Field is wide open as puck drops on section playoffs

Every team has 25 games in the books, and while some team shave 22 wins and some have two, every team’s record is now 0-0. That is the beauty of section hockey. It’s one and done time. One bounce, one big save, one questionable call can change a game and now can end a season.

The 2024-25 season has been entertaining so far. We have had several team shift in and out of the top 10 in the state, and the top spot was owned mostly by St. Thomas Academy and then Moorhead, but now has been taken over by Hill-Murray.

But being No. 1 on Feb. 18 is not the same as being No. 1 on March 8.

It is every team’s quest, their dream. Now is why the frozen toes, extra shots in the garage, and the 6 a.m. practices were all worth it.

It’s the best time of year. It’s section hockey.

Here, we take a look at each section, and delve into who is who and what is what. We, like everyone else, don’t know who will get the bounce, the call or the big save. What we do know is it will be another exciting two weeks as teams, players, coaches and parents hope to continue on that journey that is a treacherous, emotional, and exhilarating Trek to the X.

Section 1AA

Seeds: 1. Lakeville South 2. Lakeville North 3. Rochestr Century/JM  4. New Prague 5. Farmington  6. Owatonna  7. Rochester Mayo

2024 Champion: Rochester Century/JM

Last year Rochester Century/JM had a glass shattering surprise section title. This year, however, it looks like it is Lakeville South’s section to lose. The Cougars are playing as well as any team in the state with an 11-1-0 stretch to finish the season after a slow start. The  lone loss came to top-10 squad Shakopee who has also caught fire in the late stages of the season.

The Ernst brothers (Jackson and Carter) are driving shotgun on the offensive side with a combined 43 goals and 96 points. Putting the puck in the net hasn’t been an issue for the Cougars. Keeping the puck out of the net has. They are allowing more than 3.2 goals per game, a bit high for a section frontrunner. But they seem to have some separation from the rest of the pack. No. 2 seed Lakeville North has lost twice to South by a combined score of 11-1 (7-1, 4-0).

Rochester Century/JM is unlikely to catch lightning in a bottle two years running, but they have put together another strong season with a 19-6-0 record. Calvin O’Reilly hit the 50-point mark as a junior with a 5-point performance in their last regular season win over Faribault.

But Rochester/JM’s schedule is not that of Lakeville South or Lakeville North, which means playoff competition is about to get tougher. Then again, it was tough last year and they still got through. A repeat? Don’t count them out. But this is Lakeville South’s section in a lot of ways.

View Bracket: https://www.legacy.hockey/page/show/5630464-section-1aa

Section 2AA

Seeds: 1. Eden Prairie  2. Shakopee  3. Minnetonka  4. Holy Family  5. Prior Lake  6. Chanhassen  7. Waconia  8. Bloomington Jefferson  9. Chaska

2024 Champion: Chanhassen

Section 2AA was well represented last season as Chanhassen upset the juggernaut and expected section winner Minnetonka to advance all the way to the state finals before losing to Edina by a goal.

This season is much different, not just for Chan, but for Tonka as well. Both teams suffered huge losses to graduation, opening the door for Eden Prairie and Shakopee. Shakopee opened the season as a top-3 team in the state, but faultered early and fell out of favor in the rankings. But senior stud Cooper Simpson has found his game and has been on a second-half tear and finished the season with 18 goals in his final six games. Simpson isn’t alone, either, as Cooper Seigert (20-22-42), Nate Pederson (13-28-41) and Tristin Wasangesso (14-26-40) give the Sabers four 40-pointers, a solid feat that shows they have offensive depth.

But while Shakopee might be wearing the more flashy suit, Eden Prairie might be the whole package. They started the season 7-0 and then went eight games without a win (0-6-2). Since then they have gone 9-0-1 their past 10 games. They have one of the top defensive defensemen in the state in Nick Koering and have a balanced group of forwards up front  and are senior strong with 13 12th graders on the roster. Chase Klute leads the team with 23 goals and Rio Treharne leads with 48 points (14-34-48). Alex Hall (15-26-41) and John Kleis (12-17-29). All are seniors, and experience and a chance to close out their career doing something special may be enough air under the wings of these Eagles to not just get through a tough section, but fly high in St. Paul.

And don’t count out the Skippers. They carried a heavy anchor on their shoulders last season with unrealistic comparisons to other great teams in Minnesota HS Hockey history. Sometimes when teams play without pressure, they play better, and we know Minnetonka is always skilled and has roster depth.

Holy Family may be deemed an outlier, but they have won 18 games and Bryce Witala has put together a strong senior campaign with 30 goals and 56 points. He is headed to Lindenwood, an up and coming Division I program.

