RECAP: Grand Forks Central Boys Hockey Wins 30th Title
THE KNIGHTS DEFEATED THE GRAND FORKS RED RIVER ROUGHRIDERS 2-1 TO WIN THE TITLE.
GRAND FORKS, N.D. (KVRR) –Grand Forks has a championship winning tradition in North Dakota High School boys hockey. Prior to Saturday’s Title game, Grand Forks Central had won 29 titles and Grand Forks Red River had won 20. On Saturday they met in the title game for the 12th time and second straight season.
“We are 100% back, baby,” said Knights junior forward and tournament MVP Cooper Deziel.”Hang 30!”
That was the message on the ice after the game that saw the Knights defeat the Roughriders 2-1 to capture their 30th title.
Thirty is by far a state record, but it was not an easy road to hang that elusive 30th banner.
In the semifinals Friday night, Central was down 3-0 to West Fargo, but not even that was stopping this team from reaching the title game for the second straight season.
“In the locker room, we were telling each other to keep your heads up,” said Deziel. “I mean, we are down 0-3. We got to come back. We got to do something and figure it out, and we had nothing to lose there and we came back and here we are now: State champs, baby.”
State champs against the team that beat them in last season’s title game. In-city rival, Grand Forks Red River.
“Words can’t even describe how happy we all are,” said Deziel. “Just from last year, we wanted revenge on these boys, and we got it today.”
In Saturday’s final, Ryder Rivard opened the scoring in the first, and Trey Clauson added one in the second. Red River finally broke through late in the third, but the Knights guarded the lead to the final buzzer to win the title. And even though winning is not uncommon for this program, every championship is special.
“It’s always fantastic, right?” Said head coach Grant Paranica. “No matter what it is when you win, it never gets old, right? It’s always a lot of fun, and for both teams, I think just to play in that game is quite remarkable.”
After banner number 30 eventually gets put up, it’s back to the drawing board to try for number 31.
“We won one, and that’s always good. But next year, it’s going to be starting from scratch again, and everybody gets a fair shot to take a run at it.”
