Tourney Reflection 2013

[karl(east)]

Another year has come to an end, but before we shut off the lights and carry on with our usual hockey-related pursuits or turn our attention elsewhere, I figured it would be worthwhile to pause for a moment and once again offer up a few thoughts on the season.

2012-2013 was a tumultuous regular season filled with incidents one doesn’t see every day, but once sections rolled around, it was all business as usual. In Class A we were treated to a three-peat, a few new faces, a thriller of a semifinal, and a healthy dose of controversy to keep everyone talking. With St. Thomas Academy graduating to AA, one might wish that all will be love and roses in the small school bracket, but humans will be humans, and something will always be wrong. At least the teams all got their moment in the spotlight, and everyone got at least one competitive game out of their trip, as even lowly Marshall put together a respectable showing.

The main event offered a healthy mix of longtime favorites and relative newcomers, two of whom had sent some of the state’s most talented teams to the showers before they could bask in the bright lights of the X. The new teams turned out some quality support and a few wins, but in the end, it was the old hands who carried the day: Moorhead marched to a consolation title after a middling regular season, Duluth East’s Redeem Team failed to win the crown but still managed to go out in style, Hill-Murray cinched a second straight title game berth, and the Edina Hornets enjoyed their eleventh victory cake in the past forty-four years. While there were no five-goal heroes or three-overtime thrillers this time around, there were just a bunch of very good games involving the top five seeds, at least until the relentless Edina forecheck took total control in the end.

I mulled ideas for this little essay as I drove back to Duluth yesterday, and any number passed through my head; perhaps I should offer up some analysis on the championship runs in each class, or maybe I ought to venture a word on the tiresome controversies that have poisoned the Class A well. But when I sat down to write, those broader narratives faded from my mind, and I was left instead with a gallery of images. Those little snapshots write their own story, one that endures long beyond the debates that seem so pressing in the present.

I could spend hours trying to sort through all those little glimmers, but a short summary will have to do. There was Marshall’s delight at their effort in a 6-1 loss. A chat about the Centennial no-goal with Lou Nanne in the elevator. Settling into a seat with the fans of my alma mater and marveling at how little things change, even as my own time at that school fades deeper into the realm of memory. There was Chris Benson of Hermantown finding the words to accept the Herb Brooks Award moments after a crushing defeat. Press conferences with high school kids, often refreshingly unfiltered and punctuated by raw, sincere emotion. Meirs Moore, the delightfully cavalier East defenseman, grinning as he hoisted up the third place trophy. There was Edina exploding in delight and burying goaltender Willie Benjamin in a heap of humanity, leading him to describe his victory experience as “kinda squooshed.” Edina coach Curt Giles, normally the ideal stoic, joking freely with the press corps and his players. And then, all too soon, staring down at an empty Xcel Center from the press box, the arena staff pulling down the ads along the boards, prepping it for the next Wild game.

Hill-Murray’s Bill Lechner, ever the epitome of class despite the result on the ice, summed it up quite simply as he reflected on his five years of coaching Zach LaValle, both in hockey and in baseball: “We’ll cry, we’ll laugh; it’s so emotional. And life has to go on.” For his two captains, LaValle and goaltender John Dugas, it was indeed time to go on. Lechner wrapped his arm around his goalie’s shoulder and guided him out into a world beyond high school hockey. “Sure you don’t want to go out for baseball?” he asked. As they made their way around the corner Dugas took a few practice swings, cracking a smile for the first time since the game came to an end.

It was the sort of moment that transcended any discussion of private versus public or development path or class. It was the sort of moment that reminded me that no matter what happens in or around the Tourney, there is always something bigger going on: a re-affirmation of a unique local identity wrapped up in a coming of age story, and through it, the creation of something that rises above the otherwise steady progression from one stage of life to the next. Whoever the participants are, whatever happens on the ice, moments like that are a huge part of what brings me back, year after year. And so we go on—on to next year, when we can begin the cycle anew.

[sparty]

Yeah, I thought the $6 walking taco was pretty good. Ah, the memories.

[stpaul]

Excellent. Thank you. Couldn't agree more. It was a great tournament. Semifinal Friday produced 3 great high school hockey games. Despite the controversies, Hermantown-STA was one of the all time great games. We should be thanking all those 16 coaches who put those teams on the ice to play so well and so hard. They acted with class afterward despite 14 of the 16 leaving disappointed. Having our HM club there was a thrill that we do not take for granted. I'm sure that is true at East and all the other schools.