Holy Family or Minnetonka escaping to the X out of this tough section would be a story, so for now this is a two-team race with an expected Shakopee vs. Eden Prairie final.

View Bracket: https://www.legacy.hockey/page/show/5629470-section-2aa

Section 3AA

Seeds: 1. St. Thomas Academy 2.Cretin-Derham Hall 3. Rosemount 4. Park-Cottage Grove 5. Two Rivers 6. Eastview 7. Apple Valley/Burnsville 8. Hastings 9. Eagan

2024 Champion: Cretin-Derham Hall

St. Thomas Academy has a new bench boss and he had his Cadets marching in order where they spent a good part of the season as the top-ranked team in Class AA. Moorhead eventually went on an epic run and a couple blips caused STA to fall a bit, but they have maintained a top-5 spot all season. The Cadets are led by a strong group of forwards including Jackson Rudh, Michael Mikan, Cole Bruanshausen, Nico Russ and Will Dosan —  the fivesome has combined for 96 goals. But their backbone is their backstop in Cody Niesen who has a .924 save percentage and seven shutouts. They are the favorite, but there isn’t much separation between them and the  reigning champion Cretin-Derham Hall Raiders.

The Raiders are ranked No. 7 in the final LPH rankings and have just three losses, one of them to No. 5 STA (4-2). Their other losses are to No. 6 Edina (3-2) and No. 3 Stillwater (4-2). Well coached and experienced, the Raiders could not only win the section, but could be a Friday night team at the state tournament.  Junior Nate Chorlton leads the offense with 19 goals and 24 assists, but this team doesn’t rely on one player to get it done and has a balanced squad willing to share the puck and the glory. Max Bennet has netted 18 goals and could be a difference maker come playoff time. But before they get to see STA in the final, they will have to get past Rosemount.

The Irish have 22 wins, tied for tops in in high scool hockey. But their schedule isn’t the same as Edina, Hill-Murray and some others, which pits them as the No. 3 seed in this section. Still, they are a team to be dealt with and could give CDH fits if they meet up as expected. Josh Toll on defense is the real deal and has 45 points (11G/34A) as a defenseman. He’s not alone on the blueline as Cristian Nichols has 35 helpers on the season as well. The Irish have a pair of D1 commits in Toll (St. Thomas) and leading scorer Cade Sherman (Augustana – 22-25-47). Christian Garrity (29-16-45) and Gavin McNeil (16-24-40) give the Irish four 40-pointers, which gives them a chance .

View Bracket: https://www.legacy.hockey/page/show/5630944-section-3aa

Section 4AA

Seeds: 1. Hill-Murray 2. Stillwater 3. White Bear Lake 4. Gentry Academy 5. Roseville 6. Woodbury  7. East Ridge  8. Mounds View  9. Tartan  10. St. Paul Johnson

2024 Champion: White Bear Lake

With their win over Moorhead Saturday, the Pioneers elevated themselves to the top of the Class AA heap. Everyone would love a Moorhead vs Hill-Murray state final, but first the perennial Section 4AA power will have to get through the gauntlet that is Section 4AA. Last season it was White Bear Lake, Nolan Roed and Leo Gabriel who shut the Pioneers down in the final, 3-0. Roed is off to a stellar start in the USHL, but Gabriel remains. But that is the least of the Pioneers worries. Stillwater has perhaps their deepest and most talented roster in decades. Brody Dustin (28-20-48) and Blake Vanek (18-26-44) carry a deep roster that includes sophomore stud Luca Jarvis (18-19-37). Fellow seniors Matthew Volkman (18-21-39) and Luke Meyers (14-26-40) gives the Ponies enough depth to ride on. Goaltending has been solid as well and the addition of Cal Conway will add to depth between the pipes. He has started the past four games and posts a .944 save percentage.

But the Pioneers are as equally as deep as they’ve been in some time. They are talented, fast, and relentless, as evidenced by their 4-goal comeback against the top-ranked Spuds.

Senior Boden Sampair (30-36-66) drives the bus but he’s got plenty of teammates riding shotgun with junior Chaz Lentz (19-33-52) and sophomore Riley Zupfer (20-27-47). Not to mention the Pioneers have two top D-men in the state in Landon Cottingham (7-19-26) and Graham Greeder (11-26-37). Grayson Hanggi is also stellar in goal with a 1.74 GAA and .926 Save percentage.

The Pioneers aren’t just the team to beat in Section 4AA, they might be the team to beat statewide. But getting through the gauntlet of 4AA won’t be easy.

