Who will emerge in this year’s strong class of teams?
by Robert Brent, Let’s Play Hockey
The Class AA hockey field is as strong as ever as the puck drops today and teams will battle to determine who actually is the best of the best.
It’s been an interesting year for the top teams in the state, who have played a bit of musical chairs with the top spot in the weekly rankings. Hill-Murray began the year as the defending champs and ranked No. 1, but lost to Holy Family on Dec. 6 as the Fire took over the top spot, which they held for several weeks. Until they lost to Centennial/Spring Lake Park on Dec. 31 and Jan. 17 and eventually Centennial/SLP took over the top spot. But then the Pioneers rebounded and beat Holy Family and Centennial/SLP late in the season to retain the top spot at season’s end.
All three teams made it through their sections, Holy Family beating Minnetonka in a 5-4 overtime thriller. Minnetonka finished the season ranked fourth in the state, just ahead of Edina. Oh yeah, the Hornets. They may not have reached the top of the rankings this season, but being the perennial powerhouse they are, nobody will count them out as a legitimate contender.
Hill-Murray earned the top seed in the tourney and Centennial/SLP got the No. 2. The Pioneers open up with Section 3AA winner Lakeville North and will play the first game Thursday. Centennial/SLP will take on No 7 seed Farmington at 6 p.m. No. 3 Holy Family plays the late game against No. 6 Andover, and No. 4 Edina and No. 5 Bemidji battle it out at 1 p.m.
Several girls up for postseason awards will showcase their skills this weekend. Ms. Hockey Finalists include Maddy Kimbrel (Holy Family), Alaina Gnetz (Centennial/SLP), and Lorelai Nelson (Edina). Edina’s Cate McCoy and Holy Family’s Katya Sander were named semifinalists. Jori Jones Award finalists include Kayla Swartout of Holy Family and Makena Underwood of Farmington. Andover’s Clairebella Hills was a semifinalist.
Centennial/SLP’s Katie Ball and Holy Family’s Sander are also up for the Senior Defenseman of the Year award.
It all makes for a great showcase of talent in a tournament that truly is up for grabs. Friday’s semifinal matchups should he some of the best hockey fans will see, leading into Championship Saturday.
So, strap in, get the popcorn ready, drop the puck and Let’s Play Hockey!
Team-By-Team Breakdown
1AA – Farmington
Coach: Jon Holmes
Record: 22-4-1
Top Scorer: Jenna Goblirsch (23-27-50)
Goalie: Makenna Underwood (17-4-1/1.71/.922/5)
Farmington makes its second straight appearance at the state tournament after another excellent season under coach Jon Holmes. The Tigers punched their ticket to state with a dramatic comeback in a 3-2 victory over Northfield on Feb. 12.
The Tigers put together a strong regular season, ranking around the state’s top ten for most of the campaign. The team posted a 22-4-1 record, including wins over ranked teams like Lakeville North and Northfield, with a balanced style in which the team scored 4.11 goals per game and allowed 1.59 goals against per game.
Much of the team’s offense is produced by a quintet of talented skaters (Jenna Goblirsch, Taylor Risch, Amelia Goblirsch, Payton Blom, Lexi Giller) who all scored more than 30 points this season. Jenna Goblirsch, the team’s leading scorer with 50 points, was particularly effective in clutch situations, scoring seven game-winning goals.
The team can certainly score goals, but they’re just as effective at limiting their opponents. Senior goaltender Makenna Underwood is a 2026 Jori Jones Award semifinalist as one of the best goalies in the state.
If the Goblirschs and Underwood are as effective in the tournament as they have been in the regular season, the Tigers are poised to be a threat at Grand Casino Arena. Still, they’ll have a tough draw against Centennial/Spring Lake Park in the opening round.
Team Roster:
Player Pos Year
Payton Blom F 10
Brynnly Scholla D 8
Kamryn Bahn D 9
Charlotte Mahowald D 12
Josey Empey D 11
Kayley Pfeifer F 11
Ava Garofalo D 9
Ryann Bengston F 9
Adalyn Johnson F
Norah Kratz D 10
Amara Zens F 11
Jenna Goblirsch F 10
Amelia Goblirsch F 10
Addison Trapp D 12
Layla Garofalo F 11
Ashley Putt F 10
Julia Gerwing F 11
Ella Fine F 11
Taylor Risch F 10
Lexi Giller F 11
Makena Underwood G 12
Addie Burggraaff G 10
2AA – Holy Family
Coach: Randy Koeppl
Record: 24-3-0
Top Scorer: Maddy Kimbrel (35-19-54)
Goalie: Kayla Swartout (22-3-0/1.55/.942/6)
Holy Family advanced to their second-straight tournament appearance with a victory in an instant classic against section rival Minnetonka. The Fire and Skippers have met in the section finals several seasons in a row. Holy Family finally broke through that barrier last season, defeating Minnetonka in overtime, and they did it again this year with a 5-4 win in double OT.
