Minnesota Girls Hockey Hub

BLAINE BENGALS TEAM HISTORY

The Blaine Bengals team’s first year was in 1993 when they formed a cooperative agreement with Coon Rapids. Prior to the 1996 season the two schools each formed their own programs. Since then Blaine has had tremendous success over the years. As a team they have participated in the State Tournament three times (1996, 1997 and 2001) earning two 3^rd place finishes and a 2^nd place finish. Their team record through last season was an impressive 261 wins, 112 losses and 25 ties. There have only been two head coaches for the Blaine Bengals with Steve Guider at the helm for the past 8 seasons. The team has also been involved with community service projects that have included a Teddy Bear toss for children’s hospitals, Adopt-A-Family for Christmas, Feed My Starving Childrem and Toys for Tots.

The team has produced 13 Division 1 and 16 Division 3 athletes over the years. Of these, there have been three LPH Goalie of the Year Award winners Katie Beauduy, Jody Horak, and Ashley Nixon) and several Ms Hockey candidates (Tiffany Hagge, Kristina Bunker, Sammy Nixon, and Lauren Zrust). Kristina Bunker holds the all-time scoring record for the Bengals with 325 points on 172 goals and 153 assists. Their all-time leader in shutouts is Katie Beauduy with 33. Two players have gone on to represent Team USA, Jody Horak in 2003 on the U22 team and Tiffany Hagge on the 2007 World Championship team.

CLOQUET/ESKO/CARLTON TEAM HISTORY

In 1997 nobody was doing anything about establishing girl's hockey in Cloquet.  There were about 5 girls who were playing on boys teams but the realization was setting in that as they got to middle and high school there was no place to play.  Duluth, Grand Rapids, Hibbing and Proctor had already started girl's programs so a very small group of parents got together and formed the first U12B team that actually went to state in their first year.  They practiced at an outside rink that was getting very little use and soon people started bring in their friends to play.  The first high school team was authorized in 1999 and won their very first game, with Jenny Potter dropping the first puck, over Duluth East 5-3.  They finished the first season 16-9.  In the third year of existence, they went to State and finished by defeating Moorhead in the Consolation Championship.  The 4th year saw the Jacks in the State Title Game versus perennial state power South Saint Paul in a nail biting 1-2 double overtime loss!  The same 2 teams met in 2005 again for the State Title and unfortunately for the Jacks, South St. Paul came out on top again.   All in all, CEC has made 5 state tournament appearances in the last 8 years. In that time the Lumberjacks have produced 9 D1 and numerous D3 hockey scholar-athletes.

EAGAN WILDCATS TEAM HISTORY

Eagan High School has had a varsity girls hockey program since the 1995-1996 season with a total of 5 head coaches, starting with Dave Egelstad for the 1995-97 seasons.  Merlin Ravndalen, Scott Nichols, Scott Darwitz, and Jeff Kolehmainen have also spent time as head coach behind the Wildcat bench with Coach Darwitz having the longest tenure as head coach from 2001-2009.  During the history of the girls hockey program, the Wildcats have gone to the MSHSL State Tournament a total of 6 times over the years with their best finish being as State Runner-ups in 1996-97.  Most recently the Wildcats have been Section 3AA champs the past 2 seasons under Coach Scott Darwtiz, and returned to the big show the past 2 seasons.

Eagan has also had its share of collegiate players coming out of the Wildcat program with 26 players (at last count) moving on to play in the D1 or D3 college levels.  Schools that have had Wildcats take the ice range from the Univ. of Minnesota (Alyssa Grogan "07, Jenelle Philipczyk '04, and Natalie Darwitz '02), Dartmouth College (Ms. Hockey finalist 08 Lisa Berreman) , Elmira (Leanne Denman '00), Minnesota State (Alli Altmann '07, Anne Rickbell '99, Jody Rankin '97), and Gustavus Adolphus (Kelsey Kennedy '08, Mollie Carroll '07, Clare Opsahl '06, Laura Vanelli '04, Molly Doyle '04, Ellen Doyle '00)  among many others.  The most well known women’s hockey graduate of EHS is three time Olympian Natalie Darwitz.  Eagan also has had many players that have given back to hockey by moving in to the coaching ranks at the youth, high school and collegiate levels.

