Your first memories of high school hockey

Nostalgic Nerd · Post by **Nostalgic Nerd** » Sat Mar 15, 2008 11:50 am

It would have to be the '81 final between Irondale and Jefferson. Can't say I remember a whole lot about it, but Jefferson looked pretty cool in baby blue. Use to play hockey with my star wars action figures and hockey goals made out of legos. (<--MITN: more information than necessary.

) Can't remember a thing over '82-83. Remember well in '84 being pissed cause I had boy scout camp over seeing the final with Edina. Saw most all the quarterfinals, including Johnson beat Hill. Did see Edina beat Hibbing in the semi.

UpNorthStars · Post by **UpNorthStars** » Sat Mar 15, 2008 1:50 pm

First thing I remember about HS hockey was watching Warroad at state in 87, 88, & 89. I don't remember a lot of specifics, except for Danny Marvin hitting the crossbar or pipe against Edina (or Burnsville?) towards the end of the game. Heart breaking for a little shooter

Also remember watching Larry Olimb and Chad Erickson and let me tell you, they were my heros for quite a while!

elliott70 · Post by **elliott70** » Sat Mar 15, 2008 2:01 pm

I remember going to HS games and the Allen Cup with my Dad in the fifities.

The skating and stickhandling (very little hitting) and the passing up and down the ice.

Goal judges on the back of the nets with a flag, guys in suits shoveling the rink and putting down water by pulling barrels. And Canadian toffee.

The Broncos almost always winning. My parents going to the 'state' tournament. Watching black and white and snowy TV tournament games in 62, 63.
"Roche is out of the net. The big guy gambled but it payed off for the Broncos." Apparently goalies playing the puck was not in vogue at that time.

TheHockeyDJ · Post by **TheHockeyDJ** » Sat Mar 15, 2008 2:29 pm

The first HS game I went to was the 89-90 season (or 90-91). International Falls at Grand Rapids. I Falls scored on a 3 on 2 in overtime to win it. Atmosphere was great at the IRA then. The band was at every game, and the crowds were near sell outs every game.

The first playoff game I went to was if I remember correctly was in Hibbing, section 7 semi's, Grand Rapids lost in OT to Duluth Denfeld in 91-92. The only players I really remember from that GR team were Graham Giesler the goalie, and a forward named Cory Colter.

Post by **east hockey** » Sat Mar 15, 2008 3:24 pm

Mine was watching the 1970 finals between Mpls Southwest and Edina, an overtime classic which Southwest won. What stuck out was the joy on the kids' faces.

I don't recall what was the first high school game I saw in person. The first one I have a strong memory seeing was East vs. Kellogg in the 1975 Region 2 semifinals down in the Twin Cities. I know I saw games prior to that, but that game sticks out.

Man, that was a long time ago.

Lee

PASTRAPIDSFAN · Post by **PASTRAPIDSFAN** » Sat Mar 15, 2008 4:00 pm

Mine was 1972 grand rapids and Ifalls.The back door section

pistol · Post by **pistol** » Sat Mar 15, 2008 4:09 pm

White Bear native, Hill-Murray Pioneer, and future Olympic Gold Goaltender Steve Janaszak in the 1975 first All-School State Hockey Tourney... I remember Tom Conroy, Jeff Whisler, Rod Romanchuk and the Regans, too... that year, teachers at St. Pius X in White Bear Lake started rolling in large television sets and interrupting classes with games and highlights. By the time the games were over, even the Mariner-bound, Catholic kids wanted to be Hill-Murray Pioneers.

sachishi4 · Post by **sachishi4** » Sat Mar 15, 2008 4:45 pm

pistol wrote:White Bear native, Hill-Murray Pioneer, and future Olympic Gold Goaltender Steve Janaszak in the 1975 first All-School State Hockey Tourney... I remember Tom Conroy, Jeff Whisler, Rod Romanchuk and the Regans, too... that year, teachers at St. Pius X in White Bear Lake started rolling in large television sets and interrupting classes with games and highlights. By the time the games were over, even the Mariner-bound, Catholic kids wanted to be Hill-Murray Pioneers.

its like pistol and I live the same life

except hes an old man

pistol · Post by **pistol** » Sat Mar 15, 2008 5:05 pm

Now you can look forward to looking this good at midlife.

sachishi4 · Post by **sachishi4** » Sat Mar 15, 2008 5:06 pm

Post by **karl(east)** » Sat Mar 15, 2008 8:47 pm

I didn't live in Minnesota for the first few years of my life and didn't really catch on to hockey until later. I remember watching some of Duluth East's 2004 run at State as an 8th grader. I followed the team with mild interest my freshman year but didn't get up off the couch to go see a game until the section final against Cloquet. Not a bad first game, with a few overtimes and East clinching a trip to State. Thus the seeds of an addiction were planted.

