2016 MN Hockey Mag Special Tournament Edition

MINNESOTA 

SPECIAL STATE TOURNAMENT EDITION 

$3.00 

M A G A Z I N E .COM 

MARCH 2-5, 2016 w XCEL ENERGY CENTER w ST. PAUL, MN 

INTERVIEW WITH THE VOICE OF 

THE TOURNEY 

LOU NANNE 

FEATURES FROM: 

MICHAEL MCGRAW 

DAVE SCHWARTZ 

ROGER GODIN 

HEATHER RULE 

STATE TOURNEY HISTORY 

AND ALL-TIME RECORDS 

PREVIEWS 

ON ALL 16 TEAMS 

From Tim Kolehmainen 

and Pete Waggoner 

CLASS 2A AND 1A 

STATE BRACKETS 

THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE TO THE 

MINNESOTA HIGH SCHOOL BOYS’ HOCKEY STATE TOURNEY

UHWK TO LEAD 

GAME THROUGH 

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this weekend in Minnesota. While 

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some may argue that advancements 

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plateau. With players across the 

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the questions remain - what will be 

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to separate from the pack in a new 

wave of learning? 

To learn more about how UHWK’s 

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ultimate tool to help you or your team 

lead the game, visit www.uhwk.com. 

#LeadtheGame 

WELCOME TO THE 2016 MINNESOTA HIGH 

SCHOOL BOYS’ HOCKEY TOURNAMENT! 

Welcome 

Each year, more than 100,000 fans flock to the Xcel 

Energy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota to enjoy the best 

high school hockey in the world. This tournament 

preview guide is in its eighth year and is co-sponsored 

by the MNHockeyMag.com. 

Editor Tim Kolehmainen from Breakdown Sports 

Media has his finger on the pulse of high school hockey 

and each year provides a high-end yearbook that 

highlights every high school hockey program in the 

state at BreakdownSportsUSA.com. He is joined by Pete 

Waggoner who is the voice of high school hockey on 

1500 ESPN in creating this book. His writing can be 

viewed online at MNHockeyMag.com and he also hosts 

the popular “This Week in High School Sports” every 

Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. on 1500 ESPN. 

Be sure to follow your team online at the 

MNHockeyMag.com for live scoring, stories, images, 

and live play-by-play this weekend. Stop by the 

MNHockeyMag.com booth at the Let’s Play Hockey Expo 

and also enjoy the “This Week in High School Sports” 

that airs live on 1500 ESPN every Saturday at 1 p.m. 

Thank you to all our fans for supporting our 

magazine and digital platforms. Please consider 

joining us at our golf outing on July 29th as we raise 

more funds to send kids in need to camp. You will find 

the ad for registering in this magazine. We have sent 

over 30 kids to various hockey camps in the last three 

years. 

With content from award winning providers 

and under the direction of Executive Editor Brian 

Halverson and Jeff Wegge directing photography, the 

site has over 1,200 pieces of great content from over 

60 different sources. The tech side and social media is 

led by Bill Rossini. All of our team has a passion for 

hockey. A special thanks to Jim Hoey for his trivia from 

Puck Heaven, Minnesota State Boys HockeyTournament 

Trivia book. With over 1,200 questions, it was a 

challenge to boil it down to the top 16. 

Finally, this would not be possible without the 

support of our sponsors. Please do check out what 

they have to offer and tell them MNHockeyMag.com 

sent you. 

Please check us out online. If you like what you see 

please tell others, and if you don’t, please tell me. 

Scott Tiffany 

President & Founder 

MinnesotaHockeyMagazine.com 

scott.tiffany@minnesotahockeymagazine.com 

715.222.6460 

Cover photo by Jeff Wegge 

Book design by Tim Kolehmainen, Breakdown Sports Media 

2016 MINNESOTA STATE HIGH SCHOOL BOYS’ HOCKEY TOURNAMENT GUIDE 

3

Welcome 

LOUIE, LOUIE 

MHM’S SCOTT TIFFANY CATCHES UP TO THE FACE OF THE STATE HOCKEY TOURNAMENT 

Jeff Wegge 

State of Hockey treasure Lou Nanne has a deep 

rooted in the Minnesota high school hockey 

culture and tournament. Lou enters his 52nd 

year behind the mic calling the state hockey 

tournament games. He is wealth of knowledge and 

his passion for the game of hockey runs deep. The 

MNHockeyMagazine.com’s Scott Tiffany had an 

opportunity to speak with Nanne after he completed 

his successful coaching victory of the North Star/ 

Wild Alumni team over the Chicago Black Hawks. 

MHM: Lou you have had just a wonderful 

time covering the boys’ state tournament, 

can you give us a few memorable moments 

of the boys tourney? 

4 

Lou Nanne: Well there has been so many, 

but the biggest memories are the ones you 

never predict, the ones you never know who is 

going to win, which teams are going to survive 

and it’s just the one game sudden death effect 

that the tournament has that makes it so 

memorable. I have seen great games but the 

greatest has to be the Apple Valley / Duluth East 

game that went I think five overtimes. That was 

just an unbelievable game. 

MHM: With Goering in nets. 

Nanne: Not just Goering but both goalies 

were unbelievable. The most amazing thing 

about the game was during the overtimes. It 

was like there was no defense, with both teams 

having wide open break away chances, for the 

whole 4+ overtimes. Both goalies were just 

2016 MINNESOTA STATE HIGH SCHOOL BOYS’ HOCKEY TOURNAMENT GUIDE

Welcome 

spectacular. Just a fantastic game right to the 

very end. 

MHM: So I hear this year you are coming 

back again to do the championship round 

of the AA games. That makes it how many 

years? 

Nanne: Fifty-two years since I started, it has 

been an unbelievable run. As far as doing the 

tournament games, it is just a thrill for me to do 

every game down there!! 

MHM: So as far as individuals go, who 

were some of the best players you have ever 

seen in the tournament? 

Nanne: Well, I guess you have to go back 

to the early years with Neal Sheehy and Henry 

Boucha, Neal Broten, Phil Housley and Paul 

Martin. Doug Zmolek had a great tournament, 

then you have Ryan McDonough and Aaron 

Ness. Dave Spehar was just unbelievable with 

how many goals he scored…. They all run 

together, so many guys like Mike Crowley, and 

then the guys who went on from the tournament 

and had careers with a time in the NHL, some 

with just a touch and others with longer runs. 

Every year it seems someone blossoms in the 

tournament. I remember Matt Hendricks had a 

great tournament and I was very upset that he 

wasn’t going to Minnesota but he is still in the 

NHL and this happens over and over again and I 

think that is the beauty of this tournament as the 

unexpected seems to always come through. 

MHM: Well we look at (last Saturday’s) 

happenings with Benilde St. Margaret’s and 

Minnetonka getting beat in the semis of the 

sectionals (Nanne had just finished coaching 

the North Star Wild alumni to a 6-4 victory 

against Chicago at the TCF stadium in front 

of 37,000 fans prior to this interview). 

Nanne: I can’t believe that—I mean if you told 

me one of those teams maybe, but two, no way, 

they were two of the top three favorites to win 

the whole thing, I mean that, this is just amazing. 

MHM: It’s not just the tournament, but just 

getting to the tourney? 

Nanne: That is the key. And that is why 

Edina’s run is so special, I think they have won 

12 championships now, Curt Giles had been 

there six or seven years in a row, it is amazing to 

see what they have done because it is so tough 

to get there. At times, it doesn’t matter how good 

you are, something happens and it beats teams. 

I can remember Burnsville had a couple of really 

dominant teams and they never got there- I 

know they have won the tourney, but some of 

their teams should have got there and never did. 

Then you have Hill-Murray, which is consistently 

good. Then you look around at others like Duluth 

East which should have won a few more times 

and didn’t win, not to mention Hermantown. As 

far as this year goes, I think Bemidji could be a 

dark horse, along with Grand Rapids or Duluth 

East (whoever comes out of Section 7AA). 

Those teams, if you’re going to beat them, you 

had better be very good that day, as they are not 

going to give you the game. 

“The biggest 

memories are 

the ones you 

never predict, 

the ones you 

never know 

who is going 

to win, which 

teams are going 

to survive... 

— LOU NANNE 

MHM: Lou, we just want to thank you for 

all you have done for hockey in Minnesota, 

specifically the boys tournament and 

covering high school hockey –along with 

everything else in Minnesota hockey, thank 

you so much. 

Nanne: It has been my pleasure and thank 

you as I enjoyed our time together. 


5

Welcome 

THE PROFESSOR’S 

VIEW 

MICHAEL MCGRAW SPEAKS ON OBSERVING THE STATE TOURNAMENT FROM THE BOOTH 

What is it like to sit in “the analyst’s chair”, be 

introduced as “The Professor” and be part of the 

television broadcasts of the best high school hockey 

tournaments in the United States? It is a great 

honor. I am a very fortunate person to be part of 

a wonderful team that takes tremendous pride in 

presenting the tournament to the viewers. 

This is “live television” and there are no “do overs.” 

The broadcasters need to be at their best each time 

the set lights go on. But long before the broadcasts 

occur, we have held meetings, gone to games, 

shared information, talked about the possible story 

lines, discussed leading players, sharing our hopes 

of who makes the tournament because they are very 

good players or they have a compelling story that 

our hockey community should hear. 

My information gathering begins with attending 

games during the season. I am fortunate to have 

a job that allows me see upwards of 70 to 80 high 

school games per year including attending Elite 

League games in September and October. From 

my attendance at these games I do begin to put 

together a “book” on teams and individual players. 

Each season produces new prospects as well as new 

teams that will be competing with the best in the 

state and it is imperative that I know them well. 

To be knowledgeable about teams and players 

I need to know not only the goal scorers but the 

energy guys, penalty killers and players who know 

their roles and play them well. It is not always the 

6 


Welcome 

“stars” that win the games. It is important that I am 

able to talk about all these types of players. We do 

meet as a staff, producers, hosts and analysts to 

discuss players, teams and possible story lines and 

many more topics too numerous to mention. 

Armed with all this information, remembering 

all our discussions, calls to coaches, reading of stats 

what is it like on the set. Energized, chaotic, hectic, 

frenzied, calming! As each tournament develops its 

own stories each broadcast session is new. Other 

than stories done in advance, the broadcast team 

needs to recap and tell the story of the game taking 

place. That would seem a synch but each of us sees 

the play a little differently and our producer has 

his vision also. When the game clock gets close to 

3:00 minutes remaining in the period our producer 

comes to the set to discuss ideas of what we should 

emphasize. He also informs us of the graphics and 

replays we will see. 

While I am jotting down a note or two about the 

producers ideas or talking with my co-analyst about 

my talking points and what they will be saying, our 

hosts, Tom Hauser or Joe Schmit, will inform the 

analysts what order he will be coming to us. We 

also discuss what our story line will be and how he 

will use that to lead us into this broadcast segment. 

Joe and Tom are great at their jobs and without 

them I would be lost at times. All of this seems 

rather mundane, easy to handle but like the games 

themselves there is always a twist. 

Just before we go live, our producer “is in our ear” 

to say we can’t get this video or highlights are in 

a different order or worst of all we are using some 

new highlights we never discussed. Remember that 

while this is taking place the game clock is “quickly” 

winding down. This is live television, I do not get 

a second chance to get it right and I do not get a 

second chance to make sure I give the right player 

the credit for the play; I do not get a second chance 

to make a MOM and DAD proud or give that player 

his recognition. 

As the clock winds down and these frantic 

discussions take place I really do begin to scramble. 

I have not memorized the roster names and 

numbers. When the high lights come up there is a 

play I need to describe or a thought I need to deliver 

and I have to get it right. I have to be able to get 

the information correct while I make eye contact 

with one camera and then another camera, give the 

correct information while I look relaxed composed, 

convincing and confident. The picture of the duck 

in a pond pops up in here, calm above water but 

pedaling hard underwater… 

Everyone likes to talk and put a mic in front me 

and well, I have a hard time not talking for a long 

time. The secret to being a good analyst is being 

able to get your point(s) across in as few words as 

possible so all on the set have an equal opportunity 

to tell their story: that maybe the most difficult part 

of broadcasting, editing your comments in a matter 

of a few seconds and creating coherent thoughts 

that are easy for everyone to understand. 

Above all I have to be fair and unbiased. I need to 

put away any ties or feeling I may have to a school 

or player and give an honest report. No matter who 

is winning or losing, there is a story on each side of 

the puck I need to tell. Not everyone who views the 

broadcast agrees with my being unbiased. Viewers 

will say I favor one team by the comments I made or 

I did not mention X that made a great play, etc. The 

complaints even include the color of my tie. If that 

color is part of a team’s color scheme, I must favor 

that team. 

“No matter who is 

winning or losing, 

there is a story on 

each side of the 

puck I need to tell. 

— MICHAEL MCGRAW 

These tournament broadcasts are important 

to each school, the individual player, parents and 

especially to the smaller outstate cities. It is their 

time to shine and my time to highlight the players 

and plays that stand out in each game. I get that 

one opportunity and only one to get it right for the 

player. 

I am very fortunate to be able to do these 

broadcasts and thankful that the Minnesota hockey 

community has been so welcoming of The Professor. 

Now I am off to the Professor’s study to do my 

reading. 

— THE PROFESSOR: MICHAEL MCGRAW 


7

Welcome 

MAGICAL 

MEMORIES 

DAVE SCHWARTZ REFLECTS ON WHAT MAKES THE STATE TOURNAMENT SO SPECIAL 

There is simply something magical about this 

time of year. 

It’s not the fact that it’s getting warmer (Thanks, 

El Nino) or the fact that we’re quickly approaching 

Minnesota’s “other” season — road construction 

season. 

It’s the boys and girls state high school 

tournaments. 

It you’re new to Minnesota or you’re reading 

this from somewhere else, this is a huge deal. The 

newspaper will write in-depth articles, local TV 

stations (including mine) will have reporters doing 

live shots and people will come from all around to 

see this. 

The state hockey tournament is so big it was on, 

and has been scratched off of, the bucket list of one 

of the most iconic names in our sport, NBC Sports 

play-by-play voice Mike “Doc” Emerick. He told me 

over the Stadium Series weekend that it had long 

been his wish to see what it was all about and he 

added that he was NOT disappointed. 

To be honest the state hockey tournament 

has become a bucket list item for a lot of folks. I 

remember last year doing a story and meeting a 

number of people from neighboring states whose 

curiosity brought them here. Like so many of us 

hockey nuts, they wanted to see the future of the 

game and experience the excitement. 

But in order to fully understand just what the 

Minnesota State Hockey tournament is about, you’d 

have to ask those who have played in it. 

“It was probably the worst game I have ever 

8 


Welcome 

played,” New York Islanders forward Anders Lee says 

when recalling his first time playing in the state 

tournament. “It’s just a whirlwind. You’re on the 

Minnesota Wild’s ice and you’d never have any other 

chance to play on that ice any other time. It’s pretty 

surreal at that point especially when you’re just a kid 

in high school.” 

Surreal because, while it’s a bucket list item for 

some to watch, it’s a bucket list item for even more 

to play in. Kids grow up watching the tournament. 

