SECTION 8A GIRL’S HOCKEY COACHES POLL
- Warroad – 5 (5)
- Thief River Falls – 10 (1)
- East Grand Forks – 12
- Detroit Lakes – 21
- Park Rapids – 23
- Crookston – 24
Warroad – Coach David “Izzy” Marvin (12th Season)
The Warriors enter the 2018-19 season as the clear favorites in Section 8A and one of the top teams in the state. Last year, Warroad won the Section 8A Championship 4- 1 over East Grand Forks in Warroad. Warroad entered last year’s State Tournament as the top seed and dispatched New Ulm 5-0 in the quarterfinals before beating Alexandria 7-1 in the semifinals. The Warriors season ended in heart-breaking fashion with a 3-2 loss against Breck in the State championship game as Warroad ended the year 24-4-2. It’s not as if this program needs extra-motivation when its already established a state championship or bust culture, but I’m sure the returning players are keen to rectify how last season ended. Warroad does have to replace All-State forward Madison Oelkers who now plays NCAA Division I hockey at Minnesota State where she already has 4 points through 10 games as a true freshman.
Top returners – senior goaltender Quinn Kuntz (15-2-0, 0.77 GAA, .960 save %); sophomore forward Genevieve Hendrickson (16-54-70); junior forward Hannah Corneliusen (42-20-62); sophomore forward Abbey Hardwick (11-26-37); junior forward Marlie Johnston (11-24-35); junior forward Julianna Teske (10-18-28); senior forward McKenzie Oelkers (9-13-22); senior defenseman Kaitlyn Koltowski (Wisconsin commit, 15-22-38); sophomore defenseman Karlie Meeker (5-23-28)
Season preview– (Provided by Coach Marvin) – “We have a lot of depth. We should be pretty quick. Lots of playoff experience”
Thief River Falls – Coach Brett Johnson (2nd Season)
The Prowlers earned the #2 seed and a first-round bye in last season’s Section 8A Tournament before falling to the East Grand Forks Green Wave 5-2 in the semifinals wrapping up TRF’s season with a 17-7-2 record. Thief River Falls does have to replace All-State defender Tessa Jorde, who is now playing NCAA Division III hockey at Wisconsin Superior.
Top returners – Sophomore goaltender Gabriella Steele (9-3-1); Senior goaltender Faith Porter (8-3-1); All-State honorable mention junior defenseman Khloe Lund (7-17-24); All-State honorable mention, and the team’s top point-getter in each of the past two years, Shelby Breiland (25-17-42)
Season preview– (Provided by Coach Johnson) – “Thief River Falls will be strong defensively returning both starting goaltenders from last season (Gabriella Steele, So. and Faith Porter, Sr.) We will also return the majority of our D core led by Junior Khloe Lund (JR). (Katie Nelson, Lexi Huot, and Haylie Rogalla). On the offensive side, the Prowlers return back to back season point leader Shelby Breiland (So.) and Senior Hannah Magnusson (Sr.) to lead the offense.”
East Grand Forks – Coach Brian Larson (1st Season)
The East Grand Forks Green Wave finished last year as the Section 8A runners-up after topping Crookston 6-1 in the tournament quarterfinals and upsetting second-seeded Thief River Falls 5-2, before falling to eventual State runner-up Warroad 4-1 in Warroad ending the year with an 18-9-1 record. The Green Wave graduated All-State goaltender McKenzie Whalen, who is now playing for NCAA Division III Wisconsin-Superior, along with all-state forward Cynthia Loven, who scored a team-high 31 goals last season.
Top returners – senior forward Madison McDonald (13-17-30); junior forward Kylie Stauss (8-13-21);freshman defenseman Cassidy Mack (4-7-11); senior defenseman Maddison Lubinksi (3-6-9); senior goaltender Megan Birkholz (4-0-0, 0.75 GAA, .951 save %)
Season preview– (Provided by Coach Larson) – “We will be trying to fit the new girls in with the returners to make a competitive team. we lost 11 seniors off last year’s team so it’s going to take some time for the new girls to adjust but once they do I think will be fine. we will be a team that works hard each game we will need to play well defensively and try to get as much scoring as we can with the team we have.”
Detroit Lakes – Coach Scott Piepkorn (1st Season)
The Lakers fell at home in the first round of the Section 8A Tournament last season against Park Rapids 5-4 finishing the year with an 8-17-0 record.
Top returners – senior forward Karrigan Hallisey (11-10-21); junior forward Abby King (10-7-17); junior forward Madyson Melgard (7-6-13); senior defenseman Payton Carlblom (5-12-17)
Season preview– (Provided by Coach Piepkorn) – “Looking at senior leadership to improve on last year’s effort, and to make a run in the very strong section 8A.”
Park Rapids – Coach Rachel Landquist (1st Season)
The Panthers upset Detroit Lakes 5-4 in the first round of last year’s Section 8A Tournament before losing 15-0 to Warroad in the semifinals at Warroad. Park Rapids was 4-22-0 last season.
Top returners – Senior forward Alexa Kennedy (8-4-12); Senior goaltender Kylee Pachel
Season preview– (Provided by Athletic Director Jeremy Nordick) – “The Panthers are led by 4 Seniors that have had plenty of experience over the years. After those 4 Seniors, they are very young. With a mixture of 7/8th graders and two Sophomores. I think it will take some time for them to gel under new Head Coach Rachel Landquist, but the girls are working very hard. I believe they will continue to improve throughout the year and surprise some teams at the end.”
Crookston – Coach Tim Moe (1st Season returning as HC, 6th season total)
The Pirates graduated just one senior from last year’s team, but Brelee Jobe leaves some big skates to fill in net after facing 1,069 shots last season as Crookston’s goaltender. The Pirates went (5-21-0) last season but show great improvement over the year. After opening last season with a 10-0 loss at East Grand Forks, Crookston dropped their first-round game in the Section 8A tournament at East Grand Forks just 6-1 and will look to build off the growth of their young nucleus that returns for 2018-19.
Top returners – Sophomores Catherine Tiedemann (14-10-24) and Mackenze Epema (9-12-21)
Season preview– (Provided by Coach Moe) – “Crookston should improve on their 5-21 record from last year. Only losing our goalie to graduation and returning everyone else including leading scorers Catherine Tiedemann 14-10-24, and Mackenze Epema 9-12-21. Along with a plethora of now 9th graders who got a lot of experience last year and are now a year older and stronger. Adding in 4 girls from Mayville, ND coming off an outstanding Volleyball season hopefully bringing more of a winning mentality with them. Two of them are returning Juniors Breck Fugleberg, and Taylor Garrett who will join Catherine Tiedemann and Mackenze Epema in being great leaders on the team and Sophomores coming over for the first time Center Nora Peterson and Goalie Grace Koshney who we are hoping for great things from them.”
