2008 2nd Annual Oshie Sports Foundation Celebrity Golf Tournament Gains Momentum For July 30-31,2008 Event

For Immediate Press Release
Wednesday, July 2, 2008\
Grand Forks, ND:

Oshie Sports & Entertainment is proud to announce the 2008 Oshie Sports Celebrity Golf Tournament to be held on July 30-31, 2008, in Grand Forks, ND. And the event is "heating" up with Celebrities Announced this week and special events surrounding the tournament.

There will be a "Celebrity Shoot-Out" played on Wednesday, July 30, 2008, followed by a "Meet The Celebrities" event from 6 to 8 p.m. The "Meet The Celebrities" site will be announced on July 11, 2008.

For the "Celebrity Shoot-Out", local Grand Forks and surrounding area businesses will purchase the four-some and play with either one or two celebrities. At this point, a total of (14) celebrities have committed to playing on July 30th starting at 12 noon. Cost is $100 plus greens fees/cart for each celebrity. This is a first-come basis and space is very limited.

Call (701) 330-0883 at your earliest convenience to secure your spot.

The 2008 Oshie Sports Celebrity Golf Tournament will follow on Thursday, July 31, 2008, beginning at 12:30 p.m., at the Kings Walk Golf Course in Grand Forks.

Hole Sponsorships are available to businesses for Tee or Green for $150.00 each. Sponsors will get a placard with stakes at the front of the tee box or behind the greens with the Company Name in the program. They will also receive a complimentary 2008 Oshie Sports Celebrity Golf Tournament 8 x10 photo of the Celebrity field mailed to the place of business or dropped off at the business location.

We would need camera ready artwork for the placards ASAP and please send the artwork via this oshiesports@gmail.com account.

This is our 2nd Annual Oshie Sports Celebrity Golf Tournament, as the inaugural event was held in Warroad, MN, last August. This will be an annual event here in Grand Forks as a token of appreciation for what the Grand Cities did for T.J. during his UND Fighting Sioux career.

The event will attract golfers from across the greater 5-State Upper Midwest region along with our Canadian neighbors to the north. Each five some will include a celebrity figure within the sports and entertainment field.

Cost per team is $500.00 which includes four-team members. Individuals are also accepted at $150.00 per golfer in which the tournament will place in the field.

"It will be a first-class event featuring athletes from the National Hockey League, NCAA and other professionals in the sports and entertainment field. It's exciting to host this event in Grand Forks, ND, and produce an event for charities in the community that has been so gracious to T.J. these past three years," Director Timothy Oshie announced.

Here is a partial list of invited Celebrities **"scheduled to appear" (**we reserve the right of cancelling any Celebrity if they are unavailable to attend at any time prior to July 31, 2008).

T.J. Oshie (St. Louis Blues / UND)
Zach Parise (New Jersey Devils / UND)

Jonathan Toews (Chicago Blackhawks / UND)

Willie O'Ree (Boston Bruins / Jackie Robinson of the NHL)
Dean Blais (GM / Head Coach USHL's Fargo Force / UND)

Jordan Parise (Lowell Devils / UND)

Ryan Duncan (UND / 2007 Hobey Baker Memorial Award)
Chris Porter (St. Louis Blues / UND)
Matt Jones (Phoenix Coyotes / UND)

Colby Genoway (Manitoba Moose / UND)
Karl Goehring (UND / AHL)
Dave Christian ('80 Olympic USA Miracle Team / NHL / UND)
Dave Hakstol (UND Fighting Sioux Head Coach)
Cary Eades (UND Fighting Sioux Associate Head Coach)

Dane Jackson (UND Fighting Sioux Head Coach)
Mike "Lefty" Curran ('72 Olympic USA Team / MN North Stars / UND)
Ginny Christian ('56 Olympic USA Team / UND)
Andrew Kozek (UND Fighting Sioux / Atlanta Thrashers Draft Choice)
Landon Wilson (Phoenix Coyotes / UND)
Tim Hennessey ("The Voice" of UND Fighting Sioux Men's Hockey)
Matt Smaby (Tampa Bay Lightning / UND)
David Hale (Calgary Flames / UND)
Dustin Byfulien (Chicago Blackhawks)
Zach Jones (UND Fighting Sioux)

Chay Genoway (UND Fighting Sioux)

Evan Trupp (UND Fighting Sioux)
Matt Watkins (UND Fighting Sioux / Dallas Stars Draft Choice)

Henry Boucha ('72 Olympic Team USA / MN North Stars)

Bill Butters ('72 Olympic Team USA / MN Fighting Saints)

Mike Antonovich (MN North Stars / MN Fighting Saints)

Interested participants or sponsorships should contact Timothy Oshie at 701-330-0883 or e-mail to: oshiesports@gmail.com

Timothy Oshie
c/o Oshie Sports
1819 3rd Avenue NW #A-1
East Grand Forks MN 56721
(701) 330-0883 Cell #
(815) 371-0883 Fax #
oshiesports@gmail.com

Keeway Gaaboo .... A Symbol Of Pride For Fighting Sioux

For Immediate Press Release
Monday, April 07, 2008
Grand Forks, ND

Keeway Gaaboo … A Symbol Of Pride For Fighting Sioux

Boo-Zhoo (Hello) In Ojibwe Language

The journey of T.J. Oshie has many twists and turns along the beaten path since 1991.

From 1991-2002, Oshie was a member of the Seattle Jr. Hockey NW Admirals AAA Hockey Club who participated in the Pacific Coast Amateur Hockey Association, based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

For Oshie, it was a vision of things to come in his young career.

In the summer of 2002, Oshie traveled along with his family to attend the Hockeytown USA Hockey School in Warroad, Minnesota. When he left, he knew the Warroad H.S. Warriors were his destiny.

Prior to his arrival in 2002, Oshie, along with his father, Timothy, brother Taylor and sister, Tawni, each received their Ojibwe names from a spiritual elder named Joseph Big George, from the Buffalo Point Reserve in Canada. The Oshie’ met with Big George in a Pow-Wow a week earlier at the Buffalo Point. They presented him tobacco in his sacred bag located next to his spiritual drum. From there, Big George smoked the tobacco and dreamt of each of their names within a week. Oshie’ cousin, former NHL player, Henry Boucha, gathered family and friends to witness the sacred ceremony of the Oshie’ earning their namesakes in Ojibwe.

The ceremony had spiritual overtones to it as T.J. was given the Ojibwe name, Keeway Gaaboo, meaning in English translation, “Coming Home”. Little did Oshie realize he was following in the footsteps of grandfathers Richard and Buster Oshie, great-great- uncle Max Jones and great-uncle Max Oshie and the proud lineage to the Chief, Na-May-A-Poke, who is T.J.’s great-great-great grandfather. All were born and raised in Warroad, MN, and were hockey legends back in 1930’s and 1940’s. Boucha, a second cousin, later in 1972 became the first of the descendents to reach the National Hockey League.

A couple years later, cousin Gary Sargent became a member of the Los Angeles Kings and later the Minnesota North Stars before his retirement in 1983.

