Vintage Minnesota Hockey - History

THE 50TH TOURNAMENT

The MSHSL Board of Directors chose to discontinue the two-year experiment with the tier-system in favor of implementing a two-class format that uses enrollment to determine classification.  As part of the new process, schools could choose to opt up to play in a higher-enrollment class.  That created opportunities for Class A-enrollment schools to play against the bigger Class AA programs.  This put the tournament in line with the rest of the MSHSL events.  Warroad, which finished runner-up three times in the single-class format, captured the Class A title with a 5-3 victory over Hibbing.  Wyatt Smith had two goals for the Warriors in the championship game.  Bloomington Jefferson made it a three-peat of championships with a 3-1 victory over Moorhead in the Class AA title game.  Mike Crowley had a goal and an assist to pace Bloomington Jefferson.  It was the fifth overall crown for the Jaguars.

SLAP SHOTS

• Hermantown, Osseo, Farmington and Breck made state tournament debuts.
• Consolation round games were moved to new Mariucci Arena on University of Minnesota campus.
• Minneapolis Edison made its only state tournament appearance.  Soon all the Minneapolis city schools would merge into a single entity, which ended an era.  It was 28 years later when a Minneapolis school would qualify for the state tournament - 2022.  
• Farmington center - Amber Hegland was the first girl ever to play in the boys' tourney.
• Tournament Attendance: 112,846