Cities and towns completely shut down so that they 

can go support these young men and woman in 

their quest for greatness. 

“The first time I skated out, the way the Civic 

Center ice was laid out it just looked like an ocean 

of people,” former Bloomington Jefferson Jaguar 

Mark Parrish recalls of his first time at state as a 

sophomore in high school. “I remember seeing a 

sea of lights. I felt like I was at the Coliseum in Rome. 

There was nothing grander to me.” 

It is especially grand since just about every kid in 

Minnesota who skates (and even some who don’t), 

watches the state tournament. 

“I remember watching the baby blue in the state 

tournament,” Parrish recounts. “Whether they were in 

it or not I remember watching the state tournament. 

It was more or less a holiday in our house.” 

“You would always watch it every spring growing 

up,” Lee recalls. “You’d see all of these big name 

players, like Blake Wheeler who was in it before me. 

Then you’d see all of the highlights of the old games 

of the legends who have played in the game before 

that.” 

But the excitement and aura of the hockey 

tournament isn’t just limited to the boys’ tournament 

either. 

“I always remember how cool it was growing 

up to watch the state tournament,” says former 

Olympian Natalie Darwitz who played in her first 

state hockey tournament in seventh grade for 

Eagan. “And getting to play in it in my first year of 

high school hockey was unbelievable.” 

While the tournament does not signal the end of 

their careers for many of these kids, it is a peak in the 

sense that the game will never mean the same thing. 

Many will go on to play in college, the NHL or the 

Olympics, but at the point in their young lives when 

they play in this tournament it is by far the biggest 

stage they have ever played on. 

As players and the stages they play on grow in 

their careers so does their ability to handle it and the 

pressure it brings. When you’re in high school and 

playing in a game with the magnitude of the state 

“I always 

remember 

how cool it was 

growing up to 

watch the state 

tournament. 

Cole Meyer / Hamline University 

— NATALIE DARWITZ 

tournament, the nerves are never quite as strong. 

“The nerves were always there but never to the 

extent (of the state tournament). I never found 

myself in college or the NHL staring up at the lights.” 

says Parrish who went on to play in 722 NHL games 

and the 2006 Winter Olympics. “Not to say that I 

didn’t take in the moment or have nerves in my first 

NHL game or anything like that, but I never played 

in any other game where warm-ups was that jam 

packed. It was just crazy.” 

Crazy is one word for it; phenomena might be 

another. There is one thing that all can agree on 

though, it’s an experience like none other. And 

whether you’re here to see your child, or someone 

else’s, know that you could be witnessing hockey 

history or its future and taking away memories that 

will most certainly last a long time, if not a lifetime. 

— DAVE SCHWARTZ 


9

Right Place, Right Time 

St. Louis Blues Captain David Backes lives out his faith on and off the ice. 

The light behind the Coyotes’ goal in Phoenix 

was about to burn out from overuse. The net 

was wearing thin. In just a 17-minute span 

on Jan. 6, 2015, St. Louis Blues captain 

David Backes had found the back of the net 

four times. 

It started early in the second period with a 

backhanded power-play goal. About a minute 

later, Backes ripped a 15-footer to complete 

a breakaway. A slick wrist shot gave him his 

third career hat trick late in the second, and 

he capped the heroics three minutes into the 

third period on a one-timer while skating full 

speed towards the goal. 

Blues 6, Coyotes 0. 

The offensive outburst wasn’t unique for 

Backes, who had another four-goal night in 

April 2009, and—as usual—he was quick to 

deflect praise after the game. (“I can’t take all 

the credit,” he said in his postgame interview. 

“I was able to pay [my linemates] off for 

doing a lot of the hard work.”) 

Still, though, it was somewhat surprising, 

even to Backes, given his reputation as a 

player known more for his defense than goal 

scoring. He has finished in the top five in 

the Selke Trophy voting (given to the forward 

who best excels in the defensive aspects of 

the game) in each of the past four seasons. 

“I wish I had a one- or two-item checklist of 

what I did and what worked because I’d be 

doing it every night, and I’d be scoring a lot of 

goals,” Backes said. “But it’s just one of those 

things where everything falls into place, the 

puck seems to find the back of the net, and 

you’re in the right place at the right time.” 

Right place, right time. 

Much like that night in Phoenix more than a 

year ago, the same can be said for Backes’ 

life and hockey career. Now firmly planted in 

St. Louis, the Blues’ captain is growing in his 

walk with the Lord and using his platform to 

encourage others in their faith. He’s the face 

of the franchise, a two-time Olympian and 

an NHL All-Star—a career any fellow player 

would envy, and one that a younger Backes 

never dreamed would happen. 

Before St. Louis selected Backes in the 

second round of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft, 

a professional career was barely in the 

thoughts of the young high schooler. 

“I still had the plan of going to college, 

becoming an electrical engineer and then 

going to law school,” he said. He still 

attended and played for Minnesota State 

University, but “three years in, when [St. 

Louis] started talking about a contract, I 

figured I was going into pro hockey. But I 

by Don Leypoldt 

never thought a 10-year-plus career was in 

the cards.” 

Backes made his Blues debut in December 

2006. Two years later, he tallied 31 goals 

while appearing in every game, and he 

was named team captain following his fifth 

season. He’s become a staple in the St. 

Louis lineup, earning All-Star honors in 2011 

and representing the United States in two 

separate Olympics. At the Vancouver Games 

in 2010, Backes notched a goal and two 

assists while helping Team USA to a silver 

medal. Then, at the 2014 Olympics Games in 

Sochi, he tallied three goals. 

It’s a tremendous amount of success for 

Backes, who entered the NHL as a right 

winger but soon made the switch to center. 

It might sound like a seamless transition to 

the unseasoned hockey fan, but the transition 

isn’t nearly as easy as Backes made it look. 

“It probably took me a good full season to be 

comfortable and really be a force, changing 

positions,” he said. “It definitely was a 

transition, but I think it’s been something 

that has added years and value to me as a 

hockey player.” 

Now in his 10th full season, Backes’ value to 

the Blues extends far beyond the ice. He’s 

just the 20th captain in the franchise’s 50- 

year existence, and it’s a leadership role he 

does not take lightly. 

Backes’ message to his teammates? Use the 

platform you’ve been given. 

“Whether you do something with kids 

or something with animals or cancer or 

whatever it is,” he said, “you should use this 

platform for making good in this world. 

“Leadership is the ability to put the team 

first and sacrifice your own personal success 

for the benefit of others. If you expect your 

teammates to do that, then you better be the 

first guy to buy into it.” 

To read the rest of this story, please visit 

http://www.fca.org/aboutus/fca-magazine 

This article is sponsored by FCA Hockey, for more on how you can get involved with us, 

visit www.fcahockey.com 

Photo Courtesy of Scott Rovak/St. Louis Blues

Class 2A 

OPEN SEASON 

EDEN PRAIRIE EARNS NO. 1 SEED IN TOPSY-TURVY PLAYOFF SEASON IN CLASS 2A 

The 2016 state high school hockey tournament 

provides a new-look Class 2A field this year. 

Only Eden Prairie and Bemidji qualified for the 

tournament last year. Stillwater appeared in 2014 

and Wayzata crashed the party in 2013 with the 

rest of the field returning to the big dance after an 

extended absence. Four top seeds were knocked 

out of the section playoffs this year with three of 

them being defeated in the semifinals. That trend 

should set up a wild 2016 state tournament that 

could be as unpredictable as ever. 

The Eden Prairie Eagles (19-7-2) earned the No. 

1 seed to the tournament and will open against the 

Anoka Tornadoes (18-9-0). Eden Prairie is making 

its third straight appearance and eighth overall and 

is in search of its third state title. Anoka has not 

been to the tournament since 2003 when it won the 

Class 2A title and is making its sixth appearance in 

school history. The two teams ended the regular 

season going in different directions and will provide 

and interesting match-up for the first game in the 

evening session of the quarterfinal round. Anoka 

finished the regular season with seven straight wins 

and is on a 10-game winning streak while Eden 

Prairie closed out the regular season 1-4-1. The 

Eagles have found their groove in the sections while 

the Tornadoes will not back down from anybody. 

With a 26-1-1 record entering the state 

tournament, the Stillwater Ponies have been able 

to check off two major goals this year. The first was 

to win their first ever Suburban East Conference 

title and the second the Section 4AA crown. They 

were seeded second and open the quarterfinals of 

the tournament against a hungry Farmington 

Tigers team (18-8-1). The Ponies are making their 

second state tournament appearance and the Tigers 

debut their first trip as a Class 2A team this year. 

Farmington participated in the Class 1A tournament 

in 1994 and 2000 and is in search of its first-ever 

state championship. 

The Wayzata Trojans (19-8-1) were seeded third 

and will face-off with the Burnsville Blaze (16-10- 

2) who enter the tournament on an 8-game winning 

streak. This is the first year that Burnsville did not 

have to play Edina in section playoffs and the Blaze 

broke through for the first time since 2007. For 

the record, Edina was dispatched in the semifinals 

snapping a nine-season tournament appearance 

string. The Blaze make their ninth state tournament 

appearance overall and are in search of their second 

state title, having captured it twice in 1985 and 

1988. Wayzata makes its fourth state tournament 

appearance in school history and is seeking its 

first-ever state title. The two teams both play a 

disciplined and structured game and will provide an 

intriguing contest in the day’s second quarterfinal. 

An all-northern quarterfinal pits the Bemidji 

Lumberjacks (23-2-2) against the Grand Rapids 

Thunderhawks (21-6-1-). Only three teams earned 

20 wins this past season that are in the the state 

tournament and two of them will be playing in 

the last game of the quarterfinal round. Grand 

Rapids had not been back to the state tournament 

since the Patrick White era and advanced for the 

first time since 2007 and garnered the No. 4 seed. 

This year marks the 15th time in school history that 

Grand Rapids has played in the state tournament 

and its has three championships to its credit (1975, 

1976, 1980). The Thunderhawks’ opponent is a 

tournament tested Bemidji Lumberjacks team who 

brought a solid game last year when they opened 

against Edina and fell by a score of 6-4. This year is 

the eighth time in school history that Bemidji has 

been to the state tournament and the Lumberjacks 

are looking to win their first state tournament 

championship. They are confident their tournament 

experience will benefit them this year. 

This year’s tournament field has a number of highend 

players on each team and the field represents a 

balanced and competitive group of teams that were 

befitting of the balanced level of play this year. 

At any one point, it could be argued that 

one of 20 teams had a shot at winning the state 

championship. Now, there are eight and they all can 

stake claim that they could be the one. 

— PETE WAGGONER 

12 


2016 CLASS 2A BRACKET 

Class 2A 

Quarterfinals 

Farmington 

11 a.m., March 3 

Xcel Energy Center 

Semifinals 

Championship 

No. 2 — Stillwater 

Burnsville 

6 p.m., March 4 




No. 3 — Wayzata 

Anoka 





No. 1 — Eden Prairie 

No. 5 — Bemidji 





No. 4 — Grand Rapids 

Third Place 



Consolation 


Mariucci Arena 






13

Class 2A 

PLAYERS TO WATCH 

PETE WAGGONER LOOKS AT TOP CLASS 2A PLAYERS ON DISPLAY THIS WEEK AT THE X 

w TYLER JETTE — FARMINGTON 

u u SR. D — 6’3, 190 

A mobile and big framed defenseman who plays a steady style. Hard to beat 

one-on-one and brings an offensive flair. 

w JOHN SIEBENALER — FARMINGTON 

u u SR. F — 6’0, 165 

Skilled two-way player who has hands, speed, hockey IQ, and leadership. He 

has played varsity hockey since his freshman year. 

w CASEY MITTELSTADT — EDEN PRAIRIE 

u u JR. F — 6’0, 190 

An offensively gifted player with hands, deft feet, laser sharp shooting, vision 

and now has upped his game with high end leadership skills. 

w MICHAEL GRAHAM — EDEN PRAIRIE 

u u SR. F — 6’2, 186 

The Notre Dame recruit skates with precision, is a play maker hard to move off 

the puck, and can dictate the tempo of a game and is a solid face-off man. 

w CADE BORCHARDT — BURNSVILLE 

u u SR. F — 5’10, 170 

Erupted for a trio of hat tricks in the section playoffs is an all-around offensive 

talent who is one of the better play-makers and can finish as well. 

w NOLAN SAWCHUK — BURNSVILLE 

u u SR. D — 5’11, 172 

A veteran and two-way defenseman who has great hockey sense and is solid in 

one-on-one battles. Great handle on the transition game and moves the puck. 

w NOAH CATES — STILLWATER 

u u JR. F — 

Epitome of a rink-rat who is a crafty playmaker that an finish. His insane goal in 

overtime sums up his game: clutch, great hands, great feet, shifty, and creative. 

w JACKSON CATES — STILLWATER 

u u SR. F — 5’10, 155 

A productive offensive force, Cates is headed to play college hockey at 

Michigan Tech and his a creative playmaker and can score. 

w JOSH BENSON — STILLWATER 

u u SR. G — 6’2, 185 

Three year varsity goaltender with state experience. Great lateral movement 

and is very still and calm when making saves that yields terrific rebound control. 

w REESE GRAILER — ANOKA 

u u SR. D — 5’11, 185 

He is a calm puck controlling defenseman that does not panic while making 

solid outlet passes. Grailer delivered a quality offensive season to date. 

w ISAAC JOHNSON — ANOKA 

u u JR. F — 6’0, 165 

A player to watch on the power play (with six goals and 20 points. Johnson is a 

balanced player with good size who dos back down from anyone. 

14 


Class 2A 

w MARK SENDEN — WAYZATA 

u u SR. F — 5’10, 185 

The Trojans have a bonafide player who brings grit character and skill to the 

rink every day. His tools are will fit real well for the North Dakota. 

w ALEX SCHILLING — WAYZATA 

u u SR. G — 6’0, 180 

Provides a stable presence in goal and has athletic skills that translates in goal. 

Add in high compete level with quickness, Schilling is a complete goaltender. 

w MITCHELL MATTSON — GRAND RAPIDS 

u u SR. F — 6’4, 190 

Plays a mature game with great playmaking and goal scoring ability. The North 

Dakota recruit is one of the top power forwards in high school hockey. 

w ALEX ADAMS — GRAND RAPIDS 

u u SR. F — 6’0, 195 

Another in a long line of power forwards in the tourney who is a two-way 

player and is clutch. He has a quality shot and provides leadership skills. 

w ALEX POLLOCK — BEMIDJI 

u u JR. F — 5’8, 155 

A high ceiling and a player that is creative with vision and a high hockey IQ. 

Leads his team in points. 

w BRADY TATRO — BEMIDJI 

uuJR. F — 6’2, 185 

With size and grit, Tatro has playmaking and goal scoring skills and skates well. 

Another tough and strong Lumberjacks’ star. 


15

FARMINGTON 

The Farmington Tigers broke through with their 

first Class 2A state tournament trip and third 

overall with a 6-2 win over the defending state 

champion Lakeville North Panthers. 

It was Farmington’s third victory this year over the defending 

Class 2A state champions. Tigers coach Greg May has brought his 

team together in two years after posting a 19-8-1 record last season. 

