MINnetONKA

Head Coach: Sean Goldsworthy

Team Record: 24-2-2 

This Season: Losses to Edina (5-4 OT) and Rogers (6-1), and ties to White Bear Lake (2-2) and Edina (3-3)

Last Season: Section 2AA Semifinal Loss to Shakopee

Last State Title: 2023

Top Skaters: Cash Hardie (So., F, 16-15-31), Max Aronson (Jr., F, 15-16-31), Ethan Sturgis (Sr., F, 14-15-29, Dartmouth Commit, NHL Central Scouting List), Danny Browning (Sr., D, 3-26-29), Tate Hardacre (Sr., D, 12-16-28), Cameron Merrick (Sr., D, 2-4-6, Ferris State Commit)

Starting Goaltender: Chase Jerdee, Sr., Frank Brimsek Award Finalist, .927 SV%, 1.56 GAA, 6 SO

State Info: Minnetonka (No. 1-seed) vs. Gentry Academy (No. 8-seed) at 11 a.m. on Thursday, March 5

Keys to State: Stick to your game, don’t let a young Gentry team get any sparks of hope

Quotes from Coach Goldsworthy:

Q: How is this Minnetonka team different from in years past?

A: “I would say that, you know, we’re built a little differently than previous years, at least in recent memory. You know, I think in those years we had a little bit more high-offensive push with the likes of Javon Moore (now at the Univ. of Minnesota) and Hagen Burrows (Univ. of Denver) and Ashton Schultz (USHL / North Dakota commit) and John Stout (USHL / Wisconsin commit) and we had a lot of really good high offensive players. This year’s group is built a little differently. I think they’re very solid two-way players up front, they play and they don’t cheat much. Defensively, we’re as deep as we’ve ever been and we’ve been outstanding in net so probably a little bit different recipe to get things done.”

Q: Have you had to coach this team any differently this season? Are there any similarities to Minnetonka teams of the past?

A: “Historically, I look back at this team and this team reminds me of my second year, we had a group of kids coming back and we had a couple of defensemen named Josh Luedtke (St. Cloud State) and Grant Docter (Michigan Tech / St. Thomas) and a returning goalie that had won a state championship already in Charlie Glockner (Northern Michigan), so we’ve seen this before, I just think we try to play our game really simple. It’s hard to get through the Lake Conference, it’s hard to play the schedule that we play every day, day in and day out, and you have to be consistent and I think our kids have stuck to that. I don’t think we’ve done anything differently from a coaching standpoint, I think we’ve coached the kids up almost identically but it’s been an enjoyable year just because I think a lot of the kids have improved and I think a lot of the kids have gotten their opportunities rather than playing maybe a top-heavy lineup.”

Q: The defensemen this season seem to have played extremely well - talk a little bit about those guys.

A: “We suit up seven defensemen every night and they all play. We really feel like we have, you know, six Division I recruits/commits in that group, all seven will play college hockey at some point, and we feel like we’re pretty balanced there in three different units, you can play those guys in just about any scenario, so we’re kind of built for playing on the road or not getting last change back there and then I think we do a really good job of not cheating it. So, those kids do have some offensive flair, Danny (Browning) and Tate (Hardacre) in particular, but they do a good job of playing as a unit, so again I think if we cut them loose I think they’d have a little bit more offensive production but I think they’re more into playing tandem and as a unit.”

Q: Your goaltender has also been playing very well lately - talk about senior Chase Jerdee and the season that he’s been having.

A: “Chase has been outstanding, you know he’s a kid that played a year and a half of JV for us and then last year kind of came into the zone as a varsity player and then kind of took the reins as the No. 1 this year and never really let it go … Chase has had just an all-time senior year and in my opinion, he’s earned it. He’s worked really hard in his game. To be quite honest with you, I don’t know what more the kid has to do to get more looks - he’s 6-foot-5, he takes up a lot of net, he plays the puck well, he’s mentally as mature as any kid we’ve had in net the last, you know, nine years for me. So we’re built, like I said, all year I’ve told everybody, we’re built from the back-end out, and it starts with Chase.”

Q: Talk a little bit about your top line. It seems like you have a lot of forward depth and there are seven guys with 10 or more goals on the team right now - but what makes your top line special this year?

