Orono came into the Bantam A state tourney as the least appreciated defending champ that was ranked highest by our NOW Rankings. As any keen fan of Bantam A would know this year, whatever seemed left usually ended up right. Hot one day, was usually cold the next. 

Orono was anything but cold, since January 24th they only lost one of 15 games. On Sunday they made it 16 with an exciting win over Warroad. Landon Wittenberg stuffed in a Preston Perreault pass late in third period and the Spartans held off the high scoring Warroad to win their second consecutive state title 6-5. 

"The goalie went one way and Preston's pass came mine and I put it in," said Wittenberg after the game. Wittenberg's goal was the final in a game filled with lead changes with some pretty goals and some excellent celebrations. 

Orono finished the season 43-7-2 and with another first place trophy for their trophy case at the Orono community rink. It is not a stretch to say that Orono could contend next year for a third straight state title (2015 PeeWees qualified sate and lost to state champ St. Paul). The future is very bright the next few years for Orono's high school hockey program. 

Mound Westonka beat Johnson-Como/North St. Paul 4-2 Sunday to capture the Minnesota state PeeWee A championship in Coleraine. Luke Roelofs had two goals and Nick Blood had the game winner for the white-haired Whitehawks to win it. It was the second straight day that Blood came up big for Mound. Saturday he had two third period goals in the Whitehawks win over Alexandria. 

Dylan Halliwill had 22 saves in the winning effort for Mound as they beat JCNSP for the second time this season. The Whitehawks finished the year with an impressive 45-8-6 record, with only one loss to a "A" team all year (Mounds View Irondale). JCNSP also had a great campaign in 2015-16 going 46-5-1.