2025 News Tribune Boys Hockey All -area Team – Duluth News Tribune

The 2024-25 season was different from all others in the recent memory for section 7.

For the first time since 2008, Hermantown was refused a place in the section title game and they were unable to claim a place in class A state tournament for the second time since 2009.

Instead, it was a young Hibbing/Chishholm team that came together at the right time to send the Hawks home without a section title for the first time since 2019.

The Bluejackets then covered Cloquet-Eko-Carlton on Whitaker Rendertzs ​​Highlight-Reel Overtime Game-Winner to achieve a place in the state.

Hibbing/Chishholm was short of the state, but with only a handful of seniors the Bluejackets have been set up to fight for years to come.

In section 7aa, Andover came from a nightmare that earned the fifth trip to St. Paul in the last six years, but Rock Ridge and first -year coach Matt Niskanen put together an undefeated line that lasted more than two months.

With the rise of the Bluejackets, Lumberjacks and Wolverines this season, so much can even be talked about who is not included in the team than who was.

Hibbing/Chisholms Tate Swanson was named News Tribune All-area Player of the Year, but younger brother Cole Swanson and senior Jace Kampsula second and third in the team in goals, not the list, although Kampsula was the Blauwjacket Namjacket.

With only 12 places and a surplus of excellent hockey in the northeast of Minnesota, choosing the team was an even larger mine field than normal this season.

CEC all-state defender Karson Young has collected an All-area kink, just like Niko Gentilini. Grady Knutson (28-20-48) and Bobby Thornton (21-2142) both had excellent seasons for the lumberjacks, but it was not enough in a season in which three section teams in the top five class A were ranked the lion's part of the season.

Grand Rapids -Superster -goalkeeper Carter Casey and defender Luka Rohloff were the Thunderhawks representatives, but Jameson Duell and Nathan Garski were up for the team leader with 36 points just missed.

Duluth Denfelds John Scott did everything he could to keep the hunters competitive in section 7AA, but he missed the All-area team despite leading his team with 26 goals and 24 assists.

Jed Carlson / Duluth Media Group

Hibbing/Chishholm
Junior Vooruit

• The junior led the team with 22 goals and 42 assists in 2025 and led the Bluejackets to their first section title since 2011.
• Swanson, the All-area Player of the Year in 2025, registered three points in Hibbing/Chishholms Historical victory over Hermantown in the semi-final of section 7a.
• A selection of class A All-Tournament Team, Swanson registered five points in three State Tournament matches for the Bluejackets.

Submitted photo

Hermantown
Senior Vooruit

• The Hawks Senior scored 27 goals 17 more than any other teammate and ended with 42 total points against one of the most difficult schemes in Minnesota, regardless of the class.
• Freeman took his 100th career point in style, on a natural hat trick in a 4-0 dismantling of Eden Prairie January 4.

Submitted photo

Back
Senior Vooruit

• The senior was light during the Wolverines 18 game unbeaten streak and led the team with 32 goals.
• Dimberio was the best attacker in this area, according to coach Matt Niskanen, and scored his 100th career point in a 4-1 win over Duluth Marshall on January 7.

Submitted photo

Cloquet-esko-carlton
Senior defender

• The Senior Defensemans 27 Assists were second in the team to send Niko Gentilini and only an overtime loss for Hibbing/Chishholm in the 7A championship championship prevented the lumber jackets not to go to the State Tournament.
• Even when he did not get his name on the score sheet, it was often Youngs Breakout who created a scoring option for CEC, because everything starts with the senior, according to coach Shea Walters.

Submitted photo

Grand Rapids
Senior defender

• Rohloff was the best defender with a considerable margin in the area, according to Rock Ridge coach Matt Niskanen, and led the Thunderhawks with 25 assists.
• The defender was also a large part of a Grand Rapid's defense that made only 2.3 goals possible per match, while also added 10 goals, including the Thunderhawks Lone goal in a 1-1 draw in Hermantown.

Clint Austin / File / Duluth News Tribune

Grand Rapids
Junior goalkeeper

• Casey, under the top perspectives in Minnesota, ended the 2024-25 season with a .915 savings percentage and a 2.55 goals against average.
• The Thunderhawks did not return to the State Tournament this season, but Casey was perhaps even more reliable in the net than previous seasons to the semi -final of the state.

Submitted photo

Back
Junior Vooruit

• Carlsons 53 total points (23-3053) led the Wolverines in a season in which they went without loss for more than two months.
• The 30 assists Forwards helped Rock Ridge for the first time in the program history to the Section 7AA championship Leiden.

Submitted photo

Cloquet-esko-carlton
Senior Vooruit

• Gentilinis 32 assists and 52 total points led a powerful Lumberjacks attack with seven players who counted at least 18 points this season.
• Gentilini scored a go-ahead goal in the third period of the 7a-title match against Hibbing/Chishholm only to see the blue jackets react with a game winner of Equalizer and overtime.

Submitted photo

Duluth Marshall
Junior Vooruit

• Scissons is a game check according to Hermantown coach Pat Andrews, who leads the Hilltoppers to 15 wins with 20 goals and 41 total points.
• Scissons brought the Hilltoppers in a position to win with a Goedhead goal against class A semi -final Hibbing/Chishholm before a late goal sent the match to overtime.

Submitted photo

Hermantown
Senior defender

• Leadership of Petersons was the key for a Young Hawks Defensive Corps After the departure of the selection of All-area, Esterbrooks will as well as Weston Bohlman and Drew Nelson.
• The Senior Defensemans 21 Assists were the most for every Hermantown player in 2024-25.

Jed Carlson / Duluth Media Group

Hibbing/Chishholm
Junior defender

• Another of the areas the best, according to Rock Ridge coach Matt Niskanen, Sundvall anchored a defense that made only 2.75 goals possible per match.
• Sundvalls 14 goals and 29 assists were the best under Bluejacket defenders on their way to the A semi -final class.

Submitted photo

Hermantown
Junior goalkeeper

• In his first season as the primary little less than Hawks, Francisco only awarded 1.69 goals per match and had a .939 savings percentage.
• Franciscos Six Shutouts were huge for a Hermantown team that occasionally had trouble scoring.

Jamey Malcomb has been a sports reporter in high school for the Duluth News Tribune since October 2021. For the past six years he spent news about news and sport for the Lake County News-Chronicle in two ports and the Cloquet Pine Journal. He graduated from George Washington University in 1999 with a bachelor's degree in history and literature and also has a master's degree in secondary English education at George Mason University.