Hermantown Boys Hockey Returns Home to Celebrate State Championship With Community

The Hawks returned to a pack Hermantown Arena on Sunday to celebrate their fourth ever state championship with their community.

HERMANTOWN, Minn. – Five years doesn’t feel that long ago but that was the last time the Hermantown boys hockey team brought home a state championship. On Saturday, the Hawks defeated Warroad to win the class A state title and on Sunday, they got to celebrate with everyone in Hermantown in this booming hockey community.

“To think growing up here, I actually played the first organized game ever on this rink as a squirt. To think of how far we’ve come from that moment, we’ve really created a hockey community here that I think rivals any in the state or the world for that matter, it’s pretty amazing,” head coach Patrick Andrews said.

This comes just one year after the Proctor/Hermantown Mirage won their first ever state championship, so the hockey pride is currently strong in the community.

“We went and supported them too and they came and supported us so it’s just a nice community and we support each other,” assistant captain Gavin Blomdahl said.

“The fact that the Mirage have been in the state championship game two years in a row and we made our run this year and won. It speaks volumes to the amount of dedication that this community put into hockey,” Andrews added.

Also last year, Hermantown’s state run got cut short after most of their varsity squad was stuck in COVID protocols. So this year’s title means a lot more.

“Ayden Dowd came and gave me a big hug last night after the game, they’ve all reached out. They’re very supportive and have been awesome and are like we know that you’re doing this for us too,” Andrews said.

“We were super motivated to win this state championship for those six seniors last year. After the game I called a couple of the guys to tell them that we did it for them,” assistant captain Dominic Thomas added.

But for this year’s group especially these seniors, they’re just happy that the hockey community that they’ve helped build is back on top of Class A.

“I’d come to the rink every day for 4 or 5 hours and just be with the guys, talk to them and just they kind of became my every day thing,” Thomas said.

“The best part is seeing the kids, the young players, that’s what our program is all about. Watching these kids grow up and dream of doing what we did just did. There’s been some heartbreak along the way but these have been the greatest five years of my life. With the greatest hockey community, I’m living my dream,” Andrews added.