UPDATE: Girls' Hockey Team Inches Closer to State Tournament Bid

North Wright County left little doubt about how much they wanted to avenge an early-season loss to Brainerd/Little Falls, and the RiverHawks advanced to the Section 8AA final with a 2-0 win Tuesday night in Monticello. 

Dani Sibley beat the buzzer with a first period goal, and junior Sam Pitts slammed the door with a second period score that created the final margin. 

Amanda Koep stopped 21 shots for a huge shutout, as the Hawks moved one game closer to its first-ever state tournament bid (independent of Buffalo). 

"Amanda was lights out, controlling her rebounds and making sharp saves throughout the entire game," said Tim Hanson, Hawks head coach. "We outshot them, but Koep made some beauties to lead us into the finals." 

Sibley, just a sophomore, is the team's second-leading scorer and had been held off the board in her last four games, despite contributing with multiple assists in three of those games. She got the game winner Tuesday, and set the tone for the Hawks. The goal came off a late faceoff in the Brainerd zone. Maddie Sjelin won the draw, and the puck came to Sibley in front. She got off two shots and scored on the rebound.

"It was gritty effort by our players which resulted in a huge step for our program making it to the section final for the first time in River Hawks history," Hanson said. 

North Wright County will travel to Detroit Lake Friday to take on Roseau in the Section 8AA finals. The two teams met back in December in Roseau, with the Rams coming back to earn a 3-3 tie. The puck drops at 8 p.m.

This year's top seed in the section tourney, Roseau ended the Hawks' season last year with a 3-2 win in the Section 8AA quarterfinal. 

"Our girls will need to step up their game and play like veterans against them," Hanson said. "We’ve been close both times we’ve played them, and this time we want to pull it off.  I know our girls will be focused and ready to play come Friday night. It's set up to be a great game."