The other members of the Oshie lineage include Kaa-Kaa-Gee-Sick, the medicine man who lived to be 120 years old before his death in 1968; Little Thunder (Boucha’s direct lineage); and Laughing Mary, the only daughter to A-Osh-A-Wash, the original Chief of the Warroad Band of Chippewa Indians from the mid-1800’s.

His grandfather, the late Richard Oshie, had passionately spoke about the Warroad mystique and subsequently interested the younger Oshie with his stories and depictions of one of Minnesota’s most storied hockey programs.

After the passing of the elder Oshie in 2001, T.J. visualized Warroad, Minnesota, as being his opportunity of a lifetime to proudly don the Warrior crest on his new jersey. After the two-week camp in Warroad, Oshie ventured back to Washington, to officially prepare him for his next journey in his young hockey career, to play for the Warroad Warriors.

Once there, he made the most of his opportunity leading the fabled Warrior hockey program to three, consecutive Minnesota State High School Hockey Tournaments from 2003-05. In those three seasons, Oshie would capture two, Minnesota Class “A” titles and earn All-Tournament Team honors each season. In the 2005 championship tilt, he set up teammate Aaron Marvin while diving on his stomach for a loose puck just after a face-off. The play was in the second overtime session versus Totino-Grace of Fridley and led to the game winning goal by Marvin. The play personified Oshie’ character, so much, that the St. Louis Blues selected him as their 2005 NHL 1st round draft choice.

Next for the young Oshie was entering the University of North Dakota as a true freshman later that summer and become a member of the Fighting Sioux Hockey Family.

The young Oshie solidified his worth of why he was a St. Louis Blues draftee. And it didn’t take long either. After garnering a goal and assist versus Miami (Ohio) in his first game, he would go on to earn 45 points in the very difficult Western Collegiate Hockey League and secure a spot on the WCHA’s All-Rookie Team.

With the lineage that dates back to the early settler’s era of Minnesota, it’s clear that T.J. Oshie is the symbol of Native America for both the Warroad Warriors and the University of North Dakota Fighting Sioux. Even though the Sioux were opponents to the Chippewa’s around Warroad’s River and the southern shores of Lake-of-the-Woods, the lineage of Oshie’ ancestry remains strong and forthright.

Oshie will take his Fighting Sioux into battle this Thursday, April 10, 2008, with the hopes of capturing a NCAA Men’s Hockey championship. He will be one of twenty-five dedicated young men to proudly wear that coveted Fighting Sioux sweater and battle the likes of Boston College, Michigan and Notre Dame.

And if you listen very closely at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado, the site of the 2008 NCAA Frozen Four Men’s Hockey Championships, this weekend, you might just hear the battle cry’s of Oshie’ proud heritage. Mind you, this time as a member of the Fighting Sioux, and not as a proud Warroad Warrior.

Miigwetch Niigee (Many Thanks My Friends) In Ojibwe Language

2008 All - Northwest Conference Selections

Courtesy of Northwest Conference Headquarters: The following players have been selected to the All Northwest Conference Team. The players were selected on a vote from the Conference Coaches. Goalies: Scott Lindegard Kittson Central Alex Lyon LOW Defense: Nolan Knott RLF Kyle Horntvedt LOW Jalen Stay LOW Nick Lindegard Kittson Central Forwards: Danny Usiski LOW Casey Cardinal RLF Jon Carlo Westerland LOW Craig Lindegard Kittson Central Kellen Albrecht Kittson Central Lukas Dahl Kittson Central Coach of the Year: Scott Younggren Kittson Central Assist. Coach of the Year: Jason Olson Kittson Central

2008 All - Mariucci Conference Team Selections

Courtesy of Mariucci Conference Headquarters: The following players have been selected to the All - Mariucci Conference Team. The players were selected on a vote from the Conference Coaches. Goalie: Michael Lee Roseau Matt Grove Crookston Defense: Aaron Ness Roseau Ben Ammerman Moorhead Spencer Johnson Thief River Falls Tai Larson Warroad Forwards: Bryce Ravndalen Warroad Dustin Moser Roseau Ben Nelson Roseau Nick Oliver Roseau Joe Becker Moorhead Nick Thielen Moorhead Coach of the Year: Scott Oliver Roseau Assistant Coach of the Year: Andy Lundbohm Roseau

2008 All - Section 8A Team Selections

Courtesy of Section 8A Hockey Headquarters: The following players have been selected to the 8A All Section Team. The players were selected on a vote from the Section Coaches. Goalie: Alex Christiansen East Grand Forks Matt Grove Crookston Defense: Spencer Johnson Thief River Falls Kody Vizenor East Grand Forks Tai Larson Warroad Kevin McMorrow Park Rapids Curtis Tolle Park Rapids Mark McDonald Warroad Forwards: Zach Lehrke Park Rapids Bryce Ravndalen Warroad Jake Useldinger East Grand Forks Jeremy Hahn Warroad Joey Wikoff East Grand Forks Dane Shaugabay Warroad John Grabanski East Grand Forks Danny Usiski Lake of The Woods Lukas Dahl Kittson Central Coach of the Year: Pete Stanke - Park Rapids Assistant Coach of the Year: Derek Lehrke - Park Rapids

MINNESOTA STATE CLASS A HOCKEY: Warroad Earns 3rd Place With OT Thriller Over St. Cloud Cathedral

Courtesy of Grand Forks Herald:

By: Kevin Fee, Staff Writer

ST. PAUL — Warroad had strong incentive in the third-place game at the Minnesota state Class A boys hockey tournament.

The Warriors wanted to end the season with a win, and they also wanted to top last year’s fourth-place state finish.

Mission accomplished.

Dane Shaugabay scored in overtime to lift Warroad to a 2-1 victory against St. Cloud Cathedral in the tournament’s third-place game Saturday morning in the Xcel Energy Center.

Shaugabay’s goal came at 3 minutes, 38 seconds. The junior tipped a teammate’s shot from the point through the legs of Cathedral goaltender Nick Maiers.

Warroad ended its season at 24-7. St. Cloud Cathedral finished at 23-7-1.

Cathedral thought the game-winner might have been knocked in with a high stick. But the officials thought otherwise.

“From what I could see it wasn’t a high stick,” Warroad co-coach Bruce Olson said. “They thought it was a high stick. It looked like it was right even with his waist.”

Shaugabay has a nose for the net.

“I just kind of tipped it, and it went through the goalie’s five-hole,” Shaugabay said.

The teams traded second-period goals to set up the finish.

Bryce Ravndalen scored for the Warriors just 55 seconds into the second on a power play. Then T.J. Poganski tied it at 5:52 on an unassisted goal.

“We started a little slow, but as the game went on I think we got better and better,” Shaugabay said.

Senior Garrett Corneliusen received the start in goal for Warroad after Jared Paquin played the first two games. Corneliusen was solid, making 16 saves.

Maiers finished with 19 stops.

Olson was pleased his team’s performance at state.

“We played three very good games,” he said. “I think we represented Section 8A quite well.”

