Put Warroad on repeat as Warriors win Class A championship once again
The Warriors earn a 3-1 victory over third-seeded Orono to bring the girls program its fourth state title
Warroad players celebrate their State Title win against Orono Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023, during the State Hockey Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
ST. PAUL — The Warroad Warriors are back-to-back state girls hockey champions in Class A after posting a 3-1 win over third-seeded Orono on Saturday night at the Xcel Energy Center. The victory gives the team its fourth state title in girls hockey.
"I'm not gonna lie, the last five minutes of the game was the longest five minutes of my life," joked Warroad senior captain Talya Hendrickson after the game.
"It's an honor to be a Warrior ... it's amazing to put on the jersey and know who you're playing for; the community, my friends, family, everyone that's out there watching, and I think we all know that we got to play with respect, like respecting the jersey and you know, keeping it classy," she added. "We just got to play for the community and that's really an honor."
The Warriors gave themselves an early 1-0 lead as star forward Rylee Bartz (St. Thomas) skated down the wing on a two-on-one opportunity and ripped the puck clean past Orono goaltender Celia Dahl (Endicott). Talya Hendrickson (Bemidji State) earned the primary assist on the play to earn her 100th point of the season.
GHS Class A State Finals
Warroad gets on the board first. Rylee Bartz with her 106 goal of the year (actually 59th, but you get the point).
Just a few minutes later, the Spartans scored their lone goal of the game as sophomore Zoe Lopez shot a puck past Kate Stephens from the high slot.
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Warroad doubled their lead in the second frame as Kate Johnson (Bemidji State) forced a turnover behind the Orono goal and passed the puck over to Hendrickson who scored from in front of the crease.
The Warriors netted a third goal as Kaiya Sandy used her speed to get to the puck all alone on a breakaway opportunity and slid it past netminder Dahl.
GHS Class A State Finals
Kaiya Sandy scores a big goal for the Warriors. The sophomore sensation sneaks past the Orono defense and finishes.
That would be all Warroad needed to earn their fourth Class A title, with the last one coming in 2022. The win marks the end of a very successful season for the 10 seniors on the roster and a win for head coach David 'Izzy' Marvin over his friend and former teammate Larry Olimb, the head coach at Orono.
"I have so many great memories growing up in Warroad, and so it was special, it really was, but at the same time it was our girls, you know, it was all about them today and this week," said Olimb on playing against his hometown team.
"I had just a fabulous season, I was really fortunate to fall into this group last summer and I'm glad they brought me along for the ride. It was a fantastic season," he added.
1/30: Orono goaltender Celia Dahl (30) watches a shot by Warroad forward Talya Hendrickson (13) go wide in the third period Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023, during the State Hockey Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
2/30: Warroad head coach David Marvinin talks with payers during a break against Orono late in the third period Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023, during the State Hockey Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
3/30: Warroad players celebrate their State Title win against Orono Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023, during the State Hockey Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
4/30: Warroad forward Talya Hendrickson (13) passes the puck in front of Orono forward Maddy Kimbrel (11) in the third period Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023, during the State Hockey Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
5/30: Warroad forward Kaiya Sandy (9) scores on Orono goaltender Celia Dahl (30) in the second period Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023, during the State Hockey Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
6/30: Orono forward Macy Rasmussen (23) is surround by Warroad players in the third period Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023, during the State Hockey Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
7/30: Orono goaltender Celia Dahl (30) blocks a shot by Warroad forward Lila Lanctot (55) in the third period Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023, during the State Hockey Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
8/30: Warroad forward Talya Hendrickson (13) has her shot blocked by Orono goaltender Celia Dahl (30) in the third period Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023, during the State Hockey Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
9/30: Orono forward Macy Rasmussen (23) and Warroad forward Talya Hendrickson (13) battle for the puck in the second period Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023, during the State Hockey Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
10/30: in the second period Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023, during the State Hockey Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
11/30: Warroad forward Rylee Bartz (6) tries to steal the puck from Orono forward Zoe Lopez (10) in the second period Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023, during the State Hockey Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
12/30: Warroad defender Cahlilah Lindquist (20) Skates with the puck against Orono in the second period Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023, during the State Hockey Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
13/30: Warroad forward Rylee Bartz (6) celebrates her goal with teammates against Orono in the first period Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023, during the State Hockey Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
14/30: Warroad forward Rylee Bartz (6) puts the puck over Orono goaltender Celia Dahl (30) to score in the first period Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023, during the State Hockey Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
15/30: Warroad forward Rylee Bartz (6) takes a shot at Orono goaltender Celia Dahl (30) in the first period Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023, during the State Hockey Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
16/30: Minnesota freshman forward Logan Cooley skated the puck past Ohio State winger Jaedon Leslie (26) in the first period between the Gophers and Buckeyes on Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023 at 3M Arena at Mariucci in Minneapolis.
