The 2025-26 girls hockey season concluded Saturday with Breck winning the Class 1A title over Warroad and Hill-Murray claiming the 2A title over Centennial/Spring Lake Park.

Meet six players who left their marks on the girls hockey state tournaments.

Read through the 2A and 1A quarterfinals and the semifinals to recap the journey to the final.

Saturday’s schedule

Class 1A championship

4 p.m. Breck 4, Warroad 1

Class 2A championship

7 p.m. Hill-Murray 4, Centennial/Spring Lake Park 3

Final: Hill-Murray 4, Centennial/Spring Lake Park 3

It took a decade for last year’s Hill-Murray’s squad to follow up its 2014 and ’15 Class 2A titles with another. And like then, when it rains, it pours.

The top-seeded Pioneers won back-to-back state championships for the second time in program history, denying second seed Centennial/Spring Lake Park of its first state title.

The Pioneers dominated all game until the Cougars pulled their goalie and pressed late, scoring three goals in the game’s final three minutes (including two from freshman Josie Kelzenberg) to make the final scoreline, improbably, a one-goal game, but without enough runway to stage a full comeback.

The Pioneers rolled deep, line after line. Senior Sophie Olson, sophomore Reese Unklesbay and junior Emily Pohl each finished with a goal and an assist.

For most of the game, Hill-Murray’s blue line shut down quality chances for a Cougars team that averaged 5.93 goals per game coming into tonight’s game.

Pioneers freshman goalie Piper Tam picked up her second state championship and the 32-save win that seemed, until late, like it would be a rare title-game shutout. The Cougars finished with a slight edge in shots, 35-29.

Last year’s state championship team only had four seniors. This year’s? Just two.

— Cassidy Hettesheimer

3rd period: Hill-Murray 4, Centennial/Spring Lake Park 2

The Cougars got not one, but two late goals with less than three minutes to play. Lillian Renslow scored the first on the 6-on-4 power play after the Cougars pulled goalie Kaia Weiland, then Josie Kelzenberg scored less than a minute later. This one’s gotten tighter with 1:39 left to play.

— Cassidy Hettesheimer

3rd period: Hill-Murray 4, Centennial/SLP 0

Senior Sophie Olson got one of her own, tucking in a shot right outside the crease after a hustle play by Taylor Miller. The Pioneers coaches called Olson the heartbeat of the team after their semifinal win, and she’s on the board with her 12th goal of the year.

— Cassidy Hettesheimer

3rd period: Hill-Murray 3, Centennial/SLP 0

Three goals, one period in each. The Pioneers took care of that just 1:39 into the third frame. Sophomore forward Reese Unklesbay picked up a loose puck in the neutral zone and carried a shot into the right faceoff circle to slot a far-side shot past Kaia Weiland.

— Cassidy Hettesheimer

End of 2nd: Hill-Murray 2, Centennial/SLP 0

A really strong 12-save period from Pioneers freshman goalie Piper Tam, who backstopped Hill-Murray to a championship as an eighth grader last year. Whatever chances that the Cougars’ leading scorer Alaina Gnetz and company have been able to get past the Pioneers’ defense, Tam has swallowed up, rarely giving up a rebound.

Late in the period, the Cougars had to kill off an extra-long Pioneers power play that included 22 seconds of 5-on-3, after back-to-back penalties.

The Pioneers are 17 minutes away from back-to-back state titles, unless the Cougars can stage a comeback.

— Cassidy Hettesheimer

2nd period: Hill-Murray 2, Centennial/SLP 0

A goalie’s greatest fear might be a Pioneers player behind her net, looking to drop a pass from below the goal line. Senior and St. Cloud State commit Sophie Olson picked up the puck after her initial shot and wound her way behind the Cougars goal, and Emily Pohl, just coming into the ice, buried a shot from the slot. That’s Pohl’s 16th goal of the year, third of the tournament, 2:15 into the period.

Piper Tam with a two big saves early in the period to keep it clean on the other end of the ice.

