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2022 Wiz Wyatt POTY Finalists

By Tony Scott , 03/15/22, 7:15PM CDT

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Five multi-sport athletes who are leaders on and off the ice

2022 Wiz Wyatt Finalists

Each year YHH watches hundreds of games, hosts tournaments all over the state, and collects some great information on thousands of players. There are so many great stories of so many great kids. 

In 2013, we began handing out the Wiz Wyatt Player of the Year Award as a way to recognize players for athletic, academic and leadership achievement. Our criteria for the award is pretty simple. 

  • The player must be an outstanding player (top 1%)
  • The player must be a great student and leader.
  • The player must be a multi-sport athlete.

The award is NOT given to the best player in the state. When you read the accomplishments of Wiz Wyatt, you will see that he was a rare and talented athlete who was respected both on the field, in the locker room and in the classroom. I was fortunate to have been coached by Wiz, and he was a tremendous balance of teacher, mentor and friend. 

Wiz Wyatt was a highly-decorated three-sport star at Minneapolis West in the early 1970's. After graduating from West, he went on to Harvard and played hockey for the Crimson for his collegiate career. Post-graduation, Wiz coached youth hockey in Minneapolis and Edina both as a non-parent and parent volunteer. He currently lives in Edina with his wife Jane and is the father of four adult children Susan, Mary, Michael, and Jessie.

WYATT CULLEN - MOORHEAD

Player: Wyatt Cullen
Hometown: Moorhead
Birthyear: 2008
School: IQ Academy
Team: Moorhead
Position: Forward
Sports: Hockey (AA) and Lacrosse
Parents: Matt and Bridget

When coaching a team, you need players with speed, skill and grit to win a lot of games. The team that usually wins the most also has players who know the game. Wyatt Cullen has all of these attributes and is one of the reasons the Spuds are headed to state in Cottage Grove. Cullen racked up nine goals and three assists in Grand Rapids in three games for the Spuds.

Cullen has a 3.8 GPA including straight A's in Math and Science at IQ Academy. In the offseason, Wyatt plays lacrosse for Moorhead.

"Wyatt has a super desire to win in everything. He has the ability to create offensive opportunities for himself and his teammates on every shift," said Moorhead head coach Pete Cullen. "In our recent Regional tournament, Wyatt seemed to get stronger as the game went on, especially in overtime when that presented itself."

BOOMER DEMARS - MAHTOMEDI

Player: Brooks "Boomer" DeMars
Hometown: Mahtomedi
Birthyear: 2009
School: Mahtomedi Middle School
Team: Mahtomedi
Position: Forward
Sports: Hockey (AA) and Lacrosse
Parents: Michelle and Nate

Boomer DeMars is a ferocious competitor who does most of his leading by example.  He had eight goals and 10 assists in the Regionals to lead the Zephyrs to the AA state tourney for the first time in program history. DeMars can do it all on the ice. He beats his opponents with his skill and finesse on some nights. On other nights he can beat you with power and grit.

Carrying a 3.5 GPA at Mahtomedi Middle School, DeMars plays for Team Minnesota lacrosse when he's not playing hockey.

"Boomer is a tremendously talented hockey player, with a compete level that is off the charts, said Mahtomedi coach Jesse Sampair, "more important than his hockey attributes: he's just a fantastic young man from an awesome family."

NOLAN FITZHENRY - ANDOVER

Player: Nolan Fitzhenry
Hometown: Andover
Birthyear: 2009
School: Gentry Academy
Team: Andover
Position: Forward
Sports: Hockey (AA) and Lacrosse 
Parents: Rachelle and Andy

Nolan Fitzhenry is one of the rare ones. Great athlete. Great young man. If you need a goal, he will score. If you need a big play, he will make it. But what stands out more about Nolan is his role as a leader on the Andover team. The first guy to pick up a teammate. The first guy to tap the goalie after a save. 

A straight A (4.0) student at Gentry Academy, Fitzhenry also plays lacrosse and golf in the off-season. 

"Not only is Nolan one of the most talented kids I've seen at this age, but he is also a great leader and an even better teammate. He is extremely selfless and mature in the way he carries himself." said Andover head coach Ian Ecklund. "Great players have the ability to bring it every night and Nolan does exactly that. I'm honored to have had the privilege to coached him the past two years and can't wait to see where his hockey career takes him."

LUCA JARVIS - STILLWATER

Player: Luca Jarvis
Hometown: Lakeland Shores
Birthyear: 2008
School: Gentry Academy
Team: Stillwater
Position: Forward
Sports: Hockey (AA) and Lacrosse
Parents: Shannon and Dan

Luca Jarvis is the type of hockey player that makes you stand up when he gets the puck on a rush. You just start to anticipate that he will create a scoring opportunity.  Jarvis was an all-tournament team member of both the Big Pumpkin and the Lumberjack Cup and the MVP at his home rink for the Lumberjack.

Jarvis is a straight A (4.0) student at Gentry Academy, he also plays traveling lacrosse in the off-season. 

"Luca is a threat on both sides of the ice with a motor that never stops," said Stillwater head coach Mike Zinda. "He has elite hand eye that rivals most high school-aged players. Luca is also a humble leader. He leads through his actions. He is one of the hardest workers in practice."

SAMMY NELSON - OSSEO MAPLE GROVE

Player: Sammy Nelson
Hometown: Maple Grove
Birthyear: 2008
School: Maple Grove Middle School
Team: Osseo Maple Grove
Position: Forward
Sports: Hockey (AA), Baseball (AAA)
Parents: Vic and Barb

Sammy Nelson has had a great PeeWee career. He has been to state both years, took home a Big Pumpkin team title and MVP plaque last fall and has a chance to win OMG's first state title since 2016.  Sammy had three goals and three assists in the East Region to lead the Leafbirds back to state. 

Like his brothers Henry and Danny, Sammy is a gifted athlete who can change the game in just a matter of seconds. Nelson has a knack for scoring and a great hockey sense. Nelson carries a 3.72 GPA with straight A's in Math at Maple Grove Middle School. Besides hockey, Sammy plays AAA baseball for the Osseo Maple Grove Storm.

"Sammy is an exceptional talent and consistently the hardest working players whether it is practice, off-ice training or games, said OMG coach Scott Alexander. "Even more impressive , Sammy is an outstanding person who leads through the examples he sets on and off the ice."

Past Winners


2021 Winner - AJ Francisco

Year Player Team
2021 AJ Francisco Hermantown
2020 Andrew O'Neill Fargo
2019 Drew Stewart Minnetonka
2018 Zam Plante Hermantown
2017 Brody Lamb Dodge County
2016 Kyle Kukkonen Osseo Maple Grove
2016 Landen Gunderson* Osseo Maple Grove
2015 Matt Gleason St. Paul
2015 Tyler Haskins* Rochester
2014 Ben Brinkman Edina
2014 Brock Faber* Osseo Maple Grove
2013 Jack Olsen Lakeville South
2013 Grant Slukynsky* Warroad
*Squirt Winners

2014 Wiz Winner Brock Faber

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