EDEN PRAIRIE EAGLES TEAM HISTORY

The Eden Prairie Girls Hockey team was first formed in 1995 as a co-operative team with Chaska HS. The two high schools continued the co-op through the 1996-97 season. Rob St. Clair continued to coach the Eagles through the 1999-2000 season. The 2000-01 season was coached by Dick Emahiser. In 2001, Tim Morris started his first year at Eden Prairie High School after coaching at Totino-Grace HS for the previous six seasons. Throughout the years the team and program has continued its development. It has become one of the most competitive programs in the state. The Eagles won four straight Lake Conference titles from 2005 to 2008 and have also won the section title four times, the first in 2003. In State Tournament action, the Eagles have earned the following team honors: 4^th place 2003, 3^rd place 2004, Champions 2006 and Champions in 2008.

In 2006 the Eagles finished with a perfect 31-0 record scoring 203 goals on the season while only allowing 22 goals for the entire year. Another highlight was during the quarter-finals of the 2004 State Tournament when the underdog Eagles ended the South St Paul Packers 63 game unbeaten streak with a stunning 3-1 win.

The EPHS Girls Hockey program has produced 21 Division 1 and 16 Division 3 athletes over the years. Those currently still playing collegiate hockey (or other sports) include: Meaghan Pezon and Ashlan Lambert (SCSU), Kelly Seeler and Nicki Ludwigson (U of M), Kelsey Ketcher (UND), Maria Stoa and Carissa Ketcher (Robert Morris University), Melissa Feste (The Ohio State U), Andrea Green (Boston College), Dy-anna Stewart (St Mary’s Univ.), Carly Piras (Concordia Univ.-WI), Katie Osberg (Loyola Univ.-Soccer), Hannah Riggs (Longwood Univ.-Lacrosse), Caz-Marie Norwich (Syracuse Univ.-Lacrosse) and Jennifer Riggs (Denver Univ.-Lacrosse). Our current team captain Christina LaCombe has verbally committed to play at D1 at Syracuse University next season.

The Eden Prairie Girls Hockey program is very proud of its past history and is looking forward to having the teams in this first Mid-Winter Meltdown to be become part of that tradition of excellence. Good luck to all teams in the tournament.

NORTH METRO STARS TEAM HISTORY

The North Metro Stars hockey team is a co-op of Osseo, Park Center, Brooklyn Center, Fridley, and Columbia Heights High Schools. This season marks the fourth year of the co-op’s existence, and the current varsity coaching staff of Jack Gravel, Becky Gravel, and Terry Westermann have been with the program from the beginning. During the programs inaugural season (2006-2007), the Stars exceeded expectations with a State Tournament appearance. The 2007 State Runner-up finish remains a program highlight! Each time the Stars hit the ice, they strive to “do what it takes to win!”

SHAKOPEE SABERS TEAM HISTORY

Shakopee high school formed their first girls’ varsity hockey team during the 1995-1996 season and went 3-19 in their inaugural year. Lisa Leba (Rasmussen) was the Sabers’ head coach for 3 years; compiling a 28-36-2 career record and also winning a Missota Conference championship in the team’s third year. During that conference championship season, the Sabers had a 16-5-1 record that year.  Keith Schaefer coaches the Sabers from 1998-2000 and compiled a 24-17-8 record during his two years as head coach. Tony Hoops became the new head coach for the 2001-2002 season and led the team for 3 seasons. His career record stands at 33-40-8. Tina Serafin, a Saber star and former MSU- Maverick player became the program’s fourth head coach in 2003-2004. She guided the team to a 21-32-2 mark over those two years. In 2005, Dereck Grosskurth became the fifth head coach in the history of girl’s hockey in Shakopee. He and his staff have the longest tenure of any coaching staff and have compiled a record of 71-38-6. In addition, the 2008-2009 Sabers won a Missota Conference championship for only the second time in school history. That same team also set a school record for wins in a season with 19.

