The Class 1A state championship matchup is set. It’ll be Warroad vs. Hibbing/Chisholm in the small-school classification.

The semifinals continue Friday night with the big schools.

Read what happened in the Class 2A quarterfinals on Thursday and the Class 1A quarterfinals Wednesday

Follow live scoring of each game on Strib Varsity. Here is the complete bracket for 2A, and here is the bracket for 1A.

Friday’s schedule

Class 1A semifinals

11 a.m. Hibbing/Chisholm 4, Mahtomedi 2

1 p.m. Warroad 6, Delano 3

Class 2A semifinals

6 p.m. Rosemount vs. Minnetonka

8 p.m. Edina vs. Moorhead

Saturday’s championship schedule

Class 1A

12 p.m. Hibbing/Chisholm vs. Warroad

Class 2A

7 p.m. TBD vs. TBD

Pregame: Minnetonka vs. Rosemount

The Class 2A boys hockey state semifinals are about to begin here at Grand Casino Arena, where the No. 4 seed Rosemount Irish will face off against No. 1 seed Minnetonka at 6 p.m.

The Skippers may have had a season to remember, with just two losses and a trip back to state for the first time in three years, but all eyes are fixed on Rosemount. The Irish returned to the tourney for the second time in school history after a 34-year dry spell, carried by senior forwards Cade Sherman (20 goals) and Gavin McNeil (30 assists). Rosemount beat Grand Rapids 3-2 in overtime on Thursday, March 5, to get to the semis.

Minnetonka won’t make it easy for the Irish to extend their tournament visit. The Skippers have a strong set of defensemen in seniors Tate Hardacre and Danny Browning, who helped shut out Gentry Academy 5-0 in the quarterfinals.

Stay tuned for updates as the puck drops.

— Olivia Hicks

Minnetonka students excited for semifinal

Minnetonka students would do “anything” to get front-row seats for the boys Class 2A hockey semifinal — including waiting over an hour for the gates to open.

“[Getting front row] is the most important thing,” senior Jack Johnson said. “With such a big school like Tonka, there’s so many students needing tickets and it can get pretty packed sometimes. So getting ahead of this is the best.”

Johnson and about half a dozen other Minnetonka students stood behind the closed gates of Grand Casino Arena, nearly two hours ahead of the matchup between Rosemount and Minnetonka, desperate for a front-row spot in their designated student section. Their dedication carried into their attire.

They were decked out in blue-and-white striped bibs with a single shoulder strap unclipped. One wore a white shirt underneath the overalls that read “Tonka.” Another had a University of Texas basketball jersey.

The overalls serve as a high school tradition. They are sold each fall specifically for the senior class to wear at football and hockey games. But beyond the attire, Johnson said the best part of the games is the energy.

“When everybody starts chanting, and everybody gets into the game, it really helps the guys on the ice. Hockey’s all about momentum, and having that energy comes in the stands,” Johnson said.

When asked what they are most excited for, they all agreed without hesitation:

“Winning the state chip.”

— Grace Praxmarer

An observed hockey holiday

Naturally, the boys hockey state tournament is a major event in the State of Hockey — so big that schools in Delano have listed the tournament as a reason for absence.

“For attendance, they have a drop-down option that just says ‘state tournament,’” Shantae Webber, a Delano resident, said. “They knew people were going to be here instead of school, and so it’s a pretty big deal.”

The big deal, in this case, is Delano’s first state semifinal appearance — a game the Webbers made sure not to miss. The whole family wore Delano hockey gear; Shaentae even carried a black and orange pompom.

Webber’s sons and daughter are involved in Delano’s hockey program, and she said the tournament has become something their family hopes will be part of their future.

“Hopefully one day we’ll be here to watch him [son] out on the ice, and maybe even her [daughter] one day too.”

— Grace Praxmarer

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1/11

Final: Warroad 6, Delano 3

Trailing by two goals, Warroad scored three times in a span of 88 seconds in the second period and added two more early in the third to defeat Delano in the Class 1A state semifinal.

With the win, No. 3-seed Warroad (24-5-1) advances to play top-seeded Hibbing/Chisholm for the state championship on Saturday at 12 p.m.

Junior Gavin Andersen led Warroad with two goals and two assists.

Warroad has an 11-game winning streak. Its last loss was 4-2 against — yep, Hibbing/Chisholm.

— Joe Christensen

Third period: Warroad 5, Delano 3

Warroad sophomore Conner Lund shot toward the net. It looked fairly harmless but somehow got through goalie Evan Guyen. The puck was just behind Guyen, in the crease, when Casey Hendrickson poked it in.

— Joe Christensen

Third period: Warroad 4, Delano 3

Delano tied it on a power-play goal from Brady Kangas, but Warroad came right back 39 seconds later. Gavin Andersen scored his second goal of the game with 14 minutes remaining in regulation off a great pass from behind the net from freshman Rodrick Jackson.