Farmington responded with a near identical 18-8-1 record this year 

with room to reach a 20-win season at the state tournament. 

Sporting a five-game winning streak, the Tigers enter state having 

allowed just 65 goals against this season. Sophomore goaltender 

Gavin Enright (18-8-1, 2.27, .910) has posted four shutouts, with 

help from a high-end group of blue liners with the highly regarded 

senior Tyler Jette (6-21-27) leading the way. Jette exemplifies an in 

control game and his calm demeanor on the ice helps pave the way 

for confidence in his entire team. Jette is a tough player to beat oneon-one 

and in battles and is a steady force for the Tigers. 

Watch out for senior defenseman Erik Holmstrom on the power 

play as he has tallied (5-13-18) on the man advantage. That accounts 

for 41% of his offensive production this year (13-29-42). Leading the 

way for Farmington offensively are seniors Wyatt Jensen (16-28-44) 

and John Siebenaler (18-26-44), who is in his fourth season at the 

varsity level and has a lot of skill to go along with great vision. 

The Tigers have veteran players that have been successful at all 

levels of youth and have been involved in a large number of big 

games throughout their hockey playing lives. They have a coach 

that has a tremendous grasp on what is required to be successful 

as a team and has instituted that over the past two seasons. The 

players dedication and hard work coupled with the coaches vision 

has delivered a team that has reason to believe they could be the last 

team standing. 


18-8-1 

QUICK FACTS 

Section: 1AA 

Conference: South Suburban 

Past State Appearances: 1994, 

2000, 16 

Head Coach: Greg May 

Home Rink: Schmitz-Maki Arena 

ROAD TO THE X 

Date Opponent W-L-T 

Nov. 21 at Rochester Mayo W 7-3 

Nov. 24 at Edina L 0-7 

Nov. 28 Eagan W 2-1 

Dec. 3 Eden Prairie L 1-5 

Dec. 5 at Burnsville T 4-4 

Dec. 10 Lakeville North W 5-3 

Dec. 12 Apple Valley W 8-2 

Dec. 17 Rosemount W 2-1 

Dec. 19 at Lakeville South L 2-4 

Dec. 23 Rochester JM W 4-0 

Jan. 5 at Wayzata W 2-1 

Jan. 7 at Prior Lake L 4-6 

Jan. 9 Eastview W 4-0 

Jan. 14 at Shakopee W 7-1 

Jan. 16 Burnsville L 2-3 

Jan. 19 Benilde-St. M L 1-2 

Jan. 21 at Lakeville North W 1-0 

Jan. 23 at Apple Valley W 4-1 

Jan. 28 at Rosemount W 5-3 

Jan. 30 Lakeville South L 0-7 

Feb. 4 at Eagan W 4-1 

Feb. 6 Prior Lake L 2-3 

Feb. 11 Shakopee W 6-1 

Feb. 13 at Eastview W 2-1 

SECTION 1AA PLAYOFFS 

Feb. 18 Rochester Century W 7-0 

Feb. 20 Lakeville South W 5-3 

Feb. 25 Lakeville North W 6-2 

LEADERS 

# Name Gr G-A-Pts 

16 Wyatt Jensen 12 16-28-44 

12 John Siebenaler 12 18-26-44 

6 Erik Holmstrom 12 13-29-42 

18 Tyler Jette 12 6-21-27 

3 Grady Hauswirth 12 9-16-25 

# Name Gr GAA SV% 

33 Gavin Enright 10 2.27 .910 

PUCK HEAVEN TRIVIA 

Q Only one girl ever scored a point 

in a state boys’ hockey tournament 

game. Can you name her? 

David Romuald 


17

EDEN PRAIRIE 

The Eden Prairie Eagles are a talented team that 

had high expectations placed on them not only 

by themselves but by the high school hockey 

scene — and by surviving an emotional season, the 

Eagles positioned themselves for a potential third 

state title in school history. 

The Eagles have two of the state’s best players in junior Casey 

Mittelstadt (28-40-68) and senior Michael Graham (16-33-49). 

Those two are not alone as Eagles provide depth in three lines and 

on the blue line. Junior Nicky Lievermann (11-26-37) paces the 

defensemen in scoring and helps drive one of the best power play 

units in the state that connects 34% of the time. There are 5 players on 

the roster that has collected 31 or more points on the season and the 

goaltending tandem of senior Shaun Durocher (10-3-2, 2.48, .889) 

and junior Nick Wiencek (9-4-0, 2.27, .905) have been steady in goal. 

Mittelstadt (University of Minnesota) provides a deft scoring touch 

with unparalleled patience and vision on the ice. Graham (Notre 

Dame) is a Mr. Hockey Finalist and playmaker that skates in control 

with power and purpose. Both players understand the need to pace 

off the rush and mix their looks on zone entry regularly. 

It hasn’t been easy for the Eagles, a high tempo-high energy team, 

as they have endured some rough patches along the way, including a 

1-4-1 stretch to close out the season. Coach Lee Smith has held a team 

together that experienced assistant coach Steve Olinger’s battle with 

melanoma and according to Smith, things are heading in the right 

direction for the revered assistant coach. “Ollie” is back on he bench 

and his experience and knowledge is welcomed by all. 

“There was a lot of pressure to get here,” Lee Smith said after the 

section final. “Paul (Ranheim) has done a great job stepping into Ollie’s 

role but it is really nice to have Ollie back and be a part of this because 

he is part of that family.” 


19-7-2 

QUICK FACTS 

Section: 2AA 

Conference: Lake 

Past State Appearances: 1992, 99, 

2001, 03, 09 Champs, 11 Champs, 14, 

15, 16 

Head Coach: Lee Smith 

Home Rink: Eden Prairie Community 

Center 

ROAD TO THE X 


Nov. 28 at Prior Lake W 6-3 

Dec. 3 at Farmington W 5-1 

Dec. 5 Maple Grove W 5-3 

Dec. 8 Cretin-Derham Hall W 4-0 

Dec. 11 at Benilde-St. M L 5-6 

EDINA HOLIDAY (Dec. 17-19) 

Dec. 17 Elk River W 5-2 

Dec. 18 Grand Rapids W 6-3 

Dec. 19 Edina W 6-4 

Dec. 23 at Blaine L 2-5 

SPORTS AUTHORITY (Dec. 29-31) 

Dec. 28 Burnsville W 2-0 

Dec. 29 Hill-Murray W 4-2 

Dec. 30 Minnetonka W 4-3 

Jan. 8 Cloquet-Esko-Carlton W 7-0 

Jan. 14 at Wayzata W 4-2 

Jan. 16 Minnetonka L 3-4 

Jan. 19 at St. Thomas Acad T 2-2 

Jan. 21 Bloom. Jefferson W 7-1 

Jan. 23 at Hopkins W 5-2 

Jan. 28 Edina L 3-4 

Jan. 30 Wayzata L 2-4 

Feb. 4 at Minnetonka T 3-3 

Feb. 6 Benilde-St. M L 3-5 

Feb. 11 Hopkins W 8-2 

Feb. 13 at Edina L 3-4 


Feb. 18 Chaska W 6-0 

Feb. 20 Holy Family W 4-2 

Feb. 24 Prior Lake W 4-2 

Tim Kolehmainen / Breakdown.zenfolio.com 

LEADERS 


11 Casey Mittelstadt 11 28-40-68 

16 Michael Graham 12 16-33-49 

12 Nolan Sullivan 11 20-21-41 

4 Nicky Leivermann 11 11-26-37 

17 Cole Lawrence 12 12-19-31 


1 Shawn Durocher 12 2.48 .889 

30 Nick Wiencek 11 2.27 .905 


Q What Eden Prairie forward was 

all-tourney in both 2009 and 2011 as 

the Eagles claimed AA titles? 


19

BURNSVILLE 

Long a storied program, the Burnsville Blaze 

clawed their way back to the Minnesota high 

school state hockey tournament for the first 

time since the 2006-2007 season. 

In his ninth season as coach for the Blaze, Janne Kivihalme directed 

a team that is both talented and focused, much like their bench boss. 

They delivered in convincing fashion by blasting St. Thomas Academy 

by 7-1 score in the Section 3AA final. All seven goals came after a 

scoreless first period, illustrating that the Blaze do not panic. 

Burnsville enter the tournament with a modest 16-10-2 record 

although like many teams in the tournament field, the Blaze challenge 

themselves with a difficult schedule and opened the season 0-3-1. 

They are on a run of eight straight wins entering the state tournament 

and have outscored their opponents by a 50-10 in those games. That 

is down right offensive. 

Senior forward Cade Borchardt (28-30-58) has been on fire over 

that span of games connecting for 14 goals and 26 points, including 

three straight hat tricks in the section playoffs. At 6-foot-2, senior 

Eric Otto (13-26-39) is a force down the middle at center and has the 

power forward attributes to go along with a heavy shot. Keeping to 

the senior theme, defenseman Nolan Sawchuk (4-24-28) is not only 

offensively productive but he is a steady defender as well. 

Senior goalie Nick Lee has carried the majority of the load in goal 

by posting a solid (14-6-1, 1.85, .910) record. He posted a .968 save 

percentage in section play, turning aside 60 of 62 shots. His play has 

been impressive and his numbers indicative of not only that but his 

team’s play. Consider, they killed off all nine penalties in the section 

playoffs and have a power play that is in sync at 26 percent. 

The Burnsville Blaze could be viewed as a dark horse but their 

thoroughbred senior players and overall three-zone play make the 

Burnsville Blaze a team to watch this weekend. 


16-10-2 

QUICK FACTS 

Section: 3AA 

Conference: South Suburban 


85 Champs, 86 Champs, 87, 90, 91, 

2007, 16 

Head Coach: Janne Kivihalme 

Home Rink: Burnsville Ice Center 

ROAD TO THE X 


Nov. 21 Hill-Murray L 3-4 

Nov. 27 at Edina L 3-4 

Dec. 1 Benilde-St. M L 0-7 

Dec. 5 Farmington T 4-4 

Dec. 8 at Bloom. Jefferson W 2-1 

Dec. 10 Eagan W 5-1 

Dec. 17 Prior Lake L 1-4 

Dec. 19 at Apple Valley W 6-1 

Dec. 23 at Eastview W 2-1 

SCHWAN CUP GOLD (Dec. 28-30) 


Dec. 29 Wayzata L 2-5 

Dec. 30 Centennial W 5-1 

Jan. 5 at Lakeville North L 3-8 

Jan. 7 Rosemount L 1-3 

Jan. 9 at Shakopee W 6-1 

Jan. 14 Lakeville South T 1-1 

Jan. 16 at Farmington W 3-2 

Jan. 21 at Eagan W 8-1 

Jan. 23 Lakeville North L 1-2 

Jan. 28 at Prior Lake L 1-2 

Jan. 30 Apple Valley W 9-1 

Feb. 4 Eastview W 6-4 

Feb. 6 at Rosemount W 3-2 

Feb. 11 at Lakeville South W 2-1 

Feb. 13 Shakopee W 10-0 


Feb. 18 East Ridge W 9-0 

Feb. 20 Rosemount W 4-1 

Feb. 25 St. Thomas Acad W 7-1 


LEADERS 


22 Cade Borchardt 12 28-30-58 

17 Eric Otto 12 13-26-39 

4 Nolan Sawchuk 12 4-24-28 

3 Roman Ahcan 11 11-12-23 

18 Brendan Larsen 12 8-9-17 


1 Nick Lee 12 1.85 .910 


Q What two schools met in the state 

final in 1983, 1985, and 1986? 


21

STILLWATER 

The Stillwater Ponies have found many ways 

to win this year and with a 26-1-1 record have 

compiled the most wins of any team in the 

Class 2A state tournament field. 

The Ponies’ wins have come in a number of ways but nothing could 

have been more impressive than their 1-0 overtime win against Hill- 

Murray in the Section 4AA final. It was a defensive struggle that had 

plenty of offensive chances and was capped off by Noah Cates’ 

game-winner on an amazing individual effort. 

Each night, there has been a different hero for the Ponies. The play 

of senior goalie Josh Benson (22-1-1, 1.70, .923) has been the steady 

formula for the offensively talented Ponies. He allows the team to be 

able to bring a more aggressive free-style approach their game. 

The saying goes that goaltending and special teams win 

championships and the Ponies have both. They have allowed a stingy 

46 goals against this year. Their power play cruises along at 31.6 

percent. Even more impressive is a penalty kill that clocks in at 93 

percent, making teams earn their goals. 

It is rare to have four 20-goal scorers on one high school hockey 

team and the Ponies have that in Noah Cates (23-37-60), senior 

Jackson Cates (24-34-58), junior Luke Manning (21-22-43), and 

junior TJ Sagissor (20-17-37). Junior defenseman Jesse Bjugstad 

(4-18-22) has compiled two year’s worth of experience on the blue line 

and anchors a steady group of puck moving defensemen. 

The Ponies a peppered with a talented junior class that captured 

the Bantam AA state championship two seasons ago. Many of those 

players are key contributors today and they have blended well with 

the seniors on the team. 

Head coach Matt Doman is in his third year as a coach with two 

state tournament appearances. His perspective and can-do demeanor 

has rubbed off on his team. “You can’t look past any team and our goal 

has been to win a state tournament from the first day of practice, “ 

Doman said. 


26-1-1 

QUICK FACTS 

Section: 4AA 

Conference: Suburban East 

Past State Appearances: 2014, 16 

Head Coach: Matt Doman 

Home Rink: St. Croix Rec Center 

ROAD TO THE X 


Dec. 1 at Lakeville North W 6-5 

Dec. 3 at Roseville W 5-2 

Dec. 5 Cretin-Derham Hall W 5-1 

Dec. 8 at Hastings W 7-1 

Dec. 10 at East Ridge W 4-2 

Dec. 12 at Park W 7-2 

Dec. 17 Bloom. Jefferson W 4-3 

Dec. 19 at Mounds View W 8-1 

SPORTS AUTHORITY (Dec. 28-30) 

Dec. 28 Holy Family L 3-5 

Dec. 29 Maple Grove W 8-2 

Dec. 30 Moorhead W 6-2 

Jan. 2 at Forest Lake W 4-1 

Jan. 7 Woodbury W 4-1 

Jan. 9 White Bear Lake T 0-0 

Jan. 12 Park W 6-1 

Jan. 14 Roseville W 7-3 

Jan. 16 at Cretin-Derham Hall W 3-1 

Jan. 21 East Ridge W 7-0 

Jan. 23 at Hill-Murray W 5-2 

Jan. 28 Mahtomedi W 4-0 

Jan. 30 Mounds View W 8-1 

Feb. 4 Forest Lake W 6-1 

Feb. 6 at Woodbury W 3-1 

Feb. 11 at White Bear Lake W 5-2 



Feb. 20 Irondale W 7-4 

Feb. 23 White Bear Lake W 4-0 

Feb. 26 Hill-Murray W 1-0 


LEADERS 


11 Noah Cates 11 23-37-60 

10 Jackson Cates 12 24-34-58 

15 Luke Manning 11 21-22-43 

22 TJ Sagissor 11 20-17-37 

3 Jesse Bjugstad 11 4-18-22 

9 Matthew Stanton 11 11-11-22 

21 Simon Sagissor 12 8-14-22 


30 Josh Benson 12 1.70 .923 


Q On how many occasions has a 

state title game gone into sudden 

death overtime? Can you name 

them all? 