A: “We knew that group was going to be good and Cash (Hardie) and Max (Aronson) both play with Liam Schultz and that line is as good as any in the state and they’ve been effective all year as well. Liam is as good a center that I’ve seen in the high school league this year as a junior and he’s got a really bright future ahead of him as well. Max and Cash have really blended well with Liam, and Cash has the ability to finish plays and he always seems to put him in a position to score, so you know, we see bright futures for those guys. Cash has really had a great year, developing right around Game 15, which is when most of these kids kind of hit their stride, and Cash seemed to do that.”

Q: Ethan Sturgis, a senior forward, he’s committed to play college hockey at Dartmouth and he’s been listed on the NHL’s Central Scouting list for top prospects for the 2026 NHL Draft - what can you tell people about him and his style of play?

A: “Ethan plays a really simple hockey game and I think people overlook that. I think his game will translate better as he leaves high school hockey. He’s big, strong, he’s fast, shoots the puck a ton and spends a lot of time in front of the net - he really does. So that’ll all translate with him to juniors and into college and obviously Dartmouth saw something that other people didn’t and jumped on him early and that’s a great opportunity for him but Ethan’s another kid that I think if we gave him more ice time and shortened our bench that his point totals would be significantly higher but that’s not what he’s about, he’s about playing as a unit and playing as a group and he’s been an outstanding captain this year. Can’t ask much more from Ethan as a person or even as a player.”

GENTRY ACADEMY

Head Coach: Kyle Follmer

Record: 17-9-2

Last Season: Section 4AA QF loss to Roseville 

Last State Title: 2021 (in Class A, this is their first Class AA tourney appearance)

This Season: Losses to Benilde-St. Margaret’s (5-4 OT), Sartell (6-5 OT), Duluth Marshall (2-1), Sartell (3-2), Rock Ridge (4-2), Hibbing/Chisholm (7-4), Holy Family (5-2), Breck (4-2), Bemidji (4-3), and ties to Blaine (2-2) and Roseville (6-6)

Top Skaters: Jaxon Cook (So., F, 33-26-59), Nate Wilke (Jr., D, 8-31-39), Collin Hennes (Jr., F, 12-27-38), Everett Nelson (Fr., F, 13-17-30)

Starting Goaltender: Gavin Grose, Sr., .898 SV%, 2.47 GAA, 3 SO

State Info: Minnetonka (No. 1-seed) vs. Gentry Academy (No. 8-seed) at 11 a.m. on Thursday, March 5

Keys to State: Get an early lead, let the young guys build off of that and let them play the free, loose style that worked in sections

Quotes from Coach Follmer:

Q: Fresh off of winning the Section 4AA title, how are you guys feeling?

A: “Super excited, still in a little bit of disbelief that it actually happened and a little bit of relief as well.”

Q: It seems like Gentry is playing its best hockey when it matters - when did things start coming together this year? Things were a bit up and down in the first half of the season and then it seems like everything started to come together in the second half.

A: “Yeah, after the Christmas break we got a few guys back that were injured and it slowly came together. We stumbled against Breck a little bit but then got the wheels turning again and really the credit is to the players to just, they kept believing in the process and we just kept getting better. We knew once we got healthy that we’d be a dangerous team in playoffs. To think we would have made it through… we thought we could upset one, I don’t think we thought we could win the section championship. We thought we could play spoiler a little bit but to just see the team from the start of the year to the end of the year is just incredible where we’re at now.”

Q: The Stars had a tough path to state. You guys have to play East Ridge in the No. 4/5-seed game, which a lot of people overlooked, and then you had to play Hill-Murray and then White Bear Lake - that’s not an easy path through playoffs. What was that like?

Q: “I’ve actually heard a few people, they always talk about the semifinal upset against Hill and obviously the White Bear win, but the 4/5 match-up against East Ridge was probably the most nervous the staff was, because East Ridge - going into that game - I believe was 9-0 or something and they had beat Cretin, they beat Stillwater, we were aware of how good of a team they were and I think once we got through that game, it let us breathe a little bit and it’s like, ‘hey, now we’re playing with house money,’ let’s just see what can happen.”

Q: What did you guys do well in the game against Hill-Murray that helped you pull off the upset?

A: “Our forecheck was awesome against Hill, our goaltender played out of his mind, but I think a big part of it is our players were just loose and played free that whole game. The bus ride to the game, where a younger team may be a little naive to the success that Hill-Murray has had over the last 30 years in that section, we kind of just went in and like I said were a little naive to how good Hill-Murray was and the tradition - in a good way.”

