Coon Rapids forward Rachael Bona first hit the ice on a pair of double-bladed skates and later nagged her parents into letting her play hockey.

A similar determination has helped Bona navigate a high school career with more headaches than headlines. Her fifth and final varsity season, however, appears moving in a better direction. With a college scholarship offer from the Gophers in hand, Bona is ready to lead a talented Cardinals team while upgrading her status from regional standout in the Northwest Suburban Conference to one of the best girls' hockey players in the state.

"A lot of people have gotten a lot of publicity, but I've kind of liked being under the radar," Bona said. "I like it when they see me play and ask, 'Who is that?' Now when people say, 'She's going to the Gophers,' I want to prove that I'm good enough -- to prove that they made the right choice."

Like Bona's parents, the Gophers needed some convincing. Bona emerged as an eighth-grader, scoring 20 goals for a Cardinals team led by future Division I players Terra Rasmussen (Gophers) and Malee Windmeier (Wisconsin). And Bona stepped up her game as a freshman, netting 27 goals including two in a 3-2 section-final loss to Centennial.

Her keen hockey sense, vision on the ice and deft hands left an impression on then-Cougars head coach Mike Diggins.

"Every time she touches the puck, you're in trouble," said Diggins, now a Cougars assistant coach. "She has the potential to beat you."

Bona's production fell as a sophomore. A bout with mononucleosis and a low platelet count in her blood forced Bona off the ice for almost three full weeks.

She rebounded physically as a junior and scored 33 goals -- including No. 100 for her career. And she was selected to the U18 women's national team. Then a few months later, Cardinals coach and former NHL trainer Rob Potter left to take the girls' hockey job at Maple Grove.

"I'll miss his work ethic," Bona said. "He's made the girls on this team hockey players. And he's the one who really got me going."

Until recently, Bona was not sure where she was going. In hopes of fulfilling her dream to play for the Gophers, she continued training with Potter and made key contributions to her summer teams. She helped the Minnesota IceCats select team win a national tournament in Vermont and made the all-tournament team.

Soon after, Gophers coaches asked Bona to make her official visit. She toured the campus with the state's past two Ms. Hockey winners, Bethany Brausen and Becky Kortum, and committed that evening.

"I think that was the best day of my life," Bona said.

New Coon Rapids coach Jessica Christopherson hopes more good days are ahead for Bona and the Cardinals. The Northwest Suburban Conference is known for teams that play rugged defense, but Christopherson is opening up the offense to take advantage of Bona's skill and the Cardinals' team speed.

"Rachael needs to set the tone for us by playing at her pace all the time," Christopherson said.

Potter, now an opposing coach who must game plan against Bona, knows slowing her is no easy task.

"She's a competitor with a lot of heart," Potter said. "She's at her best when it matters most."

Diggins already considers Coon Rapids to be "the favorite in our section by far." Bona could not agree more.

"We've had enough development," Bona said. "It's time to win. It's time to not lose the close games. And I know that every one of our girls knows that if we don't make it to state, there's a problem. This is our year."