The Minnesota State High School League girls hockey state tournament begins today with the Class 1A quarterfinals.

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

All games will be streamed live on NSPN.

Wednesday’s 1A quarterfinal schedule

11 a.m. [1] Warroad 5, [8] Luverne 1

1 p.m. [4] Dodge County 3, Proctor/Hermantown 2, OT

6 p.m. [7] St. Cloud (18-9-0) vs. [2] Breck (25-1-1)

8 p.m. [6] Mankato East (24-2-1) vs. [3] Blake (21-6)

Final: Dodge County 3, Proctor/Hermantown 2

With just over a minute left in overtime, sophomore forward Daisy Harens completed a nifty backhanded pass in front of the Mirage net where junior forward Taryn Wernecke dumped it into the net.

The Wildcats will face Warroad in the semifinals.

— Olivia Hicks

End of 3rd: Dodge County 2, Proctor/Hermantown 2

With neither the Mirage or Wildcats able to change the score to 3-2, we’re into overtime.

Both teams traded shots as the third period ticked down. Mirage junior defender Elise Eckstrom’s shot with six minutes on the clock was immediately mirrored by Wildcat freshman forward Maren Hodgman’s attempt at changing the scoreboard.

The Mirage swarmed the Wildcat net but senior forward Mya Gunderson wasn’t able to get past goalie Faith Humphrey’s fast hands.

— Olivia Hicks

3rd period: Dodge County 2, Proctor/Hermantown 2

Tensions are high here at Grand Casino Arena as the Mirage and Wildcats remain locked in a 2-2 standoff. Grace Nichols and Maysie Koch, both goal scorers in this quarterfinal game, faced off with Nichols winning the puck for Proctor/Hermantown as the third period began.

Dodge County tried to reclaim its advantage when senior defender Alexa Van Straaten fired a shot towards the Mirage net. Taylee Manion’s attempt to bring Proctor/Hermantown an advantage fell short.

The game continues to be a low-shot back-and-forth event with 15-14 shots on goal favoring Dodge County with eight minutes to go.

— Olivia Hicks

End of the 2nd: Dodge County 2, Proctor/Hermantown 2

With eight seconds left in the period, the Mirage tied the game. Grace Nichols completed her 11th goal of the season after fellow senior forward Mya Gunderson passed her the puck on the faceoff. As Wildcat goaltender Faith Humphrey dove to the right side of the net, Nichols tapped a low shot into an empty bottom left pocket of space.

Proctor/Hermantown continues to outshoot Dodge County 13-11. It’s anyone’s game going into the 3rd period.

— Olivia Hicks

2nd period: Dodge County 2, Proctor/Hermantown 1

The Mirage showed up when it mattered most with 6:33 left on the clock. Senior forward and assistant captain Peighton Paulson wrapped the puck around the right side of the Wildcat’s net after sophomore defender Taylee Manion’s shot went just wide.

The shot marked Paulson’s sixth goal of the season and gave Proctor/Hermantown a 12-8 edge for shots on goal.

— Olivia Hicks

2nd period: Dodge County 2, Proctor/Hermantown 0

It’s 2-0 for the Wildcats. Sophomore forward Daisy Harens found the back of the Mirage net with freshman forward Maren Hodgman and junior forward Taryn Wernecke recording one assist each. The goal marked Harens’ 14th goal of the season and “Free Bird” blared through the arena speakers.

It remains a low-shot quarterfinal game. Proctor/Hermantown is outshooting Dodge County 8-7 so far this period (at the midpoint).

The Dodge County student section sure is enjoying a Wildcat scoreboard advantage as the neon construction and cowboy costume-clad supporters jump to their feet to catch a stray puck. Proctor-Hermantown may boast six consecutive trips to state, but 2026 only marks Dodge County’s third trip to state in school history.

— Olivia Hicks

End of 1st period: Dodge County 1, Proctor/Hermantown 0

Both the Mirage and the Wildcats had their chances but failed to find an advantage on the penalty kill. Proctor/Hermantown senior forward Grace Nichols was hit with a roughing call and Dodge County senior defender Alexa Van Straaten sat in the box for high sticking.