Ravndalen was named to the all-tournament team and also won the Class A Herb Brooks Award. It goes to the player in the tournament who possesses all the characteristics, values and traits that exemplify those of the late Herb Brooks, who coached the U.S. Olympic hockey team to a gold medal in 1980.

Warroad’s Mark McDonald also made the all-tournament team.

Warroad 2,
St. Cloud
Cathedral 1, OT
Key play: Dane Shaugabay’s game-winning goal.
Key player: Bryce Ravndalen, 1 goal.

2008 1st Annual Hockeytown USA Section 8A / 8AA Hockey Classic

Contact:

Brian EricksonWarroad Memorial Arena Association
218-386-1430 (ext. 1224)
Email: brianeric@marvin.com
NEWS RELEASE

HOCKEYTOWN HOCKEY CLASSIC SECTION 8 ALL-STAR ROSTERS RELEASED

WARROAD MN, March 5, 2008 – The 1st Annual Hockeytown Hockey Classic Section 8 All-Star Game will be held at The Gardens arena on Tuesday, March 11, 2008. The event will include both a girl’s and a boy’s game and will feature the Section 8A all-stars competing against those from Section 8AA. The event organizers are excited to announce the final rosters (please see below). Headlining the event will be Sarah Erickson (Bemidji), 2008 Ms. Hockey winner, and Zach Lehrke (Park Rapids) and Drew Olson (Brainerd), 2008 Mr. Hockey finalists. The girl’s all-star game will begin at 6 p.m. and the boys will follow at 8 p.m.

LIVE BLOG FROM XCEL ENERGY CENTER IN ST. PAUL: Warroad Dominates Litchfield, Earns 4-0 Victory To Advance To Semi's vs. Duluth Marshall

PERIOD 3 RECAP:

By: Timothy Oshie
Publisher

Warroad, who has won Class A titles in 1994, 1996, 2003 and 2005, looked like a veteran, tournament-tested team on this day as they dominated from start to finish.

The Warriors held a 3-0 lead coming into the final period and extended that to 4-0 on a rebound goal by sophomore, Brock Nelson. It was Nelson' 14th goal on the season and first in the state tournament. Pieper and Knox each picked up an assist to give them a pair of helpers.

Warroad displayed a "Warrior style" type of defense once again that the state tournament committee has came to love. In the last five appearances, Warroad has only given up (5) goals in the last five quarter-final games ('03 4-1 over Fergus Falls; '04 1-2 OT loss to Orono; '05 6-1 over Albert Lea; '07 3-1 over Albert Lea; '08 4-0 over Litchfield/D-C).

For Warroad, making their 19th appearance in the winter classic builds it's character with team defense.Senior goaltender Jared Paquin, steered aside all 10 shots and earned his 17th win on the season (17-3-0). He now has 5 shut-outs in the last 6 games.

Warroad peppered Lucas Johnson with 39 shots.Warroad will face the Marshall School Hilltoppers of Duluth in the Class A semi-finals on Friday morning at 11 a.m. at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn.

For a full recap / boxscore / real time stats please log on to:

http://mshsl.org/mshsl/showgameinfo.asp?game=285426

BLOG UPDATE FROM ST. PAUL: Warroad Extends Lead To 3-0 On Mark McDonald Blast

PERIOD 2 RECAP:

By: Timothy Oshie
Publisher

Warroad jumped out of the gate to start the second period of play from the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.

Senior blueliner, Mark McDonald, scored on a 55-foot blast from the right point to push Warroad's lead to 3-0 just 2:22 into the second stanza. McDonalds goal was assisted by Micky Knox and Brock Nelson. John Hellquist provided the screen and jumped out of the way of the puck just before McDonalds blast went top shelf of "grandma's cookie jar". It was McDonalds second goal in three games with his ovetime game-winner over Thief River Falls in 2OT last Saturday night.

McDonalds goal was the second power-play tally for Warroad.

The Warriors outshot Litchfield 15-5 in the second period and have a 27-8 bulge for the game.

BLOG UPDATE FROM ST. PAUL: Warroad Uses Brawn To Lead 2-0 After One @ The Xcel

PERIOD 1 RECAP:

By: Timothy Oshie
Publisher

Warroad is known for Walleyes, Windows and Hockeysticks. Now, you'd have to also use phrases like "Main Street Bullies" to the addage as Warroad used grit and toughness in the first period of play against Litchfield.

The Warriors jumped out to a 1-0 lead on a Jeremy Hahn tip-in goal off the blast from Eric Milbridge. Hahn located himself in the mid-slot right and redirected the puck past Lucas Johnson to open the scoring for Warroad. Hahn also scored the first goal of the 2007 MN State High School Tournament against Albert Lea. Junior Dane Shaugabay also assisted on Hahn's tally as he whistled a pass to Milbridge off a Litchfield turnover.

Late in the opening stanza, senior winger Andy Pelland leveled a Litchfield Dragon defender but ended up taking the brunt of the collison. Play was stopped as Pelland gathered his senses at center ice.

Moments later, senior captainBryce Ravndalen took a Michael Pieper pass behind the Warroad cage and went in untouched as he weaved between several Dragon defenders. As he approached the goal mouth, Ravndalen juked and jived and shot the puck five-hole to beat Johnson. Pieper was the lone assist as the goal came at :08.4 left in the opening period.

Warroad outshot Litchfield 13-3 in the opening frame.