[Bonehead]

I've always wondered (no experience here!) which memory - for the players - is better: 3rd place (or consolation champs) ending with a win or 2nd place ending on a loss.

The Meirs Moore comment reminded me.

[Ogie]

Succinct as always, Karl.

Buy ya a beer after the game!

[Hockey guy1486]

karl....great review, I really enjoyed reading your take. As a Bantam coach for many years, I really enjoy watching kids I have coached and kids I have coached against give it their all in the State Tourny.
What I have always wondered is why don't they have these Tourny teams make the old time music videos that they did in the past? Karl, you seem like you have connections......please talk to someone to bring the music videos back!!

[Ogie]

Karl!....Please talk to someone to bring back the Glenn Miller tunes that we played at the tourney!

I kid....

[karl(east)]

I've always wondered (no experience here!) which memory - for the players - is better: 3rd place (or consolation champs) ending with a win or 2nd place ending on a loss.

The Meirs Moore comment reminded me.

Meirs might actually be a good person to ask, as he's now done both--though I suppose getting a trophy as a senior is probably more meaningful than getting one as a sophomore. 2nd place has got to be more painful in the moment, and might lead to more questions of "what could have been," but I expect that, with time, the memory of suiting up for a state title game is a special one.

As for the music videos, hasn't the Hub done one the past few years? Maybe not as good as the old-school ones, but I thought I remembered seeing one...

And thanks for the kind words, as always.

[duluth dave]

I will always remember Hermantown getting cheated out a championship. And the hollow cheers of a dimwitted metro hockey crowd. Do I Sound negative, Its because I am.

[pekyman]

I've always wondered (no experience here!) which memory - for the players - is better: 3rd place (or consolation champs) ending with a win or 2nd place ending on a loss.

The Meirs Moore comment reminded me.

Meirs might actually be a good person to ask, as he's now done both--though I suppose getting a trophy as a senior is probably more meaningful than getting one as a sophomore. 2nd place has got to be more painful in the moment, and might lead to more questions of "what could have been," but I expect that, with time, the memory of suiting up for a state title game is a special one.

As for the music videos, hasn't the Hub done one the past few years? Maybe not as good as the old-school ones, but I thought I remembered seeing one...

And thanks for the kind words, as always.

As disappointing as the Hermantown loss was to those players, I doubt any one of them would trade their experience for a 3rd place victory.

[Bonehead]

I've always wondered (no experience here!) which memory - for the players - is better: 3rd place (or consolation champs) ending with a win or 2nd place ending on a loss.

The Meirs Moore comment reminded me.

Meirs might actually be a good person to ask, as he's now done both--though I suppose getting a trophy as a senior is probably more meaningful than getting one as a sophomore. 2nd place has got to be more painful in the moment, and might lead to more questions of "what could have been," but I expect that, with time, the memory of suiting up for a state title game is a special one.

As for the music videos, hasn't the Hub done one the past few years? Maybe not as good as the old-school ones, but I thought I remembered seeing one...

And thanks for the kind words, as always.

As disappointing as the Hermantown loss was to those players, I doubt any one of them would trade their experience for a 3rd place victory.

Yup no one wants that 3rd place trophy but I gotta admire (this year) Duluth East for getting back up and ending on a positive note.

[Froggy Richards]

I will always remember Hermantown getting cheated out a championship. And the hollow cheers of a dimwitted metro hockey crowd. Do I Sound negative, Its because I am.

It would have been nice to see them pull it off but the better team won in the end Davey. You have to play three periods at that level or you just aren't gonna git er done! There's always next year. You keep your head up and go git em Tiger!

[duluth dave]

It was a good tournament with Edina showing more balance and depth then anyone but as usual the top teams were pretty close. I was actualy suprised Hermantown was in a position to win the game with STA.

[East Side Pioneer Guy]

I was really impressed with Chris Benson of Hermantown. He'd just lost a heart breaker of a game moments before when he's announced as the winner of the Herb Brooks award. He didn't look like he could get two words out. And if all he had managed to say was, "Thank you," I don't any one would have had a problem with that. But he pulled it together so well, and he was very eloquent. It was quite a moment.