AA QF - #6 Andover vs. #3 Edina
Posted: Sat Feb 28, 2026 6:59 pm
#6 ANDOVER VS. #3 EDINA
8:30 Thursday
Two of the more successful programs this decade meet in the nightcap, though this will be their first ever Tourney meeting; somewhat surprisingly, they have no recent regular season history, either.
Andover (11-14-3, Unranked, 5-seed in 5AA)
State appearances: 6 (two in a row)
Championships: 1 (2022)
Key section wins: 3-2 over #9 Maple Grove, 9-5 over #15 Centennial
Andover started 0-9 last season and 2-6-2 this season, and yet here they are in a sixth Tourney in seven years. Don’t be deceived by the record: this was a top 15 team preseason, it has some legitimate talents like Cam Langfeld (10), Jack Rykkeli (19), and KJ Sauer, (9), all of whom have performed on this stage before. Brody Peterson (7) also had a productive year, and they get some good push from the blue line, where Chase Nadeau (8) and Owen Lutgen (4) lead the way. Sophomore Wyatt Riemer (1) has claimed the goaltending job, though his numbers don’t match some others in this field; a sub-70% penalty kill is also worth flagging. Coach Mark Manney knows this drill and had his team peaking in the run through a winnable 5AA; a January one-goal loss to Moorhead shows they can trouble some of the very best. They aren’t going to sneak up on Curt Giles and Edina, though, and they’ll have to find a way through the Hornets’ stout defense.
Edina (21-6-1, #5, 2-seed in 6AA)
State appearances: 44 (6 as Edina East/West in 70s and 80s; four in a row)
Championships: 14 (1969, 1971, 1982, 1984, 1988, 1997, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2019, and 2024 as Edina; 1974, 1978, and 1979 as Edina East)
Key section wins: 3-2 over #11 Holy Angels, 3-1 over #12 Wayzata
The Tourney’s most reliable entrant is back for a fifth straight season; while Wayzata’s upset of top-ranked Rogers eased their trip to State, they still had to beat two quality teams in a loaded 6AA to get here, and a 1-0-1 record against Minnetonka shows they can skate with anyone. This is a more top-heavy Hornet edition than some in the past, with Mr. Hockey finalist Tucker Johnson (8) feeding 33-goal junior Bode McConnell (10) creating a reliable formula; the status of fellow top line forward Dylan Donnay (9), who was injured in sections, bears watching. Brady Peterson (16) and sophomore Nash Paine (6) give them some scoring depth, but this team’s core is on its defense. Becker Wenkus (14) had a very productive year, and Drew Botts (3) and freshman Brooks Suter (22) also contributed going forward, while Sam Peckham (7), Dylan Dubuc (5), and Miller Wenkus (15) helped to shut things down. Multi-sport star Chase Bjorgaard (1) has been reliable in net. If this feisty team can stick to its strengths and get enough offense, they’re a threat to win it all.
8:30 Thursday
Two of the more successful programs this decade meet in the nightcap, though this will be their first ever Tourney meeting; somewhat surprisingly, they have no recent regular season history, either.
Andover (11-14-3, Unranked, 5-seed in 5AA)
State appearances: 6 (two in a row)
Championships: 1 (2022)
Key section wins: 3-2 over #9 Maple Grove, 9-5 over #15 Centennial
Andover started 0-9 last season and 2-6-2 this season, and yet here they are in a sixth Tourney in seven years. Don’t be deceived by the record: this was a top 15 team preseason, it has some legitimate talents like Cam Langfeld (10), Jack Rykkeli (19), and KJ Sauer, (9), all of whom have performed on this stage before. Brody Peterson (7) also had a productive year, and they get some good push from the blue line, where Chase Nadeau (8) and Owen Lutgen (4) lead the way. Sophomore Wyatt Riemer (1) has claimed the goaltending job, though his numbers don’t match some others in this field; a sub-70% penalty kill is also worth flagging. Coach Mark Manney knows this drill and had his team peaking in the run through a winnable 5AA; a January one-goal loss to Moorhead shows they can trouble some of the very best. They aren’t going to sneak up on Curt Giles and Edina, though, and they’ll have to find a way through the Hornets’ stout defense.
Edina (21-6-1, #5, 2-seed in 6AA)
State appearances: 44 (6 as Edina East/West in 70s and 80s; four in a row)
Championships: 14 (1969, 1971, 1982, 1984, 1988, 1997, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2019, and 2024 as Edina; 1974, 1978, and 1979 as Edina East)
Key section wins: 3-2 over #11 Holy Angels, 3-1 over #12 Wayzata
The Tourney’s most reliable entrant is back for a fifth straight season; while Wayzata’s upset of top-ranked Rogers eased their trip to State, they still had to beat two quality teams in a loaded 6AA to get here, and a 1-0-1 record against Minnetonka shows they can skate with anyone. This is a more top-heavy Hornet edition than some in the past, with Mr. Hockey finalist Tucker Johnson (8) feeding 33-goal junior Bode McConnell (10) creating a reliable formula; the status of fellow top line forward Dylan Donnay (9), who was injured in sections, bears watching. Brady Peterson (16) and sophomore Nash Paine (6) give them some scoring depth, but this team’s core is on its defense. Becker Wenkus (14) had a very productive year, and Drew Botts (3) and freshman Brooks Suter (22) also contributed going forward, while Sam Peckham (7), Dylan Dubuc (5), and Miller Wenkus (15) helped to shut things down. Multi-sport star Chase Bjorgaard (1) has been reliable in net. If this feisty team can stick to its strengths and get enough offense, they’re a threat to win it all.