Q: What was the mood of the team after pulling off that big win against the Pioneers in the semifinals?

A: “After the Hill game, we felt like we had a good match-up against White Bear, we thought we could take advantage of them in certain situations and our guys did just that. We thought we could use our speed against them, we thought we could control the time of possession with the puck against them and it was one of those things that just kind of fell into place. You never know what you’re going to get with a high school hockey team on any given day but just to see how focused and loose the guys were before the game and having fun and joking around again on the bus ride to the section final, I just had to sit back and enjoy it and enjoy how loose the guys were and how prepared they still were to play as well.”

Q: Defenseman Nate Wilke and goaltender Gavin Grose came up big in the section final match against the Bears, describe them and the seasons that they have had this year.

A: “Nate’s taken a huge jump from his sophomore to junior year and I think the biggest thing with him as the season has went on is he was always extremely talented offensively but his playing in the defensive end and in the neutral zone has gotten better and better as the year went on and that’s only just created more offense for him … We wouldn’t be in the position we’re in right now if it wasn’t for Gavin, I think he’s just in one of those weird zones where the puck looks like a beach ball when it’s coming at him.”

Q: Jaxon Cook has also been absolutely electric this season for you guys. He’s got 33 goals right now, which is 20 more than the next closest skater on the roster. What makes him so good?

A: “He’s extremely dynamic offensively but plays a 200-foot game and takes pride in being good in the d-zone and that leads to more offensive chances for him. He’s been the catalyst for our offense all year. We wouldn’t be where we’re at if it wasn’t for him.”

Q: You are a fairly young team overall but what have the seniors contributed to the Stars squad this season?

A: “I think the seniors, the senior leadership, they would tell you the locker room’s a little bit, you know, maybe immature compared to past years because we are such a young team, but those guys, Braden Korba, Colby Macoskey, Gavin Grose, have done a great job along with our other captains of getting this group to come together and it really is a team in the sense that all the guys hang out with each other and to see the like, you know, in high school it could be a senior kind of ignoring a freshman kind of aspect of it but no - they’ve just done a great job of getting the team to buy in.”

Q: What’s the plan for your state quarterfinal game this week against No. 1-seeded Minnetonka?

A: “Stay loose, play free, and just what a great opportunity for our guys to go up against one of the Blue Bloods in the state.”

MOORHEAD

Head Coach: Jon Ammerman

Record: 24-3-1

Last Season: Reigning Class AA State Champions

This Season: Losses to Minnetonka (4-2), Grand Forks Central (5-4 OT), and Rogers (5-3). Tie to St. Thomas Academy (4-4)

Top Skaters: Tyden Bergeson (Sr., F, 27-48-75, Mr. Hockey Finalist, Augustana Commit), Brandon Mickelson (Sr., D, 23-37-60, Mr. Hockey Finalist), Zac Zimmerman (Jr., F, 23-37-60, Minnesota State Commit), Max Cullen (Jr., F, 25-34-59, Minnesota Duluth Commit), Joey Cullen (So., F, 17-20-37)

Starting Goaltender: Will Arnold, Soph., .890 / 2.25 GAA / 5 SO

State Info: Moorhead (No. 3-seed) vs. Lakeville South (No. 6-seed)

Keys to State: Need Good Goaltending + Don’t Overlook Lakeville South

Quotes from Coach Ammerman:

Q: You guys are the reigning champions in Class AA, have things been different around the rink this season? Have you noticed any big changes?

A: “Obviously, there is a different feeling, right? There’s obviously a lot of guys that return from that team and there’s also some very important people that are gone but I think that one thing about this year’s group is we’re still kind of trying to figure out our identity. You know, I think that there’s been a step in the right direction, like I mentioned in the last couple of weeks, but it’s one of those things that there’s a lot of guys with that experience - we have a bunch of players, whether they were on the team last year or not, that have had success whether it’s at the youth hockey level or the high school level but every season is different. I think we’re finding out that we have to develop our own identity. I think our kids are aware of that but one thing that is for sure is that there’s been a different intensity from our opponents. You know, our program is one that has had some success but this year the target’s clearly been on our back and every game that we've gotten has been a good test for us. I think that’s one thing that we’ve been handling but I think that our guys are doing a nice job and practice has been a little different in a positive way the last few weeks and we’re starting to see that in games too.”

Q: How did everything feel in the regular season? It seems like everything went mostly according to plan?

