Class A QF #1 seed 8A Warroad (27-0-1) vs 5A St Cloud Cathedral (16-12-0)

[ClassAGuy]

BHS Class A Quarterfinal
#1 seed 8A Warroad (27-0-1) vs 5A St Cloud Cathedral (16-12-0)

Section 8A Champions Warroad Warriors
Head Coach:Jay Hardwick 11th year
Record: 27-0-1
Road to State: W 8-0 Park Rapids, W 6-1 Thief River Falls, W 5-1 East Grand Forks
State Tournament History: 24th appearance- 1948, 1949, 1953, 1963, 1969, 1970, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1994 (State Title), 1995, 1996 (State Title), 1997, 2000, 2003 (State Title), 2004, 2005 (State Title), 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2020, 2022, 2023

Meet The Warriors: Head Coach Jay Hardwick brings his Warriors back to State for the 24th time in program history and this Warroad team is looking to win the school’s 5th State Title as they enter the field as the #1 team and favorite heading into St Paul. Warroad is led by their high powered 1st line of Senior #17 Jayson Shaugabay (31-56-87 pts.) along with Juniors #18 Carson Pilgrim (45-38-83 pts.) & #22 Murray Marvin-Cordes (23-23-46 pts.) which is Class A’s best line; the trio plays mega minutes and has accounted for a big chunk of Warroad’s offense. They have speed and skill and are a delight to watch and no one they have faced this year has been able to slow them down. They have also gotten contributions up front from Sophomore #15 Taven James (7-16-23 pts.) & Senior #5 Garrett Hennum (6-5-11 pts) to add some depth scoring as the year has progressed. The Warriors have two elite defenseman in Junior #25 Ryan Lund (18-25-43 pts.) and Senior #2 Erick Comstock (7-27-34 pts.) who are polar opposite players but both outstanding defenseman. Lund is a big sized physical in your face and jumps up into the rush defender with a heavy shot, while Comstock is tiny in stature but one of the best skaters I have seen with incredible gap control and his outlets and playmaking ability is outstanding. Add in the 2nd D pair of the coaches son Junior #27 Will Hardwick (1-9-10 pts) and promising big Freshman #21 Broden Hontvet (2-6-8 pts) and Warroad has a solid back end. The reason why this team has been so tough to beat all season though is in the net as Goaltender Senior Hampton Slukynsky (26-0-1) 1.28 GAA .948 SV% is as good as they come and his presence in the net makes the Warriors nearly impossible to defeat. If Warroad wasn’t dangerous enough you don't want to feel confident when they get a penalty as the Warriors have a crazy 25 shorthanded goals on the year. This team has been the Top Class A team all winter and now they will look to get their own redemption for last year and take a title back to hockeytown USA by the end of next week.

Section 5A Champions St Cloud Cathedral
Head Coach: Robbie Stocker 2nd year
Record: 16-12-0
Road to State: W 5-0 River Lakes, W 7-2 Monticello, W 4-3 2OT Little Falls
State Tournament History: 11th appearance- 1993, 1994, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2019 (State Title), 2020, 2023

Meet The Crusaders: Head Coach Robbie Stocker has done a remarkable turnaround job in just his 2nd year at the helm. He inherited a program that had been left in ruins including the program's first Section Quarterfinal loss in over 20 years in 2021. Coach Stocker proved what good coaching can do as he quickly rebuilt his alma mater back to the standards of when he played for the Crusaders and restored the rich tradition of success they had lost in recent years. He has sparked his programs turn around by using a serious youth movement if you're looking for a Top 5 Class A team next year the Crusaders are it as they will return nearly everyone on this team and they arrive at State with a lineup filled with underclassmen. Sophomores #6 John Hirchfield (16-20-36 pts.) & #24 Joey Gillespie (20-19-39 pts.) along with Junior #25 Andrew Dwinell (17-16-33 pts.) makes up a potent top line for Cathedral. Add in the depth of Juniors #17 Landon Swenson (14-10-24 pts), #19 Cole Hawg (10-17-27 pts.), #27 Ben Petroske (4-20-24 pts.) & Sophomore #13 Jaeger Wood (10-9-19 pts) all of whom have around 20 points on the year and this team is young and deep. Defensively they are led by 9th grader #21 Griffin Sturm (4-12-16 pts.) who along with Senior #2 Tommy Gohman (4-11-15 pts.) & Junior #3 Vince Gebhardt (4-9-13 pts.) lead a very solid and improving D core. In the net they have Junior #31 Nick Hansen (15-12-0) 2.41 GAA .905 SV% who plays his best against elite teams. The Crusaders have played a very tough Class A Schedule and come in battle tested and will be a very tough draw for whatever seeded team draws them in the first round and could be a good bet for a potential upset bid.

