The game many observers thought would happen as the finale of the Class 1A state tournament — and still might — is similar to the Lakeville South versus Maple Grove matchup in that it is a clash of titans made possible because of recent cancelations on both teams' schedules.
Gentry Academy (12-0-0), currently in COVID-19 quarantine, has outscored its opponents by a mind-boggling 103-10 this winter. Seniors Damon Furuseth (29 points) and Nick Sajevic (28 points) lead a parade of speedy, standout scorers, and senior goaltender Alex Timmons, although rarely tested, has a sparkling .927 save percentage for the No 2-1A Stars.
Hermantown (14-1-0) suffered its lone loss of the season last Thursday, a 6-3 setback against No. 4-2A Grand Rapids. While the No. 1-1A Hawks have played a much more difficult schedule than Gentry Academy, they have still dominated their opponents to the tune of a 119-20 scoring advantage.
Hawks sophomore Zam Plante shares the state scoring lead with 56 points. Injured defenseman Joey Pierce, a senior Minnesota Duluth commit, is unlikely to be ready to play in Friday’s game, according to coach Pat Andrews.