As a program, the Sabers are 177-163-26 in their 15^th year of hockey.

Many high school Saber players have gone on to play at hockey at the collegiate level. The Sabers have had two players move on to the division 1 level. Tina Serafin play at Mankato-State and 2009 graduate Nicole Anderson is currently a freshman for the Providence College Friars. Bethany Rosentreter and Allie Noterman skated at St. Ben’s; Amy Brown at Gustavus; and Katie Cheese at Augsburg. Jenny Novakovich skated at Hamline for 3 seasons. Kelsey Skogland played at St. Olaf and Cassie Forster is currently a junior for the Oles. Kara Ledel is a senior at St. Thomas, April Forar is playing at Concordia-Wisconsin. Randi Weinzierl is a freshman St. Kate’s.

Kara Ledel hold school records for career points She ended her career with 156g-97a for a total of 253 points. Kendra Ledel also cracked the 200 point mark with 78g-123a for a total of 201 points. Nicole Anderson graduated with career totals of 120g-66a for 186 career points. Emily Hanninen graduated with 32 career wins and a 2.59GAA and junior Kailey Gansen has already earned 27 wins in her career and owns a career goals against average of 2.46.

SPRING LAKE PARK/ST. ANTHONY TEAM HISTORY

In 1993, girl’s hockey was only a dream in the hearts of two Spring Lake Park freshmen, Jenny Tykeson and Jocelyn Zolna.  These two girls wanted to play high school hockey for their high school, so they set out to do just that.  The dream started to become reality with a series of Town Hall and School Board meetings.  They were passionate with their appeal and their belief that girls hockey would be a successful program in Spring Lake Park/St. Anthony and slowly began to convince others it could be too.  During their sophomore year, the meetings continued, but their group of student advocates began to grow.  Val Kurth and Angie Christensen joined Jenny and Jocelyn in support of their quest for girl’s hockey.

 During the 1994/95 school year, the school board wanted to see demonstrated interest in the program.  More and more girls started to show up for the meetings.  When that wasn’t enough, the activities director at the time asked for more proof and a petition was passed around.  Hundreds of girls signed the petition stating their interest in girl’s high school hockey.  Finally, there was one last meeting scheduled and the school board and community gave tentative approval for addition of the support, if enough girls would show up at the meeting they were holding in the Fine Arts Center.  When Jenny, Jocelyn, Val and Angie walked into the meeting they found the auditorium filled with girls from Spring Lake Park and St. Anthony.  The dream started with two, grown to four and now filled an auditorium with young woman wanting to play high school hockey.  The 1995/1996 school year would be the inaugural year for high school hockey in these communities.

The Lady Panthers have continued a fine tradition of hockey now competing in the North Suburban Conference.  The Panthers pride themselves in playing with same heart, determination and passion that started the program. They have one conference Co-Championship; they have finished in second place two times and third place two times in the last ten years.  Their record over the past ten years is 145 wins 107 losses and 12 ties.  The Panthers have been to the Section Semi Finals two times.  Last year the Spring Lake Park/St. Anthony Panthers came with in an eyelash of knocking off the #1 seed Centennial Cougars in the 5AA Quarter Finals losing 2-1 in overtime.  We are excited to see how we compete against the strong field in this inaugural tournament.  The tough competition will help us improve for the stretch run coming up in January and February.

STILLWATER PONIES TEAM HISTORY

The Stillwater Ponies Girls High School Hockey team participated in the first Girls High School State Tournament in 1995! Since that proud accomplishment the Ponies have returned to the state tournament four other times- 1997, 2006, 2007, and 2009! Past coaches of the Ponies have included Ken Bjorlin, Doug Long, and R.J. Kieber. In 2006, the Stillwater Ponies team brought home the Consolation State Championship. Also that year, Chelsea Jones was selected the Herb Brooks Award winner for the “AA” schools. The 2007 and 2009 teams earned Minnesota State “AA” Titles! The Ponies have won conference titles in 1995, 2003, 2006 in the always tough Suburban East Conference. Stillwater youth hockey continues to grow and feed the Ponies Stable!