[ClassAGuy]

Class A's #1 seed Draws the toughest of the non seeded group. The Warriors and Crusaders did play way back in November and Warroad won the that game 4-0. SCC though did outshoot the Warriors 32-23 and were able to give them a good game. Now fast forward to March and on Wednesday in the Primetime game can the Crusaders shock the Class A World and knock off the State's #1 team? Or will the Warriors continue on their impressive Playoff Push as they look win their program's 5th State Title.

This might be the most interesting #1 vs unseeded ever, discounting when Dodge County played #1 Hermantown's JV team in 2021, this should be a good game with the Warriors being the heavy favorite.

[Puckguy19]

Tough draw for the Warriors. #1 v. #6 drains bracket integrity.

[raidergrad72]

Warroad first stop on their way to the championship game. 6-3. Gotta throw in a possible shorty with this club.

[Sparlimb]

I can't argue with the Yellow and Blue. Biggest upset in State going down in this one...

[Corn Cobb]

I can't argue with the Yellow and Blue. Biggest upset in State going down in this one...

You think SCC over Warroad is a bigger upset than your prediction of Luverne over Hermantown???

[Sparlimb]

I can't argue with the Yellow and Blue. Biggest upset in State going down in this one...

You think SCC over Warroad is a bigger upset than your prediction of Luverne over Hermantown???

Well both were sort of tongue in cheek and neither is anywhere near likely to happen. But hey...

[dherman8]

Looking at this from every angle I guess it seems hard to see how Cathedral could win this game. I can't say I have watched any games this year with these two teams outside of the last few weeks. However, it seems the St. Cloud Cathedral name and their 2019 championship are playing a factor into how good of a game people think this might be. I know Cathedral has a prominent name from plenty of success within their program. Each year is a new year with different teams. I guess what I want to say is that it will be quite certain if Cathedral comes out playing in the first period and a half how they did against Little Falls in the section final last week they will be hard pressed to keep this game out of running time. Little Falls had so many odd man rushes when they were flying around in the first half of that game that only being up 3 to 0 was actually disappointing. Cathedral was still outshooting the Flyers all game but the quality of the Cathedral shots in nearly the first two full periods were not threatening. Sure, any shot can go in, but not all are created equal. Through the first two periods Little Falls still had more quality scoring chances with less shots. A 3-0 lead was disappointing for Little Falls, only clinging to a 3-2 lead going into the second intermission was the turning point in that game with Cathedral's late second period goal.

All I know is that Warroad has a lot going for them. Can Cathedral make this a game? Of course. Will they? It seems a lot of signs point to this not being closer than the 4-0 Warroad win earlier this year. I don't know if it was nerves, Little Falls playing well, or whatever the case was for Cathedral to come out playing the way they did, but if they do that in this game Warroad will be up by more than 3-0 at some point. This is a Cathedral team that is young and hasn't been to state since 2020. They did outshoot Warroad earlier this year, but if I am seeing the stats correctly, Warroad had 8 penalties so that means they were spending almost a full period on the penalty kill and still won 4-0. It is a Warroad team coming off of a 2nd place finish last year. A phenomenal season this year. An older squad. And a proud town that hasn't won a title in almost 20 years. This most definitely could be a close game because sports are like that, but it seems another 4 goal difference or more would be more likely.

[Mite-dad]

Well stated dherman. I agree with you. I have a feeling a veteran Warroad group will be overwhelming for SCC's young up and comers.

[ClassAGuy]

Good points made here!

I agree with dherman and with Mite-dad I think the younger Crusaders will need to have a better start then in the 5A Final because they will have a heck of time scoring on Hammer.

SCC will return Everyone on their Top 3 lines and 4 of their 6 D and their Starting Goalie next year!