— Cassidy Hettesheimer

End of 1st period: Hill-Murray 1, Centennial/SLP 0

Jaycee Chatleain’s goal stands as the difference headed into the first intermission. Impressive work by the Pioneers defense — and goalie Piper Tam, who made two big stops as Centennial/Spring Lake Park settled in and pushed late — to keep the Cougars’ forwards relatively quiet.

Centennial/Spring Lake Park averages 5.93 goals per game and managed to top that number in this state tournament, picking up a 7-5 win over Farmington in the quarters, and putting eight goals past Holy Family in the semis. They shouldn’t sweat trailing early, if they can start finding the back of the net.

Hill-Murray has the slight edge in shots, 9-8.

— Cassidy Hettesheimer

1st period: Hill-Murray 1, Centennial/Spring Lake Park 0

Junior Emily Pohl just showed why she is one of the most dangerous players in the state. She cut around a Cougars skater near the left boards, weaved behind the net and found junior Jaycee Chatleain at the edge of the crease. Chatleain’s 22nd goal of the season put the Pioneers on the board, 2:50 into the period. That future Badger-Gopher connection has been a strong one for multiple seasons now.

— Cassidy Hettesheimer

Pregame: Hill-Murray vs. Centennial/Spring Lake Park

Hill-Murray is looking for back-to-back titles, like they did in 2014 and 2015, while the Cougars are seeking their first championship after finishing runner up in 2018.

Hill-Murray and Centennial/Spring Lake Park are arguably two of the deepest — if not the two deepest — teams in either tournament. Both teams have 14 players with double-digit point totals this season. As for players with more than 20 points, the Pioneers have nine and the Cougars have 10 — that certainly must help in a 2A tournament with games in back-to-back-to-back days.

Both teams have shown they can roll out multiple dangerous lines this week and get plenty of scoring help from their blue line.

To get here, the Cougars knocked off Holy Family in an efficient 8-2 semifinal victory, lighting the lamp often despite being outshot by the Fire 38-36. They were “on one,” Cougars head coach Sean Molin said after the win.

Hill-Murray edged out Edina 3-2 behind junior Emily Pohl’s game winner with 3:13 left in the third period. Pioneers co-head coach John Pohl said the victory showed a new level of grit from a team of players that normally lean more on their skill.

These teams have met once this year, a 4-3 Hill-Murray win on Jan. 31, in which the Pioneers outscored the Cougars 4-1 in the third period.

— Cassidy Hettesheimer

Final: Breck 4, Warroad 1

Your Class 1A girls hockey state champions are the Breck Mustangs.

With 42 seconds left on the clock, Breck sank a fourth goal. Mackenna Schlieman recorded her second of the game into an empty net before sticks and gloves covered the ice in celebration.

Warroad’s best chance at evening the score came with five minutes left in the period. Taylor Reese found Jaylie French for a near-net shot that Clara Milinkovich blocked. A tangle of Breck sticks were able to narrowly bat away any follow-up attempts. Warroad kept the game near Breck’s net in the remaining minutes, peppering Milinkovich with but couldn’t get past the state’s leading goalie.

— Olivia Hicks

3rd period: Breck 3, Warroad 1

With less than eight minutes remaining in the game, Breck extended its lead.

Sophomore forward Ashley Babbitt scored her 13th goal of the season and first of the tournament with a tip-in after fellow forward Taylor Hall’s shot from across the ice bounced off of goalie Payton Rolli and into prime shooting territory for Babbitt.

— Olivia Hicks

3rd period: Breck 2, Warroad 1

Warroad prevented a shutout with top scorer Jaylie French’s close pass into the right side of the net. Taylor Reese attempted a shot that bounced off of freshman goalie Clara Milinkovich and onto French’s stick.

The goal marked the junior forward and Dartmouth commit’s 27th of the season and fourth of the 1A tournament.

Warroad has outshot Breck 27-19.

— Olivia Hicks

End of the 2nd: Breck 2, Warroad 0

A line of students in navy blue hockey helmets cheered as the period came to an end with Breck on top. As the seconds ticked down, Warroad’s freshman defender Lydia Fylling attempted one last shot before the two teams skated off ice.