MINNESOTA STATE CLASS A HOCKEY TOURNAMENT: Work pays off for Warriors

Courtesy of Grand Forks Herald

By: Virg Foss, Special To The Herald

There are reasons why Warroad High School has won four Minnesota state hockey championships and 18 Section 8A titles, including five of the last six.
For starters, the players grow up in a town that bills itself as “Hockeytown USA.” That's clue No. 1.
“Every boy in town pretty much goes out for the hockey team,” said Warroad star senior forward Bryce Ravndalen. “It's our main sport. All the best athletes play hockey.”
That they do, and they play it well.
The Warriors (22-6) go after their first state title since 2005 on Wednesday, when they play Litchfield/Dassel-Cokato in the quarterfinals of the Minnesota state Class A tournament in the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
It's a team with big goals and a heavy heart. Former Warroad High School player Greg Knox died unexpectedly in Texas on Feb. 23 at age 37, just over a year after his young son was killed in an all-terrain vehicle accident.
Greg Knox was the uncle of Warroad forward Micky Knox, who sandwiched two trips to Texas to first see his ailing uncle, then attend his funeral, around playing in the Section 8A tournament.
As a show of support, his teammates are wearing decals with the names of Greg Knox and his son, Wade, on their helmets, as they begin state tournament play.
Walk into the Warroad Gardens and you'll see banners honoring Warroad's 18 section titles and four state crowns. It's an everyday reminder to the Warroad players of today of the great history and tradition of the program. “The history is all over ýPage=001 Column=004 Loose,0004.04þthe rink,” Ravndalen said.
The links to the past can be found in the present. Warroad forward Brock Nelson, for example, is the grandson of Warroad's Billy Christian, a star on the gold medal 1960 U.S. Olympic hockey team.
Warroad co-coach Bruce Olson once coached at rival Roseau High School, which is defending its state Class AA title at state this week. In his second year as co-coach with Albert Hasbargen in Warroad, Olson finds something special with Warroad's hockey players.
“The kids here are a tough, gritty bunch and they don't question anything you tell them as a coach,” Olson said. “There's no outside influence from the parents or the community, so you're free to make the decisions necessary for the betterment of the team. The best way I can say it is that our kids work hard, and they listen. As a coach, I never feel like I'm walking on egg shells. The kids come first.”
Ravndalen and his teammates buy into that. “What the coaches say goes,” Ravndalen said.
Warroad concludes every practice with 20 minutes of conditioning drills. It's not fun, but it's vital to Warrior success.
The extra work paid off in a 2-1 double-overtime victory over Thief River Falls in the Section 8 semifinals. “That's what won us that game,” Ravndalen said. “Thief River guys were beat, and we were still pounding away.”
After that game, Olson said several Warroad players came up to him and thanked him for putting them through the ordeal of the strenuous conditioning drills all season.
It's a program good enough over the years that four current NCAA Division I players (T.J. Oshie, UND; Kyle Hardwick, Bemidji State; Eric Olimb, Nebraska-Omaha; and Aaron Marvin (St. Cloud State) are products of Warroad High School hockey and members of the 2005 state championship team.
Dennis Fermoyle was co-coach at Warroad High School in 2005. Now, he coaches the junior varsity team and instructs the Warroad goalies, a position he once played.
“When I coached at Roseau, I always wondered why Warroad's goalies were always so good,” Olson said. “Watching Fermoyle work with them, I can see why. He keeps them calm and cool.”
Jared Paquin has taken over as No. 1 goalie for Warroad.
The Warriors have given up just one goal in their last five games. “When I first saw him play, I thought, ‘Boy, does he have a long way to go,'" Olson said. “He's become a very good goalie, thanks in large part to working with Dennis Fermoyle.”
Maybe the successful program stems from the great tradition established by players and coaches of the past. Maybe it comes from the gritty kids of today who listen to their coaches and pay the price of success.
Whatever it is, it works for Warroad - and has for a long time.

Minnesota State Class "A" Boy's High School Hockey Tournament @ The Xcel Energy Center

Quarterfinals:

Location: Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul, MN

Date: March 5th, 2008

Upper Bracket:

Game 1: #2-Ranked Duluth Marshall vs. Mankato West, 11:00 AM
Game 2: #3-Ranked Warroad vs. Litchfield/Dassel-Cokato, 1:00 PM

Lower Bracket:

Game 3: #1-Ranked St. Thomas Academy vs. Little Falls, 6:00 PM
Game 4: #4-Ranked St. Cloud Cathedral vs. Blake School, 8:00 PM

Semifinals:

Locations: Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul and Mariucci Arena

Consolation Bracket:

Date: March 6th, 2008
Game 5: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2, 10:00 AM, Mariucci Arena
Game 6: Loser Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4, 12:00 PM, Mariucci Arena

Championship Bracket:

Date: March 7th, 2008

Game 7: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, 11:00 AM, Xcel Energy Center
Game 8: Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4, 1:00 PM, Xcel Energy Center

Finals:

Date: March 8th, 2008

Championship:
Winner Game 7 vs. Winner Game 8, 12:00 PM, Xcel Energy Center

Third Place Game:
Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 6, 9:00 AM, Xcel Energy Center

Consolation Game:
Loser Game 5 vs. Loser Game 6, 10:00 AM, Mariucci Arena

MINNESOTA SECTION 8A HOCKEY: Warroad Captures 6th Section 8A Title This Decade; Defeat EGF 2-0

Photos and story courtesy of Grand Forks Herald:

By: Kevin Fee, Herald Staff Writer

Warroad co-coach Albert Hasbargen couldn't confirm whether it was his team's fifth title in the past six years.

“I don't know, you'll have to look that up,” Hasbargen said.

The other Warrior co-coach, Bruce Olson, wasn't sure, either. He just knew it was two in a row.


Alex Christiansen stops Brett Hebel's shot

Bryce Ravndalen stretches for the puck

Brett Hebel looks at the Warriors second goal

Like their neighbor to the west down Minnesota Highway 11 did a night earlier in the same Ralph Engelstad Arena, the Warriors repeated as a section hockey champion Thursday night.


The Warriors scored two power-play goals in a span of 1 minute, 43 seconds and received 25 saves from Jared Paquin to defeat East Grand Forks Senior High 2-0 in the Section 8A boys hockey final.

And, yes, it is five titles in six years. Thief River Falls' title in 2006 interrupted the Warrior string. Senior High was looking for its first section title since 2002, when it defeated Warroad.
The Warriors take a 22-6 record into the state tournament, which begins Wednesday in St. Paul. They join neighbor Roseau, which plays in the state Class AA tournament beginning next Thursday in St. Paul.

MORE:
http://www.grandforksherald.com/articles/index.cfm?id=68957&section=sports

The Section 8A Title Tilt At The Ralph Engelstad Arena

By: Timothy Oshie
Publisher

History will be made tonight as the 64th Section 8 (A) Champion will be crowned at the Ralph Engelstad Arena in Thief River Falls, Minnesota.

The first Section 8 champion was the Thief River Falls Thieves in 1945, and the inaugural Minnesota State High Hockey School Tournament held in the old St. Paul Auditorium. TRF lost a heartbreaker to the Eveleth Golden Bears, 4-3, in the championship tilt which jump started Eveleth's dynasty as we now know it.

Next came the Roseau who captured the 1946 and 1947 Section 8 titles and won it all in 1946 with a decisive, 6-0 victory over Rochester. In 1947, the Roseau lost in the championship game, 2-1, to St. Paul Johnson. In 1946, Roseau was known as the Green Wave and were led by Rube Bjorkman notching a hat trick in a 6-0 shutout win over Rochester. Bjorkman later went on to represent the United States in the 1948 and 1952 Winter Olympics games.

Warroad was the next to capture Section 8 as they marched to St. Paul in 1948 with their tandum of Chippewa Indian players Max Oshie, Buster Oshie, Albert Angus and Sam Gibbons. The Warriors would lose to Eveleth, 8-2, in the '48 championship game. The following year in 1949, Warroad once again captured the hearts of the Twin Cities but could only garner a Consolation Championship without the services of Max "Chief" Oshie to graduation.

The history of Section 8 hockey is deep and rich with legendary names who've planted the footsteps. Now, these kids tonight will try to put their names in the history books and march to the drum of Section 8A championship game participants.

The Legends of Section 8 are staples of every town and village in northern Minnesota. Player profile displays hanging in the lobbies of each arena and banners displayed from the rafters.

Tonight, the communities of East Grand Forks and Warroad will proudly display and wear those beautiful jerseys, hats, sweatshirts, jackets and other garments as face-paint (or perhaps body paint) will cover their skin. This coveted event called the Section 8A championship game is held in late-February of every hockey season since 1945. Tonight, each of these two communities will cheer on their beloved (Green Wave and Warriors) to the final horn.