23

ANOKA 

The Anoka Tornadoes last appearance in the 

state tournament resulted in 2003 led to a 

championship, their only in a school history. 

A steady increase in wins from 13 in 2014 to 17 in 2015 and 18 this 

year has been part of a steady improvement for the program. 

The Tornadoes are among the hottest teams entering the 

tournament, with a 10-game winning streak and a pair of signature 

wins over Blaine (twice). Those wins have been key to their run to 

the state tournament turning around a rough stretch in January 

that saw them lose seven straight. Anoka and coach Todd Manthey 

found a way to right the ship and were rewarded with their sixth state 

tournament appearance. 

Manthey’s team provides plenty of grit and skill to their game, 

led by junior Isaac Johnson (24-24-48) who improved on a 

27-point sophomore campaign. Michael Talbot (18-23-41) was 

all-conference as a junior and delivered another impressive campaign 

in his senior year, including dishing out eight assists in the section 

playoffs. Senior Blake Neumann (13-27-40) caps off a trio of players 

whho had 40 points or more this season. 

On the blue line, the Tornadoes are led by senior Reese Grailer 

(9-24-33) who is a quality defender that moves the puck not only 

with his stick but skates. He provides and element on the power play 

that has to be addressed with seven goals and 17 points on the man 

advantage. 

The Tornadoes power play ranks among the upper echelon of the 

tourney teams connecting 28 percent of their opportunities and was 

even more impressive in sections. 

Senior goaltender Spencer Olson (14-7-0, 2.98, .884) had a 

section goals against average of 1.67 and .930 save percentage. He 

has found his game and certainly, holds the keys not only to the 

Tornadoes chances in St. Paul but to bring glory back to the Northwest 

Suburban Conference that was so dominant a decade ago. 


18-9-0 

QUICK FACTS 

Section: 5AA 

Conference: Northwest Suburban 

Past State Appearances: 1985, 90, 97, 

98, 2003 Champs, 16 

Head Coach: Todd Manthey 

Home Rink: Anoka Arena 

ROAD TO THE X 


Nov. 24 at Coon Rapids W 5-2 

Dec. 1 Irondale W 5-0 

Dec. 5 Centennial L 4-7 

Dec. 8 at St. Francis W 2-0 

Dec. 10 at Elk River L 3-4 

Dec. 12 at Wayzata L 1-3 

Dec. 19 at Blaine W 6-3 

Dec. 22 Andover W 4-2 

SCHWAN CUP BRONZE (Dec. 28-30) 

Dec. 28 Blake W 5-1 

Dec. 29 Orono W 5-2 

Dec. 30 Bloomington Kennedy W 7-2 

Jan. 7 at Maple Grove L 2-4 

Jan. 9 at Centennial L 4-6 

Jan. 14 Elk River L 2-7 

Jan. 19 Rogers L 3-4 

Jan. 23 Blaine L 1-4 

Jan. 26 at Duluth East L 1-7 

Jan. 28 at Andover W 4-3 

Jan. 30 Maple Grove W 4-3 

Feb. 4 Armstrong/Cooper W 2-1 

Feb. 6 at Spring Lake Park W 5-2 

Feb. 8 Osseo W 4-2 

Feb. 11 Champlin Park W 9-0 

Feb. 13 at Totino-Grace W 8-2 


Feb. 18 Champlin Park W 4-0 

Feb. 20 Centennial W 6-2 

Feb. 25 Maple Grove W 6-3 

LEADERS 


23 Isaac Johnson 11 24-24-48 

16 Michael Talbot 12 18-23-41 

19 Blake Neumann 12 13-27-40 

20 Reese Grailer 12 9-24-33 

27 Taylor O’Neill 12 7-12-19 


29 Spencer Olson 12 2.98 .884 



Q Anoka’s starting goaltender on 

the 2003 Class AA champion gave 

up just one goal in both the semis 

and finals that year. Who was this 

all-tournament netminder? 


25

WAYZATA 

Sticking to the game plan has always been a key 

trait to Pat O’Leary’s Wayzata Trojans ,who 

earned their fourth state tournament berth in 

school history with a 4-1 Section 6AA final win over 

the Cretin-Derham Hall Raiders. 

The Trojans enter the state tournament on a five-game winning 

streak and are 10-2-0 in their last 12 games while holding a alkdkjfdlakjfk 

record against the state tournament field. Special teams have 

been a key component and they possess a power play that clicks at 

20.5% and kill 82% of their penalties. A major calling card for the 

Trojans is structured and disciplined defensive zone coverage with 

every player willing to block shots. 

The Trojans demand consistent play in all three zones, fueled by a 

productive forecheck. It helps to have a physically strong team that 

is peppered with nine senior. O’Leary’s Trojans are built much in the 

same mold as his 2013 state tournament edition and his words at the 

beginning of the season proved prophetic. “If we can find consistent 

scoring, we will be competitive,” O’Leary said. 

Six players have have notched 20 or more points, led by University 

of North Dakota recruit senior Mark Senden (9-28-37). sophomore 

Colin Schmidt (12-13-25) and senior Luke Patterson (4-19-23) 

anchor the much needed scoring depth and balance that O’Leary’s 

team relies on. Senior Hank Sorenson (9-13-22) is the catalyst on 

the blue line and has (3-3-6) on the power play. 

Alex Schilling is in his senior season and has been a mainstay for 

the Trojans the past three seasons and has posted a 16-7-0 record and 

three shutouts. His demeanor is a perfect compliment to the Trojans 

team that plays a focused and rounded game. 

With the Trojans making their second appearance under O’Leary, 

they will not be happy to just be in St. Paul, they have designs on 

their first ever state championship. “We’re going there for a reason,” 

O’Leary said. “Not that we weren’t the last time but you have got to 

get through the glitz and glamor and understand that we have a good 

enough team to beat anybody.” 


19-8-1 

QUICK FACTS 

Section: 6AA 

Conference: Lake 


13, 16 

Head Coach: Pat O’Leary 

Home Rink: Plymouth Ice Center 

ROAD TO THE X 


Nov. 20 Maple Grove W 3-2 

Nov. 21 Edina W 4-2 

Nov. 27 at Hermantown L 3-5 

Nov. 28 at Duluth East L 1-4 

Dec. 3 Andover W 7-1 

Dec. 5 at Hill-Murray W 2-0 

Dec. 10 Breck W 2-1 

Dec. 12 Anoka W 3-1 

Dec. 17 at Holy Family W 6-4 

Dec. 19 Buffalo W 2-1 

Dec. 22 at St. Thomas Acad L 0-5 

SCHWAN CUP GOLD (Dec. 28-30) 

Dec. 28 Hill-Murray L 1-7 

Dec. 29 Burnsville W 5-2 

Dec. 30 St. Thomas Acad T 1-1 

Jan. 5 Farmington L 1-2 

Jan. 14 Eden Prairie L 2-4 

Jan. 16 at Edina W 3-1 

Jan. 21 at Minnetonka W 4-0 

Jan. 22 at Grand Rapids W 3-2 

Jan. 28 Hopkins W 4-1 

Jan. 30 at Eden Prairie W 4-2 

Feb. 4 Edina W 5-1 

Feb. 6 Minnetonka L 3-7 

Feb. 11 Benilde-St.M L 2-4 

Feb. 13 at Hopkins W 7-0 


Feb. 18 Armstrong/Cooper W 9-3 

Feb. 20 Edina W 5-3 

Feb. 24 Cretin-Derham Hall W 4-1 

LEADERS 


18 Mark Senden 9-28-37 

5 Colin Schmidt 12-13-25 

19 Luke Paterson 4-19-23 

23 Hank Sorensen 9-13-22 

17 Bill Duma 12-9-21 

10 Tyler Stevens 6-15-21 


30 Alex Schilling 12 2.34 .895 

Brian Nelson 


Q Two Wayzata multi-sport stars 

in the 2004 Class AA tournament 

later made it in the National Football 

League. Who were those players? 


27

GRAND RAPIDS 

After an eight-year absence from the X, the 

Grand Rapids Thunderhawks broke through 

with their first Section 7AA title since the 

2006-2007 season. 

They accomplished it by defeating nemesis Duluth East in a riveting 

come-from-behind 6-5 game at Amsoil Arena. Loaded with leadership 

and players that are solid in all three zones, the Thunderhawks broke 

through under first-year head coach Trent Klatt. The Thunderhawks 

are able to mix things up on teams and when asked to adjust, respond 

to what is required as well as any hockey team. They are an unselfish 

team that has taken their hometown pride seriously and have 

represented Grand Rapids in impressive fashion. 

There is plenty of talent for Klatt to work with led by North Dakotabound 

senior Mitchell Mattson (20-37-57) who brings an imposing 

frame down low and is tough in one-on-one battles. Adding senior 

Alex Adams (21-23-44), who notched the game winning section 

final goal, to the mix is a clutch performer. Senior Jonah Bischoff 

(16-19-35) is a battle-tested veteran who leads by example and 

provides an offensive flair. University of Minnesota recruit Blake 

McLaughlin (8-25-33) has had a productive offensive season as a 

sophomore. 

Goaltender Gabe Holum (16-1-0, 2.17, .895) has been near 

perfect this year. His work has sent the Thunderhawks on an eightgame 

winning streak and 13 of their last 14 games, with the only loss 

to Wayzata by a score of 3-1. 

“It was a great evening and it is a lot of pressure for these kids to 

play under,” Thunderhawks head coach Trent Klatt said of his team’s 

section final game. “There are a lot of guys in there and they are 

seniors and they know what is at stake and they draw on it from each 

other that collectively as a group we are a lot stronger than we are as 

individuals.” 


21-6-1 

QUICK FACTS 

Section: 7AA 

Conference: Independent 


75 Champs, 76 Champs, 77, 78, 79, 80 

Champs, 81, 88, 90, 91, 2006, 07, 16 

Head Coach: Trent Klatt 

Home Rink: IRA Civic Center 

ROAD TO THE X 


Nov. 24 Bemidji T 1-1 

Nov. 27 Minnetonka W 5-2 

Nov. 28 Benilde-St. M L 3-4 

Dec. 1 at Virginia/MIB W 8-2 

Dec. 4 at Roseau W 5-3 

Dec. 5 at Warroad W 5-2 

Dec. 8 Cloquet-Esko-Carlton W 5-0 

Dec. 12 at Lakeville North L 3-4 

EDINA HOLIDAY (Dec. 17-19) 

Dec. 17 Edina W 6-4 


Dec. 19 Elk River L 2-6 

Dec. 29 Forest Lake W 5-2 

Dec. 30 Brainerd W 6-5 

Jan. 5 Hermantown L 0-5 

Jan. 7 Duluth East W 4-3 

Jan. 9 Andover W 9-0 

Jan. 12 at Cloquet-Esko-Carlton W 5-1 

Jan. 14 at Hibbing/Chisholm W 3-0 

Jan. 19 at Duluth Marshall W 5-4 

Jan. 22 Wayzata L 2-3 

Jan. 23 White Bear Lake W 7-3 

Jan. 30 Moorhead W 5-3 

Feb. 5 Hopkins W 8-3 


Feb. 12 at Duluth Denfeld W 4-2 


Feb. 16 Cambridge-Isanti W 10-2 

Feb. 20 Cloquet-Esko-Carlton W 5-1 

Feb. 25 Duluth East W 6-5 

LEADERS 


21 Mitchell Mattson 12 20-37-57 

9 Alex Adams 12 21-23-44 

8 Gavin Hain 10 17-23-40 

12 Jonah Bischoff 12 16-19-35 

20 Micah Miller 11 16-19-35 


30 Gabe Holum 10 2.17 .895 

Brian Nelson 


Q What school had 16 of the 18 

players on its 1976 tournament roster 

play Division I hockey? 


29

BEMIDJI 

With a target on their back, the Bemidji 

Lumberjacks responded with their second 

straight state tournament appearance by 

defeating Moorhead, 4-3 in overtime in the Section 

8AA championship game. 

They overcame an 0-5-3 mark against their rival in overtime games 

over the past decade and this year’s team has the potential to lift the 

championship trophy over their head this tournament weekend. 

Bemidji plays a tough and physical in-your-face style that is 

representative of their nickname. All the ‘Jacks did was work through 

a season that featured just two losses and two ties entering the state 

tournament. Last year, in qualifying for the show for the first time since 

1986, the Lumberjacks were able to build off that and generate a blue 

chip season that had some questions entering the 2015-2016 season. 

One of those questions facing the Lumberjacks was how the 

goaltending situation would stack up with the graduation of Garrett 

Atteberry. That has been answered with resounding an explanation 

point by the play of sophomore Matt Fitzgerald (19-2-2, 2.00, .900) 

who backstops a team that has allowed just 50 goals against this 

season. 

A team that was kept largely intact from last year will be tested and 

is one-year wiser. Six players produced 30 or more points this year led 

by junior Alex Pollock (16-28-44), junior Brady Tatro (17-26-43), 

and senior defenseman Nick Leitner (13-28-41). Led by that trio 

of players, the Lumberjacks produced an effective power play in the 

section playoffs where they were 4-for-7. For the season, Bemidj had a 

potent power play that fired at 24 percent. 

Last year provided the Lumberjacks plenty of experience to draw on 

to do some damage this year. 

“We have a club that can make a lot of headway at state,” Wade 

Chiodo said. “When we are clicking an flying around, we are real good.” 


23-2-2 

QUICK FACTS 

Section: 8AA 

Conference: Mariucci 


76, 85, 86, 2015, 16 

Head Coach: Wade Chiodo 

Home Rink: Bemidji Community Arena 

ROAD TO THE X 


Nov. 21 St. Cloud Apollo W 2-1 

Nov. 24 at Grand Rapids T 1-1 

Dec. 1 Moorhead W 5-0 

Dec. 8 at Thief River Falls W 7-3 


Dec. 12 at Rogers W 7-2 

Dec. 15 at East Grand Forks T 1-1 

Dec. 19 Brainerd W 6-4 

Dec. 22 Roseau W 5-0 

HILLTOPPER CLASSIC (Dec. 29-31) 

Dec. 29 Cloquet-Esko-Carlton L 3-4 

Dec. 30 Duluth Marshall W 6-0 

Dec. 31 Delano W 6-2 

Jan. 5 at Crookston W 6-1 

Jan. 9 at St. Cloud Tech W 4-2 

Jan. 12 at Moorhead L 2-3 

Jan. 14 East Grand Forks W 3-2 

Jan. 16 at Hermantown W 4-2 

Jan. 23 Alexandria W 6-0 

Jan. 26 Hill-Murray W 6-2 

Jan. 28 at Roseau W 5-3 

Jan. 30 St. Michael-Albertville W 5-2 

Feb. 2 at Brainerd W 6-4 

Feb. 5 Warroad W 11-0 

Feb. 6 Sartell-St. Stephen W 5-4 

Feb. 12 Thief River Falls W 4-1 


Feb. 20 St. Michael-Albertville W 4-0 

Feb. 24 Moorhead W 4-3 

LEADERS 


11 Alex Pollock 11 16-28-44 

19 Brady Tatro 11 17-26-43 

21 Nick Leitner 12 13-28-41 

16 Rocky Copiskey 12 15-23-38 

39 Jack Johnson 12 16-31-37 


35 Matt Fitzgerald 10 2.00 .900 



Q What future NHL blueliner and 

All-Star scored twice for Bemidji 

in an 8-3 quarterfinal loss to 

International Falls in 1972? 


