The Fargo International Squirt tournament is unofficial end to winter hockey season for Squirt-aged players in Minnesota. Yes, many teams will go on to district playoffs, but no thrill will be greater this time of year than playing in Fargo. 

Besides great hockey against some great teams, many of which teams haven't seen. Fargo brings a few other elements that make it special. Each team brings a custom trading pin that is bartered and traded amongst teams from the event. For some, the pin trading is more fun than the actual games. 

Some teams in the International have their first crack at playing teams from outside of Minnesota and some get the chance to play in venues unlike those they normally play in like Scheels Arena or the brand new venue in West Fargo.

One rink that is no longer being used is the famous (or infamous) Sunmart Arena. Players who don't get the opportunity this year can take a peak at one author's take on this beauty.

The following is a list of each pool as laid out in the Fargo brackets. We list out our pool favorites and a dark horse for each pool. There were a handful of pools that had three teams who we could see push their way through to the final 16 on Saturday morning.

Sweet 16 Winners
 

Game A65 - Hermantown > Fargo Freeze
Game A66 - CC > Minnetonka
Game A67 - Shakopee > Moorhead
Game A68 - Grand Rapids > Stillwater
Game A69 - OMG Crimson > White Bear Lake
Game A70 - Mahtomedi > Cottage Grove
Game A71 - Woodbury > Lake of the Woods
Game A72 - Edina Green > Rosemount

Quarterfinal Winners

Game A98 - Chaska Chan > Hermantown
Game A100 - Shakopee > Grand Rapids
Game A 102 -Mahtomedi > OMG Crimson
Game A 104 -Edina > Woodbury

Final Four

Game A130 - Chaska Chan > Shakopee
Game A132 - Mahtomedi > Edina Green

Championship

Game A166 - Mahtomedi > Chaska Chanhassen

Cole Braunshausen, Stillwater - arguably the best player in Minnesota...fun to watch. Defines the term "plays the right way."

Dylan Dean, OMG Crimson - prototypical power forward who can take over a game.

AJ Francisco, Hermantown - high level skill, great vision and puck distributor. Can play all five positions.

Casper Lang, Mahtomedi - the most athletic defenseman at his age..sees the ice and moves the puck like an adult.

Chaz Lentz, Cottage Grove - the third year Squirt A skater is the smartest player on the ice when he's out there. The type of player who leads by example.

Owen Lunneborg, Bloomington Jefferson - very athletic goalie who has played a big role in the Jags success this year.

Kasen Panzer, GF Titans - stay at home defender who takes away the other team's best player.

Nate Pederson, Shakopee - great skill, high motor - wins a lot of races.

Logan Smith, Chaska Chanhassen - knows his way around the rink, won Squirtacluar MVP.

Zac Zimmerman, Fargo Freeze Blue - complete player who plays full 200 feet. Had nine points in four games in YHH Squirtacular.