AA QF - #5 Grand Rapids vs. #4 Rosemount
Posted: Sat Feb 28, 2026 6:57 pm
#5 GRAND RAPIDS VS. #4 ROSEMOUNT
1:30 Thursday
A Classic northern power collides with another AA first-timer in the second quarterfinal. Rosemount won a December meeting up north 6-0.
Grand Rapids (15-12-1, #19, 1-seed in 7AA)
State appearances: 18 (last in 2024)
Championships: 4 (1975, 1976, 1980, 2017)
Key section win: 4-1 over #23 Rock Ridge
The Thunderhawks have continued their great Tourney tradition after being the class of a fairly flat 7AA, with much of the sophomore core that carried them to the semis two seasons ago now back as seniors. A stable of quality forwards gives them two lines that can score, including leading scorer Seth Carlson (6), flashy junior Ander Rajala (8), Jameson Duell (7), section final hero Dylan Clayton (9), and Nate Garski (19), who missed a chunk of the season to injury. They deploy defenseman Will Shermoen (5) creatively at times, and Alexander Salisbury (20) rounds out a respectable blue line. After some early tumult, sophomore Luke Sherlock (30) came on to win the goaltending job in January. The December meeting between these two was ugly for the orange, but they have improved notably since then: they are 11-2 in their past 13, and after getting blown out by good teams in December, more recent action has seen wins over Tourney entrants Andover and Lakeville South, plus narrow losses to good Hill-Murray and Wayzata teams. Opponents would do well to stay out of the box: coach Grant Clafton, no stranger to playoff success, has the Thunderhawks’ power play firing at 42%.
Rosemount (23-4-1, #8, 1-seed in 3AA)
State appearances: First in AA; one in Tier II (1992)
Key section win: 3-2 over #3 St. Thomas Academy
The Irish arrive in St. Paul for the first time since a 6-21-1 team exposed the cringiness of the then-new Tier II system in 1992, and this time they are a serious contender, having shut down high-flying St. Thomas Academy in the 3AA final. This team was consistent from start to finish, losing only to very good teams, usually by very close margins, though the St. Thomas was their first against a team in the end-of-regular-season top ten. Elite League leading scorer Gavin McNeil (9) Augustana recruit Cade Sherman (7), and leading scorer Connor Schubert (17) are a potent top line, and Channing Goodwin (27) and sophomore Bauer Sullivan (11) give them some scoring depth. The defense doesn’t score a ton, but plays it role well, with Jack Lonke (21), Graham Clafton (2), and Oliver Goren (14) shouldering much of the load. Their special teams are very good, too; while they have a little more work to do to prove they are in the conversation with the top three seeds for a title, they are at least within shouting distance. One area to watch: they will be without the services of sophomore goaltender Drew Sherman (1) in the quarterfinal, though Sam Clements (30) had a solid season as well.
1:30 Thursday
A Classic northern power collides with another AA first-timer in the second quarterfinal. Rosemount won a December meeting up north 6-0.
Grand Rapids (15-12-1, #19, 1-seed in 7AA)
State appearances: 18 (last in 2024)
Championships: 4 (1975, 1976, 1980, 2017)
Key section win: 4-1 over #23 Rock Ridge
The Thunderhawks have continued their great Tourney tradition after being the class of a fairly flat 7AA, with much of the sophomore core that carried them to the semis two seasons ago now back as seniors. A stable of quality forwards gives them two lines that can score, including leading scorer Seth Carlson (6), flashy junior Ander Rajala (8), Jameson Duell (7), section final hero Dylan Clayton (9), and Nate Garski (19), who missed a chunk of the season to injury. They deploy defenseman Will Shermoen (5) creatively at times, and Alexander Salisbury (20) rounds out a respectable blue line. After some early tumult, sophomore Luke Sherlock (30) came on to win the goaltending job in January. The December meeting between these two was ugly for the orange, but they have improved notably since then: they are 11-2 in their past 13, and after getting blown out by good teams in December, more recent action has seen wins over Tourney entrants Andover and Lakeville South, plus narrow losses to good Hill-Murray and Wayzata teams. Opponents would do well to stay out of the box: coach Grant Clafton, no stranger to playoff success, has the Thunderhawks’ power play firing at 42%.
Rosemount (23-4-1, #8, 1-seed in 3AA)
State appearances: First in AA; one in Tier II (1992)
Key section win: 3-2 over #3 St. Thomas Academy
The Irish arrive in St. Paul for the first time since a 6-21-1 team exposed the cringiness of the then-new Tier II system in 1992, and this time they are a serious contender, having shut down high-flying St. Thomas Academy in the 3AA final. This team was consistent from start to finish, losing only to very good teams, usually by very close margins, though the St. Thomas was their first against a team in the end-of-regular-season top ten. Elite League leading scorer Gavin McNeil (9) Augustana recruit Cade Sherman (7), and leading scorer Connor Schubert (17) are a potent top line, and Channing Goodwin (27) and sophomore Bauer Sullivan (11) give them some scoring depth. The defense doesn’t score a ton, but plays it role well, with Jack Lonke (21), Graham Clafton (2), and Oliver Goren (14) shouldering much of the load. Their special teams are very good, too; while they have a little more work to do to prove they are in the conversation with the top three seeds for a title, they are at least within shouting distance. One area to watch: they will be without the services of sophomore goaltender Drew Sherman (1) in the quarterfinal, though Sam Clements (30) had a solid season as well.