In the end, one team will emerge and one team will not. It has been said that the greatest feats climbed always followed adversity. Tonight, Section 8A will showcase it's top teams in a vicous battle to earn the title. In the end, each athlete will leave with the memories, the comradery and the desire to be the best.

I'd like to extend my personal congratulations to the East Grand Forks Green Wave and Coach Cory Chupka's fantastic staff. The Green Wave, most recently, represented Section 8A in the 1998, 1999, 2001 and 2002 Minnesota State H.S. Championships. Also to Jim Scanlan, Athletic Director of East Grand Forks who was the mastermind behind those four Section 8A titles and state appearances.

On the other side, my personal congratulations to the Warroad Warriors, who've captured Section 8A titles in 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2007. Congrat's to co-Head Coaches Albert Hasbargen and Bruce Olson for another great season. Also, to a very good friend, Assistant Coach Dennis Fermoyle, who stepped back into the program after retiring in 2006. Warriors hockey is complete again with Coach Fermoyle behind the bench.

The history books will be re-written this evening at the Ralph Engelstad Arena in Thief River Falls.

Enjoy the game, and like the famous "Badger" Bob Johnson once said, "It's A Great Day For (Section 8A) Hockey."

MINNESOTA SECTION 8A BOYS HOCKEY TOURNAMENT: Offensive Explosion As EGF Knocks Off Park Rapids To Advance To Championship Game

Courtesy of Grand Forks Herald:

By: Tom Miller, Herald Staff Writer

Forward Zach Lehrke is Park Rapids' all-time leading scorer, the highest goal-scorer in the state and one of 10 finalists for the Minnesota Mr. Hockey award.

But on Monday, it was East Grand Forks Senior High's team that put on an offensive show.

The Green Wave, highlighted by a five-goal second period, coasted to an 8-3 win over Park Rapids in the Section 8A boys hockey semifinals in Ralph Engelstad Arena.

Senior High heads to the section championship for the first time since 2002. The Green Wave face Warroad at 7 p.m. Thursday in the title game in Thief River Falls.

Park Rapids dropped to 24-3, while the Green Wave improved to 12-12-1.

"We haven't been to the final since 2002, so it's pretty big," said Casey Ristau, who had two goals and an assist.

Park Rapids, the No. 2 seed in the section, hadn't allowed more than five goals all season. Senior High, though, showed early on that it could score against the Panthers.

Senior High defenseman Casey Wood dumped the puck into the zone along the right boards. Michael Lukkason got to the puck behind the net and poked it over to Ristau, who also was in back of the goal. Ristau quickly grabbed the puck and put it in the net on his backhand for a power-play goal at 2 minutes, 58 seconds of the first period.

Ristau struck again less than two minutes later. From behind the net, Henry Gutierrez found Ristau close in at the left faceoff circle. Ristau's blast beat goalie Mark Smith for a 2-0 lead at 4:31.

"It was a big key to get those first two goals," Senior High coach Cory Chupka said. "Park Rapids pressed us early, but we were able to weather that. You could see the guys get excited."

From there, the Wave cruised.

Senior High scored five times in the second period to build a 7-2 lead. Jake Useldinger, Macauley Useldinger, Lukkason, Cody Grassel and John Grabanski all scored in the period.
Lukkason finished with two goals and an assist.

MORE:

http://www.grandforksherald.com/articles/index.cfm?id=68562&section=sports

EGF SENIOR HIGH 8, PARK RAPIDS 3

First period - 1. EGF, Casey Ristau (Michael Lukkason, Casey Wood) 2:58; 2. EGF, Ristau (Henry Gutierrez, Macauley Useldinger) 4:31

Second period - 3. PR, Bill Winkler (Derek Ricke) 3:40; 4. EGF, Jake Useldinger 4:04; 5. EGF, Macauley Useldinger (Alex Lind, Vizenor) 7:05; 6. EGF, Michael Lukkason (Ristau, Zak Aubol) 7:48; 7. PR, Zach Lehrke (Curtis Tolle) 12:17; 8. EGF, Cody Grassel (J. Useldinger) 15:30; 9. EGF, John Grabanski (Joey Wikoff, J. Useldinger) 16:08

Third period - 10. PR, Kevin McMorrow (Lehrke) 1:44; 11. EGF, Lukkason 3:16

Goalie saves - EGF: Alex Christiansen 7-9-5 - 21; PR: Mark Smith 9-10-7 - 26

New Section 8A Bracket Board Warroad vs. EGF For Championship (Click To Enlarge)

Park Rapids Standout, Zach Lehrke Among Minnesota Mr. Hockey (10) Finalists

Courtesy of Park Rapids Enterprise:

By: Vance Carlson

Zach Lehrke continues to reach milestones as a member of the Park Rapids-Menahga boys hockey team.

The senior forward became the all-time leading scorer in the history of the boys hockey program earlier this season.

On Monday, Lehrke was named as one of 10 finalists for the 24th annual Mr. Hockey Award. Lehrke becomes the first Park Rapids hockey player to receive that distinction.

Park Rapids’ Zach Lehrke (26) was named as one of 10 finalists for the 2008 Mr. Hockey Award. The award will be presented March 9 in St. Paul.

The Mr. Hockey Award is given to the outstanding senior high school hockey player in the state of Minnesota and is selected by a panel of National Hockey League scouts, Division I college coaches and selected media members from around the state.

So far this season, Lehrke has 46 goals and 35 assists for 81 points. That is a single-season scoring record for the Panthers, breaking Tyler Lehrke’s 79 points during the 2003-04 season. Zach Lehrke’s 46 goals so far has shattered the single-season record he shared with his older brother of 34 and his 35 assists are approaching the school record of 45 set by Tyler Lehrke in 2003-04.

Lehrke is currently the top goal scorer in the state and is second in total scoring, trailing Mankato West’s Ricky Litchfield by one point and sitting three points ahead of Little Falls’ Beau Hanow-ski. Litchfield has 28 goals and 54 assists for 82 points while Hanowski has 37 goals and 41 assists for 78 points.

With his 81 points this season, Zach Lehrke has 194 in his career. Tyler Lehrke held the previous record with 192 career points, which included 89 goals and 103 assists. Zach Lehrke holds the school record with his 105 career goals and is second with his 89 career assists.

The other finalists for the Mr. Hockey Award are Tyler Barnes of Burnsville, J.T. Brown of Rose-mount, Cory Fienhage of Eastview, Jake Gardiner of Minnetonka, Joe Gleason of Edina, Justin Jokinen of Cloquet, Aaron Ness of Roseau, Drew Olson of Brainerd and Jake Youso of International Falls.

The 24th annual Mr. Hockey Awards Banquet will be held on Sunday, March 9 at noon at the Star Tribune Grand Ballroom at the River Centre in St. Paul. The Minnesota Wild and Acceleration Minnesota are co-sponsors of the Mr. Hockey Awards Banquet. The Mr. Hockey Award is hosted by the Minnesota Minutemen.

Other awards that will be presented at the banquet are the Frank Brimsek Award for the state’s top senior goaltender, the John Mariucci Awards for the Class A and Class AA coaches of the year, and the Cliff Thompson Award for the “Old Timer Coach” of the year.