A: “Our regular season has been a successful one. I think that three months ago, there was obviously a lot of excitement for a couple of guys coming back kind of last minute. I know that November and December were obviously really good months for us. We felt that on most nights, we played pretty well. January there was a bit of a lull, we were still having success a lot, especially offensively, but there were just a lot of instances where we weren’t playing hard enough and really sticking to details that you need to win, especially in tight games, but our last, I would say two weeks, we’re starting to feel better about how we’re playing, especially last week, we really liked the intensity that our guys played with. The Hill-Murray game this past weekend was a really good step and hopefully that’s a sign of things to come here now heading into playoffs.”

Q: You’ve changed things up in the lineup throughout the season but lately the top line has seen a lot of Max Cullen, Zac Zimmerman and Tyden Bergeson, what can you say about those guys and how they work together?

A: “We’ve kind of mixed it up throughout the course of the season, you know, obviously Joey Cullen coming back in the last couple of weeks here has obviously been a positive boost because of how special of a player he is, but Zim is somebody that has a ton of experience, he has obviously had a lot of success at the high school level, he’s played both center and wing this year, which adds to our ability to kind of mix and match, he’s somebody that when he’s going he can score - like that is a pure talent of his, is his ability to score in different ways. Max has really had a tremendous calendar year. At the end of last year, we saw glimmers, glimpses, but he had a much different role last year than he does this year, obviously. He’s kind of growing into his body, there’s still growth there for it, but he’s extremely athletic and versatile. He’s a competitor and somebody that has quite the motor and the ability to make plays and Tyden is somebody that came in with not only a lot of high school success but went to the USHL and immediately translated there in Madison and obviously came back with a new sense of confidence - not that he was lacking but you know - but he’s turned into quite the player and quite the leader and when his motor’s going we’re a really tough team, especially up front. There’s obviously supporting players too in that Evan Wanner has had a tremendous junior year, we’ve had some new guys step up, Mike Herman’s back for his third year and has had some great success, and Seamus Campbell has an expanded role from last year on a state tournament team and then some sophomores and some others that have mixed in that, you know, up front is our strength and I don’t think we would shy away from that but it’s a really fun group. When they’re moving and they’re distributing the puck it’s a pretty dynamic group.”

Q: You mentioned Joey Cullen and obviously everyone has seen the highlights from him but what is he like as a person both on and off the ice and what does he bring to this Moorhead roster?

A: “He is a great kid and he’s been really fun to have this year and you know, a bit of a surprise that he’s playing with us to be honest because he started the year out in Michigan but he wanted to come back and play high school hockey and he has a tremendous work ethic, which isn’t surprising for, you know, somebody that skilled and talented and has obviously put in a lot of time and effort but I’ve been impressed with his competitiveness. He’s somebody that gets after it in practice and he’s somebody that competes extremely hard in games and his leadership, you know he obviously is a young kid, but he has some intangibles outside of just skill that really makes him a special person and a special player and he’s been in it whether he was in the lineup or not you know observing and helping with just what he sees out there. He’s an extremely intelligent hockey mind and a hard worker and it’ll be really fun to see where he’s going in five to 10 years.”

Q: Brandon Mickelson leads the defense this season for Moorhead, what has he been like lately because it seems like he has really found a whole new level to his game this year?

A: “Obviously, if you look at his stat line, it’s pretty impressive as a defenseman with the schedule that we play and it goes without saying that he’s obviously very talented offensively and he sees it really well. He’s great in support and he has great vision, but most impressive this year to be honest is the steps and strides that he’s taken defensively, and I know that may sound like a bit of a surprise but that was one of his goals coming back from junior hockey. He’s always been a great offensive-defenseman and he’s had great vision and he’s able to run a power play but he’s really honed in to the defensive side of things and that’s allowing him to have the puck more too. He’s defending harder and it’s been really fun to watch his growth, not only as a player but as a person, over the last three years.”

ROSEMOUNT

Head Coach: Ricky Saintey

Record: 23-4-1

Last Season: Section 3AA SF loss to Cretin-Derham Hall

Last State Title: N/A (last Tourney appearance was 1992)

This Season: Losses to Rogers (4-3), Shakopee (2-1 and 1-0), Hermantown (7-3) and a tie with Rogers (2-2)

Top Skaters: Connor Schubert (Jr., F, 19-22-41), Gavin McNeil (Sr., F, 13-27-40), Cade Sherman (Sr., F, 19-18-37, Augustana Commit), Channing Goodwin (Jr., F, 12-25-37)

Starting Goaltender: Drew Sherman, So., .936 SV%, 1.77 GAA, 3 SO 

State Info: Rosemount (No. 4-seed) vs. Grand Rapids (No. 5-seed) at approx. 1 p.m. on Thursday, March 5.