This could be a good learning experience trip for them. Warriors have been a mission to get back to the Class A Championship since Day 1 it would take a mighty upset but at least this matchup is intriguing to watch unlike most year's in the only Primetime Class A game of the Tourney.

[dherman8]

The youth at Cathedral is what scares me the next few years. I will be cheering for Warroad today because of my preferences. As I was cheering for Monticello and/or Little Falls to make it out of that section. Not sure about the Monticello pipeline, but I was impressed by that young Little Falls goalie with the barrage he faced in the 3rd period and overtime against Cathedral. I feel he deserved a taste of the state tournament with his play. What I fear is even though he is a freshman that he may not ever make it with what Cathedral will be the next few years if all of those kids stick together there. One thing is certain though. Cathedral deserved that win in the section final. Don't get me wrong, I would have loved to see Little Falls win it. But with how that 3rd period and the overtimes went, if Little Falls would have snuck a goal in somehow to advance it would have felt "odd" for lack of a better word off the top of my head. Little Falls literally couldn't get the puck out of their own zone the entire 3rd period and overtime sessions.

Warroad should be far better equipped for this. So.... go Warroad!

[ClassAGuy]

The youth at Cathedral is what scares me the next few years. I will be cheering for Warroad today because of my preferences. As I was cheering for Monticello and/or Little Falls to make it out of that section. Not sure about the Monticello pipeline, but I was impressed by that young Little Falls goalie with the barrage he faced in the 3rd period and overtime against Cathedral. I feel he deserved a taste of the state tournament with his play. What I fear is even though he is a freshman that he may not ever make it with what Cathedral will be the next few years if all of those kids stick together there. One thing is certain though. Cathedral deserved that win in the section final. Don't get me wrong, I would have loved to see Little Falls win it. But with how that 3rd period and the overtimes went, if Little Falls would have snuck a goal in somehow to advance it would have felt "odd" for lack of a better word off the top of my head. Little Falls literally couldn't get the puck out of their own zone the entire 3rd period and overtime sessions.

Warroad should be far better equipped for this. So.... go Warroad!

Monticello A Bantams in State

But Cathedral will be very good for the next two years for sure

[ClassAGuy]

Warroad goes up 1-0 on the PP

[ClassAGuy]

Cathedral is giving Warroad a very good game so far

Fun QF to watch

[ClassAGuy]

SCC ties it up ... Upset Watch!

1-1 2nd period

[BlueLineSpecial]

SCC can pass the puck. They put passes on sticks really crisply

[ClassAGuy]

Warroad with a huge PP goal with about 13 seconds left in the 2nd period

[ClassAGuy]

What a goal by #17 Jayson Shaugabay gives Warriors some breathing room up 3-1 now

[ClassAGuy]

Warriors pulling away now up 4-1 3rd period

[jeffpv]

This is the first full Warroad game I’ve seen this season. Do Shaugabay and Pilgrim always play this many minutes?

[ClassAGuy]

This is the first full Warroad game I’ve seen this season. Do Shaugabay and Pilgrim always play this many minutes?

Yes its nuts and they wear out the opponent

[ClassAGuy]

BHS Class A Quarterfinal #3
(1) Warroad 5
St Cloud Cathedral 1
Final

Warroad is relentless and in the 3rd period pulls away for win number 28. Warrriors Pilgrim with the hatty in the win. Cathedral shows they will be a Top Class A Team Next Year! Crusaders are YOUNG & good

Warriors move into the Class A SF on Friday

[raidergrad72]

BHS Class A Quarterfinal #3
(1) Warroad 5
St Cloud Cathedral 1
Final

Warroad is relentless and in the 3rd period pulls away for win number 28. Warrriors Pilgrim with the hatty in the win. Cathedral shows they will be a Top Class A Team Next Year! Crusaders are YOUNG & good

Warriors move into the Class A SF on Friday

Warroad did what most of us thought .
I just thought their last goal with under 10 seconds left wasn't necessary. They had the game won and didn't have to rub the Crusaders' noses in it.

[Mite-dad]

Cathedral definitely played better than I thought they would. Congrats to them. I thought they would be overwhelmed by the atmosphere at the X, but they proved me wrong. Their poise for a young team was impressive. Good luck to them in the Consolation round. They definitely drew a tough one in the side of the tourney as well.