31

Champions 

PAST STATE CHAMPIONS 

1940-1949 

YEAR CHAMPION RUNNER-UP 

1945 Eveleth (11-0-0) Thief River Falls 

1946 Roseau (23-4-0) Rochester 

1947 St. Paul Johnson (34-1-0) Roseau 

1948 Eveleth (15-0-0) Warroad 

1949 Eveleth (13-0-0) Williams 

1950-1959 


1950 Eveleth (22-0-0) Williams 

1951 Eveleth (19-0-0) St. Paul Johnson 

1952 Hibbing (12-2-0) Eveleth 

1953 St. Paul Johnson (29-2-0) Warroad 

1954 Thief River Falls (20-0-0) Eveleth 

1955 St. Paul Johnson (26-1-2) Minneapolis Southwest 

1956 Thief River Falls (19-1-0) International Falls 

1957 International Falls (23-2-0) Roseau 

1958 Roseau (22-4-1) St. Paul Harding 

1959 Roseau (30-0-0) Minneapolis Washburn 

1960-1969 


1960 Duluth East (23-3-0) St. Paul Washington 

1961 Roseau (21-3-2) South St. Paul 


1963 St. Paul Johnson (24-2-1) International Falls 

1964 International Falls (22-3-1) St. Paul Johnson 

1965 International Falls (26-0-0) Bloomington 


1967 Greenway (20-4-2) St. Paul Johnson 

1968 Greenway (23-3-0) South St. Paul 

1969 Edina (26-1-0) Warroad 

1970-1979 


1970 Minneapolis Southwest (24-0-1) Edina 

1971 Edina (22-2-3) Roseau 

1972 International Falls (22-3-1) Grand Rapids 

1973 Hibbing (22-4-2) Alexander Ramsey 

1974 Edina East (24-0-0) Bemidji 

1975 Grand Rapids (23-4-0) Minneapolis Southwest 

1976 Grand Rapids (22-5-0) Richfield 

1977 Rochester John Marshall (25-2-0) Edina East 

1978 Edina East (25-1-0) Grand Rapids 

1979 Edina East (22-4-0) Rochester John Marshall 

1980-1989 


1980 Grand Rapids (21-5-0) Hill-Murray 

1981 Bloomington Jefferson (17-8-1) Irondale 

1982 Edina (22-4-0) White Bear Mariner 

1983 Hill-Murray (28-0-0) Burnsville 

1984 Edina (21-4-1) Bloomington Kennedy 

1985 Burnsville (24-1-1) Hill-Murray 

1986 Burnsville (20-5-1) Hill-Murray 

1987 Bloomington Kennedy (25-1-0) Burnsville 

1988 Edina (21-5-1) Hill-Murray 

1989 Bloomington Jefferson (25-3-0) Rochester JM 

1990-1999 


1990 Roseau (26-2-0) Grand Rapids 

1991 Hill-Murray (22-6-0) Duluth East 

1992 - I Bloomington Jefferson (25-2-2) Moorhead 

1992 - II Greenway (16-12-0) Rosemount 

1993 - I Bloomington Jefferson (28-0-0) Hill-Murray 

1993 - II Eveleth-Gilbert (14-14-0) Lake of the Woods 

1994-AA Bloomington Jefferson (26-1-1) Moorhead 

1994-A Warroad (24-4-0) Hibbing 

1995-AA Duluth East (25-3-0) Moorhead 

1995-A International Falls (20-7-1) Totino-Grace 

1996-AA Apple Valley (27-1-0) Edina 

1996-A Warroad (24-4-0) Red Wing 

1997-AA Edina (25-3-0) Duluth East 

1997-A Red Wing (28-0-0) Warroad 

1998-AA Duluth East (25-3-0) Anoka 

1998-A Eveleth-Gilbert (22-6-0) Hermantown 

1999-AA Roseau (27-1-0) Hastings 

1999-A Benilde-St. Margaret’s (26-2-0) East Grand Forks 

2000-2009 


2000-AA Blaine (21-5-2) Duluth East 

2000-A Breck (24-3-1) Warroad 

2001-AA Elk River (29-1-1) Moorhead 

2001-A Benilde-St. Margaret’s (22-9-0) Rochester Lourdes 

2002-AA Holy Angels (26-4-0) Hill-Murray 

2002-A Totino-Grace (27-2-1) Red Wing 

2003-AA Anoka (25-4-1) Roseville Area 

2003-A Warroad (28-1-1) Simley 

2004-AA Centennial (30-1-0) Moorhead 

2004-A Breck (28-1-2) Orono 

2005-AA Holy Angels (26-3-1) Moorhead 

2005-A Warroad (27-0-2) Totino-Grace 

2006-AA Cretin-Derham Hall (27-4-0) Grand Rapids 

2006-A St. Thomas Academy (24-5-1) Duluth Marshall 

2007-AA Roseau (28-2-0) Grand Rapids 

2007-A Hermantown (29-0-1) Duluth Marshall 

2008-AA Hill-Murray (27-3-1) Edina 

2008-A St. Thomas Academy (26-5-0) Duluth Marshall 

2009 AA Eden Prairie (28-3-0) Moorhead 

2009 A Breck (27-3-1) Warroad 

2010-CURRENT 


2010 AA Edina (23-6-2) Minnetonka 

2010 A Breck (29-2-0) Hermantown 

2011 AA Eden Prairie (23-5-2) Duluth East 

2011 A St. Thomas Academy (25-6-0) Hermantown 

2012 AA Benilde-St. Margaret’s (25-6-0) Hill-Murray 


2013 AA Edina (25-6-0) Hill-Murray 


2014 AA Edina (26-4-1) Lakeville North 

2014 A East Grand Forks (28-2-1) Hermantown 

2015 AA Lakeville North (31-0-0) Duluth East 

2015 A East Grand Forks (26-4-0) Hermantown 


35

ALL TIME SCORING LEADERS 

Leaders 

SEASON 

POINTS 

135 – Ben Hanowski, Little Falls, 2009 

131 – Aaron Broten, Roseau, 1979 

125 – Jared Festler, Little Falls, 2008 

124 – Jaxon Nelson, Luverne, 2016 

120 – Neal Broten, Roseau, 1978 

112 – Scott Lecy, Rochester JM, 1977 


111 – John Pohl, Red Wing, 1997 

108 – Jeremy Erickson, Wdna-DC, 1994 


106 – Chaz Smedsrud, Luverne, 2016 

106 — Aaron Broten, Roseau, 1978 

103 – Justin Kloos, Lakeville South, 2012 

102 – Dave Spehar, Duluth East, 1995 

102 – Sam Wenner, LSH/SP/TCU, 2015 

102 – Chaz Smedsrud, Luverne, 2015 

101 – Joey Benik, St. Francis, 2009 

100 – Beau Hanowski, Little Falls, 2008 


100 – TJ Oshie, Warroad, 2005 

100 – Blake Wheeler, Breck, 2004 

GOALS 

78 – Jaxon Nelson, Luverne, 2016 




63 – Josh Cisar, Moose Lake, 2012 

61 – Scott Lecy, Rochester JM, 1977 

61 – Mike Haedrich, SP Monroe, 1973 

60 – Jeremy Erickson, Wdna-DC, 1994 

60 – Henry Boucha, Warroad, 1969 

58 – Sam Wenner, LSH/SP/TCU, 2015 


56 – Tim Sheehy, International Falls, 1966 

55 – Dewey Wahlin, SP Johnson, 1984 



54 – Zach Lehrke, Park Rapids, 2008 

54 – Troy Riddle, Benilde, 1999 


53 – Brock Nelson, Warroad, 2010 

52 – Grant Besse, Benilde, 2012 

52 – Tom Biondich, Int’l Falls, 2002 

51 – Eriah Hayes, LaCrescent, 2007 

51 — Phil Hoehne, Dul Cathedral, 1967 

ASSISTS 



77 – Neal Broten, Roseau, 1978 


65 – Jamie Langenbrunner, Cloquet, 1993 

63 – Chaz Smedsrud, Luverne, 2015 

62 – Justin Kloos, Lakeville South, 2012 


62 – T.J. Oshie, Warroad, 2005 



CAREER 

POINTS 


378 - John Pohl, Red Wing, 1998 


304 - Dave Spehar, Duluth East, 1996 

286 – Jaxon Nelson, Luverne, active 


282 – Gino Guyer, Greenway, 2002 

273* – John Mayasich, Eveleth, 1951 

272 - Grant Besse, Benilde, 2013 

269* – Aaron Broten, Roseau, 1979 

269 – Corey Carlson, TH/Greenway, 2003 

264 - TJ Roo, Totino-Grace, 2013 

257 – Nate Breden, Silver Bay, 2006 

256 – John Peterson, Holy Family, 2015 

253 – Jake Johnson, Dul Denfeld, 2008 

252 – Danny Mattson, Holy Angles, 2009 

250 – Bruce Aikens, Rochester JM, 1978 

250 - Garrett Hendrickson, Virginia, 2011 

249 – Andy Sertich, Greenway, 2002 


241 – T.J. Oshie, Warroad, 2005 


GOALS 



170 – Corey Carlson, TH/Greenway, 2003 


163 - Grant Besse, Benilde, 2013 

152 – Jaxon Nelson, Luverne, active 



137 – Jeremy Erickson, W-DC, 1994 


136 – Bruce Aikens, Rochester JM, 1978 

134 – Matt Ambroz, NP/M-L, 2005 


133 – Jonah Rydberg-Sauter, PC/R, 1999 

131 - Scott Lecy, Rochester JM, 1977 

127 – Garet Chumley, Camb-Isanti, 2007 

127 - Scott Lynch, North St. Paul, 1979 

121 — Spencer Naas, BSM/Blake, 2014 

ASSISTS 




165 - TJ Roo, Totino-Grace, 2013 

165 – Gino Guyer, Greenway, 2002 


163 – Danny Mattson, Holy Angels, 2009 

155 – Chris Locker, Duluth East, 1996 

151 – Andy Sertich, Greenway, 2002 

150 – Zack Hanno, La Crescent, 2016 

149 - Garrett Hendrickson, Virginia, 2011 

148 – Nate Breden, Silver Bay, 2006 


146 – John Peterson, Holy Family, 2015 

144 – Jake Johnson, Dul Denfeld, 2008 

142 - Dan Labosky, Benilde, 2013 



MR. HOCKEY WINNERS 

2015: Jake Jaremko — Elk River 

2014: Avery Peterson — Grand Rapids 

2013: Grant Besse – Benilde-St. Margaret’s 

2012: Justin Kloos – Lakeville South 

2011: Kyle Rau – Eden Prairie 

2010: Nick Bjugstad -- Blaine 

2009: Nick Leddy – Eden Prairie 

2008: Aaron Ness - Roseau 

2007: Ryan McDonagh - Cretin-Derham Hall 

2006: David Fischer - Apple Valley 

2005: Brian Lee - Moorhead 

2004: Tom Gorowsky - Centennial 

2003: Nate Dey - North St. Paul 

2002: Gino Guyer - Greenway 

2001: Marty Sertich - Roseville 

2000: Paul Martin - Elk River 

1999: Jeff Taffe - Hastings 

1998: Johnny Pohl - Red Wing 

1997: Aaron Miskovich - Grand Rapids 

1996: Dave Spehar - Duluth East 

1995: Erik Rasmussen - St. Louis Park 

1994: Mike Crowley - Bloomington Jefferson 

1993: Nick Checco - Bloomington Jefferson 

1992: Brian Bonin - White Bear Lake 

1991: Darby Hendrickson - Richfield 

1990: Joe Dziedzic - Minneapolis Edison 

1989: Trent Klatt - Osseo 

1988: Larry Olimb - Warroad 

1987: Kris Miller - Greenway 

1986: George Pelawa - Bemidji 

1985: Tom Chorske - Mpls Southwest 


On each of the team pages within 

this preview guide, 

there is a trivia 

question in the lower 

right corner, taken 

with permission 

from the book “Puck 

Heaven: Minnesota 

State Boys’ Hockey 

Tournament Trivia” 

written by Jim Hoey. 

Answers to the questions may be 

found on the MNHockeyMag.com 

website, along with information on 

how to order Jim’s book. 

CAN YOU GET ALL 16 

QUESTIONS CORRECT? 

37

History 

ROARING 1920S 

BEFORE THERE WAS A STATE TOURNAMENT...THERE WAS A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP 

“School Hockey Sextet Cops 

State Honors” was the headline 

in the Eveleth Clarion for March 

15, 1923 referring to a 9-2 pasting 

of St. Paul Mechanic Arts High 

School by their counterparts from 

Eveleth the prior Saturday. What 

do you mean “State Honors” when 

we all know that the official boy’s 

event didn’t get underway until 

1945? Well, hockey friends and 

neighbors I’m here to tell you that 

the concept of a state hockey 

tournament, albeit unofficial, had 

far earlier origins. Eveleth was 

then known as the Reds while 

the now long defunct Mechanic 

Arts skaters were described as 

the Saints based on their home in 

Minnesota’s capital city. 

The Clarion understandably 

went on to “editorialize” the 

victory with unabashed bias: 

“It warms the cockles of your 

heart to see the way the Eveleth 

high school men take to the 

winter sport. After defeating 

every hockey team in the Twin 

Cities; Mechanic Arts high found 

out Saturday that there were 

many things about the game 

they never knew. The visitors 

were bewildered and confessed 

after the game that they were 

confident when they came here, 

with their experience, of winning. 

With proper coaching, Eveleth is 

assured of coming (successful) 

hockey teams.” 

Eveleth’s goals came from 

Shafer with four, John Prelesnik 

three, Billy DePaul one, and 

“Hobo” Johnson one. Prelesnik 

and DePaul would go on to bigger 

and better things at higher levels 

of the sport, but this day allowed 

them to shine and was a precursor 

to the success that the Iron Range 

community would have in the 

years to come. Preslesnik would 

have a journeyman’s career in 

the minors while center iceman 

DePaul could claim the distinction 

of being the first professional 

player out of the Hilltop City. He 

was a member of the 1930-31 

Central Hockey League Champion 

Minneapolis Millers and would 

later have a career season with 

the American Hockey Association 

38 


History 

St. Louis Flyers in 1934-35 when he 

scored 30 points (8g, 22a). 

Two years later DePaul would 

score two goals as the same teams 

would go at it again, but this time 

the venue was the long gone 

Minneapolis Arena at 29th and 

Dupont (now a Cub supermarket) 

in Uptown. Prelesnik would 

get another marker giving the 

Reds a 3-0 victory as the St. Paul 

Pioneer Press, like the Clarion, 

described the event as “the state 

high school championship.” The 

St. Paul newspaper recounted the 

first Eveleth goal seven minutes 

into the first period: “…Prelesnik 

gained possession of the rubber 

behind the Mechanic net and 

maneuvered it on a straight line 

to DePaul, stationed at the mouth 

of the Trainers (official nickname). 

