Photo Gallery: Blake vs. Andover
Typically, Madeline Wethington isn’t with the Bears for their holiday tournament.
It’s a good thing she made it this year.
Wethington’s one-timer from the point with 1:12 left on the clock was the game-winning goal for Blake as the Bears topped Andover 4-3 in the Schwan’s Cup Gold championship. Blake led by two in the second period, but trailed 3-2 with less than five minutes to play.
Wethington, a senior captain for Blake, and one of the most decorated players in state history, has previously missed this stretch of games because of other obligations: she played the last three years for Team USA in the U18 Women’s World Championships, adding more chapters to a storied hockey family.
“I was joking with my mom that this is the first time I’ve been in the winter tournament since eighth grade,” Wethington said. “So it’s a fun event to be a part of, and I’m really excited that I had the opportunity senior year to help the team and be part of this great tournament they put on at Ridder.”
The United States is not without a Wethington this year, however. Though Madeline aged out, her younger sister, Audrey, made the U18 squad, which will play in Japan Jan. 6-13.
Madeline didn’t have too much to offer Audrey in the way of advice, preferring to let her experience things on her own.
“I told her this morning when she left, just to soak it all up,” she said. “It’s a great opportunity.”
Madeline won three straight gold medals with Team USA, and the Americans aim for a fifth straight in a couple weeks. Wethington also won three Class 1A state championships with Blake, which made the jump to Class 2A last season. This year, Blake aims to dethrone Edina in section play to compete in the Class 2A state tournament.
Wethington had a goal and an assist against Andover, and now has 13 goals and 19 assists. Audrey Wethington has 11 goals and nine assists.
“We know that whenever they’re on the ice, they’re giving 100 percent effort all the time; they’re trying to improve every single day, and that’s what we talk about all the time,” Blake coach Shawn Reid said.
The two sisters will play for the University of Minnesota. That’s a couple more feathers in the cap for the family —the girls' mother’s entire side of the family is in the Herb Brooks Foundation Youth Hockey Hall of Fame.
Kerry Brodt-Wethington was the first head coach of the St. Cloud State women’s hockey team, and a Western Collegiate Hockey Association coach of the year in 2001. Her sister, Winny Brodt-Brown, won the first Ms. Hockey award in 1996 and played for the Gophers and U.S. national team. Chelsey Brodt-Rosenthal also played for the Gophers and won two national title. Vic Brodt coached Roseville’s girls to a state title. Jack Brodt, Madeline Wethington’s grandfather, founded the Minnesota Whitecaps, a team for women’s players to play on after college, which is now a member of the National Women’s Hockey League.
“I think it’s a blessing,” Wethington said. “Not a lot of girls have the opportunity to have female role models, especially hockey players. And to be a little kid and be able to go to a Gopher game or a WHAM league game and watch females was a really big blessing in my life.”
Right now, Wethington gets a chance to perhaps be one of those role models for the next generation of players in the state. The Bears are ranked No. 2 in the Class 2A state coaches' poll and moved to 14-1 with the win over Andover.
“She’s been an absolute warrior for six years now, and she’s done a fantastic job with being a captain this year,” Reid said. “We have some young girls on the team that are seeing what it takes to be an elite hockey player.”
And for one of the most competitive players on the squad, Friday was one of the games that reminded her why she loves hockey.
“I’m definitely a competitive person, and these are the type of games I know I love to play in, and I know our whole team loves to play in, too,” Wethington said. “We really cherish these games, especially in those last five minutes or so, I was getting goosebumps and adrenaline rushing. Those are the moments I live for playing the game.”