Two teams enjoying something of a renaissance meet in matchup that showcases Greenway’s high-flying offense and the stellar play of Cambridge-Isanti freshman goaltender Jaxon Sibell.
Greenway has played just four games while neighboring Grand Rapids leads the state with 11. Still, it’s not to early to detect a trend or two with the Raiders, who last made statewide headlines in 2019 when they reached the state Class 1A championship game.
Senior forward Ezra Carlson leads Greenway with five goals. The Raiders (4-1-0) have scored four or more in each of their five games and gave No. 17-2A Gentry Academy a scare in a 5-4 Stars victory on Dec. 21 in Coleraine.
Greenway also has matching 4-3 victories over solid Class 1A teams in Red Lake Falls and Rock Ridge.
No. 18-1A Cambridge-Isanti (5-2-0) has won five straight, a streak that has coincided with the insertion of Sibell as the starter in goal.
The Bluejackets started the season winless in their first two games, allowing a combined 15 goals. In his first four games Sibell stopped 112 of 116 shots, posting a state-leading .966 save percentage.
Cambridge-Isanti went 11-7-1 last season, its first winning record since posting back-to-back 20-win seasons in 2005-06 and 2006-07.