A second pause, a hurried flip, 

and the disc rested securely in the 

Mechanic netting.” 

Mechanic Arts most 

prominent player was Elwin “Doc” 

Romnes who became the first 

Minnesotan in the NHL and have a 

distinguished NHL playing career 

largely with the Chicago Black 

Hawks. He would win Stanley Cups 

in 1934 and 1938 while capturing 

the Lady Byng Trophy in 1935- 

36. Romnes was John Mariucci’s 

predecessor as the Gopher’s coach 

and was then later elected to the 

United States Hockey Hall of Fame 

in its charter class of 1973. The 

Pioneer Press paid tribute to him 

by closing their game story with 

“Romnes and Willey carried off the 

night’s honors for the Trainers.” 

So while you enjoy the 2016 

version of our celebrated boy’s 

tournament keep in mind 

there were those 93 years ago 

who thought crowning a state 

champion was a great idea, but 

another 22 years would pass 

before it became a formalized 

reality. 

— ROGER GODIN 


39

Class 1A 

STATE-MENTS 

HERMANTOWN EARNS TOP SEED, LOOKS TO BREAK SIX-YEAR RUNNER-UP STREAK 

The 2016 Class 1A state tournament field has both 

a familiar and a new feel to it. Back for another run 

are the only two teams from last winter’s bracket and 

they earned the top two seeds: No. 1 Hermantown 

and No. 2 Breck. At season’s start most observers 

predicted the two superpower programs to be state 

title contenders and four months later, nothing has 

changed for either. 

A collision course seems likely, as both have rolled 

through the Class 1A portion of their schedules with 

unbeaten records. But nothing is a sure thing. 

Thief River Falls returns after a two-year absence 

while Section 8A rival East Grand Forks was winning 

back-to-back state titles. St. Cloud Cathedral is also 

back for the fourth time in nine years — but the first 

under new coach Derrick Brown. 

The rest of the field is quite new. St. Paul Academy 

qualified for its first state tournament of this format 

(the Spartans also played in the old Catholic school 

tournaments of the 1960s and 70s), while Mankato 

West and Litchfield/Dassel-Cokato return for the first 

time since both qualified in 2008. Princeton made 

back-to-back appearances in 2002 and 2003, but 

had not been back to St. Paul since. 

Hermantown (24-2-1) earned the No. 1 seed 

on a vote of tournament coaches and opens against 

Litchfield/Dassel-Cokato (20-8-0) at 6 p.m. 

on Wednesday, March 2 at the Xcel Energy Center. 

The Hawks are tournament tested, as they’ve 

advanced to the Class 1A state final in six straight 

years — and have taken second place each time. The 

Hawks seemingly have no weaknesses, as they’re 

backstopped by a veteran goaltender (Luke Olson) 

with a great defensive corps, high-scoring forwards, 

and a coach (Bruce Plante) who has experienced 

and fought through just about any situation in high 

school hockey. 

The Dragons will try to find cracks in 

Hermantown’s armor behind a powerful top line that 

includes seniors David Raisanen and Jared Pedersen, 

who have combined for 72 goals and 142 points this 

winter. 

Breck (24-3-1), which has flipped back and forth 

for the No. 1 spot in the polls with Hermantown all 

season long, earned the No. 2 seed and will face 

off against unseeded Mankato West (15-11-2) 

at 11 a.m. in Wednesday’s quarterfinals. Much like 

Hermantown, it’s been tough to dent the Mustangs’ 

defense. Coach Les Larson returned five veteran 

defenseman from last year’s state tournament team 

and has found another anchor in goal in sophomore 

Linden Olness. As good as the Mustangs are 

defensively, they may be even deeper on offense. Mr. 

Hockey finalist Chase Ellingson leads a group of four 

forwards who have at least 20 goals and 50 points. 

Mankato West tightened up its defense in the 

Section 1A final, shutting out a Northfield team it 

had lost to twice during the regular season. Coach 

Curtis Doell, a former collegiate defenseman at 

Minnesota-Duluth, has another next-level prospect 

on the blue line in Kyle Looft. 

The third seed was garnered by Thief River 

Falls (22-6-0), which sets up a 1 p.m. quarterfinal 

game against unseeded Princeton (21-7-0), the 

champions of Section 5A. Ethan Johnson has been 

prowling around the offensive zone all season and 

has scored nearly half of the team’s goals with 46, 

while Kade Nelson has a goals against average under 

2.00. Coach Tim Bergland’s teams are always tough 

to play against. Princeton emerged from Section 

5A as the top seed with a pair of 50-point scorers in 

Jacob S. Carlson and Tyler McAlpine. 

The final quarterfinal matchup is an — ahem 

— heavenly matchup at 8 p.m. between No. 4 St. 

Paul Academy (23-5-0) and No. 5 St. Cloud 

Cathedral (20-7-1). SPA is a young team, as just 

one of its top seven scorers is a senior (Justin Jallen) 

and its starting goaltender is just a sophomore 

(Andy Beran). Cathedral went through those 

growing pains last year, but now have a veteran 

lineup outside of sophomore goaltender Keegan 

Karki. Keep an eye on the Crusaders’ Logan Neu and 

juniors Jake VanHalbeck and Michael Spethmann. 

While most experts expect a showdown between 

No. 2 Breck and No. 1 Hermantown, the rest of the 

field certainly will have something to say about it. 

All teams feature top players that can — and have 

— taken over a game and led their teams to victory. 

It should be another exciting Class 1A tournament 

at the X. 

— TIM KOLEHMAINEN 

42 


2016 CLASS 1A BRACKET 

Class 1A 

Quarterfinals 

Mankato West 



Semifinals 

Championship 

No. 2 — Breck 

Princeton 





No. 3 — Thief River Falls 

Litchfield/Dassel-Cokato 





No. 1 — Hermantown 

No. 5 — St. Cloud Cathedral 





No. 4 — St. Paul Academy 

Third Place 

9 a.m., March 5Xcel Energy 

Center 

Consolation 








43

PLAYERS TO WATCH 

TIM KOLEHMAINEN LOOKS AT TOP CLASS 1A PLAYERS ON DISPLAY THIS WEEK AT THE X 

Class 1A 

w CHASE ELLINGSON — BRECK 

uuSR. F — 5’7, 175 

Explosive skater who was named a Mr. Hockey finalist in his fourth year of 

varsity hockey. Great competitor with scoring touch. 

w WYATT AAMODT — HERMANTOWN 

uuSR. D — 5’11, 204 

Best all-around defenseman in the tournament. Three-year varsity regular who 

is tough as nails. Great shot from the point and terrific in all three zones. 

w ETHAN JOHNSON — THIEF RIVER FALLS 

uuSR. F — 5’11, 165 

Exploded with big senior season, starting with a hat trick in opener against 

Roseau. Fast player with great hands and a sniper’s shot. 

w RYAN SANDELIN — HERMANTOWN 

uuJR. F — 6-0, 185 

Versatile player who starred at defense as a sophomore before moving to 

forward. Son of Minnesota-Duluth coach Scott Sandelin. Tough and nasty. 

w JARED PEDERSEN — LITCHFIELD/DASSEL-COKATO 

uuSR. F — 6’0, 170 

Skilled playmaker who anchors the Dragons’ high-powered first line as center. 

Great ice vision and terrific hands. 

w DALTON WEIGEL — BRECK 

uuJR. D — 5’11, 180 

An offensive defenseman who loves to jump into the play. Smooth skater who 

has gained strength and the ability to play in his defensive zone. 

w ANDY BERAN — ST. PAUL ACADEMY 

uuS0. G — 5’6 

Already a two-year starter in goal and projects calm above his age. 

Outstanding lateral movement and controls rebounds well. 

w LOGAN NEU — ST. CLOUD CATHEDRAL 

uuSR. F — 6’0, 185 

Offensive-minded player with great speed and ice vision. Loves to make plays 

for his teammates as much as scoring goals. 

w TYLER MCALPINE — PRINCETON 

uuSR. F — 6’1, 175 

Great leadership as a two-year captain and three-year letter winner. Explosive 

speed and quick hands make him a top playmaker for the Tigers. 

w KYLE LOOFT — MANKATO WEST 

uuJR. D — 6’2, 177 

Hard-working defenseman who rarely leaves the ice. Plays upwards of 30 

minutes a game and in all situations: power play, penalty kills and 5-on-5. 

w COLE KOEPKE — HERMANTOWN 

uuSR. F — 6-0, 190 

Great scorer and skater with next-level separation speed. Good size and willing 

to distribute as a playmaker, as well. 


45

MANKATO WEST 

As Mankato West continued to win more than 

20 games a year the past three seasons, 

the Scarlets had been disappointed in their 

playoff exits — until breaking through against topseeded 

Northfield in this year’s Section 1A final. 

West had won 65 games the previous three seasons and had a 

pair of Big 9 Conference championships to its credit, yet the section 

playoffs were less kind. The Scarlets were twice upset in the section 

final as the higher seed, once by Rochester Lourdes and once by New 

Prague. 

This winter, the Scarlets turned the tables, shocking top-seeded 

Northfield in the final, 1-0. The Raiders had won the two regular 

season meetings while scoring 13 total goals. But on the big stage, the 

Scarlets’ defense shut them down. That could be attributed to coach 

Curtis Doell, a former hard-nosed University of Minnesota-Duluth 

defenseman, who knows how to be responsible in the defensive zone. 

Since a Jan. 30 loss at Rochester Mayo dropped its record to 9-11-2, 

West has won six straight games while allowing only 10 goals. That 

defensive improvement paced the Scarlets back to state for the first 

time since 2008. 

Junior defenseman Kyle Looft (16-21-37) anchors the blue line 

for Doell’s Scarlets, playing 30 minutes a game and in all situations, 

according to his coach. Looft could make a big impression on the 

state stage, as he followed up an 11-goal, 37-point sophomore season 

with another 37 points this year. Junior Lucas Pfeiffer (5-9-14) pairs 

up with Looft to form an ice-eating top defensive pairing in front of 

goaltender Jackson Peterson (15-11-2, 2.87, .873), also just a junior. 

The Scarlets also have experience up front with seniors Tyler Loe 

(22-25-47) and Nick Spiess (10-14-24) and junior Jimmy Miller 

(11-18-29) all netting double-digit goals. Should the Scarlets pull the 

first-round upset of second-seeded Breck, it will come on the strenght 

of its veteran leadership. 


15-11-2 

QUICK FACTS 

Section: 1A 

Conference: Big 9 

Past State Appearances: 2008, 16 

Head Coach: Curtis Doell 

Home Rink: All Seasons Arena, 

Mankato 

ROAD TO THE X 


Nov. 21 Austin W 5-2 

Nov. 28 Faribault W 8-2 

Dec. 1 at Mankato East W 8-2 

Dec. 3 New Prague W 3-2 

Dec. 5 Orono L 2-4 

Dec. 8 at Northfield L 3-8 

Dec. 10 at LSH/St. Peter/TCU W 4-2 

Dec. 12 at Albert Lea W 4-1 

Dec. 18 at St. Cloud Cathedral L 3-8 

Dec. 19 at St. Cloud Apollo L 2-6 

Dec. 22 Winona W 8-0 

HERITAGE CLASSIC (Dec. 28-30) 

Dec. 28 St. Paul Academy L 1-4 

Dec. 29 Apple Valley L 1-4 

Dec. 30 Owatonna T 4-4 

Jan. 7 Mankato East T 2-2 

Jan. 9 at St. Paul Academy L 1-8 

Jan. 12 Rochester Lourdes W 3-2 

Jan. 21 at Owatonna L 2-3 

Jan. 23 Rochester Century W 3-0 

Jan. 25 Northfield L 2-5 

Jan. 28 at Red Wing L 3-5 

Jan. 30 at Rochester Mayo L 2-3 

Feb. 4 Albert Lea W 4-1 

Feb. 6 at Faribault W 6-2 

Feb. 11 Rochester JM W 6-5 

SECTION 1A PLAYOFFS 

Feb. 18 Albert Lea W 2-1 

Feb. 20 LSH/St. Peter/TCU W 5-1 

Feb. 24 Northfield W 1-0 

LEADERS 


18 Tyler Loe 12 22-25-47 

15 Kyle Looft 11 16-21-37 

10 Jimmy Miller 11 11-18-29 

20 Nick Spiess 12 10-14-24 


35 Jackson Peterson 11 2.87 .873 



Q What are the only two schools 

from southern Minnesota (south of 

the Twin Cities Metro area) to win a 

state hockey title? 


47

BRECK 

With 19 returning letter winners from last 

year’s state tournament team, Breck was 

expected to return to the X this winter. 

That’s plenty of pressure, especially since one of the few missing 

letter winners was last year’s Brimsek Award finalist goaltender 

Stephen Headrick. Breaking in a new goaltender is tough for any 

program, let alone one with the aspirations of the Mustangs. 

Yet sophomore Linden Olness (23-3-1, 1.76, .904) proved up to 

the task, almost from the opening drop of the puck. He came on in 

relief in the opener against Delano and has started all but one game 

since. 

Olness had plenty of support, however, as five top defensemen 

returned to make Breck a strong team in its own zone. The Mustangs 

allowed more than three goals just four times in 28 games, and only 

once since the turn of the calendar. Junior Dalton Weigel (7-39-46) 

is the catalyst on the blue line, a smooth-skating defenseman who can 

join the rush. Add in senior Justin Paulson (4-18-22), junior Josh 

Strom (1-13-14), and sophomore Nick Strom (3-14-17) and Breck 

has a formidable crew of two-way defensemen. 

Offensively, Breck is one of the deepest teams in Class 1A, anchored 

by Mr. Hockey finalist Chase Ellingson (36-35-71). The speedster led 

six players with more than 13 goals and 38 points, as he poured in 36 

goals and 71 points in his senior year. The Mustangs go two lines deep 

in scoring options, including seniors Tyler Scott (21-35-56), Will 

Blake (20-33-53), and juniors Mitch Machlitt (26-24-50), Austin 

Heidemann (18-24-42) and Carter Breitenfeldt (13-25-38). 

It may be cliche, but the Mustangs know how to win in the playoffs, 

as well. They’ve made 12 tournament appearances in the last 23 years, 

winning championships in 2000, 2004, 2009, and 2010. The last two 

titles came in finals victories over Hermantown, the start of the Hawks’ 

agonizing string of second-place finishes. Coach Les Larson and the 

Mustangs would like nothing better than to bookend the Hawks’ 

misery — and their ecstasy. 


