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Bantam Top 50

By Tony Scott, 05/27/16, 5:15PM CDT

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Clay Hanus and the Skippers lead the way this year


Blaine's Will Hillman


Tonka celebrates their win over Shattuck

The 2016-17 Bantam season had several great moments, especially it's final 3 games of the state tournament (all multiple OT finishes). It saw Minnetonka take state for the second straight year, repeating as champs in dramatic fashion for the second straight year. The Skippers were the number one team wire to wire, a very difficult task at the grind-like Bantam level. They also skated to a tie with Shattuck's national championship Tier 1 Bantam team and eventually won in a shootout. 

The Skippers weren't the only great story - several teams had great seasons including Cloquet and Moorhead. Cloquet won the North region and took third in state and the Spuds lost a heartbreaker in the Minnesota state final and won the VFW state title.

In April, YHH announced its five Bantam Player of the year finalists...Jack Bayless (Minnetonka), Ethan Frisch (Moorhead), Ben Fritsinger (Andover), Darian Gotz (Hermantown) and Jack Jensen (Eden Prairie). With Moorhead defenseman Ethan Frisch grabbing the coveted award.

Others not making our list of top 50 skaters, but not forgotten were the always valuable players between the pipes. Here are six (not including Ben Fritsinger who was POTY finalist) that had some great highs while manning the blue paint:

Jesse Brown, Stillwater
Joe Daninger, Blaine
Kyle Espernum, Elk River
Danny Fraga, Wayzata
Cade Kujawksi, Prior Lake
Kiron Morioka, Minneapolis

We also included five Minnesota players from the Shattuck-St.Mary's team that won nationals in Alaska. Those five plus a few more from the state of hockey played vital roles in their title. 


Nik Norman and 7 other Minnesota natives anchored SSM to a national title

Player Position Team District
Jon Baker Forward Cloquet 11
Brady Baker Forward Hermantown 11
Tommy Bergsland Defense Wayzata 3
Kaden Bohlsen Forward Shattuck St. Mary's N/A
Jacob Braccini Defense Buffalo 5
Bobby Brink Forward Minnetonka 6
Bryce Brodzinski Forward Blaine 10
Max Carter Defense Rosemount 8
Joey Foss Defense Elk River 10
JJ Foster Forward Alexandria 15
Will Francis Defense Centennial 10
Matt Gleason Forward St. Paul 2
Darian Gotz Defense Hermantown 11
Shane Griffin Forward Lakeville North 8
Clay Hanus Defense Minnetonka 6
Drew Helleson Defense Shattuck St. Mary's N/A
Isaac Henkemeyer-Howe Forward Moorhead 15
Carter Henry Defense Sibley 8
Luke Herzog Forward Sibley 8
Will Hillman Forward Blaine 10
Aaron Huglen Forward Roseau 16
Jonah Jangula Forward Armstrong Cooper 3
Tyler Kostelecky Forward Osseo Maple Grove 3
Mason Kruse Forward Brainerd 15
Trevor Kukkonen Forward Osseo Maple Grove 3

Armstrong Cooper's Jonah Jangula

Player Position Team District
Landon Langenbrunner Forward Cloquet 11
Nick Latvala Defense Osseo Maple Grove 3
Luc Laylin Forward STMA 5
Luke Loheit Forward Minnetonka 6
Josh Luedtke Defense Minnetonka 6
Tanner Mack Forward East Grand Forks 16
Joel Matthews Forward Wayzata 3
Cole McCarver Forward Mahtomedi 2
Creighton McMahon Forward Spring Lake Park 10
Cade Moreland Forward Virginia 12
Ryan Mulrenin Forward Wayzata 3
Nik Norman Forward Shattuck St. Mary's N/A
Hanson O'Leary Forward Roseau 16
Preston Perreault Forward Orono 3
Tim Piechowski Forward Eden Prairie 6
Garrett Pioniemi Forward Delano 3
Joe Raleigh Forward Stillwater 2
Mason Reiners Defense Edina 6
Tyler Rollwagon Forward Shattuck St. Mary's N/A
Dylan Schneider Forward Rochester 9
Grant Silianoff Forward Shattuck St. Mary's N/A
Ryan Solz Forward MVI 2
Dustin Sorenson Forward Rochester 9
Dane Stoyanoff Defense Cloquet 11
Mike Vorlicky Defense Edina 6

Dane Stoyanoff, Cloquet

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