— Joe Christensen

End of second period: Warroad 3, Delano 2

Seventeen minutes to see who faces Hibbing/Chisholm for the Class 1A championship.

Warroad has outshot Delano 18-14. That 90-second sequence changed everything.

Best way to describe that second Warroad goal — the initial shot sent the puck off the back boards, and Mooney Schaugabay was there just in time to sneak it inside the post before goalie Evan Geyer could get there to block it.

Also, there was a scoring change on Warroad’s third goal. Credit that power-play goal to Broden Hontvet, with Gavin Andersen on the first assist.

— Joe Christensen

Second period: Warroad 3, Delano 2

Wow, what a 90-second sequence. Warroad just went from behind 2-0 to up 3-2.

Warroad tied it with two unorthodox goals. First Gavin Andersen scored on a shot that deflected off a Delano defender’s toe. Then, Mooney Shaugabay somehow scored on a puck that bounced behind the net. I need to look into what happened there. And Andersen added the third goal on a shot from the point.

— Joe Christensen

Fans soak in experience at Grand Casino Arena

There’s more than just hockey jerseys among the crowds here at Grand Casino Arena. People are clad in pink cowboy hats, tiger onesies and custom-painted overalls. Many have their hair dyed red or orange, even bleached to match the “hockey hair” that coincides with the state tournament.

Mankato West’s boys hockey team was among the crowd for the Mahtomedi vs. Hibbing/Chisholm semifinal. Both Jaxson Zimmerman and Mason Schreiber said the atmosphere is electric, citing the student section as one of the best parts.

The excitement of fans and players alike is what keeps many people coming back each year.

“I just love when the kids celebrate after they win, and jump over the sideboards,” said Steve Gibbons, a long-time state tournament fan. “They’re so excited you can’t even comprehend how excited they are. People don’t get that excited anymore.”

Gibbons flew in from Nevada for today and Saturday’s tournament games. He said he comes almost every year, despite not knowing any of the players on the teams. For him, it doesn’t matter who wins. He came to watch good hockey.

— Grace Praxmarer

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1/14

Hibbing/Chisholm’s strong goaltending paves path to title game

Hibbing/Chisholm goaltender Gavin Lamphere sat at the postgame news conference wearing the team’s player-of-the-game, white with a blue stripe sailor hat, a “Popeye hat,” he called it. He was deemed deserving of the honor after a season-high 43 saves for his team’s 4-2 semifinal win over Mahtomedi in the first Class 1A semifinal on Friday.

“He played phenomenal,” Hibbing/Chisholm coach Aaron Jamnick said. “He’s been a rock all year for us. He’s been fantastic, and our boys really feed off him.”

But he wasn’t completely locked in and focused to start the game, Lamphere said. The Zephyrs, and his teammates in front of him, helped him settle in quickly.

“That was huge,” Lamphere said. “Nerves. Nerves shut down there. Legs stopped quivering a little bit, and it was good toward the end there.”

Lamphere stopped 19 shots in the first period alone and came up with big saves throughout the game. With just under seven minutes left in the second period, he made a big glove save on a Blake Loida shot to maintain a 2-0 lead. Less than two minutes later, Hibbing/Chisholm made it 3-0.

The Bluejackets took the lead 17 seconds into the game on Jackson Sturkel’s 10th goal of the season.

“There’s no better way to start a game than scoring on the first shift,” said Bluejackets senior forward Ben Galli.

Galli added a power-play goal early in the second period.

“We were 0-for-2 on the power play there, and third one came around and we didn’t really have many shots on the first two,” Galli said. “I was just telling the boys, ‘Hey, let’s get pucks to the net.’ And Whitaker [Rewertz] made an awesome pass, and I snuck it in five-hole.”

Despite trailing the entire game, the Zephyrs executed their game play, minus allowing a goal on the first shift of the game, Mahtomedi coach Jeff Poeschl said.

“I was really pleased with their effort today,” Poeschl said. “I thought they left everything on the ice. We had a lot of chances. We just needed a few more to find a way in. A little puck luck would’ve been nice.

“We needed that second goal about eight minutes earlier.”

Mahtomedi scored its second goal with 9.4 seconds left in regulation after Hibbing/Chisholm scored an empty-net goal. Moments before that fourth goal, Mahtomedi goalie Jackson Chesak raced back toward the goal as he was already coming off the ice and made a poke-check save to keep the deficit at two goals for a moment. Chesak had 17 saves in the game.

— Heather Rule

End of first period: Delano 2, Warroad 0

Both teams came out flat. Delano’s first goal, at 7:50 of the period, came on one of its few early shots on goal. But by period’s end, Delano showed how explosive it can be, especially with the Halonen brothers. Warroad is getting things going, too. The shots ended up 10-9 Delano for the period.