DmanDad1980 · Post by **DmanDad1980** » Sat Mar 15, 2008 11:50 pm

Thank you for posting this, a great topic...

Lee, the Southwest/Edina final was one of the first that I remember. I do not remember the Warroad/Edina game (year or two earlier), but remember Dad being mad at Edina for the hit on Boucha...

First tournament I went to was the '75 year and remember the Hill team coached by Skrpek w/ Regans and big Conroy, man he seemed big, as I was 2nd year PeeWee...

What solidified my love for the HS tourney was the '77 or '78 year w/ JM beating Edina and winning state, then the Roseau teams w/ Brotens and Butsy, and also the great Edina teams w/ Lauen, man could he skate...

Rapids w/ the Orange Bubbles, Lucia, Decenzo, Jetland, Rothstein... I'm forgeting too many

Early 80's w/ those horrible Cooperall pant unis, Hill, Jefferson, Burnsville, Sibley all wore them...

Great memories, too many to list, thanks for posting this again

minnhockfan14 · Post by **minnhockfan14** » Sun Mar 16, 2008 2:53 am

the very first high school hockey game i went to was Duluth East vs Cloquet at the Decc, I dont remember the year. But what I do recall is this was not East vs Cloquet, it was Skeeter Moore vs Corey Millen. I think Corey scored 5 goals and Skeeter scored 4.

Being a Duluth East graduate, I remember telling my dad that I could not wait to play for the Red and Grey.

Does anyone remember the "leave Skeeter alone" chants? I dont know if this started at East or when he went to UMD. Lord seems like yesterday.

stpaul · Post by **stpaul** » Sun Mar 16, 2008 8:20 pm

Johnson - I Falls state finals in 63 & 64. I was a little kid. Those were my sister's junior & senior years at Johnson. Johnson won in OT in 63 & Falls clobbered them in 64. I saw a lot of great Johnson - Harding games at Aldrich & at the Auditorium in the late 60s - early 70s. You could stand down behind the end boards & look through the chickenwire at the Auditorium.

Bouchard92 · Post by **Bouchard92** » Sun Mar 16, 2008 9:02 pm

Watching Warroad at state in '89 for sure. Great games!

chester1991 · Post by **chester1991** » Sun Mar 16, 2008 9:47 pm

My first memory was the '82 White Bear Mariner state final run with Jeff Parker. What really hooked me was the Hill-Murray vs Johnson '84 quarterfinal game. The defending state champs getting beat late in the third period by a underdog Johnson team.

Neutron 14 · Post by **Neutron 14** » Sun Mar 16, 2008 10:11 pm

pistol wrote: By the time the games were over, even the Mariner-bound, Catholic kids wanted to be Hill-Murray Pioneers.

NOT!!!

Like Centennial has now, Mariner had more Catholics than Hill. And I remember the kids crying because they had to go to Hill.

Pioneerprideguy · Post by **Pioneerprideguy** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 7:11 am

Neutron 14 wrote:
pistol wrote: By the time the games were over, even the Mariner-bound, Catholic kids wanted to be Hill-Murray Pioneers.
NOT!!!

Like Centennial has now, Mariner had more Catholics than Hill. And I remember the kids crying because they had to go to Hill.

While at Hill, those tears turned into cheers as every March those kids emptied out of school to head down to St. Paul to support their favorite high school team and showed pride in the school they were now attending. Funny how parent's make decisions for their kids & everything seems to turn out right.

Neutron 14 · Post by **Neutron 14** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 8:46 am

Pioneerprideguy wrote:
Neutron 14 wrote:
pistol wrote: By the time the games were over, even the Mariner-bound, Catholic kids wanted to be Hill-Murray Pioneers.
NOT!!!

Like Centennial has now, Mariner had more Catholics than Hill. And I remember the kids crying because they had to go to Hill.
While at Hill, those tears turned into cheers as every March those kids emptied out of school to head down to St. Paul to support their favorite high school team and showed pride in the school they were now attending. Funny how parent's make decisions for their kids & everything seems to turn out right.

When the Hill girls used to party with us Mariner guys, they always complained about the high degree of narcissism amongst the Hill boys. I wonder who they were talking about?

Irishmans Shanty · Post by **Irishmans Shanty** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 9:44 am

My first HS game was one of the final episodes of the Mt. St. Benedict/Crox Central series.