The Mustangs scored in the second period when Mackenna Schlieman launched a shot past Gopher commit Payton Rolli and kept control of the puck in Warriors territory for the majority of the period.

But it’s not over ‘til it’s over. Warroad, no stranger to a state final overtime, will attempt to convert in the third period.

— Olivia Hicks

2nd period: Breck 2, Warroad 0

The Mustangs are itching for a 3-0 lead, but for now the scoreboard remains the same.

Mackenna Schlieman attempted to repeat her goal earlier in the period with a tidy shot at the 10-minute mark and junior forward Alexa Sherf made three shots in a row in less than minute.

Warroad, with 21 shots so far, has been less fortunate breaking into Breck territory and past its back line, but top scorers Olivia Anthony and Jaylie French continue to try to convert long shots into a point on the board.

— Olivia Hicks

2nd period: Breck 2, Warroad 0

Breck’s Mackenna Schlieman started the second period with a short-handed, unassisted goal. The sophomore forward tipped the shot into an empty pocket on the penalty kill.

Despite the Mustangs slipping two pucks past goalie Payton Rolli, Warroad continues has outshot them 14-9.

— Olivia Hicks

End of the 1st: Breck 1, Warroad 0

With less than three minutes left on the clock in the period, Breck junior defender Molly Larson opened up scoring. The shot came from the blue line and launched into the air, sinking behind goalie Payton Rolli’s helmet and into the Warroad net.

Annie Moos and Torrin Luoma fed Larson the pass, marking the junior’s eighth goal of the season and second goal of the tournament.

— Olivia Hicks

1st period: Warroad 0, Breck 0

In the second half of the first period with no goals on the scoreboard, the Mustangs and the Warriors are proving they have the best goalies in the state.

Gophers commit and All-Minnesota player Payton Rolli blocked a shot from one of Breck’s top defenders Alexis Ulrich. The state leader in goals against average, freshman Clara Milinkovich, held off one of Warroad’s top scorers Olivia Anthony.

Warroad is outshooting Breck 5-4.

— Olivia Hicks

Pregame: Warroad vs. Breck

The Warroad Warriors (25-5-1) are back at the 1A girls hockey state final and the No. 1 seed is determined to not let last year repeat itself. The chance to secure four straight state titles slipped through their gloves when Dodge County beat them 4-3 in an overtime 2025 championship thriller. Top scorers Jaylie French and Taylor Reese will attempt to repeat their state tourney luck so far — with five combined goals in Friday’s semifinal game against the Wildcats.

Breck (27-1-1), the second seed in the tournament, is determined to go all the way in the Mustangs’ first trip to state in six years. The team lost 3-1 to Warroad earlier in the season.

“I think it was a really, really great learning experience for us,” said Breck head coach Tricia Luoma, reflecting on the game against the Warriors. “We’re watching back the video. We took some good information back to areas of our game that we needed to really work on and identified and worked on throughout the rest of the season to make our game more solid.”

The team will lean on starting freshman goaltender Clara Milinkovich who blocked 43 shots in the Friday semifinal game against Blake.

As fans trickle in — wearing everything from bright yellow tutus to black and white referee stripes — stick around to find out who is crowned the best 1A girls team in the State of Hockey.

— Olivia Hicks

Season comes to a close

We’re down to two final games for all the marbles: No. 1 Warroad vs. No. 2 Breck in Class 1A at 4 p.m., then No. 1 Hill-Murray vs No. 2 Centennial/Spring Lake Park in Class 2A at 7 p.m.

Otherwise, third-place games have played out here to start the day at Grand Casino Arena.

In Class 1A’s third-place game, No. 4 Dodge County beat No. 3 Blake 4-1, led by two goals and an assist from junior St. Thomas-bound forward Maysie Koch. That’s three consecutive top-three finishes for last year’s Class 1A champs.

In Class 2A, No. 3 Holy Family took third for the second consecutive season with a 3-0 win over No. 4 Edina. Freshman Audrey Nichols scored twice, and senior goaltender Kayla Swartout, a Wisconsin commit, recorded a 32-save shutout.

— Cassidy Hettesheimer