Boys State Hockey: Mahtomedi edges St. Cloud Cathedral again in Class A thriller Mahtomedi secured a 2-1 victory over St. Cloud Cathedral in the Class A Boys Hockey State Tournament quarterfinals on Wednesday at Grand Casino Arena, repeating their earlier win from the regular-season finale. The matchup, which had been anticipated due to the teams’ frequent encounters, once again showcased high-scoring action and defensive resilience. The Zephyrs, seeded fourth, advanced to the semifinals for a potential rematch with No. 1 Hibbing/Chisholm/VCA. The game remained tightly contested throughout, with both teams demonstrating offensive creativity and clutch defensive plays. St. Cloud Cathedral took an early lead just over nine minutes into the contest with a power-play goal from sophomore forward Bo Schmidt. Schmidt fired a one-timer past Mahtomedi goalie Jackson Chesek, who made 35 saves during the game. However, Mahtomedi responded in the second period when junior Will Seevers netted an equalizer. Seevers received a pass from sophomore forward Vinny Redpath behind the St. Cloud Cathedral goal, steadied the puck with his stick, and fired a shot past goalie Hunter Moreland, who finished with 27 saves. The decisive moment came in the final minutes of regulation when senior forward Brayden Fuerst scored the game-winning goal. Fuerst raced down the left side of the ice, angled toward Moreland, and executed a backhand shot that trickled under the goalie’s pads. The puck deflected off Moreland’s left pad and crossed the goal line, sealing the Zephyrs’ victory. Fuerst described the play as a calculated risk, stating, “I saw the defense and I thought, just take it to the net.” While surprised the shot found the net, he added, “I don’t score on many of those shots but I’m glad it went in.#grand_casino_arena #mahtomedi #st_cloud_cathedral #brayden_fuerst #bo_schmidt