Previous Mr. Hockey Award winners are Tom Corske (1985), George Pelawa (1986), Kris Miller (1987), Larry Olimb (1988), Trent Klatt (1989), Joe Dziedzic (1990), Darby Hendrickson (1991), Brian Bonin (1992), Nick Checco (1993), Mike Crowley (1994), Erik Rasmussen (1995), Dave Spehar (1996), Aaron Miskovich (1997), John Pohl (1998), Jeff Taffe (1999), Paul Martin (2000), Marty Sertich (2001), Gino Guyer (2002), Nate Dey (2003), Tom Gorowski (2004), Brian Lee (2005), David Fischer (2006) and Ryan McDonagh (2007).

For tickets to the banquet, contact Yvonne Feldkamp at (763) 422-9708 or mrhockeybanquet@aol.com. Individual tickets for the event are $25.

2008 Minnesota Section 8A Hockey Play-offs Bracket Board (Click to Enlarge)

MINNESOTA SECTION 8 TOURNAMENT: Warroad stops TRF in thriller

Courtesy of Grand Forks Herald:

Warroad 2, Thief River Falls 1 2OT

Mark McDonald scored at 8 minutes, 11 seconds of the second overtime to lead Warroad to a 2-1 win over Thief River Falls in the Section 8A boys hockey semifinals Saturday.

McDonald's shot deflected off traffic and past goalie Zane Gothberg. McDonald received an assist from Dane Shaugabay on the play.

"It was a lucky bounce for us and a not-so-lucky bounce for Thief River Falls," Warroad co-coach Bruce Olson said. "The whole game was really intense."

Gothberg had 55 saves, including 18 in the third period and nine in each of the overtime periods. Warroad goalie Jared Paquin also was solid, with 28 saves.

"Our goalie made two-three big saves to give us a chance to win it," Olson said. "Their goaltender was absolutely outstanding."

Warroad will play either East Grand Forks Senior High or Park Rapids in the championship game Thursday in Thief River Falls' Ralph Engelstad Arena.

The Warriors are 21-6.

MINNESOTA SECTION 8A TOURNAMENT: East Grand Forks, Park Rapids Advance To Semi-Finals

Courtesy of Grand Forks Herald:

East Grand Forks 4, Kittson Central 2:

After a long break in action, it didn't take long for the East Grand Forks Senior High boys hockey team to get back into the swing of things.The Green Wave jumped to a 4-0 lead after one period and hung on for a 4-2 win over Kittson Central on Friday in the quarterfinals of the Section 8A tournament.

East Grand Forks faces Park Rapids in the semifinals Monday in Ralph Engelstad Arena in Thief River Falls.“We caught them off-guard with our speed,” EGF coach Cory Chupka said. “We just needed to get back in the groove. We'd been off since last Tuesday.”

Michael Lukkason, Jake Useldinger, Joey Wikoff and Zak Aubol scored first-period goals for EGF.While EGF out-shot Kittson Central 11-1 and 13-6 in the final two periods, Kittson Central goalie Scott Lindegard kept the Green Wave out of the net.“Their goaltender put up a brick wall,” Chupka said. “(Kittson Central) came out hard and scratched and clawed.”

Ryan Johnson and Jack Deere scored third-period goals for Kittson Central.

Park Rapids 9, Lake of the Woods 2:

Zach Lehrke's five goals and two assists lifted Park Rapids to a quarterfinal victory over Lake of the Woods.Park Rapids, which outshot Lake of the Woods 48-23, pulled away with five second-period goals.Danny Usiski and Cody Hasbargen scored goals for Lake of the Woods.

Warroad Blanks Crookston 7-0: TRF Rallies Late To Upend Bemidji 2-1 In Section 8A Tournament Quarter-Finals

By: Timothy Oshie
Publisher

The 2008 Section 8A Boy's hockey tournament entered the second, of four rounds, last night at the friendly confines of the Ralph Engelstad Arena in Thief River Falls, Minn.

The host team (TRF Prowlers) will clash with the favorite (Warroad Warriors) in the Minnesota Section 8A boys hockey tournament on Saturday. That's because fourth-seeded Thief River Falls won a thriller against fifth-seeded Bemidji on Thursday night, while Warroad cruised to an easy victory over Crookston in quarterfinal games at The Little Ralph.

Prowlers Score Twice Late; Earn 2-1 Comeback Victory Late In 3rd

Thief River Falls, playing in front of the home crowd on the backside of the hockey double-header, scored twice in the final 2:46 of the game to earn the comeback 2-1 win over the Bemidji Lumberjacks.

TRF's Lucas Dillon scored on a penalty shot at 14:14 and Kent Peterson added the game-winning goal with just 46 seconds left in the final stanza.

Bemidji netted the opening goal when Dylan Wizner scored an unassisted tally at 2:45 of the second period. That lead lasted until late, when the Prowlers rallied in front of their hometown fans.

In addition to scoring the game-tying goal, Dillon also set up Peterson's winning goal.

In net, Zane Gothburg stopped 23 shots for Thief River Falls, while Bemidji's Derek Dudgeon made 32 saves.

Thief River Falls Prowlers 2,
Bemidji Lumberjacks 1

Second period - 1. B, Dylan Wizner 2:45

Third period - 2. TRF, Lucas Dillon 14:14; 3. TRF, Kent Peterson (Dillon, Aaron Langan) 16:14

Goalie saves - TRF: Zane Gothburg 4-10-9 - 23; B: Derek Dudgeon 9-12-11 - 32

Warroad Cruises In Section 8A Opener; Downs Crookston 7-0

The Warroad Warriors, winners of 4 of the last 5 Section 8A Tournaments ('03, '04, '05, '07), is once again looking like the team to beat. Senior Bryce Ravndalen had a goal and three assists, while teammates Dane Shaugabay and Mickey Knox added three-point nights to lift top-seeded Warroad past Crookston in a quarterfinal.

Shaugabay, very hot of late scoring 28 points in the last 9 games, scored twice and set up one, while Knox had a goal and two assists to lift the Warriors to 20-6-0 on the season.

Michael Pieper, Brock Nelson and Brett Hebel all added a goal and an assist for the defending section champion Warriors.

Warroad took control in the first on a power-play goal by Pieper at 8:58 and even-strength goals 15 seconds apart by Nelson and Hebel. In the second, Shaugabay and Knox added to Warroad's lead and Ravndalen and Shaugabay rounded out the scoring in the third.

Crookston starting goaltender Matt Grove made 36 saves before giving way to Stevie Noyes in the third. Noyes stopped two shots.

Senior Warrior netminder, Jared Paquin, steered aside all 12 shots and pushed his season record to 14-3-0 on the year.

