Credit: Nick Wosika.
It’s been two years, but a loss in the 2014 Class A state championship still looms large for Blake’s Anna Kruesel.
“When we lost (against Thief River Falls), it was one of the worst feelings I’ve ever had,” Kruesel explained on Saturday night.
Fortunately for Kruesel, the pain of the 2014 second place finish has been assuaged by back-to-back championships.
The most recent of those crowns came in a 6-2 win over the St. Paul United on Saturday, the second straight season that the Bears (27-2-1) have topped the United in the title game and the fourth Class A state title for Blake in the last five years.
Credit: Nick Wosika.
“If you don’t play simple hockey against them and make the simple plays, you’re going to get those results,” United coach Nate Mauer said after the game.
“They don’t need any more offense than they already have, and we created a lot (for them),” Mauer added, citing the United’s inability to clear the puck out of their own zone and move Blake forwards out of the slot.
St. Paul United (21-7-2) jumped to a 1-0 lead at the 6:30 mark of the first, with senior forward Joie Phelps converting a three-on-one chance.
The Bears however stole the momentum back with an unlikely lineup concoction.
“I threw a line out there in the first period that had five defenseman on the ice, just to try and change things up,” Blake head coach Shawn Reid said with a smile. “I just wanted to throw a curveball to the girls, nobody knew that we were going to do that,” Reid continued.
“I pulled these three girls together and said you’re left, you’re center, you’re right, go out there and see what happens,” he said.
The three “forwards” for a shift included Lucy Kiernat, Madeline Wethington and C.C. Wallin.
Credit: Nick Wosika.
Senior defender Hayley Konowalchuk scored soon after the all-defender shift, and the Bears exploded for five goals after Konowalchuk’s.
“We don’t think about the score,” freshman forward Lily Delianedis said. “We just play as a team and keep moving forward all together.”
Delianedis was named to the Wells Fargo All-Tournament team, as was Kruesel and the sophomore defender Wethington for the Bears.
Phelps, junior defender Bergen Kobienia and senior forward Maggie Conners represented St. Paul United in the selections.
Credit: Nick Wosika.
Madison Oelkers, F, Warroad
Mariah Gardner, F, Warroad
McKenzie Revering, D, Alexandria
Abby Edstrom, G, Hibbing/Chisholm
Mallorie Iozzo, F, Hibbing/Chisholm
Bergen Kobienia, D, St. Paul United
Joie Phelps, F, St. Paul United
Maggie Conners, F, St. Paul United
Anna Kruesel, G, Blake
Lily Delianedis, F, Blake
Madeline Wethington, D, Blake
Kate Boland, D, Northfield
Credit: Nick Wosika.
Tag(s): State Of Hockey News