The Fire will enter the state championship with one of the most stacked rosters in the state. They’re the only team in either tournament to feature two Ms. Hockey Award semifinalists (forward Maddy Kimbrel and Defender Katya Sander) and a Jori Jones Award semifinalist (Kayla Swartout).
Kimbrel led the team in scoring after transferring from Orono, scoring 54 points this year. That point total will be the second-most of any player in the AA tournament. Katya Sander, a Minnesota commit, patrols the blueline for the Fire, chipping in offensively and leading a stingy defense that Wisconsin backstops commit Kayla Swartout.
Holy Family is battle-tested this year, having played powerhouses like Centennial-Spring Lake Park, Edina, Hill-Murray, Warroad, Bemidji, and more.
One team they haven’t faced is their opening-round opponent, the Andover Huskies. The Holy Family Fire made noise with their first tournament appearance last season, and now they seem poised to genuinely contend.
Team Roster:
Player Pos Year
Kayla Swartout G 12
Tatum Elvin D 9
Ashley Noble D 9
Katya Sander D 12
Grace Timmers D 12
Ella Olsen F 9
Lydia Joseph D 9
Ella Nonweiler F 12
Maddy Kimbrel F 12
Taryn Richter F, D 12
Grace Gerebi F 9
Maddy Dunlap F, D 11
Ella Sharkey F 11
Angie Cody F 10
Audrey Nichols F 9
Allie DeFauw F 10
Ruby Lenk F 12
Addy Cowan F 12
Macy Carter F, D 11
Kylie Olson D 9
Leighton O’Leary F 9
Chloe King F 12
Allie Callinan G 9
Ruby Simet G 9
Campbell Elvin F
Lilli DeFauw D 12
3AA – Lakeville North
Coach: Buck Kochevar
Record: 17-9-2
Top Scorer: Sidney Pettersson (20-18-38)
Goalie: Bethany Bigalke (17-9-2/1.59/.925/7)
The Lakeville North Panthers earned their berth to the state tournament in one of the most exciting sectional runs in recent memory. The Panthers knocked off three-time consecutive winners Rosemount 1-0 in overtime in the Section 3 AA semifinals. The win set up a matchup against the section’s top-seeded Apple Valley, a contest that Lakeville North again won 1-0, this time in double overtime.
As unlikely as their section tournament run was, Lakeville North has been an underdog all season. They finished the year ranked outside the top 20 in the state and massively improved from last season. The Panthers finished last year’s campaign with a 12-13-1 record.
Lakeville North improved its record to 17-9-2 behind contributions from players who made the jump from solid producers to stars of the team. Sidney Pettersson notably jumped her scoring totals from 26 to 38.
Goaltender Bethany Bigalke also had a significant season for Lakeville North, starting every game for the team while registering a .925 save percentage. Bigalke’s 28 starts marked a noteworthy jump from her 20 starts last season.
The Panthers will draw the tournament’s #1 seed when they take on Hill-Murray in the tournament’s opening round.
Team Roster:
Player Pos Year
Bethany Bigalke G 11
Sidney Petterssen F 12
Mali Carlson F 11
Brynli Bunde D 8
Claire Sinkler F 9
Quinn McCulloch D 10
Addison Nolander F 12
Rylee Petterssen F 8
Aubrey Schrick F 10
Kayleigh Cox D 8
Juliet Peterson F 8
Carly Pratt D 12
Elaina Nolander F 8
Elise Reilly F, D 9
Allie Abeln F 11
Maizee Storey F 11
Carly Hanson D 12
Amari Elling G 12
Leighton Hollingsworth F 8
4AA – Hill-Murray
Coach: Krissy Pohl/Johnny Pohl
Record: 23-3-1
Top Scorer: Anna Pohl (28-21-49)
Goalie: Piper Tam (19-2-0/1.58/.905/5)
Hill-Murray ended last season at the pinnacle of girls’ high school hockey with its first state title since 2015. The Pioneers’ mindset for this season was once again championship or bust, as the team returned its top four scorers from last season and its starting goaltender.
That promise came to fruition with the team residing in the state’s top five all season. Wins over Edina, Centennial/Spring Lake Park, Dodge County, and more of the state’s finest programs lofted Hill-Murray into the #1 spot in the season-end rankings.
The Pioneers steamrolled their way through the Section 4AA playoffs, outscoring their opponents 8-1 in the two games they played on the way to their third-straight section championship.