24-3-1 

QUICK FACTS 

Section: 2A 

Conference: Independent Metro 

Athletic 


2000 Champs, 04 Champs, 09 Champs, 

10 Champs, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16 

Head Coach: Les Larson 

Home Rink: Anderson Ice Arena 

ROAD TO THE X 


Nov. 24 at Delano W 9-7 

Dec. 1 Holy Family W 3-2 

Dec. 4 East Grand Forks W 9-1 

Dec. 5 Thief River Falls W 4-1 

Dec. 8 at Totino-Grace W 7-4 

Dec. 10 at Wayzata L 1-2 

Dec. 12 at St. Paul Academy W 6-0 

Dec. 17 St. Cloud Cathedral W 9-1 

Dec. 19 at Duluth Marshall W 6-1 

Dec. 22 St. Michael-Albertville W 9-1 

SCHWAN CUP SILVER (Dec. 28-30) 

Dec. 28 Buffalo W 7-1 

Dec. 29 Rosemount L 2-3 

Dec. 30 St. Michael-Albertville L 1-6 

Jan. 7 at St. Cloud Apollo W 3-2 

Jan. 9 at Moorhead W 6-3 

Jan. 14 at Holy Angels W 8-0 

Jan. 19 Chanhassen W 5-2 

Jan. 21 Providence Academy W 16-1 

Jan. 26 Blake W 5-0 

Jan. 28 St. Paul Academy W 4-3 

Feb. 3 Minnehaha Academy W 10-1 

Feb. 4 Rochester Lourdes W 6-0 

Feb. 6 at Providence Academy W 9-2 

Feb. 9 at Mahtomedi T 4-4 

Feb. 13 at Blake W 9-1 


Feb. 19 Mound-Westonka W 12-2 

Feb. 23 Blake W 4-0 

Feb. 25 Delano W 5-3 


LEADERS 


8 Chase Ellingson 12 36-35-71 

17 Tyler Scott 12 21-35-56 

26 Will Blake 12 20-33-53 

15 Mitch Machlitt 11 26-24-50 

25 Dalton Weigel 11 7-39-46 


31 Linden Olness 10 1.76 .904 


Q Who was the Breck eighth-grader 

who helped Breck to a fifth-place 

finish in the 2011 Class A tourney? 


49

LITCHFIELD / D-C 

Facing the high-powered Luverne team for the 

second time this season in the Section 3A final, 

Litchfield/Dassel-Cokato was confident the 

result would change — and lead the Dragons back 

to state for the first time since 2008. 

They’re looking plenty prophetic this week, as the Dragons 

outscored Luverne in a wild section final, 7-6, to avenge the earlier 

three-goal defeat. But it took until the final seconds. 

Senior sniper Jared Pedersen (31-38-69) scored with just 35 

seconds remaining to tie the game and senior defenseman Ben 

Haugo (15-26-41) gave the Dragons the victory on the power play 

just over two minutes into the overtime. It’s no surprise those two 

were heavily involved, as they have been all year along with fellow 

senior David Raisanen (41-32-73), the team’s leading scorer. 

Pedersen is a playmaker with good vision while Raisanen is a bruiser 

who crashes the net hard. Haugo plays huge minutes on the point, 

setting up the Dragons’ power play. 

Behind those three along with juniors Casey Peterson (14-29-43) 

and Luke Benson (17-14-31), coach Chris Olson’s team was one of 

the highest-scoring teams in the state this winter, averaging 6.40 goals 

per game, a number which trailed only Luverne’s 8.72 goals per game. 

Six times the Dragons scored double-digit goals and were held below 

four goals just five times — although all five of those games were 

losses, as Litchfield/Dassel-Cokato’s open style resulted in a few games 

with high goals against, as well. 

There is an up-and-coming freshman class that looks as if it 

will keep the future of hockey bright in Litchfield/Dassel-Cokato. 

Freshmen Brandt Pedersen (12-16-28) and Paul Raisanen (6-6- 

12) are already playing huge roles on the varsity. Do those surnames 

sound familiar? They sure should — and very well may be household 

names by the end of the state tournament. 


20-8-0 

QUICK FACTS 

Section: 3A 

Conference: Wright County 

Past State Appearances: 1996, 

2008, 16 

Head Coach: Chris Olson 

Home Rink: Litchfield Civic Arena 

ROAD TO THE X 


Nov. 20 River Lakes W 4-1 

Nov. 27 Windom Area W 13-1 

Nov. 28 Morris/Benson Area W 12-0 

Dec. 3 LSH/St. Peter/TCU W 8-2 

Dec. 5 Wadena-Deer Creek W 10-0 

Dec. 12 New Ulm W 6-5 

Dec. 15 at Delano L 3-6 

Dec. 19 at Mound-Westonka W 6-0 

Dec. 22 at Redwood Valley W 10-0 

Dec. 29 at Luverne L 3-6 

Jan. 2 Willmar W 5-1 

Jan. 5 at Becker/Big Lake W 8-1 

Jan. 7 at Prairie Centre W 12-1 

Jan. 12 Hutchinson W 4-2 

Jan. 14 at Waconia W 9-4 

Jan. 16 at Morris/Benson Area W 10-0 

Jan. 19 at Orono L 4-6 

Jan. 22 Delano L 5-7 

Jan. 26 Holy Family L 0-7 

Jan. 29 at New Prague L 3-6 

Feb. 4 at Marshall W 5-1 

Feb. 5 at Hutchinson W 5-1 

Feb. 9 Waconia L 4-7 

Feb. 11 Mound-Westonka W 8-7 

Feb. 12 Orono L 3-6 


Feb. 18 Marshall W 6-5 

Feb. 20 Hutchinson W 5-4 

Feb. 24 Luverne W 7-6 


LEADERS 


7 David Raisanen 12 41-32-73 

5 Jared Pedersen 12 31-38-69 

3 Casey Peterson 11 14-29-43 

20 Ben Haugo 12 15-26-41 

16 Luke Benson 11 17-14-31 


1 Dylan Lemke 12 2.44 .904 

30 Jerrod Niska 11 3.62 .857 


Q What unusual and unique feature 

did the new St. Paul Civic Center 

possess when it opened, becoming 

its trademark and legacy? 


51

ST. PAUL ACADEMY 

Despite its relative youth, Saint Paul Academy 

earned its first state tournament berth in the 

modern format, dominating the Section 4A 

tournament by outscoring three opponents by a 

total score of 20-3. 

The Spartans are largely a team led by juniors and sophomores, as 

other than high-scoring senior forward Justin Jallen (23-25-48), St. 

Paul Academy’s other top seven scorers are all underclassmen: juniors 

Matt Dahlseide (25-32-57), Jack Johnston (28-19-47), Noel 

Parker (6-31-37), Riley Bowman (11-23-34) and Will Kelly (14-20- 

34) and sophomore Dev McCabe (14-25-39). 

McCabe has been on fire the past month, leading the team with five 

playoff goals and racking up at least one goal in eight of the last 10 

games after not scoring his first of the season until Jan. 9. 

And like McCabe, don’t let the Spartans’ youth fool you. With much 

of the same lineup a year ago, the Spartans finished as the section 

runner-up to Mahtomedi. Eight of the top nine forwards and four of 

the top five defensemen returned this year. 

Parker is the top scoring defenseman as a junior, as is skilled 

Weston Lombard (6-12-18), but the rest of the defensive corps is 

comprised of veteran seniors such as Cullen McCabe (8-19-27) and 

Evan Dahlseide (8-16-24). 

There’s also a sophomore in goal in Andy Beran (23-5-0, 1.88, 

.918), although he’s a veteran of two varsity seasons already. Beran 

took over the goaltending duties partway through his freshman 

season and excelled enough to be named a St. Paul Pioneer Press All- 

Metro choice that year — and he was even better this winter. 

Coach Matt Funk has compiled a rising young roster with 

considerable depth, enough to make the Spartans a conteder for a 

state title this winter. 


23-5-0 

QUICK FACTS 

Section: 4A 

Conference: Independent Metro 

Athletic 

Past State Appearances: 2016 

Head Coach: Matt Funk 

Home Rink: Drake Arena, St. Paul 

ROAD TO THE X 


Nov. 21 at Owatonna W 5-1 

Nov. 28 at Luverne W 5-4 

Dec. 1 Mahtomedi L 2-3 

Dec. 5 East Grand Forks W 7-3 

Dec. 8 Simley W 7-0 

Dec. 10 Bloom. Kennedy L 3-4 

Dec. 12 Breck L 0-6 

Dec. 19 at Rochester JM W 3-2 

Dec. 22 Henry Sibley W 8-1 

HERITAGE CLASSIC (Dec. 28-30) 

Dec. 28 Mankato West W 4-1 

Dec. 29 Eau Claire Mem, WI W 5-3 

Dec. 30 St. Louis Park W 1-0 

Jan. 7 Minnehaha Academy W 3-0 

Jan. 9 Mankato West W 8-1 

Jan. 14 Blake L 5-6 

Jan. 16 at Rochester Lourdes W 8-1 

Jan. 19 at Minnehaha Academy W 7-1 

Jan. 21 Minneapolis W 6-2 

Jan. 23 at St. Paul Johnson W 3-0 

Jan. 26 at Providence Academy W 11-0 

Jan. 28 at Breck L 3-4 

Feb. 9 at Blake W 5-2 

Feb. 11 Holy Angels W 6-2 

Feb. 12 at South St. Paul W 7-0 

Feb. 13 Providence Academy W 8-2 


Feb. 19 Henry Sibley W 6-1 

Feb. 24 South St. Paul W 7-1 

Feb. 26 Totino-Grace W 7-1 


LEADERS 


11 Matt Dahlseide 11 25-32-57 

8 Justin Jallen 12 23-25-48 

19 Jack Johnston 11 28-19-47 

9 Dev McCabe 10 14-25-39 

27 Noel Parker 11 6-31-37 


29 Andy Beran 10 1.88 .918 


Q How many schools within the 

confines of the city of St. Paul have 

won a state title besides the Johnson 

Governors? 


53

PRINCETON 

When the Minnesota State High School 

League (MSHSL) shuffled around the 

sections in its biannual tradition last 

offseason, folks in Princeton had to be both excited 

and nervous. 

The path to the Tigers’ first state tournament appearance in 13 years 

appeared to be paved for them, but with that favorite’s role came the 

increased expectations and target on their backs. The Tigers returned 

much of the roster from a team that went 12-13-2 a year ago, but 

proved it could be a factor in the section and Mississippi 8 Conference 

races. 

Turns out the Tigers could handle the added pressure. A seasonclosing 

11-2-0 kick earned Princeton both a 20-win season and the 

third state tourney berth in school history. 

Most of the returning veterans stepped up their game, including 

senior stalwart Tyler McAlpine (25-27-52), a four-year varsity 

regular. His goal total is almost triple last year’s effort, when he led the 

Tigers in points. McAlpine has always had explosive speed and good 

playmaking skills, but added a goal-scorer’s touch to his game this 

winter. Junior Jake S. Carlson (16-39-55) led the Tigers in assists 

and goals after finishing second behind McAlpine a year ago. He’s a 

smooth skater with surprising speed — and a heavy shot. 

In the Feb. 25 section final against third-seeded Monticello/ 

Annandale/Maple Lake, McAlpine took over in the closing moments 

of the game. Tied at 1-1 in the final minute, the senior scored a power 

play goal with 1:27 left to give the Tigers the lead, then iced it with an 

empty netter with 41 seconds left. It was the third time the Tigers had 

beaten the Moose, considered their chief rival for the section crown, 

on the season. 

Coach Jeff Hanson developed a great team chemistry over the past 

two years, and that’s led directly to this year’s state tournament berth. 


21-7-0 

QUICK FACTS 

Section: 5A 

Conference: Mississippi 8 

Past State Appearances: 2002, 03, 16 

Head Coach: Jeff Hanson 

Home Rink: Princeton Ice Arena 

ROAD TO THE X 


Nov. 21 North St. Paul W 4-2 

Nov. 24 Becker/Big Lake W 11-0 

Dec. 1 Pine City/Rush City W 3-1 

Dec. 3 at North Branch W 4-1 

Dec. 8 Legacy Christian W 6-0 

Dec. 10 Monticello/AML W 4-1 

Dec. 12 at Chisago Lakes W 3-1 

Dec. 17 Cambridge-Isanti W 5-4 

Dec. 18 at Proctor L 4-5 

SCHWAN CUP OPEN (Dec. 28-30) 

Dec. 28 Minnehaha Academy W 2-1 

Dec. 29 Greenway L 1-2 

Dec. 30 Simley W 7-3 

Jan. 5 Little Falls L 0-3 

Jan. 7 Rogers L 1-4 

Jan. 9 St. Michael-Albertville L 1-5 

Jan. 15 at Monticello/AML W 5-2 

Jan. 16 St. Francis W 4-3 

Jan. 19 at North St. Paul W 4-1 

Jan. 21 Buffalo L 1-4 

Jan. 29 Mora/H-F W 3-0 

Jan. 30 North Branch W 7-0 

Feb. 6 Chisago Lakes L 1-4 

Feb. 8 at Sauk Rapids-Rice W 6-2 

Feb. 9 at Northern Lakes W 3-0 

Feb. 11 at Cambridge-Isanti W 3-2 


Feb. 18 Legacy Christian W 8-1 

Feb. 20 Pine City/Rush City W 9-4 

Feb. 25 Monticello/AML W 3-1 

LEADERS 


3 Jake S. Carlson 11 16-39-55 

5 Tyler McAlpine 12 25-27-52 

16 Sam Schroeder 12 11-16-27 

24 Josh Swanson 11 10-13-23 

17 Derek Abrahamson 12 13-6-19 


32 Gabe Pangerl 12 1.70 .924 



Q In what year did the top four 

seeds in each class (AA and A) 

start getting seeded by the coaches 

whose teams were to play in the 

tournament? 


55

ST. CLOUD CATHEDRAL 

After qualifying for the state tournament three 

years ago, Saint Cloud Cathedral lost much 

of its lineup to graduation and endured a 

reloading effort, bringing up numerous youngsters 

who had to learn on the go under former coach Erik 

Johnson. 

Those lessons were well-taught, however, and this year refined 

by new coach Derrick Brown, who led Luverne to its only state 

tournament appearance before coming to Cathedral this past 

summer. In six years at Luverne, Brown won 122 games and the only 

state berth in program history in 2014. 

The Crusaders certainly started to see progress just before the 

holidays and ended the season on a 15-3-1 run over the final 18 

games. In that stretch, Cathedral scored fewer than four goals just 

once and pounded in 22 in three playoff games, including 10 in a 

blitzing of Little Falls in the Section 6A final. 

Seniors Logan Neu (22-32-54) and Jack Petroske (13-20- 

33) and junior Michael Spethmann (19-16-35) had big section 

tournaments, combing for 14 goals in total. They also were three of 

the top four scorers during the entire season, along with junior Jake 

VanHalbeck (23-19-42). In total, the Crusaders had nine players with 

at least 20 points, including senior defenseman Trevor Cornelius 

(7-20-27) and sophomore blue liner Jeron Hirschfeld (2-20-22). All 

were key members of last year’s team, which went 15-12-0 in what 

was to be a rebuilding season. 

One area Cathedral didn’t have returning veterans was in goal, 

where a three-man rotation lasted much of the season. Sophomore 

Keegan Karki (13-6-1, 2.94, .883) seemed to settle in late by starting 

eight of the final nine games. Junior Jake Levinski (6-1-0, 2.29, .884) 

did get the start in the Section 6A quarterfinal against Alexandria, and 

made 25 saves on 27 shots for the victory. 


