Game One 

Fergus Falls vs. Breck, 11 A.M. 

Fergus Falls is making its first state tournament appearance since 2009 after knocking off incumbent Section 6-1A champion Alexandria in the section finals. The Otters (21-6) have gone 13-2 in their last 15 games, with the only two losses coming against quality Class 2A programs in Forest Lake and Brainerd/Little Falls. 
Forward combination Sophie Rausch (40 goals, 33 assists, 73 points) and Ellie Andersen (21-25-46) pace the Otters in scoring, while goaltenders Jadyn McKeever and Mady Eklund have rotated evenly throughout the season. McKeever figures to be the starter on Wednesday after stopping 55 of 57 shots in two postseason wins thus far. 

Ranked No. 2 in the state for much of the season behind undefeated Warroad, second-seeded Breck begins its state title defense on Wednesday morning. Before last season, the previous state crown for the Mustangs came in 2012. 

Junior forward Olivia Mobley (28-31-59) is verbally committed to Quinnipiac, while sophomore Sadie Lindsay (26-23-49) has verbally committed to Minnesota. Mobley and Lindsay lead an offensive attack that has totaled 127 goals this season. Defensively, the Mustangs (19-8) will likely turn to eighth-grade goaltender Uma Corniea, who won two games (including the championship game) at last year’s state tourney. 

Game Two

Mankato East/Loyola vs. Mound-Westonka, 1 P.M.

Representing Section 3-1A, Mankato East/Loyola enters the state tournament on a five-game winning streak, primarily guided by the play of two seniors in forward Madison Davis and goaltender Andrea Schreiber. Davis leads the team in scoring with 35 goals and 47 points, while Schreiber has played over 1,400 minutes for the Cougars (18-7-2). Schreiber has produced four shutouts this season. The Cougars are not afraid of playing an extra period, having gone 3-0 in overtime this season, twice in the regular season and once in the section semifinals. 

Third-seeded Mound-Westonka features players on both sides of the puck with impressive numbers, with senior Lauren Burris totaling 24 goals and 45 points and Grace Peterson recording 15 goals and 38 points in her sophomore campaign. Senior goaltender Taylor Smith has led the Whitehawks to a record of 22-0-5, winning 21 of 22 games and earning all five ties. Smith is a candidate for Senior Goaltender of the Year, posting a goals-against average of 1.08, save percentage of .954, and six shutouts.

Game Three 

St. Paul United vs. Warroad, 6 P.M.

It wouldn’t be the Class 1A State Tournament without St. Paul United taking on Warroad. 

In 2016 and 2017, St. Paul United ended the Warriors’ season en route to state title games, creating a natural postseason rivalry between the teams. United finished below .500 this season at 12-13-2, were outscored 104-65 over the course of the regular season, and its leading scorer has as many total points (Jenna Hoops with 16-6-22) as nine Warroad skaters. On the plus side for United, several teams members have played on this stage before, and the team has played one of the most rugged schedules in the state. St. Paul United’s slate included games against Class 2A powers in Blake (twice), Edina, Wayzata, Andover, and Hill-Murray.  

The Warriors have been rated No. 1 for much of the season, either from the beginning of after dispatching the tournament’s No. 2 seed Breck 3-0 on Nov. 30. Thirteen players have totaled 10 or more points for the Warriors (26-0-1), led by junior forward Hannah Corneliusen (45-30-75), the state’s leading scorer. Sophomore Genevieve Hendrickson (19-30-49) and senior defender Kaitlyn Kotlowski (12-29-41) follow Corneliusen in the point pecking order for the Warriors.

Kotlowski is a finalist for the Ms. Hockey Award, and goaltender Quinn Kuntz is a finalist for the Senior Goaltender of the Year honor. In two seasons, Kuntz has earned 23 career shutouts, including 15 this season. If Kuntz can collect two more blank sheets, she will pass former Blaine and Minnesota standout Jody Horak’s record of 16 shutouts in a single season set during the 2000-2001 season. Horak’s numbers are according to the Minnesota State High School League website. 

Game Four 

Rochester Lourdes/Dover-Eyota vs. Proctor-Hermantown, 8 P.M.

It appears that Rochester Lourdes has spent much of the regular season gearing up for a state tournament run, playing a tough schedule with regular Class 2A opponents. Eight of the Eagles’ losses have come by two goals or less, with five defeats coming at the hands of Class 2A programs. Junior forward and Sacred Heart verbal commit Emma Schmitz leads the Eagles (15-9-1) in scoring with 25 goals and 57 points, followed by Gustavus Adolphus commit and senior Clara Billings (33-13-46). Billings has excelled in the postseason, scoring five goals and adding two assists in two section games. 

Proctor-Hermantown (18-7-3) is back for its third state tournament appearance in four seasons, and like the Eagles, the Mirage has played a number of Class 2A teams in preparation for the trip down I-35. A deep and balanced lineup powers the Mirage, with seniors Kaitlyn Fawcett (5-23-28) and Dehli Hikes (16-13-29) being joined by sophomores Alyssa Watkins (21-8-29) and Michaela Phinney (18-8-26) among the team’s stat leaders. The Mirage tied the tournament’s No. 3 seed Mound-Westonka 3-3 in the team’s regular-season finale on Jan. 26.