17/30: Minnesota freshman forward Logan Cooley skated the puck past Ohio State winger Jaedon Leslie (26) in the first period between the Gophers and Buckeyes on Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023 at 3M Arena at Mariucci in Minneapolis.
18/30: Minnesota freshman forward Logan Cooley skated the puck past Ohio State winger Jaedon Leslie (26) in the first period between the Gophers and Buckeyes on Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023 at 3M Arena at Mariucci in Minneapolis.
19/30: Warroad forward Rylee Bartz (6) takes a shot at Orono goaltender Celia Dahl (30) in the first period Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023, during the State Hockey Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
20/30: Warroad forward Rylee Bartz (6) puts the puck over Orono goaltender Celia Dahl (30) to score in the first period Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023, during the State Hockey Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
21/30: Warroad forward Rylee Bartz (6) celebrates her goal with teammates against Orono in the first period Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023, during the State Hockey Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
22/30: Orono forward Zoe Lopez (10) celebrates her goal with teammates against Warroad in the first period Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023, during the State Hockey Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
23/30: Orono forward Kali Schmidt (12) tries to push the puck past the glove of Warroad goaltender Kate Stephens (33) in the first period Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023, during the State Hockey Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
24/30: After her goal Orono forward Zoe Lopez (10) gets a congratulatory mask bump from Orono defender Alex Paulsen (15) in the first period Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023, during the State Hockey Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
25/30: Orono goaltender Celia Dahl (30) stops a shot by Warroad forward Talya Hendrickson (13) in the first period Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023, during the State Hockey Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
26/30: Orono forward Kali Schmidt (12) and Warroad defender Abby Chamernick (23) chase a puck in the first period Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023, during the State Hockey Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
27/30: Warroad defender Abby Chamernick (23) and Warroad forward Rylee Bartz (6) chase Orono forward Maddy Kimbrel (11) for the puck in the first period Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023, during the State Hockey Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
28/30: Warroad defender Lexi Kirkeby (3) deflects a shot by Orono forward Alexa Niccum (25) in the first period Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023, during the State Hockey Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
29/30: Orono defender Grace Bickett (20) tries to steal the puck from Warroad defender Lexi Kirkeby (3) in the first period Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023, during the State Hockey Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
30/30: Orono defender Grace Bickett (20) skates with the puck against Warroad in the first period Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023, during the State Hockey Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
Minnesota State High School Hockey Tournament coverage including game recaps, photos, brackets, schedules and more from The Rink Live
February 12, 2023 08:55 PM
WARROAD 3, ORONO 1
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Warroad, 1-2-0—3 Orono, 1-0-0—1
First period scoring — 1. WAR, Rylee Bartz (Talya Hendrickson, Katy Comstock) 7:05; 1. ORO, Zoe Lopez (Grace Bickett, Alexa Niccum) 12:38 Penalties — ORO, Lopez (head contact) 8:03
Second period scoring — 2. WAR, Hendrickson (Kate Johnson) 5:54; 3. WAR, Kaiya Sandy (Lila Lanctot) 12:21 Penalties — None
Third period scoring — None Penalties — WAR, Lexi Kirkeby (hooking) 2:02; WAR, Katy Comstock (hooking) 6:54; WAR, Kate Johnson (tripping) 13:48
SOG — WAR, 7-10-6—25; ORO, 3-4-3—15
Goalie Saves — WAR, Kate Stephens 2-4-8—14 (1GA); ORO, Celia Dahl 6-8-8—22 (3GA)
Penalties-minutes — WAR, 3-6; ORO, 1-2 Power-play goals-opportunities — WAR, 0-1; ORO, 0-3
Warroad forward Kaiya Sandy (9) scores on Orono goaltender Celia Dahl (30) in the second period Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023, during the State Hockey Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
Sydney Wolf is a reporter for The Rink Live, primarily covering youth and high school hockey. She joined the team in November of 2021 and graduated from St. Cloud State University with a degree in Mass Communications and a minor in Writing and Rhetoric Studies.
Huber backstopped the Dodge County girls hockey team to the Section 1A championship game in 2023. The Byron sophomore has been invited to compete in the most prestigious development camp in the U.S.
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