Warroad Warriors 7,
Crookston Pirates 0

First period - 1. W, Michael Pieper (Bryce Ravndalen, Dane Shaugabay) 8:58; 2. W, Brock Nelson (Brett Hebel, Micky Knox) 13:47; 3. W, Hebel (Carson Gray, Knox) 14:02

Second period - 4. W, Shaugabay (Ravndalen) 8:39; 5. W, Knox (Nelson, Jon Hellquist) 14:02
Third period - 6. W, Ravndalen (Pieper, Jeremy Hahn) 1:23; 7. W, Shaugabay (Jake Mack, Ravndalen) 4:19

Goalie saves - W: Jared Paquin 3-3-6 - 12; C: Matt Grove 10-20-6 - 26; Stevie Noyes x-x-2 - 2

MINNESOTA SECTION 8 HOCKEY TOURNAMENTS: Warriors hope to make run

Courtesy of Grand Forks Herald:

By: Virg Foss - Special to the Herald

Bryce Ravndalen vividly remembers sitting in the stands in the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul in 2005 and watching Warroad complete an undefeated season by winning the Minnesota state Class A boys hockey title.

A freshman at the time, Ravndalen was playing on Warroad's bantam team, not the varsity. Still, seeing his school that featured current UND star T.J. Oshie win a state title left a lasting impression.

“I wanted to get down there myself and do what they did,” said Ravndalen, now a senior and the leading scorer for the Warriors. “I thought it was a pretty cool deal.”

Ravndalen did get to state last year, but the Warriors lost in the semifinals to Hermantown after leading 3-1 entering the final period.

“I still have that (bad) taste in my mouth,” Ravndalen. “We're a better team this year.”

Ravndalen has more hockey in his future. He's given a verbal commitment to St. Cloud State, likely for the 2009-10 season. He also was the first player signed by Dean Blais to stock the United States Hockey League franchise in Fargo that begins play next season.

Warroad (19-6-0) enters Thursday's quarterfinal round of the Section 8A tournament as the No. 1 seed and is undefeated (10-0-0) against other teams in the tournament.

“Certainly our kids know that when you're the No. 1 seed,” Warroad co-coach Albert Hasbargen said, “you're expected to win.”

The Warriors have met all expectations season, earning a No. 5 ranking in the last state poll.
Yet nothing will come easy in the tournament, Hasbargen knows.

“The top eight teams in the section are real close,” Hasbargen said. “You throw a couple of goals in there any time in any game and it will change the outcome.”

Warroad features the top-scoring line in the tournament in the unit of Ravndalen (24 goals, 31 assists), Dane Shaugabay (19-13) and Jeremy Hahn (10-22). In addition, Brock Nelson (12), Brett Hebel (10) and John Hellquist (9) are proven scorers.

Shaugabay, slowed by a wrist injury early in the year, has come back strong with 28 points in his last nine games.

It's a Warroad team long on experience. Seven of the seniors played in last year's state tournament.

“That's an advantage for us,” Ravndalen said. “We're used to playing in big games, and section games are usually barn-burners with no blowouts.”

Warroad's defense took a hit with an injury to Tai Larson. He's listed as questionable for the start of the section tournament, Hasbargen said. But Warroad has a solid goalie in Jared Paquin, who has a 1.42 goals-against average and .908 save percentage. He's had shutouts in his last two starts.

“We need to work really hard,” Hasbargen said. “We're not an overly skilled team. We have some skilled players, but we need to play well in the defensive zone and like anybody in the playoffs, we need to have good goaltending.”

The Section 8A tournament also features the state's second-leading scorer in senior forward Zach Lehrke of Park Rapids Area. He has 48 goals and 40 assists in 25 games.

Park Rapids (23-2), the No. 2 seed, is a bit of an unknown. The Panthers have not played many of the other section teams but did lose 3-2 to Kittson Central, the sixth seed in the tournament.

Crookston's Morgan Terpstra Paces Pirates 2-0 Victory Over RLF Eagles

Courtesy of KROX-AM Sports: Crookston’s Morgan Terpstra scored two first period goals, which would be all the scoring and the Pirates Matt Grove had a 25 save shutout, as Crookston defeated Red Lake Falls 2-0 in a Section 8A boy’s hockey play-in game at the Crookston Civic Arena. Crookston would make it look easy to start the game, when Luke Biermaier kept a Red Lake Falls clearing pass in the offensive zone and then let a nice crisp low shot that Morgan Terpstra tipped in to give the Pirates a 1-0 lead just 43 seconds into the game. “I was just going to the net and Luke shot it from the point and I was able to get my stick on it,” said Terpstra on his 15th goal of the season and sixth against Red Lake Falls in the three games played between the two teams. Crookston pretty much dominated early, holding Red Lake Falls without a shot on goal for the first five and a half minutes. “That was important for us to get that first goal,” said Crookston head coach Jon Bittner, “because it was a battle out there and they didn’t give us much. It was a mucker’s game, so to get the jump start was big.” Morgan Terpstra will have to argue with older brother, Taylor on who scored the second goal, after a scramble in front and Morgan was able to jam it by the Eagles goalie, also a sophomore, Zach Page. “I think Taylor hit the cross bar with the puck and it might have been in, but I just tapped it in to make sure,” said Morgan on the goal. Red Lake Falls coach Brad Kennett and the Eagles thought that Page might have had the puck covered for a whistle before the goal, but it was allowed by the officials and Crookston had a 2-0 lead after the first period. The second period found Red Lake Falls picking up their fore check and forcing Crookston into some miscues in their own zone, which created some scoring opportunities for the Eagles, but they either weren’t able to finish the chances, or were stymied by Grove, who had 12 saves in the second period. “They had some big shots and had some big kids in front of our net during that period,” said Bittner, “ and fortunate enough for us Matt Grove played just outstanding and was on the top of his game.” The third period was much like the second period, in that both teams were feisty, with a number of coincidental minor penalties, which did not help the flow of the game, but the Eagles did have a couple power play chances in the third, including in the last minute and pulled the goalie for the extra attacker, but were unable to get any real threat at Grove and Crookston would prevail 2-0. “It was a good win for us,” said Grove, “it was a good game and they are a tough team, but it gets us to Thief River Falls which was our goal.” Both goalies played very steady, as Page for Red Lake Falls, gave up four first period goals a week ago in the first period to Crookston, and then the early goal tonight, but the youngster settled in and turned away 25 saves himself to keep his team in the hunt. “It was muck, muck, muck all night long,” said Bittner, “it wasn’t one of the more finesse or prettiest games, but a lot of credit to the Red Lake Falls coaches, O.J (Brad Kennett), Todd (Glass) and Mike (LaPlante) over there, as their kids played their hearts out and they have a great group of kids and a great coaching staff.” MORE: http://www.kroxam.com/SPORTS2007.htm

Section 8A Play-In Final Scores On Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Crookston 2, Red Lake Falls 0 (F)
Kittson Central 9, Walker-H-A 1 (F)
Lake of the Woods 6, Bagley/Fosston 3 (F)

Section 8A Tournament @ Ralph Engelstad Arena In TRF

Thursday, February 21, 2008:

#1 Warroad Warriors vs. #8 Crookston Pirates, 6:00 PM
#4 Thief River Falls Prowlers vs. #5 Bemidji Lumberjacks, 8:15 PM

Friday, February 22, 2008:

#2 Park Rapids Panthers vs. #7 Lake of the Woods Bears, 6:00 PM
#3 East Grand Forks vs. #6 Kittson Central Wolfpack, 8:15 PM

Saturday, February 23, 2008:

Winner Warroad/Crookston vs. Winner TRF/Bemidji, 7:00 PM

Monday, February 25, 2008:

Winner Park Rapids/LOW vs. Winner EGF vs. Kittson Central, 7:00 PM

Thursday, February 28, 2008:

Championship Game

A Quick Preview To The 2008 Minnesota Section 8A Hockey Tournament

For Immediate Press Release
Tuesday, February 19, 2008:

A Quick Preview At The 2008 Section 8A Boy's Championships

A season of fourteen grueling weeks of Section 8A hockey has once again passed and now we enter the state of Minnesota's second hockey season. As most of the hundreds of thousands of high school hockey fans set their sights on Minnesota's most coveted crowns, the 2008 Minnesota Class A & AA Hockey Championships.

The Pioneer Sports Department presents the 3rd Annual, 2008 Section 8A Preview and Predictions. If memory serves me correct, last year we predicted 8 of the 9 total games in the tournament only to miss the semi-final game where we had East Grand Forks defeating Thief River Falls to advance to the championship game.

TRF eventually won the contest but fell to the Warroad Warriors, 2-1, in another very memorable Section 8A championship game at the East Grand Forks Civic Center.

Move forward 12 months.

Here are the seedings for this years Section 8A Tournament being hosted by the Thief River Falls at the Ralph Engelstad Arena. The ranking order, team, (2008 season record), players to watch:

#1 Warroad Warriors, (19-6-0), Players To Watch: (F) Bryce Ravndalen, (F) Jeremy Hahn, (F) Dane Shaugabay, (D) Mark McDonald, (D) Michael Pieper and (G) Jared Paquin

#2 Park Rapids Panthers, (23-2-0), Players To Watch: (F) Zach Lehrke, (F) Zach Knapp, (F) Tucker Coborn, (D) Curtis Tolle, (D) Kevin McMorrow and (G) Mark Smith

#3 EGF Green Wave, (11-13-1), Players To Watch: (F) John Grabanski, (F) Joey Wikoff, (F) Jake Useldinger, (D) Kody Vizenor, (D) Nick Ohman and (G) Alex Christiansen

#4 TRF Prowlers, (12-13-0), Players To Watch: (F) Lucas Dillon, (F) Aaron Langen, (F) Brady Johnson, (D) Spencer Johnson, (D) Matt Audett, (G) Zane Gothberg

#5 Bemidji Lumberjacks, (10-15-0), Players To Watch: (F) Dylan Wiznor, (F) JesseNemgar, (F) Mike Rees, (D) Casey Reierson, (D) Ryan Sullivan, (G) Derek Dudgeon

#6 Kittson Central Wolfpack, (17-8-0), Players To Watch: (F) Lukas Dahl,(F) Craig Lindegard, (F) Kellen Albrecht, (D) Jack Deere, (D) Nick Lindegard and (G) Scott Lindegard

#7 LOW Bears, (6-18-1), Players To Watch: (F) Danny Usiski, (F) Jon Carlo Westerlund, (D) Cody Hasbargen, (D) Kyle Hontvedt, (G) Mark Clifford

#8 Crookston Pirates, (4-20-0), Players To Watch: (F) Morgan Terpstra, (F) Jarret Buttenhoff, (F) Josh Prudhomme, (D) Luke Biermeier, (G) Matt Grove

#9 Red Lake Falls Eagles, (6-16-1) Players To Watch: (F) Pat Johanneck, (F) Tyler Cota, (F) Casey Cardinal, (D) Nolan Knott, (D) John Murphy, (G) Zach Page

#10 Bagley-Fosston Flyers, (2-19-0), Players To Watch: (F) Mike Thorson, (F) Charlie Newland, (F) Dillon Spray, (D) Bryant Bolduc, (D) Anders Johnson, (G) Shawn Clark

#11 Walker-Hackensack-Akeley, (1-21-0), Players To Watch: (F) Daniel Nelson, (F) Jake Karst, (F) Channing Alto, (D) Andrew Duchesneau, (D) TJ Knowles, (G) Devon Weberg

The Pioneer Sports Department Predictions:

Game #1: Crookston Defeats Red Lake Falls ( 4-1 ) Play-In
Game #2: LOW Defeats Bagley ( 5-1 ) Play-In
Game #3: Kittson Central Defeats Walker-H-A (7-1) Play-In
Game #4: Warroad Defeats Crookston ( 4-1 ) Quarter-Final
Game #5: TRF Defeats Bemidji ( 4-2 ) Quarter-Final
Game #6: Park Rapids Defeats LOW ( 5-3 ) Quarter-Final
Game #7: EGF Defeats Kittson Central ( 4-3 ) Quarter-Final
Game #8: Warroad Defeats TRF ( 3-1 ) Semi-Finals
Game #9: EGF Defeats Park Rapids ( 4-3 ) Semi-Finals
Game #10: Warroad Defeats EGF ( 3-1 ) Championship Game

The Warroad Warriors, the most prolific team in the history of Section 8A, will capture their 19th Section 8 title with victories over Crookston, Thief River Falls and an old fashioned, barn-burner against the East Grand Forks Green Wave in the title tilt.

Here is a list of selections for the Section 8A (Regular Season) All-Section Teams if it was announced prior to the Section 8A Tourney:

The list would include Warroad's (F) Bryce Ravndalen, (F) Dane Shaugabay, (F) Jeremy Hahn, (D) Mark McDonald; Park Rapids' (F) Zach Lehrke, (D) Kevin McMorrow and (G) Mark Smith; East Grand Forks' (F) John Grabanski, (F) Joey Wikoff, (F) Jake Useldinger and (G) Alex Christiansen; Crookston's (G) Matt Grove and (D) Luke Biermeier; Thief River Falls (D) Spencer Johnson and (F) Aaron Langen; Kittson Central's (F) Lukas Dahl, (F) Craig Lindegard, (F) Kellen Albrecht, (D) Jack Deere, (D) Nick Lindegard and (G) Scott Lindegard; Bagley-Fosston's (F) Mike Thorson; Bemidji's (F) Dylan Wiznor, (F) Jesse Nemgar; LOW's (F) Danny Usiski and (D) Cody Hasbargen; Walker-H-A (G) (G) Devon Weberg; Red Lake Fall's (D) Nolan Knott and (F) Casey Cardinal.

Publishers Note:
This is a mock preview. The intent is to recognize the players from each team and to forecast a potential Section 8A Tournament bracket board and eventual champion. Most of the individual players information is provided by the representing school. All intent is in fun and a chance to correctly choose the brackets, scores and information.

Section 8A Final Scores On Saturday, February 15, 2008

Saturday, February 15, 2008:

Moose Lake Area 9, Bagley/Fosston 3
Mora/Hinckley-Finlayson 13, Walker-H-A 0
Thief River Falls 8, Detroit Lakes 1

END OF REGULAR SEASON