Feb. 4—For a second consecutive year, the Dodge County girls hockey team has earned the No. 1 seed in the Section 1, Class 1A playoffs.
The No. 3-ranked Wildcats (19-4-0 overall) are the top seed in the six-team section and will have a bye into the semifinals on Saturday, Feb. 10. They’ll host the winner of the game between No. 5-seeded Waseca (10-10-3) and No. 4 seed Winona (10-14-0) in a section semifinal game at 7 p.m. next Saturday at Dodge County Ice Arena.
The seedings were voted on by the six head coaches in the section.
Simley (11-13-1) received the No. 2 seed. The Spartans actually tied Winona in the voting process and earned the No. 2 seed thanks to a coin flip. Simley — the only team in the section to beat Dodge County this season — will also receive a bye through to the semifinals.
The Spartans will host the winner of Wednesday’s quarterfinal game between No. 6-seeded Red Wing (6-18-1) and No. 3 Albert Lea (18-6-1). Albert Lea, the defending section champion, beat Red Wing twice during the regular season, by scores of 9-2 and 9-0.
Dodge County is looking for its first-ever trip to state. The Wildcats fell in overtime a year ago to Albert Lea in the section final. Dodge County controlled play and outshot the Tigers 30-11 in that game, but Albert Lea scored a power-play goal in the third period to tie the score, then got another power-play goal in OT to win it.
Dodge County’s regular-season loss to Simley a week ago was similar. The Wildcats controlled play and outshot the Spartans 48-17, but fell 3-1. Still, Dodge County’s strength of schedule — and a 4-2 win against Northfield, a top-5 team in Class 2A — helped the Wildcats earn the No. 1 seed.
The Section 1, Class 1A championship game is set for 5 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 15, at Four Seasons Centre in Owatonna.
SECTION 1-1A BRACKET
Big Nine Conference regular season champion Northfield (24-1-0 overall) is the No. 1 overall seed in Section 1, Class 2A. The Raiders are ranked No. 5 in the latest Class 2A state poll; their only regular season loss came against Dodge County last week, a 4-2 setback.
Both Rochester teams will go on the road for the opening round, as will Austin. The Packers (1-21-1 overall) are the No. 8 seed in the section and will play at Northfield at 7 p.m. Wednesday.
No. 6 Rochester Mayo (10-11-2) will travel to No. 3 Farmington (16-8-1) for a 7 p.m. section quarterfinal on Wednesday, while No. 7-seeded Rochester Century/John Marshall (8-16-0) will play at No. 2 Lakeville South (19-3-3) in the quarterfinals.
The other quarterfinal will feature No. 5 seed Owatonna (13-11-1) at No. 4 Mankato East (16-8-1).
The section semifinals are set for 7 p.m. Saturday at the home arenas of the higher seeds, and the section championship game is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 15, at Owatonna.
SECTION 1-2A BRACKET
