With Marie Moran college-bound, sister Makayla to keep energy, attitude alive on Apple Valley Eagles hockey team
APPLE VALLEY, Minn. – Minnesota is in playoff season for girls' hockey.
The Moran sisters – Marie and Makayla – play for Apple Valley, a team that was eliminated Saturday night in overtime by Cretin-Derham Hall.
One sister now goes on to play for St. Cloud State, while the other carries on a legacy.
On the ice, the Morans are nearly unstoppable, averaging at least two goals per game.
"Sometimes [I'm] just in the right spot in front of the net and puck just comes to me, or I'm trying to score every shift," Makayla said.
Marie is a senior defender, and she doesn't mind that her sophomore sister – a forward – scores more.
"I'm not too much of a stat rat like her," Marie said.
"What did you just call me?" Makayla said. "Honestly for me, it gives me that extra competition that I need, because I always want to be like better than her, especially because she's my sister."
With complimentary personalities, this works for the Eagles, according to head coach Don Erdal.
"They're very consistent in their effect, their attitude towards the game, what they give forward. But you never know exactly which version of them you're gonna get of them," Erdal said. "Mak is one of our energy leaders. Marie, is super by example, has come into herself vocally. But Mak somehow, some way can understand a room and will actually like figure out the right time and the right place to say something."
It's because they've spent extra time bonding, and not just with each other.
"I like always kind of know about where she is, and I can just fire it and she'll be right there to catch it," Marie said. "Our other teammates can pass around us or pass to us, and we can make a quick pass to another player. We can help make more offense."
"This season's like above and beyond all the other seasons we've had before, just because we have that extra connection," Makayla said.
They're savoring the time before Marie graduates to play in St. Cloud.
"I try my best to make a connection with all the younger people, because might as well leave something," Marie said.
And Makayla won't be far behind. Colleges are already begging for her.
"I'm honestly more just excited to like have that compete level," Makayla said.
In the meantime, the Moran sisters make coaching easy.
"There's always gonna be more humor, there's always gonna be a laugh," Erdal said. "If they can leave the rink with a smile and a sweat, we did our job."