20-7-1 

QUICK FACTS 

Section: 6A 

Conference: Independent 


2004, 08, 09, 14, 16 

Head Coach: Derrick Brown 

Home Rink: St. Cloud MAC 

ROAD TO THE X 


Nov. 20 at New Prague W 5-1 

Nov. 24 Fergus Falls W 6-3 

Nov. 27 at Warroad W 4-3 

Nov. 28 at East Grand Forks L 3-4 

Dec. 1 at St. Cloud Tech W 5-2 

Dec. 5 Rochester Lourdes W 5-1 

Dec. 11 Delano L 6-9 

Dec. 12 St. Cloud Apollo L 1-4 

Dec. 17 at Breck L 1-9 

Dec. 18 Mankato West W 8-3 

Dec. 22 Duluth Denfeld W 3-1 

GRANITE CITY CLASSIC (Dec. 28-30) 

Dec. 28 Sartell-St. Stephen W 6-1 

Dec. 29 Sauk Rapids-Rice W 7-1 

Dec. 30 River Lakes W 5-1 

Jan. 5 Prairie Centre W 13-0 

Jan. 8 at Hermantown L 2-6 

Jan. 19 at Little Falls W 4-3 

Jan. 23 Blake W 2-1 

Jan. 26 Mahtomedi L 4-7 

Jan. 29 at Virginia/MIB W 5-0 

Feb. 1 Little Falls W 7-4 

Feb. 4 at Alexandria W 4-0 

Feb. 6 at Duluth Marshall W 6-4 

Feb. 9 at Monticello/AML T 4-4 

Feb. 11 at Holy Family L 4-5 


Feb. 16 Alexandria W 5-2 

Feb. 20 Sartell-St. Stephen W 7-2 

Feb. 25 Little Falls W 10-2 


LEADERS 


2 Logan Neu 12 22-32-54 

4 Jake VanHalbeck 11 23-19-42 

19 Michael Spethmann 11 19-16-35 

7 Jack Petroske 12 13-20-33 

3 Tanner Schmit 12 13-18-31 


35 Keegan Karki 10 2.94 .883 


Q What is the all-time state 

tournament record for the fastest 

goal from the start of a game? Who 

accomplished it? 


57

HERMANTOWN 

For the past six years, Hermantown has played 

for a championship on the final day of the 

season — and six times has finished second. 

We asked last year, but we’ll try again. Is seven times the charm? 

The Hawks are back at the Class 1A tournament again, again as the top 

overall seed after another impressive regular season. Hermantown is 

riding a 10-game winning streak into the tournament and has rarely 

had an opponent come within three goals in the past eight weeks (an 

18-1-0 stretch). 

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 seniors Cole Koepke (35-22-57) and Jesse 

Jacques (17-34-51) and junior Ryan Sandelin (23-30-53), who 

have become the next group of star Hawks’ forwards. Koepke has 

next-level speed and ability while Jacques is a playmaker with great 

hands. Sandelin, the son of Minnesota-Duluth coach Scott Sandelin, is 

a gritty and versatile player. 

Defensively, the Hawks have arguably the best top tandem in Class 

1A in senior Wyatt Aamodt (10-29-39) and Eric Gotz (2-24-26). 

Aamodt is a two-way defenseman who loves to jump up in to the play, 

while Gotz is a more stay-at-home defenseman. Both are tough as 

nails and difficult to play against. 

Senior Luke Olson (21-1-1, 1.51, .932) took over two years 

ago and all he’s done is brought the Hawks to back-to-back 

state appearances as one of the favorites. The only question left 

for Hermantown now is whether they’ll leave as champions, or 

heartbroken again. 


24-2-1 

QUICK FACTS 

Section: 7A 

Conference: Lake Superior 


99, 2001, 06, 07 Champs, 10, 11, 12, 13, 

14, 15, 16 

Head Coach: Bruce Plante 

Home Rink: Hermantown Arena 

ROAD TO THE X 


Nov. 27 Wayzata W 5-3 

Nov. 28 at Roseville W 5-3 

Dec. 3 at Duluth Marshall W 4-2 

Dec. 5 at Hopkins T 3-3 

Dec. 10 Duluth Denfeld W 5-1 

Dec. 12 Thief River Fall W 4-1 

Dec. 18 at Minnetonka L 0-3 

Dec. 19 at New Prague W 6-2 

Dec. 22 Eveleth-Gilbert W 10-0 

HILLTOPPER CLASSIC (Dec. 29-31) 

Dec. 29 Delano W 5-2 

Dec. 30 Roseville W 6-3 

Dec. 31 Cloquet-Esko-Carlton W 8-3 

Jan. 5 at Grand Rapids W 5-0 

Jan. 8 St. Cloud Cathedral W 6-2 

Jan. 12 at Greenway W 2-1 

Jan. 16 Bemidji L 2-4 

Jan. 22 White Bear Lake W 5-1 

Jan. 23 Mahtomedi W 6-2 

Jan. 26 at Virginia/MIB W 4-1 

Jan. 28 Cloquet-Esko-Carlton W 4-1 

Feb. 5 at Brainerd W 2-1 

Feb. 9 Superior, WI W 6-2 

Feb. 11 Hibbing/Chisholm W 7-0 


Feb. 18 Eveleth-Gilbert W 12-2 

Feb. 20 Greenway W 9-0 

Feb. 24 Hibbing/Chisholm W 8-0 

LEADERS 


27 Cole Koepke 12 35-22-57 

11 Ryan Sandelin 11 23-30-53 

8 Jesse Jacques 12 17-34-51 

5 Wyatt Aamodt 12 5-33-38 

4 Matt Valure 11 10-17-27 


32 Luke Olson 12 1.36 .940 



Q What Hermantown linemates 

combined for nine goals and 20 

points in leading the Hawks to a 

runner-up finish in the 2011 Class 

A event? 


59

THIEF RIVER FALLS 

Should Thief River Falls give Section 8A its third 

straight state championship — East Grand 

Forks had won the past two years before the 

Prowlers knocked them out in the section final — it 

would also give coach Tim Bergland his 150th career 

victory. 

That would be a fitting tribute the to the coach who has raised the 

Prowlers into an annual state contender in his time on the bench. 

The Thief River Falls graduate and former NHLer always has his team 

playing a tough and gritty “northern” style of hockey that just wins in 

the playoffs. 

Over its past seven games, Thief River Falls has allowed only seven 

goals and has four shutouts. Senior Kade Nelson (22-6-0, 1.95, 

.909) is the man backstopping that run of excellence. He’s an athletic 

and solid goaltender who is a multi-sport athlete. In the Prowlers’ 3-1 

section final victory over East Grand Forks, Nelson stopped 34 of 35 

shots. 

Senior Ethan Johnson (46-19-65) kicked off his final season 

with a hat trick against Roseau in the season-opener on Nov. 24 and 

hasn’t slowed down since. He’s a high-energy player with good speed 

and great hands. In three section games, he added another six goals. 

Johnson was even better against the rival Green Wave, netting nine of 

the team’s 12 goals in a three-game season sweep. 

The Prowlers aren’t a high-scoring team, but when they do, it’s likely 

Ethan Johnson is right in the middle of the action, as are fellow seniors 

Michael Johnson (16-34-50) and Lucas Magnusson (18-24-42), 

a player with great ice awareness. 

Defensively, junior Brendan Bushy (7-28-35) and senior Wyatt 

Ortloff (4-15-19) are both capable of adding to the Prowlers’ 

offense from the blue line. Bushy is a good skater with an attitude of 

toughness on the ice — much like his head coach. 


22-6-0 

QUICK FACTS 

Section: 8A 

Conference: Mariucci 


54 Champs, 55, 56 Champs, 59, 60, 65, 

2006, 11, 12, 16 

Head Coach: Tim Bergland 

Home Rink: Ralph Engelstad Arena 

ROAD TO THE X 


Nov. 24 Roseau W 6-3 

Nov. 27 Blake W 3-1 

Nov. 28 Totino-Grace W 3-2 

Dec. 4 at Tartan W 3-2 

Dec. 5 at Breck L 1-4 

Dec. 8 Bemidji L 3-7 

Dec. 12 at Hermantown L 1-4 


Dec. 19 at Crookston W 7-3 

ENGELSTAD CLASSIC (Dec. 28-30) 

Dec. 28 Alexandria W 5-1 

Dec. 29 Fargo North, ND W 8-1 

Dec. 30 Chippewa Falls, WI W 5-2 

Jan. 5 at Park Rapids W 10-0 

Jan. 7 Moorhead L 2-4 

Jan. 12 at Kittson Central W 6-0 

Jan. 14 Warroad W 4-3 

Jan. 19 East Grand Forks W 5-0 

Jan. 22 at Duluth Denfeld W 3-1 

Jan. 23 at Hibbing/Chisholm L 2-3 

Jan. 26 Lake of the Woods W 7-2 

Jan. 28 Crookston W 8-4 

Feb. 1 at Roseau W 4-0 

Feb. 4 Red Lake Falls W 6-0 

Feb. 9 at East Grand Forks W 4-2 

Feb. 12 at Bemidji L 1-4 


Feb. 18 Red Lake Falls W 5-0 

Feb. 20 Detroit Lakes W 4-0 

Feb. 25 East Grand Forks W 3-1 


LEADERS 


14 Ethan Johnson 12 46-19-65 

27 Michael Johnson 12 16-34-50 

12 Lucas Magnusson 12 18-24-42 

66 Brendan Bushy 11 7-28-35 

4 Wyatt Ortloff 12 4-15-19 


35 Kade Nelson 12 1.95 .909 


Q What two teams staged a 

remarkable and epic quarterfinal 

contest in 1955 that took 11 

overtimes to determine the winner? 


61

History 

NEAR PERFECTION 

ROB MCCLANAHAN REFLECTS ON CLOSE-TO-PERFECT 1976 MOUNDS VIEW SEASON 

It’s no doubt that a perfect season is special and 

often hard to accomplish. 

In 1976, the Mounds View boys’ hockey team 

came close to perfection, taking a 24-0 record into 

the state tournament. It was a team that heavily 

outscored opponents throughout the season. It 

must have looked good on paper for the Mustangs 

to go all the way. 

Then, they lost. 

The blemish came in the quarterfinals of the state 

tournament, which was then held at the St. Paul 

Civic Center. A 4-3 loss to Richfield (20-3 coming into 

the tournament) ended Mounds View’s run and sent 

the team into the consolation bracket. 

Forty years later, Rob McClanahan – a star 

forward and co-captain for the Mustangs – perfectly 

remembered one tidbit about that state quarterfinal. 

“We outshot them 21-2 in the first period, and it’s 

1-1,” he said. “And we end up losing. 

“That one hurt a lot.” 

The next two periods of that game weren’t as 

lopsided, McClanahan recalled. He also remembers 

that Richfield senior center Steve Christoff— 

McClanahan’s future Gopher and Olympic 

teammate— had two goals and two assists in that 

game. 

McClanahan also gave a ton of credit to Richfield 

goaltender, Steve Paszkiewicz. 

“He stood on his head,” McClanahan said. “There’s 

no question. He was just unbelievable. You’d think 

you’d be able to slip a shot or two by him, and he 

stonewalled us.” 

Richfield lost the state championship game to 

Grand Rapids, a team with a guy named Don Lucia 

on the roster. 

As for Mounds View, it beat Henry Sibley 5-1 in the 

consolation bracket before losing the consolation 

final to Bloomington Kennedy, 4-3 in overtime on “a 

very soft goal” that occurred on a dump-in and went 

through the goaltender’s legs. 

“He just dumped the puck in, and it happened to 

take a bad bounce,” McClanahan said. “It happens 

more often than you think.” 

McClanahan scored 40 goals and 66 points in 27 

games in his senior season with Mounds View. 

After graduation, McClanahan played three years 

at the University of Minnesota (1976-79), scoring 45 

goals, 63 assists for 108 points in 121 WCHA games. 

He noted how choosing a college was different back 

then – he didn’t even start looking until his senior 

season with Mounds View was complete. 

He was part of the “Miracle on Ice” 1980 USA 

Olympic team that beat the Russians and then took 

home the gold medal. He put up five goals and three 

assists in those Olympics. 

His career extended into the NHL as well, as he 

was drafted by the Buffalo Sabres 49th overall in 

the third round in the 1978 NHL Amateur Draft. He 

64 


History 

played for the Sabres, Hartford Whalers and New 

York Rangers in his NHL career (1979-84), spanning 

224 games in which he scored 38 goals and 63 

assists for 101 points. 

“I’ve been very, very lucky in my life,” he said. “I’ve 

just been very, very fortunate.” 

McClanahan wouldn’t classify his high-school 

senior season with the Mustangs as preparation for 

the years to come, but it did provide one boost. 

“It gave me a lot of confidence that my game was 

developing,” he said. “Whenever you’re playing on a 

good team, your confidence is going to be higher.” 

He described the 1976 Mustangs as a fast, very 

unselfish team with a lot of depth. 

Safe to say they were an offensive team, too. They 

outscored opponents 149-38 during 20 regular 

season games, seven of which they took their goal 

total into double digits. They also had a 30-4 goal 

advantage in four Section 2 tournament games. 

McClanahan doesn’t remember too much about 

the regular season, except that there was a little bit 

of pressure on them as they continued to play that 

year. 

“I don’t remember anything specifically that stood 

out,” he said. 

Well, it was 40 years ago, after all. 

The Mustangs had a couple close calls with 

overtime games. They needed double overtime to 

beat Hill-Murray 3-2 and three extra sessions to beat 

Columbia Heights 4-3. 

He has seen high school hockey change over the 

past 40 years, from expanding to a two-class state 

tournament to the differences in goalie equipment. 

Perhaps the biggest difference is the equipment 

players, not just the goaltenders, wear. 

“No question about it,” he said. “The gear was so 

heavy. In terms of equipment, you see far more shots 

blocked today than were blocked when I played and 

partly because the gear is so much more protective.” 

He doesn’t necessarily think players today are 

smarter on the ice, but they are certainly bigger, 

faster and stronger. And who doesn’t like playing in 

the state tourney? 

“For sure there’s a lot of pride,” he said. “There’s no 

question. We just didn’t accomplish one of the goals 

that we had. 

“We had a heck of a year.” 

The Minnesota boys’ state high school hockey 

tournament remains a prestigious event, even 40 

years later. Getting to the tourney seems to be high 

on the priority list for high school athletes. 

“It’s every kid’s dream to play in the high school 

state hockey tournament,” he said. “My goal was to 

make it to the championship game. We just hit a 

little road block in that first game. 

“I look back on it fondly. As I said, we had a 

helluva team. You’d always like to have another shot 

at it.” 

McClanahan knows what it’s like to be there, and 

he encourages kids to enjoy the process. 

“Don’t be so focused on the end result,” he said. 

“It’s great to have goals that you want to try to 

achieve … you can’t let that be the driving force. You 

have to live in the moment.” 

— HEATHER RULE 

“I look back on it fondly. 

As I said, we had a 

helluva team. You’d 

always like to have 

another shot at it. 

— ROB MCCLANAHAN 


65

2016 MN Hockey Mag Special Tournament Edition

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