March Madness is here in February! The Girls Hockey Sections start this week, and again AM1360 KRWC will be your home to all the Wright County Hockey teams throughout the sections and state. Below is a preview for Section 5AA.
The Favorites.
#1 Seed: Centennial/SLP Cougars, 22-1-1.
Key Players: Teagan Kulenkamp(18 goals.), Grace Laager(42 points.), Kaitlin Groess, G.(1.00 gaa, and 7 shutouts.)
About the Cougars: Centennial has air tight defense, allowing one goal or less in 19 of 24 games. Not only is Groess outstanding in the nets, but the Cougs have exceptional defense in front of her. Centennial comes in ranked #8 in the state.
Kaitlin Groess, above, is headed to Bemidji St. to play hockey after high school.
#2 Seed: Maple Grove Crimson, 17-7-1.
Key Players: Bella Shipley(21 goals, 22 assist.), Kelsey Olson(31 points.), Dani Strom, G.(1.32 gaa, 8 shutouts.)
About the Crimson: Their record does not reflect how good this team is! They played a brutal schedule, and have a high scoring duo in Shipley and Olson, not to mention a fantastic goalie in Strom.
Bella Shipley, above, is part of a high scoring first line for the Crimson.
#3 Seed: Champlin Park/CR Rebels, 15-8-2.
Key Players: Lily McKenzie(43 points.), Sydney Burnevik(18 goals, 17 assist.), June Semling(36 points.)
About the Rebels: The Rebels can put the puck in the net. Another team that had a tough schedule, making their record look worse than it is. The big question for CP/CR is can they get the defense in front of the net they will need in a tough section.
Lily McKenzie, above, helped lead the Champlin Park/CR team to a #3 seed in Section 5AA.
What about #5 Seed North Wright County? Talk about a tough schedule? NWC has been through the gauntlet this year, which should prepare them for this tough section. Adrienne Hanson leads NWC with 10 goals, while Katie Lemke has a 90% save percentage in the net. NWC will play solid d, and have a lot of depth, but can they find enough goal’s to surprise in sections?
Adrienne Hanson, above, lead the River Hawks in scoring this season.
The rest of the Section: #4 Seed, Roseville/M, #6 Rogers, #7 Osseo, #8 Mounds View/I
Bottom Line: This will most likely will come down to Centennial and Maple Grove, who split the season series, 1-1. Both teams have solid D, and great goaltending. The team that can get the greasy goals could advance to state. Champlin Park and North Wright County could be dark horses, if CP play’s solid in front of the net and NWC finds more scoring.