View Bracket: https://www.legacy.hockey/page/show/5630946-section-4aa

Section 5AA

Seeds: 1. Rogers 2. Maple Grove 3. Champlin Park 4. Totino-Grace 5. Blaine 6. Centennial 7. Spring Lake Park/ Coon Rapids 8. Osseo 9. Irondale-St. Anthony

2024 Champion: Centennial

No. 1 Rogers is looking to make their first trip in school history to the Xcel Energy Center. The Royals post a stellar 20-3-2 record, and are the clear frontrunners. The Royals  recently skated to a 2-2 tie against No. 1 Moorhead on Feb. 13. The Royals have average exactly six goals a game and are  led by the offensive threat of Mason Jenson (40-41-81), Parker Deschene (16-52-68) and Keaton Weis (27-30-57). Nolan Geerdes anchors the D and is a strong two-way player who QBs the power play.

No. 2 Maple Grove will look to make a trip to Saint Paul for the first time since the 2022-23 season where the Crimson saw their season end in the Class AA quarterfinal falling to Cretin-Derham Hall, 3-1. Maple Grove holds onto a 14-10-1 record and have had an up-and-down season with big wins over some top teams. The Crimson have totaled 92 goals and average just under four goals a contest (3.68). MG is led by a potent first line and have four scorers beyond the 20-point mark, Wyatt Kuznik (14-20-34), Jaden Roueche (11-17-28), Lane Glende (10-17-27) and Brady Aubut (12-10-22).

No. 3 Champlin Park will look to make a return trip to the state tournament after not making a state tournament since before 2009. The Rebels have a 16-9–0 record and will face off against Centennial in the first round of the section tournament on Feb. 20. The Rebels have two scorers who have surpassed 40 points  — Nick Carlson (7-34-41) and Brent Solomon (34-17-51). Solomon is a bonafide goal scorer who led the elite league in scoring this past fall.

View Bracket: https://www.legacy.hockey/page/show/5631258-section-5a

Section 6AA

Seeds: 1. Edina 2. Wayzata 3. Benilde St Margaret’s 4. Academy of Holy Angels 5. Blake 6. St. Louis Park 7. Hopkins 8. AC Wings

2024 Champion: Edina

No. 1 Edina has had a quiet season in retrospect to previous years as the Hornets have a 17-6-2 record. After claiming a 2-1 win over Chanhassen to win the Class AA title a year ago, the Hornets return a dynamic offense with mainly all top-six forwards after losing St. Thomas commit Bobby Cowan and Jackson Nevers. This includes Mason West (20-18-38), Casey Vandertop (8-34-42), Caleb Pittsley (19-19-38) and Freddie Schneider (9-23-32).

No. 2 Wayzata is under the radar after falling to section opponent Academy of Holy Angels on Jan. 22, 5-1, while narrowly beating Edina and Benilde. The Trojans look to return to St. Paul for the first time since 2020-21 where they fell to Lakeville South in the Class AA Semifinals, 5-3. Wayzata has totaled 93 goals this season, while averaging just under four per game (3.72). The Trojans return the likes of Eli Molde (10-14-24), Colin Bierman  (10-12-22) and Finn De St. Hubert (3-17-20). They don’t have the offensive firepower they did a year ago, but are a well-coached team who is always tough to play against. They won’t win any 6-5 games, but could run a string of low-scoring wins to get back to the dance.

No. 3 Benilde St Margaret’s will look to make the trip to the Xcel Energy Center since the 2012 season when the Red Knights were led by Grant Besse who had a historic tourney weekend with five goals in the State Championship game vs Hill Murray. Unfortunately Section 6AA is the toughest section in all of high school hockey, a mini-state tournament in and of itself. Since 2012 the Red Knights have won a majority of their games, only to run up against the perennial powers of Edina and Wayzata. And now Holy Angles has emerged as a formidable foe.

This season,  BSM defeated the Academy of Holy Angels in an offensive explosion of a 7-5 game.  The Red Knights have totaled 126 goals, averaging just over five goals a game (5.04). BSM bolsters a heavy-hitting but skilled first line with leading point-getters being Western Michigan Commit Junior Podein (25-19-44), Cam Kirschner (15-28-43) and Mason Minor (10-22-32).

No. 4 Academy of Holy Angels is the winner of the Tri-Metro Conference with a 21-3-1 regular season record. The Stars are led by potential Mr. Hockey and St Thomas University commit Henry Lechner (44-46-90). They are looking to break a 20-year hiatus where AHA won the 2005 Class AA State Championship matchup vs Moorhead under Greg Trebil. Holy Angels has three section wins over Blake School, St Louis Park and Benilde St Margaret’s and has totaled 160 goals, averaging just under seven goals per game (6.40). Holy Angels is leaned on by a slow of top forwards consisting  of Lechner, Cole Cheeseman (23-38-61), Gabe Perron (11-44-55), and Lincoln Ayers Assad (30-24-54).

