Coon Rapids (11-12-2) won the regular season meeting with Cloquet/Esko/Carlton (14-8-1) 5-4 on Jan. 14 in Coon Rapids, yet the Cardinals received the No. 5 seed in Section 7AA to the Lumberjacks’ No. 4. Chalk it up to a “body of work” thing in the coaches’ vote (a recurring theme in these preview capsules).
The rematch has the potential to be a high-scoring, last-team-that-shoots-wins type of affair, given that the two teams have, separately, been involved in 8-8 overtime tie thrillers this season.
Coon Rapids is a team loaded with uber-talented juniors, players such as top scorer Tyler Barsness (teams highs of 24 goals and 52 points), Eli Boden (36 points) and Trenton Theisen (17 goals). Sophomore Cayden Alphin (33 points) has been a revelation as a first-year varsity player. The Cardinals are a team with fleeting playoff success (they haven’t advanced past the quarterfinals since 2003.
Deep playoff runs have been rare in recent history for Cloquet/Esko/Carlton, too. The team made headlines with its recent decision to drop from Class 2A to 1A for the playoffs, so this could be the Lumberjacks’ last go-round — in the foreseeable future, anyway — opting up to play against the state’s big schools.
Senior Patrick Dunaiski and junior Joseph Antonutti share the Lumberjacks’ team lead with 14 goals. Cloquet/Esko/Carlton has four goalies who have seen varsity action, but junior Logan Sickmann has played the most minutes, compiling a 9-3-0 record.