The 2025-26 boys hockey season comes to a close Saturday, March 7, with the Class 2A and Class 1A state championships at Grand Casino Arena.

See how the semifinals unfolded in 2A and 1A on Friday.

Saturday’s championship schedule

Class 1A

Warroad 5, Hibbing/Chisholm 4 (OT)

Class 2A

7 p.m. Moorhead (26-3-1) vs. Minnetonka (26-2-2)

Final: Warroad 5, Hibbing/Chisholm 4 (OT)

After Warroad’s Gavin Andersen scored the tying goal with 46 remaining in regulation, Mooney Shaugabay knocked in the game winner one minute into overtime, giving the Warriors a 5-4 victory over Hibbing/Chisholm.

Check back for much more on this game.

— Joe Christensen

End of regulation: Hibbing/Chisholm 4, Warroad 4

With just 46 seconds remaining in regulation, Warroad scored the tying goal. Gavin Andersen, who has been on fire all tournament, deflected a shot from the point by Broden Hontvet, redirecting it into the net.

This championship game will be settled in overtime.

— Joe Christensen

Warroad family relishes trip to state tournament

For many fans, the state tournament is quite “remarkable.”

“You can go anywhere and tell people about this tournament, and some people don’t believe it until you actually open up the paper, show them the photos or the kids talk about it,” Kelly Biondi said.

Friday, the Class 1A semifinals saw a record 14,422 fans crowd into Grand Casino Arena. Biondi and Tracy Atkinson were among those in attendance, and they joined nearly 25 other family members to watch the championship matchup on Saturday. Atkinson drove over six hours to watch her nephew play with Warroad.

For their nephew, they said, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

“There’s so few kids in the state of Minnesota that actually get this moment,” Biondi said. “So for him to experience that, we’re just all very grateful that he has a chance to say he was here and he played, and just to be able to look back on that moment in years to come will be really quite incredible.”

The commute was nothing compared to the journey the Warroad’s boys hockey team took to get to St. Paul.

“These kids, this is their life,” Biondi said. “They eat, sleep and breathe hockey. Their rinks are open all day, sometimes all night.”

— Grace Praxmarer

Third period: Hibbing/Chisholm 4, Warroad 3

Hibbing’s Whitaker Rewertz strikes again. The supremely talented sophomore tied this game with 4:36 remaining in regulation. Wrist shot. Glove side. His second goal of the game and fourth of the tournament.

And then Hibbing took the lead. Benny Galli knocks in a rebound goal with 3:45 remaining.

— Joe Christensen

Third period: Warroad 3, Hibbing/Chisholm 2

The Bluejackets climbed closer with 14:12 remaining in the third period. Isaiah Hildenbrand did some relentless digging net-front and poked the puck in. Warroad goalie Patrick Kennedy has been terrific and made several saves before Hibbing got that second one.

— Joe Christensen

Two Hibbing/Chisholm fans poke fun at officials

The traditional black-and-white striped shirts worn by referees aren’t limited to the ice at the state tournament. Two flash from the front row of Hibbing/Chisholm’s student section.

“The refs haven’t been the best to us — Hibbing — lately, and I figured we’d come out and have to take control of the ice,” Reece Ringhofer, senior at Hibbing High School, said.

Ringhofer’s comment likely refers to Hibbing’s leading scorer, Cole Swanson, sitting out of the quarterfinal round Wednesday due to a suspension. The team also served three minor penalties in that game and another three during Friday’s semifinal against Mahtomedi.

Ringhoefer and Nick Stalboerger traded the student section’s traditional white attire for official stripes. Being sure to stand out, both seniors also bleached their hair blonde to match the Hibbing players’ style.

Standing in the front row, they have one of the best views of the ice, and their favorite part is just that: “The players jumping into the boards right in front of us.”

While the seniors said they were most looking forward to celebrating Hibbing’s win today, that excitement dimmed by the end of the second period. Hibbing is trailing 3-1 to Warroad, leaving the student section’s hopes in question.

— Grace Praxmarer

End of second period: Warroad 3, Hibbing/Chisholm 1

You knew Warroad’s Mooney Shaugabay would have a big moment in this game, and it came with 1:08 remaining in the period. He shook a defender in the corner and whistled a pass to Gavin Andersen, who buried his fourth goal of the tournament.

Hibbing had a great scoring chance after that, but Warroad goalie Patrick Kennedy made a superb toe save and stopped another shot with his other leg.

— Joe Christensen

Second period: Warroad 2, Hibbing/Chisholm 1

I predicted this game would be a track meet, and it sure wasn’t looking that way — until recently.

Hibbing sophomore Whitaker Rewertz electrified this place with a tying goal, stickhandling around several players and beating the goalie glove side.

Less than a minute later, Warroad regained the lead on a shot from the top of the circle from Ayven Hontvet. This could turn into a track meet just yet.

— Joe Christensen

Hibbing/Chisholm moms turning heads with hairstyles

It wasn’t just the hockey turning heads here at Grand Casino; it was a sea of blonde perms and Hibbing pride.

A dedicated group of over half a dozen Hibbing/Chisholm moms traded their normal hairdos for towering, bleached blonde curly perms, emulating a prominent style from the 80s. They wore custom jerseys with their last names stitched across the back to honor their sons, who are seniors competing with Hibbing/Chisholm in the championship game.

Among the flashy group of moms: Katie Hildenbrand, Kristen Sundvall and Nicole Lamphere.

“If the boys are going to bleach and hit the hockey hair, then we have to do it too,” one said.

Another added, “The boys have gotten all of the attention since they were 4-years-old. It’s our turn.”

It’s been 32 years since Hibbing has been in the state championship game. The moms’ sons — Ethan Sundvall, Isaiah Hildenbrand and Gavin Lamphere — have been playing together since they were 4-years-old, and they have dreamed of making the state championship ever since.

“It’s surreal, it’s what they have been working for for years. It’s everything they could have ever wanted, and I think we’re more nervous than they are,” Kristen Sundvall said, with several of the moms growing emotional.

They’ve been here since Tuesday, trekking 3½ hours to support the team, and spending each of the five days crying.

“It’s been their dream and their goal since they were little,” Kristen Sundvall said. “It’s like to watch it finally come to fruition their senior year is like everything we could ever dream of. It’s amazing.”

The school has seen significant amounts of support, evident in the number of fans walking the concourse decked out in Hibbing attire. The team even received a video shoutout from UFC lightweight champion Justin Gaethje.

— Grace Praxmarer

End of first period: Warroad 1, Hibbing/Chisholm 0

Hibbing/Chisholm has 12 shots on goal, compared to seven for Warroad. Hibbing’s Mr. Hockey finalist Tate Swanson had a quiet period — no shots on goal. His younger brother and linemate Cole Swanson loomed dangerously throughout that period, and you have to imagine those two will be making an impact on this one soon.

— Joe Christensen

First period: Warroad 1, Hibbing 0

Warroad sophomore Conner Lund opened the scoring 1:14 into the first period with a wrist shot from the top of the circle that went off the post and in. Now Hibbing is on the chase.

— Joe Christensen

Preview

Championship Saturday is hitting full stride, with Hibbing and Warroad getting ready to play for the Class 1A title.

The noon faceoff will be delayed a bit, as Mahtomedi and Delano played into overtime in the third place game, with Mahtomedi winning 4-3.

I saw several Hibbing fans on my walk into Grand Casino Arena. It’s a three-hour drive here, so some of them were able to make spur of the moment decisions to come to this one. Not as easy as for those coming six hours from Warroad.

Check back here for updates on this historic matchup.

— Joe Christensen