Despite the Wildcats leading the game 1-0, both teams have only racked up four shots on goal. The Mirage’s best chance came when junior forward Avery Milbridge delivered an even-strength right-hander.

— Olivia Hicks

Tourney experience wises up and fires up Warriors

Warroad and Luverne had something in common entering Wednesday’s first quarterfinal: a history of recent state tournament appearances.

Wednesday marked 11 in a row for Warroad while Luverne recorded its sixth trip in the past decade.

Both teams’ players had some advice for state newcomers — take notes.

After Warroad eighth-grade defender Elle Hardwick scored her first varsity goal in the quarterfinal, and freshman forward Olivia Anthony pushed her season’s goal haul to 23-goal, senior forward Taylor Reese and junior forward Jaylie French thought about what sort of advice they told the Warriors’ younger crew, and what they wanted to know ahead of their first state tournament.

“I think ‘the X’ has some bouncy boards,” said Reese. (That doesn’t change, seemingly, even with the arena’s name switch from ‘the X’ to ‘Grand Casino Arena.’)

The ice is different, noted French. In Warroad, they play on an Olympic-size sheet. Is it better, up there? “I like it better,” she laughed.

Said Reese: “The bright lights, it’s a big stage, [it’s about] not getting too nervous and just keeping the game simple.”

Luverne senior goaltender Emma Saarloos ended her 39-save performance with the advice of, “Just take it all in. You get to do it, how many times in your career?”

State tournament experience doesn’t just give the Warriors wisdom. It also gives them some extra motivation, based on how last year played out: a championship game 4-3 overtime loss to Dodge County, who Warroad could face in the semifinals.

“I want to play Dodge County,” Reese said. “I think we owe it to them. Last year … bad memories. So I want to give it to give it to them a little bit, make them feel it like how we felt it last year.”

— Cassidy Hettesheimer

1st period: Dodge County 1, Proctor/Hermantown 0

The Wildcats opened up scoring with 13:55 left in the first period. Senior defender Kylie Meyer fed a pass to junior forward and top scorer Maysie Koch. The St. Thomas commit slipped the puck past Proctor/Hermantown goalie Suri Langley.

The Mirage had their best shot earlier in the period when sophomore forward Ella Kaups skated right in front of the Dodge County net and attempted to slip it in to no avail.

— Olivia Hicks

Pre-game: Proctor/Hermantown vs. Dodge County

With the first 1A quarterfinal game wrapped up, where Warroad recorded a 5-1 win over Luverne, we’re onto the second quarterfinal of the day.

No. 4 seed Dodge County (20-6-1) is about to face off against No. 5 seed Proctor/Hermantown (18-6-2). The Wildcats will be tough to hold off, being the defending Class 1A state champs with leading scorer and St. Thomas commit Maysie Koch attempting a repeat. But the Mirage are sure to put up a fight with six consecutive state tourney trips and under-18 U.S. National Team player Taylee Manion in their arsenal.

Stay tuned for puck drop just after 1 p.m.

— Olivia Hicks

Final: Warroad 5, Luverne 1

Warroad moved one step closer to their fifth consecutive state championship game and will face the winner of No. 4 Dodge County vs No. 5 Proctor/Hermantown in Friday’s semifinals.

The Warriors finished with three power play goals, and a goal and assist each for junior Dartmouth-bound forward Jaylie French and freshman forward Olivia Anthony. Senior forward Taylor Reese was another difference maker, keeping the Cardinals from getting out of their d-zone and getting on the scoresheet herself.

Luverne sophomore forward Elle Van Batavia ended an impressive season by netting her 43rd goal, while senior goaltender Emma Saarloos finished with 39 saves as the Warriors outshot the Cardinals 44-15.

— Cassidy Hettesheimer

3rd Period: Warroad 5, Luverne 1

Some nice forecheck pressure from senior forward Taylor Reese gave the Warriors the puck in their offensive zone, resulting in a goal from junior forward and Dartmouth commit Jaylie French popping through, her 19th of the season. The Warriors have just under 14 minutes to see this one out to the semis.

— Cassidy Hettesheimer

End of the 2nd: Warroad 4, Luverne 1

The Cardinals got a much-needed boost of momentum with 42 seconds to play in the second period, with sophomore forward Elle Van Batavia netting her team-high 43rd goal of the year on a long-range chance that snuck through netfront traffic.

