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Class AA preview: Edina looking for third straight title

By Let's Play Hockey, 02/21/19, 8:45AM CST

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A look at the eight teams in the girls' Class AA state tournament


Photo: Christine Wisch

Ranked No. 1 or 2 the entire season, Edina enters the Class AA state tournament looking to become the only the second team to win three consecutive state titles (Minnetonka, 2011-13). The Hornets will be challenged by a strong field that includes No. 3 Andover, No. 5 Brainerd/Little Falls and No. 6 Maple Grove.

Three teams return to St. Paul from last year – Andover, Brainerd/Little Falls and Edina. Only Edina and Minnesota have captured past state championships, but three other programs have appeared in a state title game – Farmington, Maple Grove and White Bear Lake. Edina will be making its ninth appearance at the state tournament, followed by Farmington (6) and Minnetonka (5). Meanwhile, East Ridge is making its first trip to St. Paul.The Class AA field boasts one Ms. Hockey finalist and two Senior Goalie of the Year finalists.

Below is a look at the eight teams in the Class AA state tournament.

Andover Huskies
Record: 23-4-0
Coach: Melissa Volk
Last state appearance: 2015
Best state finish: Fifth (2014, 18)
Road to state (Section 7AA wins): St. Francis/North Branch 3-1, Elk River/Zimmerman 4-3 OT, Forest Lake 4-3 OT
Leading scorers: Peyton Hemp (31-27--58), Jamie Nelson (18-37--55), Gabby Krause (25-21--46), Paige Anderson (10-20--30), Madison Kaiser (6-17--23), Madison Clough (2-19--21)
Goaltender: Cassidy Stumo (20-3-0, 1.55, .916)
Notes: The Huskies are making their fourth state tournament appearance • losses on the season came to Minnetonka, Forest Lake and Blake (2) • Andover is 11-1-0 since New Year’s • the Huskies have not lost back-to-back games this season • Andover is 5-1-0 in neutral site games • the Huskies have allowed two or fewer goals in 20 games, including seven shutouts • the Huskies have four or more goals in 20 games • Anderson (Bemidji State), Clough (Yale), Halle Fields (Sacred Heart), Krause (Minnesota Duluth), Nelson (Minnesota State), Hemp & Kaiser (Minnesota). 

Brainerd/Little Falls Flying Warriors
Record: 23-4-1
Coach: Jim Ernster
Last state appearance: 2018
Best state finish: Seventh (2018)
Road to state (Section 8AA wins): Moorhead 7-0, Sartell/Sauk Rapids 4-1, North Wright County 3-2
Leading scorers: Abby Pohlkamp (25-15--40),  Lindsey Booth (12-24--36), Cheyenne Abear (19-16--35), Gabbie Smith (19-14--33), Sophie Robinson (6-19--25)
Goaltender: Olivia King (22-4-1, 1.58, .915) 
Notes: Brainerd/Little Falls is making its second state tournament appearance • losses on the season came to Cloquet-Esko-Carlton, Warroad, Eden Prairie and Buffalo • Brainerd has allowed two or fewer goals in 24 games • the Flying Warriors are 4-0-0 in neutral site games this season • 11 players have double-digit point totals this season • Brainerd/Little Falls college commitments: Abear (Union), Robinson (Dartmouth).

East Ridge Raptors
Record: 19-8-1
Coach: Kim McClintick
Last state appearance: First
Best state finish: n/a
Road to state (Section 3AA wins): Rosemount 3-2, Park of Cottage Grove 5-2, Eagan 2-0
Leading scorers: Katie Flynn (19-18--37), Addi Scribner (17-18--35), Mackenzie Werner (9-20--29), Fiona Claugherty (17-9--26)
Goaltender: Emerald Kelley (18-8-1, 2.32, .907)
Notes: The Raptors are making their first state tournament appearance • East Ridge is riding a six-game winning streak • the Raptors have scored four or more goals in 12 games • East Ridge is 5-1-1 in one-goal games and 3-0-1 in neutral site games • Scribner has committed to Ohio State • McClintick is in her first year coach high school hockey.

Edina Hornets
Record: 24-4-0
Coach: Sami Reber
Last state appearance: 2018 
Best state finish: First (2017, 18)
Road to state (Section 6AA wins): Hopkins/Park 4-0, Wayzata 4-2, Blake 3-2
Leading scorers: CC Bowlby (26-27--53), Annie Kuehl (19-24--43), Mallory Uihlein (4-29--33), Vivian Jungels (8-25--33), Katie Davis (24-7--31), Tella Jungels (9-18--27), Hannah Chorske (13-11--24)
Goaltender: Elli Strittmater (22-4-0, 1.83, .906)
Notes: The Hornets are making their fifth straight state tournament appearance and ninth overall • osses on the season came to Andover, Breck, Blaine and Blake • Edina is 3-0 in neutral site games • the Hornets are 3-1 vs. Class AA state tournament teams • Edina owns a 16-8 record at the state tournament • the Hornets have allowed two or fewer goals in 19 games • Edina has scored four or more goals in 21 games • Bowlby is a Ms. Hockey finalist • Uihlein is a Ms. Hockey semifinalist • Edina college commitments: Bowlby (Dartmouth), Chorske & Davis (Harvard), Tella & Vivian Jungels (Minnesota), Kuehl (Princeton), Kylie Roberts (Boston University), Uihlein (Penn State).

