Maine made a scholarship offer months ago, but Blaine’s Jonny Brodzinski didn’t want to rush his decision.

College coaches from programs closer to home had been kicking Brodzinski’s tires for a while, so it only figured he might have other options if he stayed patient.

Sure enough, interest in Brodzinski reached feverish levels in recent weeks, and on Saturday, April 9, he committed to play at St. Cloud State.

Brodzinksi made a recruiting visit to St. Cloud State on Monday and talked again by phone with Huskies coach Bob Motzko on Wednesday. Mike Brodzinski, Jonny’s father and a former Huskies scoring star, said Motzko told Jonny the scholarship offer was only good through Saturday.

Mike Brodzinski said Minnesota-Duluth had ratcheted up its interest in recent weeks, as had Bemidji State. Michigan, which squared off against UMD in the national Division I title game on Saturday at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, also had recently joined the picture.

Brodzinski, a Mr. Hockey award finalist, scored 31 goals and added 29 assists in 30 games last season for the Bengals, who reached the state Class 2A tournament for the sixth consecutive season. Brodzinski made headlines during the state tournament when, after the Bengals were eliminated in the consolation round by White Bear Lake, he played later the same day in Fargo, N.D., for the USHL’s Force.

Entering Saturday’s game against the Sioux City Musketeers, Brodzinski had scored two goals and two assists in nine games for the Force.

“I don’t care where the kids play,” Mike Brodzinski said about Jonny’s commitment. “I just want them to have fun and play. He absolutely loves this stuff.”