One of the hottest teams in the state the first half of the season has been Benilde-St. Margaret. Sitting at 11-2-1 – undefeated in the North Suburban Conference – the Red Knights have only lost to state heavyweights Edina and Minnetonka. Their hot start, which includes winning the Schwan’s Cup over the holidays, only tells half of the story. Coach Dave Herbst has two of the best seniors in the state, but has a roster full of players who can’t legally drive a car.

One of the many reasons for the Red Knights' success has been the play of goalie Tianna Press. She leads the team with a .924 save percentage, but the Harvard commit’s biggest contribution might be her unselfishness. Press has willingly given up starts to freshman goalie Abbey Miller.

“Tianna knows Abbey is the future of the program,” Herbst said.

Likely the most unselfish player on the team is also its best. As a junior, coming off of an ankle injury her sophomore year, Jordyn Burns moved from defense to a forward and led the team in scoring. She set the single-game goals record with eight in one game leading the team deep into the section playoffs. After playing in an elite league this offseason, people kept telling Herbst her natural position is on the blue line.

With an influx of young talent coming up – eight ninth-graders are on this season's varsity roster – Herbst approached Burns with the possibility of moving back to defense and sacrificing numbers for the good of the team.

“She told me, ‘Wherever you want me that is where I will play,'" Herbst said. "I told her I might put her at forward on the power play and she has always had the attitude of ‘whatever you want.’”

With such a young team and the best player moving to a new position, it might be smart to schedule a light beginning of the season. Herbst didn’t see it that way.

“We threw them into the fire," he said. "They can take just about anything. People think I was nuts, but the only way you are going to get better.”

Herbst might not have thought it would go as good as it has, but he knows he has high-level freshman to lean on. Some are already getting looks from Division I programs. Herbst felt it was the best way to find out where his team stands.

“Young players don’t have as many distractions,” said Herbst. “These (ninth-graders) are totally focused on hockey.”