View Bracket: https://www.legacy.hockey/page/show/5629525-section-6aa

Section 7AA

Seeds: 1. Rock Ridge 2. Grand Rapids 3. Andover 4. Forest Lake 5. Duluth Marshall 6. Duluth Denfeld 7. Cambridge-Isanti 8. Duluth East 9. Anoka 10. Northern Edge

2024 Champion: Grand Rapids

No. 1 Rock Ridge (Virginia/Eveleth) posts a 20-3-2 overall record as a member of the Lake Superior Conference. Rock Ridge will look to make their first state hockey tournament appearance with the merger between the Eveleth Golden Bears and Virginia/Mountain Iron/Buhl. RRHS will play Duluth East in the opening round of the 7AA sections. The team averages just under five goals a game (4.48) and totals 112 goals. RRHS is led by the top line of Grady Dimberio (27-24-51), Caz Carlson (22-26-48), and Colton Bialke (8-26-34).

No. 2 Grand Rapids will look to return to the State Tournament after they fell in the state semifinals to Edina , 5-2. The Thunderhawks have totaled 82 goals during the 2024-25 campaign, while averaging 3.28 goals a game. The Thunderhawks have a strong group which includes Nathan Garski (13-23-36), Luka Rohloff (9-24-33) and Jameson Duell (14-17-31) under the direction of Grant Clafton. They also have one of the top goaltenders in the state in Carter Casey, who boasts a .917 goals against average.

No. 3 Andover has had a peculiar season, starting off 09 and then bouncing back to win 12 of their last 16 games. Well coached and always with a cupboard full of capable players, they were in every game this season by three goals or less.  They have been a hard to team to figure out, beating several top20 opponents, but also losing to some also-rans. The Huskies have recorded 74 goals, averaging just below three goals a game 2.96. The offensive firepower is led by Camden Langfeld (9-18-27), KJ Sauer (16-10-26) and Chase Nadeau (4-17-21).

View Bracket: https://www.legacy.hockey/page/show/5625099?referrer_id=

Section 8AA

Seeds: 1. Moorhead 2. Bemidji 3. Sartell 4. Elk River/Zimmerman 5. St. Michael-Albertville 6. Roseau 7. Buffalo-Annandale 8. Brainerd 9. St. Cloud

2024 Champion: Elk River/Zimmerman 

No. 1 Moorhead has had a banner year as they hadn’t lost since the first game of the season at Wayzata. After the opener the Spuds rattled off 22 straight games before dropping the season finale at No. 2 Hill Murray in overtime, 8-7. Moorhead will open up the section playoffs against Brainerd. The Spuds have totaled 134 goals and averaged 5.36 goals per game as a member of the Mariucci Conference. Moorhead’s first line is led by likely  Mr Hockey candidate Mason Kraft (30-42-72), perhaps the state’s top sophomore in Zac Zimmerman (25-35-60), Brooks Cullen (17-21-38) and Tyden Bergeson (20-17-37). Junior defenseman Brandon Mickelson is one of the top D-men who will likely vie for the Reed Larson Award next season.

The Spuds are also strong in goal with Charlie Stenehjem (.913 save percentage). They are relentless on the attack and put up a strong blockade in the D-zone. They move the puck as well as anyone, are unselfish, and see to be hungry for something more than meat and potatoes. This might be the season where they get the gravy, too.

No. 2 Bemidji will look to make some magic in March and knock off the mighty Spuds. The last time the Lumberjacks made the trip down Highway 197 was in 2019-20 when Bemidji fell to the Hill Murray Pioneers in the quarterfinal matchup, 5-2. BHS totals 117 goals and averages just under five goals a game (4.68) with Joey Fankhanel (21-24-45), Briggs Knott (21-22-43), Noah Mannausau (7-29-36) leading the way.

No. 3 Sartell-St Stephen posts an overall record of 15-9-1 as a member of the Central Lakes Conference. The Sabres will look to make their first State High School Hockey Tournament appearance in school history, but have a tough road ahead of them. The Sabres totaled 87 goals throughout the 2024-25 campaign, and averaged just under four goals a game (3.48). The Sabres will matchup with the No. 6 Roseau Rams in the first round of the section 8AA playoffs. They are led by Shaun Paulson (16-16-32), Brayden Klande (7-19-26), Devin Jacobs (11-11-22) and Preston Deragisch (13-9-22).

View Bracket: https://www.legacy.hockey/page/show/5621507-section-8aa