Class 1A championship
Third seed Proctor/Hermantown (20-0) vs. Top seed
Gentry Academy (19-2), 11 a.m., Xcel Energy Center
Why Proctor/Hermantown will win: Senior Alyssa Watkins’ scoring abilities. She scored five goals in the quarterfinals and added an insurance goal in the semifinals with a shot in the top left corner of the net. The Mirage have a deep roster, though, averaging 7.4 goals per game.
Why Gentry Academy will win: Sophomore Cara Sajevic, who has 17 goals and 28 points in her past 10 games, including four goals in the tournament. Playing shorthanded hasn’t been a problem; the Stars are 14-for-14 killing penalties. The Stars also haven’t lost in regulation this season.
Key to the game: Proctor/Hermantown allows only 0.75 goals per game backstopped by junior goalie Abby Pajari (11-0-0), who made 31 saves against a high-powered Warroad offense at state. Five different Stars scored in their semifinal win, and seven Mirage players have double-digit goal totals.
One thing to know: Both teams are making their first appearance in a title game. In the past nine state tournaments, Thief River Falls in 2015 was the only team other than Breck or Blake to win a 1A title.
Girls' Hockey Hub Headlines
Five moments that made Edina a champion
- By DAVID LA VAQUE, Star Tribune 02/26/2024, 8:15am CST
A future Gopher is Ms. Hockey, and a state standout is Senior Goalie of the Year
- By DAVID LA VAQUE, Star Tribune 02/25/2024, 2:30pm CST
Edina puts on a third-period show, wins 2A title
- By DAVID LA VAQUE, Star Tribune 02/24/2024, 9:00pm CST
Warroad lands in a familiar position: Class 1A champion for the third year in a row
- By HEATHER RULE, Special to the Star Tribune 02/24/2024, 6:15pm CST
State Tourney Insiders: Sights and sounds from the X on championship day
- By DAVID LA VAQUE and HEATHER RULE, Star Tribune 02/24/2024, 5:00pm CST