Key to State: Goaltenders need to step up in net, the team must remain calm under the bright lights and find their signature swagger.

Quotes from Coach Saintey:

Q: How have the past few days felt after winning the section final game against St. Thomas Academy?

A: “Yeah, it’s been pretty special for our city, our school, our community, all the people that are involved in it, but especially for our players who worked so hard to get to this point. We talked about it in the second and third period a little bit like ‘hey, it’s a 1-1 game, you’ve worked for this minute, you worked for this moment for a long time, the trips, the late nights, the early mornings, the extra shooting, the extra stick-handling, the extra weight room time, you’ve got to go out there and take it and enjoy it’, and so it has been a pretty big emotional roller coaster in the last, I don’t know how many days or hours it’s been but I’m excited for our kids and I hope that they continue to thrive in the moment. Obviously, the job is not finished for us and we want to continue to make a statement.”

Q: How was the game against St. Thomas Academy? Was the mood in the locker room pretty serious and nervous or were the guys more excited about the challenge and the opportunity to get to state?

A: “We’ve got a pretty immature group, they like to have fun and joke around and be loose … St. Thomas is a well-coached team, they’re well-respected across the state, so it’s really tricky when you go into a game like that, you don’t want to be nervous, you want to be loose and calm and so there’s a little bit of fun and looseness to it, but still that seriousness, but also like a swagger and a confidence you can feel in the room, which is great. That was a lot of fun to be a part of.”

Q: One of your mottos at Rosemount has been ‘build from within’ - and it certainly seems like the Irish are a deep team this year with an entire roster of skaters that can all be threats out on the ice, it’s not just one all-star player that’s carrying the team. What can you say about the program and the depth of the team this season?

A: “I tell people, I’m lucky enough to be able to coach for them. I think this is my ninth year and we finally have kept all our guys around, away from the private schools, which has been a blessing, and the Rosemount kids here know that when they play and they play to their talent levels, and keeping those guys to that standard, that our depth is going to be our strength. We’re going to wear teams down, we’re going to have a chance to win on every night because we’ve got good goaltenders that can play and we’ve got a defensive group that make us better in practice, you know, we practice with eight defensemen and depth is such a huge piece. And when we all stay in your community and do the right thing and be a part of something special that depth can prevail and it’s been fun to see the depth prevail.”

Q: Speaking of your goaltenders, you’ve got three extremely capable netminders in Drew Sherman, Sam Clements and Aidan Finn, what can you say about those three and how they have interacted and worked together this season?

A: “The best part is that they love each other and support each other - it’s obviously not a fun job to decide which one goes and the fact is, when you do pick, we do make that decision, sometimes it’s later than we wanted to, but we want to make sure they know that we’re doing our due diligence to give ourselves the best chance to win and have success. From a team standpoint, all three are huge advocates of each other, they support each other, they love each other, and that’s a big piece and it doesn’t normally go that way … but when you can support each other and they can say ‘hey, I know my role and I’m going to do it to the best of my ability and be the best teammate possible to these other guys,’ it’s awesome. Those three have been nothing but great and all three can play next level, which is awesome.”

Q: You previously defeated Grand Rapids 6-0 earlier this season but the Thunderhawks are looking like a tough team right about now, what is the game plan headed into the state tournament this week?

A: “You know, (Grant) Clafton is a really well-respected coach and I appreciate him for what he does and he’s very, very good. He gets the most out of his guys. His guys play northern-syle hockey, they’re going to be super competitive, they’re going to hunt, they’re going to be super heavy in their game, they’re not going to give us much time and space, so it’s going to be really difficult for us and I know guys like (Nathan) Garski are very tough to stop. I know they got a group up front now, they have two groups, and when we played the first time, what people don’t know is that Garski was out and he was a big piece, he’s a major piece, and I know they were working through some things and now they have solidified a goalie, so that makes a big difference too. It’s a tough test that’s going to be hard to get by, I know that they’ve been there before and we haven’t and hopefully it’s a good test for both teams to start early in the tournament and see how we do.”

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