Warroad senior defender Vivienne Marcowka, an Assumption commit, answered before the end of the period with a goal of her own, in 4-on-4 play after a late Cardinals penalty.

Warroad is outshooting Luverne 32-9.

— Cassidy Hettesheimer

2nd period: Warroad 3, Luverne 0

It seems like once the Warriors get rolling, they get rolling. They scored again, with Olivia Anthony feeding eighth-grade defender Elle Hardwick for a nice shot tucked in from a near angle. Good timing for Hardwick’s first goal of the season.

Warroad battled East Grand Forks 1-0 in its section championship until four third-period goals put the Warriors ahead 5-0. Do the floodgates open for the Warriors now?

— Cassidy Hettesheimer

2nd period: Warroad 2, Luverne 0

Not even two minutes into the second period and five seconds into a power play, an offensive zone faceoff win teed up junior forward Jaylie French for a shot from deep, which senior forward Taylor Reese deflected into the Luverne net for her 19th goal of the season.

— Cassidy Hettesheimer

End of 1st period: Warroad 1, Luverne 0

Olivia Anthony’s goal stands at the difference for now. Each team killed one penalty, and Luverne was halfway through killing another penalty as the first period came to an end. While the Warriors are outshooting the Cardinals 14-3, Luverne had a couple of close chances on its late power play, finding junior defender Macie Edstrom at the edge of the crease, forcing Warroad senior goaltender Payton Rolli into her first big save of the morning.

— Cassidy Hettesheimer

1st Period: Warroad 1, Luverne 0

The Cardinals had just killed off a Warriors penalty when Warroad junior forward Karlee Kalbrener and freshman forward Olivia Anthony sprung a rush into the offensive zone. Kalbrener, cutting in from the boards to the top of the right faceoff circle, dished a pass across net to Anthony who wouldn’t miss from close-range with just under nine minutes to play in the first period.

— Cassidy Hettesheimer

First Period: Luverne 0, Warroad 0

Puck drop: We’re underway! Some of this week’s most dedicated fans have settled into the lower bowl of Grand Casino Arena. These two teams had the furthest to travel of any in the Class 1A tournament: three-and-a-half hours for Luverne, nearly six hours for Warroad.

Warroad has a deep forward group, and in it, there’s one player to keep an eye on who you might not have noticed in the Warriors’ title game last year — and you definitely wouldn’t have noticed in the three before that, since she’s only a freshman now. That’s forward Olivia Anthony. As an eighth grader, Anthony tallied four goals and 11 assists. This season, she’s become one of the Warriors most impactful forwards, with 22 goals and 24 assists, good for second on the team with 46 points.

— Cassidy Hettesheimer

Pregame: No. 8 Luverne vs. No. 1 Warroad

If the Olympics aren’t giving you enough tournament hockey, you’ve come to the right place. Today at Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul, we’ve got the Class 1A girls hockey state quarterfinals, with the first of four puck drops at 11 a.m. between No. 1 seed Warroad and No. 8 Luverne.

Warroad (21-5-1) is looking to win its fourth state title in five years after losing in overtime to Dodge County in last year’s championship game. The Warriors return plenty of talent from that team, including senior All-Minnesota goaltender and Gophers commit Payton Rolli and their leading scorer, junior Dartmouth commit Jaylie French, among others. Warroad hasn’t lost to a Class 1A opponent all season, and with the program’s 17th trip to state, they tie the all-time record set by South St. Paul.

In order to clinch the program’s seventh trip to state, No. 8 Luverne (19-9-0) shocked Marshall, the top seed in their Section 3 playoff bracket, after losing to the Tigers three times in the regular season. Senior forward Ella Apel scored the section title game-winner, while sophomore forward Ella Van Batavia has put up a staggering 42 goals for the Cardinals. They’ll have a tough foe in battle-test Warroad.

Five of the teams in this year’s Class 1A tournament field (Dodge County, Warroad, Proctor/Hermantown, Breck and Blake) account for all but one of the Class 1A titles won since 2009. Thief River Falls is the only exception, having won the 2016 small-school title.

— Cassidy Hettesheimer