Hill-Murray’s lethal attack is its calling card, scoring 5.78 goals per game while allowing just 1.37 goals against. The Pioneers’ offense is augmented by a ruthlessly efficient power play that scored on 51.2% of their opportunities this season.
Anna Pohl, Hannah Rychley, Jaycee Chatlein and Emily Pohl all scored more than 45 points this year and will be players to watch at Grand Casino Arena.
The Pioneers should be one of the tournament favorites and earned the #1 seed in the bracket. Hill-Murray takes on Lakeville North in the first round of their bid to defend their state title.
Team Roster:
Player Pos Year
Addy McLay D 11
Gwynn Skoogman F 10
Hannah Rychley F 9
Taylin Engelhardt D 10
Lucy Pohl D 8
Sophie Olson F 12
Stella Rankin F 9
Charlotte Sampair F 8
Olivia Braunshausen D 10
Jahnica Holtzleicer D 10
Taylor Miller F 10
Reese Unklesbay F 10
Truett Brazzell D 7
Anna Pohl F 9
Jaycee Chatleain F 11
Audrey Simonet F 11
Elliana Engelhardt F 11
Emily Pohl F 11
Ingrid Newman F 9
Fiella Purpera G 8
Charlotte Oscarson G 12
Charlotte Zelgert G 10
Joella Lipinski D 9
Piper Tam G 9
5AA – Centennial/Spring Lake Park
Coach: Sean Molin
Record: 24-3-1
Top Scorer: Mia Sutch (24-32-56)
Goalie: Kaia Weiland (18-3-1/1.61/.928/2)
Centennial/Spring Lake Park is making their second-straight appearance in the state tournament after a thrilling victory over rivals Maple Grove in the section final. The two teams have battled for sectional supremacy for years, with only the two schools winning the section since 2018.
The squad is led by a potent scoring attack, featuring six players who scored at a point-per-game pace. Alaina Gnetz is a particularly dangerous scorer. The 2026 Ms. Hockey Award semifinalist potted 33 goals this season. Mia Sutch (56 points) and Grace Laager (49 points) are also major offensive weapons for the team.
Kaia Weiland backstops the Cougars, and the goaltender showed how valuable she is to the team in their section championship game. Weiland made 28 saves in the contest and gave up just one goal to power Centennial/Spring Lake Park to victory.
The Cougars are set to be one of the most experienced teams in the tournament with a regular-season schedule that pitted them against some of the state’s top teams. Centennial/Spring Lake Park played Holy Family four times and faced other contenders like Minnetonka, Edina, Andover, and Hill-Murray.
Their most crucial contest came against Farmington, a 4-1 victory for the Cougars. The matchup is significant because the two teams will meet again in the opening round of the tournament.
Team Roster:
Player Pos
Kaia Weiland G
Ayla Specht F
Madeline Wolter F
Annabelle Buccicone D
Katie Ball D
Avery Wagner F
Mia Sutch F
Samantha Kelzenberg D
Brooke Ueland D
Ella Perreault F
Jozie Kelzenberg F
Grace Laager F
Brenna Nowling D
Kathryn Genia F
Alaina Gnetz F
Stella Kramer D
Keira Briggs F
Nora Dropps F
Lillian Renslow F
Melanie Reff D
Kaitlyn Hemr F
Madison Orlett G
6AA – Edina
Coach: Sami Cowger
Record: 20-4-3
Top Scorer: Audrey Davis (20-23-43)
Goalie: Soren Peacock (9-1-2/1.44/.925/4)
Edina, one of Minnesota’s High School hockey bluebloods, will return to the state tournament for a 12th consecutive season this year after defeating Benilde-St. Margaret 1-0 in the section final. The Hornets have won four state championships since 2018, but came up just short in last year’s tournament with a loss to Hill-Murray.
The Hornets stormed back this season with another excellent campaign, winning 20 games while averaging 4.22 goals per game. The team’s offense is led by four scorers (Audrey Davis, Lorelai Nelson, Libby Moe and Cate McCoy) who all tallied more than 30 points this season. Nelson and McCoy, in particular, had strong seasons, with both earning nominations as semifinalists for the Ms. Hockey Award.
Edina played well all season, but was particularly strong over their late stretch of games. They shut out opponents in six of their last seven games, outscoring them 35-3.
The team is backstopped by a trio of solid goaltenders who helped shut things down over that stretch of dominance. Soren Peacock played the most games for the Hornets with 12 starts, but Finley Engfer (10 starts) and Lucy Bertram (5 starts) both saw significant time in the crease.
Edina takes on the Bemidji Lumberjacks in their opening-round matchup at Grand Casino Arena. The two teams have yet to play this season.
