sailor . com Lake Conference Hockey • Thursday , December 12 , 2024 Page 19
EDINA HORNETS GIRLS HOCKEY
Young team with 6 seniors is state contender
JOHN SHERMAN john . sherman @ apgecm . com
Despite listing only six seniors on the roster this season , the Edina High girls hockey team is determined to defend the state Class AA championship that it won last season .
The Hornets posted a 24-6-1 record and overtook rankings leaders Minnetonka and Andover at the end of the season .
“ We don ’ t have a lot of seniors , but we might be stronger and faster than last year ,” said Reese Mc- Connell , one of two senior
goalies along with Nora Hannan .
The amazing thing about last season ’ s state champions is that the Hornets had only three seniors - forward Hannah Halverson and defensemen Nora McConnell and Taylor Porthan . Halverson completed her fourth year on varsity as one of the leading scorers in Edina history .
The Hornets ’ offense is led by three returning All-Lake Conference forwards - senior Whitney Horton and juniors Cate McCoy and Lorelai Nelson .
1 - Senior goalie Reese McConnell 5 - Sophomore forward Kayla Starr 6 - Sophomore defenseman Kaylan Kapsen 7 - Sophomore defenseman Libby Moe 8 - Junior forward Cate McCoy 9 - Senior forward Stella Hankinson 10 - Sophomore forward Emerson Fritz 11 - Senior defenseman Camille Dubuc 12 - Junior forward Lorelai Nelson 13 - Junior forward Gina Russo 14 - Sophomore forward Audrey Davis 15 - Senior forward Whitney Horton 17 - Junior defenseman Brenna Prellwitz 18 - Junior forward Charlotte Theirl 19 - Junior defenseman Taylor Gardner 21 - Senior forward Kaylee Idrogo-Lam 23 - Sophomore defenseman Lily Horton 35 - Senior goalie Nora Hannan
( SUN PHOTO BY JOHN SHERMAN )
The six seniors on the 2024-25 Edina girls hockey team are , from left to right : Nora Hannan , Stella Hankinson , Whitney Horton , Camille Dubuc , Kaylee Idrogo-Lam and Reese McConnell .
In games played the first week of the 2024-25 season , both Horton and Nelson passed the 100-point mark for their careers . Both are in their fourth season on varsity . In all , 10 of the top 11 forwards return this season .
For the seniors on varsity , hockey has never been about personal statistics . It is about the team bond and the entire group working together .
“ Our style is to move the puck ,” senior forward Stella Hankinson said .
The Lake Conference season usually comes down to a title race between Edina and Minnetonka , and there is no reason to expect that to change this season .
“ Minnetonka is always a good rival ,” Edina senior forward Kaylee Idrogo- Lam said . “ We have to use our speed and keep burying the puck .”
Idrogo-Lam played for the Edina girls soccer team this fall , so she missed out on some of the preseason fall skating . But at the same time , she reported to hockey tryouts in great shape from all the running she did on the soccer field . The Hornets made it to the state finals before losing 3-1 to Lake Conference rival Wayzata .
There was a lot of anticipation for hockey tryouts this season along with some anxiety .
“ We had a very large group for tryouts ,” McConnell said . The new players were mostly candidates for the JV team with so many varsity players returning .
“ It is fun to have young players coming in to support us ,” Idrogo-Lam said .
In their first two games this season , the Hornets outscored Rogers and Proctor / Hermantown by a combined 14-1 margin . The scoring was spread out among the forwards and the defensemen .
“ If we can continue to play like that , we ’ ll be just fine ,” McConnell said .
Camille Dubuc , another key senior , is one of Edina ’ s defensive leaders along with Idrogo-Lam and juniors Brenna Prellwitz and Taylor Gardner .
Dubuc said one of her best experiences in the program has been going to state tournaments and staying together in hotels . “ That is a special time ,” she said . “ It is always cool to be one of the final eight teams .”
To get to the state tournament , Edina usually has to battle private-school powerhouse Benilde- St . Margaret ’ s . The Red Knights , coached by Kevin Gray , have another talented team this season .
Experience in goal is one of the Hornets ’ main assets against every opponent . “ Reese and Nora have been on varsity since they were ninth-graders ,” Idrogo-Lam noted . As freshmen and sophomores they backed up No . 1 goalie Uma Corniea . When Corniea graduated , they shared the position as juniors . McConnell got hot at the end of the season and played well in the state tournament .
“ We have a really good goalie dynamic ,” McConnell said . “ Reese and I always work together .”
McConnell said one of the best things about playing for Edina is the home ice at Braemar Arena . “ Braemar is a great rink , a college-level facility ,” McConnell said .
It is especially fun to play at Braemar when Edina fans pack the arena . The Hornets look for their biggest crowds when the play rivals Minnetonka , Stillwater and Eden Prairie . There is always high interest for the eight-team Walser Invitational . The dates for this year are Dec . 26-28 .