatt Aamodt (10-29-39) and Eric Gotz (2-24-26).
One question dogging the Hawks entering the season was
what to do in goal with the graduation of both regulars. But junior
Luke Olson (21-1-1, 1.51, .932) has been soiid since day one. His
emergence has made the Hawks the clear top seed and perhaps even
end a five-year run of runner-up finishes.
— Tim Kolehmainen
25-2-1
Quick Facts
Section: 7A
Conference: Lake Superior
Past State Appearances: 1994, 98,
99, 2001, 06, 07 Champs, 10, 11, 12,
13, 14, 15
Head Coach: Bruce Plante
Home Rink: Hermantown Arena
Road to the X
Date Opponent W-L-T
Nov. 28 at Wayzata L 3-4
Nov. 29 at Roseville W 4-3
Dec. 2 CLOQUET-E-C W 8-0
Dec. 5 ORONO W 7-2
Dec. 6 HOPKINS L 1-2
Dec. 11 at Duluth Denfeld W 3-1
Dec. 13 at Thief River Falls W 8-2
Dec. 20 NEW PRAGUE W 6-1
Dec. 23 at Eveleth-Gilbert W 7-2
HILLTOPPER CLASSIC (Dec. 29-31)
Dec. 29 Notre Dame, WI W 4-2
Dec. 30 Duluth Marshall W 6-2
Dec. 31 East Grand Forks W 3-0
Jan. 3 INT’L FALLS W 11-1
Jan. 6 GRAND RAPIDS W 10-2
Jan. 9 at St. Cloud Cathedral W 5-2
Jan. 16 DULUTH MARSHALL W 5-2
Jan. 17 at Bemidji W 6-1
Jan. 20 at Proctor W 10-0
Jan. 23 at White Bear Lake W 4-2
Jan. 27 VIRGINIA/MIB W 5-1
Jan. 29 at Cloquet-E-C T 3-3
Jan. 31 at Rogers W 8-2
Feb. 6 BRAINERD W 10-0
Feb. 10 at Superior, WI W 3-0
Feb. 12 at HIbbing/Chisholm W 5-4
SECTION 7A PLAYOFFS
Feb. 19 VIRGINIA/MIB W 10-0
Feb. 21 Hibbing/Chisholm W 6-1
Feb. 25 Duluth Marshall W 4-0
Tim Kolehmainen / Breakdown.zenfolio.com
LEADERS
# Name Gr G-A-Pts
7 Ryan Kero 12 29-37-66
6 Nate Pionk 12 31-32-63
27 Cole Koepke 11 20-22-42
5 Wyatt Aamodt 11 10-29-39
21 Kyle Amundson 12 12-16-28
# Name Gr GAA SV%
32 Luke Olson 11 1.47 .930
Puck Heaven trivia
Q What Hermantown junior forward
led Class A in scoring in 2007 as
the Hawks copped their first title by
going unbeaten (29-0-1)?
2015 Minnesota state high school boys’ hockey tournament guide
35