Farmington Tigers
Record: 15-11-2
Coach: Jon Holmes
Last state appearance: 2017
Best state finish: Second (2007)
Road to state (Section 1AA wins): Rochester Mayo 11-0, Lakeville South 8-0, Lakeville North 5-4 OT
Leading scorers: Claire Enright (27-24--51), Samantha Moehle (22-12--34), Carly Lancaster (10-15--25), Brenna Fuhrman (6-15--21), Jayden Seifert (1-14--15)
Goaltender: Ryleigh Furlong (15-11-2, 2.11, .901)
Notes: Farmington is making its sixth state tournament appearance, including its third appearance in the Class AA tournament • the Tigers have allowed two or fewer goals in 15 games • Farmington’s roster averages at 9.85 by grade in school • the Tigers are 5-7-2 in one-goal games and 4-3-2 in overtime games • Farmington college commitments: Enright (Minnesota), Fuhrman (Minnesota Duluth), Seifert (Minnesota State).

Maple Grove Crimson
Record: 19-7-1
Coach: Amber Hegland
Last state appearance: 2016
Best state finish: Second (2016)
Road to state (Section 5AA wins): Blaine 3-0, Centennial 4-1
Leading scorers: Mannon McMahon (23-25--48), Lauren Stenslie (15-16--31), Tristana Tatur (20-9--29), Chloe Corbin (9-13--22), Emma Larson (3-18--21)
Goaltender: Lucy Morgan (19-7-1, 1.37, .943)
Notes: The Crimson are making their second state tournament appearance • Maple Grove’s losses on the season came to Andover (2), Eden Prairie, Brainerd/Little Falls, Edina, Elk River/Zimmerman and Wayzata • the Crimson have allowed more than two goals in only four games • Maple Grove has scored four or more goals in nine games • the Crimson are outscoring their opponents 88-40 • McMahon is a Ms. Hockey semifinalist • Morgan is a Senior Goalie of the Year finalist • Maple Grove college commitments: Larson (Franklin Pierce), McMahon (Minnesota Duluth), Tatur (Quinnipiac).

Minnetonka Skippers
Record: 14-13-1
Coach: Eric Johnson
Last state appearance: 2015
Best state finish: First (2011, 12, 13)
Road to state (Section 2AA wins): New Prague 7-2, Bloomington Jefferson 8-2, Eden Prairie 3-1
Leading scorers: Lacer Martin (27-18--45), Emily Bayless (15-15--30), Kylie Melz (9-18--27), Kailey Langefels (8-17--25), Molly McHugh (8-16--24), Kayley Crawford (8-15--23), Rory Guilday (3-16--19)
Goaltender: Brynn Dulac (9-11-1, 2.24, .889)
Notes: The Skippers are making their fifth state tournament appearance • Minnetonka entered the playoffs on a four-game losing streak • Tonka is 1-3-1 vs. Class AA state tournament teams • the Skippers have scored four or more goals in 12 games • Minnetonka is 3-2 in neutral site games • the Skippers own a 30-percent power play • Minnetonka college commitments: Crawford (Harvard), Dulac & Guilday (Cornell), Langefels (Holy Cross), Martin (Boston University), Maggie Nicholson (Minnesota).

White Bear Lake Bears
Record: 13-12-3
Coach: Jerry Kwapick
Last state appearance: 2002
Best state finish: Second (2002)
Road to state (Section 4AA wins): North/Tartan 4-0, Stillwater Area 3-0, Hill-Murray 2-0
Leading scorers: Sydney Shearen (14-11--25), Olivia Reif (10-12--22), Abby DeLaRosa (2-11--13), McKeeley Larson (6-6--12), Lauren MacLean (5-7--12), Sophie Verkerke (4-7--11)
Goaltender: Calla Frank (10-12-3, 2.17, .938)
Notes:The Bears are making their second state tournament appearance • White Bear Lake has not allowed a goal in over five games • 18 of the Bears’ 28 games have been decided by one goal or less • WBL is 9-6-3 in one-goal games and 1-3-3 in overtime games • the Bears have allowed two or fewer goals in 17 games • Frank faced the fifth-most shots in the state during the regular season •  Frank is a Senior Goalie of the Year finalist • WBL college commitments: DeLaRosa (Bemidji State), Frank (Minnesota State), Shearen (Minnesota).

Class AA State Tournament Teams in the Let’s Play Hockey  Rankings
1. Edina
3. Andover
5. Brainerd/Little Falls
6. Maple Grove 
15. Minnetonka
19. East Ridge

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