Mankato East/Loyola players heard what a lot of players have unfortunately heard this year.

“Your season is done.”

COVID exposure claimed another victim when Mankato East/Loyola head coach Adam Fries informed his team that an exposure seven days prior to their section playoff game as the No. 2 seed in Section 1A had abruptly ended their season.

“Today, as a coach, was and likely will be the hardest day of my coaching career,” Fries said in a statement on Twitter. “To have to zoom call our players and tell them their season is done seven days after an exposure is an experience I want to quickly forget, but will never leave my heart and mind.”

The Cougars were set to face No. 10 seeded LaCrescent-Hokah Thursday night after receiving a first-round bye. But instead of their high-energy offense that outscored opponents 101-37 in the regular season, the varsity team was forced into quarantine, leading to the Cougars having to suit up mostly their junior varsity for the game.

Fries described it as "heartbreaking." The Cougars were the No. 2 seed and had a legitimate shot at reaching the state tournament at the XCEL Energy Center for the second consecutive season. And Fries had to notify his players over a computer. There would be no hugs at a time when the players needed not just hugs, but each other. Yet there they were, all looking at each other through a screen, not quite comprehending what they just heard. 

“Yes, a zoom call, at a time when a teenager who inevitably has laid everything as humanly possible on the line because of goals they have dreamed about since they learned the letter X,” Fries said. “That teenager needed a hug, a long hug because they didn’t understand, they were confused, and their hearts were broken.”

The team found out at 12:25 Thursday, just hours before their scheduled quarterfinal match up at Mankato’s All Seasons Arena. Fries said players have done everything they could to protect themselves and not one player on the team had a positive test. But because of the Minnesota Department of Health rules, anyone who is exposed to somebody who has tested positive within the past 48 hours. of contact, must quarantine up to 10 days. According to Fries’ statement, the “exposure” occurred seven days ago. 

So instead of the varsity squad hitting the ice Thursday night in what most likely would have been a victory, it was mostly junior varsity players who took on the challenge, and played well, skating to a close 3-1 loss.

“They did everything they could help keep our season alive, they had blood, sweat and tears,” said Fries. “Ultimately it didn’t go our way, but I had the pleasure to be able to coach that passionate group of players tonight and will be forever grateful for them and their efforts.”

Several other teams throughout the state had their season abruptly end due to COVID exposure, including Duluth East, Northfield, Wadena, and several more. And COVID probably isn’t finished shelving other teams as section playoffs progress.

“So that’s how it ends,” Fries said. “COVID ended us, an exposure ended us. We did all we could but at the end COVID defeated us.”

Fries said after the call, he wishes he could have been with his players.

"But instead of that hug, they hit the red button on the bottom right hand side of their screen that said 'leave this call,'" he said. "I didn't get to hug them. I simply hung my head as tears ran onto my game day jeans. I didn't get to see their emotion, but I had to imagine it was heartbreaking."

Despite the abrupt end to their playoff run, the Cougars put together an impressive season, winning 14 games and ending their season ranked No. 15 in the Let’s Play Hockey Class A rankings. They also won their first-ever Big Nine Conference. 

If there is a silver lining, it is that this year’s seniors played at the coveted “X” last season and some of them even played as freshmen when the Cougars made state in 2018.

“We have players who have played at the X and players who are  still dreaming," said Fries. “Luckily, all our seniors have been to the X and the dreamers can still make that come true.”

In the end, Fries said COVID won’t defeat the memories the team has made. 

“My kids will be stronger, more resilient, and the memories that remain…Covid can’t take those away," he said. "They are cemented in stone.”