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Dispatches from the Xcel Energy Center

By Star Tribune staff reports, 03/12/11, 8:37PM CST

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Cadets senior: 'We closed the deal'

Dressed in shirts and ties behind the scenes during the first two rounds of the state tournament, St. Thomas Academy players wore their white jerseys to the postgame news conference Saturday.

In the days leading up to the championship, senior forward A.J. Reid had remarked that the state tournament was a business trip.

“We closed the deal,” Reid said of the relaxed, jovial bunch assembled at the media table. “Right now I’m so excited; I don’t want to take the jersey off. The business trip is over.”

Adding to the collection

With its 3-0 victory over Hibbing/Chisholm in the Class 1A third-place game, Thief River Falls gets to hang another banner. The Prowlers have been to state 11 times and now have eight trophies to show for their efforts.

“We came down here wanting to win three games, and fell short,” coach Tim Bergland said. “But we’ll take what we can get.”

Added goaltender  Josh Koop, who made 18 saves in the third-place game: “You see all the pictures of guys with trophies in the ’50s, and you realize this is pretty special.”

Sertich update

Before ending his championship game news conference, Hermantown coach Bruce Plante updated the media on the condition of Mike Sertich, who had blood clots form around his lungs following ankle surgery last month.

The former Minnesota Duluth and Michigan Tech headman has been coaching bantam level hockey recently, including many of Hermantown’s players.

Plante said he and Sertich talked over the phone a couple of days ago and Sertich is in good spirits.

“It was nip and tuck how he was going to go, but they got it all straightened out,” Plante said. “Everything is going in the positive direction.”

Sertich is back at home, and watched the tournament on TV, Plante said.

Etc

• The Class 1A all-tournament team included more Hermantown players (four) than STA players (three).

• Eagan won the Class 2A third-place game 5-3 over Edina, while White Bear Lake continued its extra-session ways. In their fifth straight overtime game, the Bears lost the Class 2A consolation final 4-3 in triple overtime to Lakeville North.

• Breck won the Class 1A consolation championship 7-4 over Rochester Lourdes.

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