COVID Imperils Boys State Hockey Tourney Chances Of Hermantown, Hill-Murray
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The puck drops Tuesday for the Minnesota state boys hockey tournament, but two powerhouse programs learned Monday that COVID-19 could bench their teams.
Hill-Murray School, the number-two seed in class 2A, is still hoping that they'll play in the tournament. They have not had anyone test positive, but an opponent did, and the quarantine time is one day beyond when they are to play Wayzata High School Wednesday.
Sources tell WCCO they've got lawyers, they've showed the tape, and they're hoping the Minnesota Department of Health approves their appeal. Sources also say they will meet Tuesday and hope MDH recommends to the MSHSL they can play.
Perennial class A power Hermantown High School, the number-one seed, has the same situation. They will send their junior varsity team to play, plus two key injured players who were not exposed last week -- one of whom is the state's leading scorer. They had to call one junior varsity player back from spring break to play in a state tournament.
Coach Patrick Andrews says it's been an emotional solution to reach.
"We have a [JV player] coming back from Florida on a plane right now that's on vacation with his family to play … That's how much this program means to them," Andrews said. "Everyone's upset. There was tears, there was anger and all those emotions. But at the end of the day, we have a hockey game to win tomorrow, and these guys have been given a tremendous opportunity that never thought they were gonna get it."