Without a cable feed in those days watching the State Tournament didn't become a reality for me until 1984. The first game I recall watching was Roseau play in the consolation championship that year. The 1985 Jefferson/Tonka game that was resumed Friday morning also stands out.

Never was · Post by **Never was** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 9:47 am

March 8, 1969

I still can't forgive Edina for the hit on Henry B.

How's this for hilarious. I was doing some remodeling for Skip Thomas (defensive linemate of the guy who took Henry out) in the late 90's and couldn't keep my mouth shut about it.

I tried the old "c'mon, just between you and me . . ." He INSISTED that it was unintentional - I INSISTED that it was and I ended up doing the work in silence and leaving without another word being said!

Long story short I have huge respect for Edina's accomplishments, but can NEVER forgive nor forget that fateful night. For me that trophy should sit in the penalty box with an asterisk until Skip confesses!

In retrospect that was the moment that I became a HS hockey tourney addict, so maybe I have to give the evil doers credit for creating another displaced flannel head!

Pioneerprideguy · Post by **Pioneerprideguy** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 10:50 am

Neutron 14 wrote:
Pioneerprideguy wrote:
Neutron 14 wrote: NOT!!!

Like Centennial has now, Mariner had more Catholics than Hill. And I remember the kids crying because they had to go to Hill.
While at Hill, those tears turned into cheers as every March those kids emptied out of school to head down to St. Paul to support their favorite high school team and showed pride in the school they were now attending. Funny how parent's make decisions for their kids & everything seems to turn out right.
When the Hill girls used to party with us Mariner guys, they always complained about the high degree of narcissism amongst the Hill boys. I wonder who they were talking about?

Sounds like some scorned girls to me.

We wouldn't allow them to hang with the "Big Boys" so they migrated to whatever else was available. I'm sure it was exciting for you Mariner guys to feel some "connection" to Hill back then. Feel free to reflect on those associations to Hill-Murray back in the day to somehow bask in the glow of another Pioneer championship. Very similiar to St. Patty's Day. Today everyone wants to be Irish & when HM wins it all, everyone wants to be a Pioneer!

State Champ 97 · Post by **State Champ 97** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 11:11 am

Pioneerprideguy wrote:
Neutron 14 wrote:
Pioneerprideguy wrote: While at Hill, those tears turned into cheers as every March those kids emptied out of school to head down to St. Paul to support their favorite high school team and showed pride in the school they were now attending. Funny how parent's make decisions for their kids & everything seems to turn out right.
When the Hill girls used to party with us Mariner guys, they always complained about the high degree of narcissism amongst the Hill boys. I wonder who they were talking about?
Sounds like some scorned girls to me. We wouldn't allow them to hang with the "Big Boys" so they migrated to whatever else was available. I'm sure it was exciting for you Mariner guys to feel some "connection" to Hill back then. Feel free to reflect on those associations to Hill-Murray back in the day to somehow bask in the glow of another Pioneer championship. Very similiar to St. Patty's Day. Today everyone wants to be Irish & when HM wins it all, everyone wants to be a Pioneer!

So you liked hanging with "big boys" in high school better than girls huh?

Hey Schwang i think I found a new "friend" for you.

Sparlimb · Post by **Sparlimb** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 12:30 pm

My first real memory is the section finals in 1981 and 1982 which were North St. Paul versus White Bear Mariner. My brother was on JV for North St. Paul, so we were very interested to see the games. North St. Paul came through with a big win in 81 (although they had their troubles in the tourney) and Mariner returned the favor in '82. I remember being appalled when the Mariner mascot in '82 came out with a stuffed polar bear and began skating around the ice with it on his stick. I was young and that was an afront.

Then my dad took me to the State Championship game in 1983 (this was before I had decided to go to Hill) and he picked Burnsville and I picked Hill-Murray to cheer for. I remember the pagentry and thinking how excited the cheer leaders and the hockey players were when they finally won. So here I am 25 years later, and I took my son to see Hill-Murray win a title. Wonder if he'll be doing the same with his son in another 25 years...

pistol · Post by **pistol** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 7:17 pm

You can take that prediction all the way to one of the Premiere Banks, Sparlimb.

So, the reason for Neut's anger is having to find crumbs among the girls who did not measure up to that wishy-washy Pioneerprideguy's standards (I always thought Neut was just mad being pickled at age fourteen for all these years).

Of course, both are slandering Hill's girls... all Pioneer women are smart and beautiful... at least half as smart and good-looking as Ankles Pierre, Jr.... and they all prefer the one and only one of the bored who could read the 2008 signs.

Lou Nanne's favorite team: 2008 Hill-Murray Pioneers!

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Your first memories of high school hockey

Your first memories of high school hockey

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