When Warroad plays Roseau in hockey, it is a big deal.

The atmosphere is charged, the stands are packed, and expectations are high. The two communities have a lot of respect for each others hockey programs. On the night of January 2nd, when the Varsity girls teams squared off, the crowd was exceptionally large. After a tough fight, the Warriors of Warroad came out on top by a score of 9-5.

What had some people buzzing however was the play of one particular line of the Lady Warriors. Genevieve (Geno) Hendrickson, a junior, her sister Talya Hendrickson, a freshman, and Sydney Phaneuf, a junior, had racked up a remarkable 19 combined points. Geno had 4 goals and 2 assists, Talya had 2 goals and 5 assists, and Sydney had 2 goals and 4 assists, Quite an amazing accomplishment! The 3 girls had only recently been put together on the same line by coach Izzy Marvin, The trio will certainly grab the attention of future opponents.

When Jeremy and April Hendrickson left behind their home in Albert Lea, MN, and their families, and a successful concrete business in 2013, it certainly involved risk and sacrifice. But, they had a passion for hockey, and what better place to head to than Hockeytown, USA- Warroad, MN? They have not regretted their decision.

Besides Geno and Talya, the Hendricksons have an 11 year old son, Casey, who plays on a top ranked A squirts team for Warroad. Casey had a 6 point game against International Falls earlier this year. The family spends a lot of time at the arena (the Gardens) and feels it is their home away from home. They relish every minute fulfilling their passion.

Warroad provides a great environment for those pursuing hockey . Sydney Phaneufs family had also come to Warroad from Mountain Iron, MN two years ago because of the hockey program. Besides being linemates, the 3 girls also attend a Bible study together led by Olympic gold medalist Gigi Marvin.

The Lady Warriors are having a very successful season and are currently ranked 2nd in the state in class A . They have their sights set on a state championship and this team and community have an exciting road ahead!

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Taking on five players that were cut from Eastview’s program, the Lakeville South Bantams have overcome adversity since day one.

This group of young men were put into a very tough situation and have proven hard work, heart and hustle pay off. Earning the title of Champions in Hudson Wisconsin this weekend. The boys lit the lamp 18 times over the three-game tourney and the stingy goalie, Colin Yackel, only allowed two goals in three games.

“Getting the kids to gel into a team and firing on all cylinders has been just great to be a part of,” says Head Coach Scott Wasilowski. The team is made up of former district 8 rivals Eastview and Lakeville South boys.

In the 14 games they have played, the team has scored 123 goals for and only allowed 19!! The powerhouse offense is led by Cullen Ryan, Luke Meyer and Mason Sender. The stingey hard-checking team is spearheaded by the physical play of first year bantams Wyatt Ronn and Luke Wasilowski who average six hits per game, each! The stellar goaltending is a one-man show starring Colin Yackel. Yes, from the legendary hockey family and cousin to Wild goalie Alex Stalock.

The sky’s the limit for this group of boys. The strong work ethic and the ability to overcome some tough challenges of merging the kids from two rival programs into one cohesive unit has been awesome to watch.

— Submitted by Scott Wasilowski

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— Submitted by Jonathan Corbett

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The Bears finished the season with a 35-10-4 overall record.  The regular season included tournament championships in White Bear Lake and Rochester.  They also took home 3rd place trophies in Cloquet and Maple Grove.  Then the playoff run started…

The Black and Orange opened District 2 play as the #4 seed.  They went on to defeat Highland Central, North St. Paul, and Stillwater to earn the D2 Championship.  In the North Region, they defeated Virginia and Cloquet to set up a match up with their friends to the east, Mahtomedi.  In the most exciting game to date, the Bears prevailed 5-4 in triple overtime to win the North Region Championship and punch their ticket to the State Tournament.

In the State Tournament the Bears opened with a victory over Eagan Blue 7-1, followed by a 3-2 win over a highly skilled and fast Minneapolis Purple squad.  This set up the State Championship game versus pre-tournament favorite Edina White.  The title game was yet another nail bitter with many lead changes.  The game was tied at 4 late in the third when the tenacious and determined Bears took the lead 5-4 with under three minutes to play.  They had to withstand the buzzing Hornets offense over the last two minutes to secure the State PeeWee B Title.  Icing on the cake for an amazing playoff run!

The State Champion Bears are Ryan Dehling, Charlie Rapheal, Ben Boldt, Cody Grahn, Tony Rossini, Nick Denault, Paul Moris, Chance Johnstone, Michael Rittenhouse, Sam Yobbie, Jacob Oczak, Roddy Schultz, Jack Montgomery, Colby Rautenberg, Nathan Thies, and Seth Valento.  Coaches are Steve Oczak, Kelly Rittenhouse, Sam Schultz, Steve Moris, and manager Meg Rapheal.

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