Team Roster:
Player Pos Year
Lucy Bertram G 12
Finley Engfer G 11
Kaylan Kapsen D 11
Libby Moe D 11
Cate McCoy F 12
Kathryn Ewers F 12
Emerson Fritz F 11
Hazel Schenkelberg F 10
Lorelai Nelson F 12
Gina Russo F 12
Audrey Davis F 11
KK McGarvey F 10
Jia Morgan F 10
Brenna Prellwitz D 12
Charlotte Theirl F 12
Taylor Gardner D 12
Mae Fitzgerald F 10
Josie Nelson D 9
Lilly Horton D 11
Soren Peacock G 11
7AA – Andover
Coach: Melissa Volk
Record: 17-10-1
Top Scorer: Julia Gerdes (16-20-36)
Goalie: Clairebella Hills (13-10-1/1.93/.921/4)
At this point, a state tournament without Andover’s participation might feel a bit off. The Huskies have made every tournament since 2018 and captured the championship in 2020 and 2022.
While Andover is a mainstay at Grand Casino Arena, they didn’t come into this season as a guarantee to emerge from Section 7AA. The team lost its top five scorers from last season and relied on a group of young talent to achieve a 17-win season.
The Huskies defeated Elk River/Zimmerman, Duluth and Grand Rapids-Greenway on the way to their section title. The most impressive part of their run was the goaltending of Clairebella Hills, who made a combined 49 saves for three straight shutouts.
Hills was an integral part of the Huskies’ campaign for the entirety of the year, earning a semifinalist nomination for the Jori Jones Award with a .921 save percentage in 24 starts. Hills’ play in the net guarantees that Andover will be tough to score on.
Julia Gerdes, Taylor Schreifels and Icelyn Larson led the way for Andover on the offensive end, with all three producing double-digit goal totals. Gerdes improved her scoring totals from 19 points last year to 36 during the 2025-26 campaign.
The Huskies will take on Holy Family in the Class AA quarterfinals when they take the ice at Grand Casino Arena
Team Roster:
Player Pos Year
Jade Karnowski G 11
Sophia Lee F 10
Ruby Engquist D
Taylor Schreifels D 11
Aleksa Dorstad D 10
Aubrey Kelly F 10
Olivia Larson D 10
Julia Gerdes F 11
Payton Hawley F
Lily Rolfer F 12
Shelby Larsen F 10
Pyper Andrews D 12
Audrey Lind F 11
Peyton Haley F 10
Sydney Hermanson F 12
Molly Clough D 10
Icelyn Larson F 9
Teagan Olson F 10
Alexis Wagner F 10
Lena Fenske D 10
Kennedy Heim D
Makenzie Evans D 9
Clairebella Hills G 12
Macy Waks F
8AA – Bemidji
Coach: Mike Johnson
Record: 20-5-1
Top Scorer: Bailey Rupp (44-22-6)
Goalie: Lily Lauer (20-5-1/1.65/.930/6)
It’s been a long time waiting for Bemidji Hockey fans, but whenever something great happens, it’s always well worth the wait. The Lumberjacks earned their first trip to the state tournament since 2007 after defeating Moorhead in the Section 8AA final 4-3 on Feb. 11.
The Lumberjacks had a strong regular season, ranking in the top 10 for most of the year. Led by a powerful offense that scored more than four goals per game, and strong goaltending, the Lumberjacks enter the tournament with a 20-5-1 record.
The dynamic duo of juniors Bailey Rupp and Millie Knott has been the energizing force on offense. Rupp scored her 43rd and 44th goals of the season in the section final, and Knott, who leads the Lumberjacks with 35 assists, scored the game-winner with a short-handed effort. Rupp is a forward and Knott a defenseman. Sophomore Naomi Johnson (17-26-43) and senior Megan Berg (15-23-38) have also provided offensive punch.
Junior netminder Lily Lauer has been impressive in goal with a .930 save percentage and has started all 26 games.
The player to watch at the state will be Rupp, who was a member of Team USA’s U18 World Championship team that won a gold medal in January. She reached the 200-point plateau earlier this season.
Team Roster:
Player Pos Year
Megan Berg F 12
Alivia Coe F 11
Adeline Runningen F 10
Alexis Fuller F 9
Callie Malkowski F 9
Ella Mae Swanberg D 9
Kelli Carlson F 10
Naomi Johnson F 10
Jacinda Lossing D 10
Kyla Frank D 11
Mattie George F 9
Bergen Bakke F 9
Olivia Wangberg F 9
Mali McLean D 11
Bailey Rupp F 11
Taylor Bjerke D 12
Millie Knott D 11
Emma Greiner F 11
Lily Lauer G 11
Libby Byron G 8