— Joe Christensen

First period: Delano 2, Warroad 0

The Halonen brothers are at it again. After scoring the game’s first goal, Daniel Halonen made it 2-0 with 3:32 remaining in the period.

Delano fans were chanting “Mr. Hock-ey!”, but the key to that play was the pass from younger brother Lance Halonen.

— Joe Christensen

First period: Delano 1, Warroad 0

Delano’s Daniel Halonen opened the scoring with 9:10 remaining in the first period. He took a pass, sped down the left side, curled while switching from his backhand to forehand and slammed it in. It was Halonen’s third goal of the tournament and 42nd of the season.

— Joe Christensen

Pregame: Delano vs. Warroad

These two teams met in the Nov. 21 season opener with Delano winning 3-1.

Now the stakes are way higher, here at Grand Casino Arena, with the winner slated to face Hibbing/Chisholm in Saturday’s Class 1A championship game.

There are difference makers all over each roster. Here’s one to note: Delano senior goaltender Evan Geyen came off the bench as an injury replacement in that season opener against Warroad and has been a mainstay. Entering the state tournament, he had a 1.76 goals against average and a .919 save percentage. He was sharp again in the 6-2 state quarterfinal win over Mankato West.

Delano will need him to be on his game today, especially against Warroad’s potent top line of senior Ryan Shaugabay, junior Gavin Andersen and freshman Rodrick Jackson.

— Joe Christensen

Final: Hibbing/Chisholm 4, Mahtomedi 2

Hibbing/Chisholm returns to the state championship game for the first time since 1994 with a victory over the Zephyrs.

Like in the quarterfinals on Wednesday, the Bluejackets got goals from four different goal scorers. Whitaker Rewertz added an empty netter in the final minute of regulation. Mahtomedi scored with 9.4 second left.

Bluejackets goaltender Gavin Lamphere made a season-high 43 saves. Mahtomedi goaltender Jackson Chesak made 37 saves.

— Heather Rule

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

Hibbing/Chisholm had a couple of chances before the horn to increase the lead, but they hold a two-goal margin at intermission. In last year’s semifinal, the Bluejackets allowed a couple of late goals in the middle period but still had a one-goal lead before letting the lead slip away in the third period. They’ll look to make sure that history doesn’t repeat itself in the next 17 minutes.

Both goaltenders coming up some big saves in this one, Jackson Chesak for Mahtomedi (17 saves) and Gavin Lamphere for the Bluejackets (33).

— Heather Rule

Second period: Hibbing/Chisholm 3, Mahtomedi 1

Goals 13 seconds apart keep this a two-goal game. Hibbing/Chisholm’s Cole Swanson made it 3-0 with a slick backhand shot in front off a spin-and-pass play from brother Tate Swanson down low.

Mahtomedi had the quick answer on a Will Seevers’ goal to make it 3-1 with 4:14 left in the second period. Tommy Boe slid the bouncing puck across to Seevers for the assist.

— Heather Rule

Second period: Hibbing/Chisholm 2, Mahtomedi 0

Hibbing/Chisholm doubled its lead early in the second period with a power-play goal from Ben Galli. Whitaker Rewertz fed Galli in the slot for his 13th goal of the season.

The Zephyrs got their second power-play of the game soon after but are 0-for-2 with the man advantage so far today.

— Heather Rule

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

Once things settled down after the opening goal from Hibbing/Chisholm, Mahtomedi got to work peppering the goaltender with shots. The Zephyrs lead in that category 19-10 through the first period with a clear shoot-first mentality.

The Bluejackets have 1:20 of power-play time to start the second period.

— Heather Rule

First period: Hibbing/Chisholm 1, Mahtomedi

The Bluejackets grabbed the early on Jackson Strukel’s 10th goal of the season. He took the puck into the zone and popped a high shot just 17 seconds into the game.

Mahtomedi got the first power play of the game but failed to cash in.

— Heather Rule

Pregame: No. 4 seed Mahtomedi vs. No 1 seed Hibbing/Chisholm

Welcome to Semifinal Friday, one of the best days in the high school hockey year.

The first game of the day features No. 4 seed Mahtomedi (18-9-2) vs. No. 1 seed Hibbing/Chisholm (25-2-2). In last year’s semifinals, the Bluejackets were upset 7-5 after leading eventual champion East Grand Forks 5-2. The Bluejackets will look to reach the state title game for the first time since 1994.

Mahtomedi has been to the title game more recently, winning its only two championships in 2020 and 2023. Those are also the only two years the Zephyrs won their state semifinal games, with an all-time record of 2-7 in semis in their 16 previous trips to the tournament. This is their 17th state tournament since 1992.

These two teams met on Dec. 20. The penalty-filled contest resulted in a 7-4 Hibbing/Chisholm win. Bluejackets sophomore Cole Swanson had a hat trick and a six-point game.

— Heather Rule