For Mason West, what mattered was getting better.

Edina’s highly sought after two-sport star announced last week on X, formerly known as Twitter, his intention to play hockey in college at Michigan State.

At 6-6 and 220 pounds, West is also a well-regarded football quarterback and was selected to the Star Tribune’s All-Minnesota Football Team after completing 178 of 244 passes for 2,592 yards and 37 touchdowns while throwing just four interceptions in 2024.

West also played with the Fargo Force of the United States Hockey League after the conclusion of the 2024-25 high school hockey season. It was that experience that confirmed his decision to pursue hockey after graduation.

“It helped me experience the next level in my development,” West said. “There’s no junior development program in football. My goal is to become the best hockey player I can be.”

In the winter, West was the Hornets’ second-leading scorer, potting a team-high 27 goals while adding 22 assists. His 49 points were only behind junior forward Casey Vandertop, who led the team with 50 points.

Edina finished third in the Class 2A boys hockey state tournament in March. As a sophomore, West had 15 goals and 23 assists to help the Hornets win the 2A state championship.

At 6-6, West admitted his physical traits are what gets him noticed, but there are parts of his game that need work.

“I have to work on my skating,” he said. “And the USHL is a different level of hockey. Teams are more physical and try to intimidate. That’s hockey. I need to get better at that part of my game.”

Playing in the Big Ten was a strong reason why West chose Michigan State. A conversation with Minnesota Wild draft pick Charlie Stramel, a Rosemount native who was drafted No. 21 overall in 2023, endorsed his college choice. Stramel originally played in college at Wisconsin before transferring to Michigan State last April.

“Playing teams like Wisconsin, Notre Dame, Minnesota, Ohio State, Penn State... that’s great hockey,” West said. “That’s a big reason why I chose Michigan State. And they were the first school to really talk to me, so I’ve always had a good feeling for them.”

West said that the University of Minnesota was never in the mix for his services, but playing against his hometown school adds a little motivation for him.

“I never really talked to them” he said. “But for sure, I want to play them, prove to them what I can do.”

While his future lies on the ice, West said he’s still planning on returning to Edina to play football this fall. He’s got some unfinished business on the gridiron.

“We came close in my sophomore year,” West said, recalling Edina’s 28-27 loss to Centennial in the 2023 Prep Bowl. “We got beat by a really good team [Maple Grove] last year. I want to win a championship.”

West is expected to have his name called in the upcoming NHL Entry Draft, which will take place this week in Los Angeles. West was ranked No. 27 among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting.