This year, the Blaine Girls High School hockey team has four of their seniors going to a division one college on the east coast to play hockey. Three out of the four that are going are also captains this year. All four of the girls that are going, are traveling across the country to the east coast to play. One of the four, Amy Schlagel, is going to New Hampshire State University, located in Durham, New Hampshire. Twin captains, Samantha and Katie Swanstrom are also going out to the east coast, to Brown University, which is located in Providence, Rhode Island. Also, two year captain Kiersten Falck will be attending Princeton University, in Princeton, New Jersey. It has always been a dream for all of these girls, to go division one to play hockey, and now, next year, their dreams will come true.

Three out of the four, Kiersten, Katie, and Sam, traveling across country to play, have played Blaine varsity hockey since their freshman year. Amy used to play for Coon Rapids varsity as a freshman and a sophomore, but she moved to Blaine last year.

All four of the girls have done visits at their different colleges, and recently, on Wednesday, January 22nd, they all officially signed. This is very exciting for the team because they have not had this many girls all go division one for a few years now. The girls have told me that they are all very excited but a little nervous because it’s a big change from high school hockey. Also, they have said how it will be scary going off to the east coast all alone, which anyone can understand. They will all be relatively close

to each other, so that helps a little bit. They are all best friends as well, and have been for a long time, so it will be very different being separated next year. They grew up playing hockey together as well. They are all extremely good at hockey, being the team’s top four scorers and they are huge role models as well. They are key assets to the team and will be missed next year, but they will be off doing bigger and better things and accomplishing huge goals set years ago.

The girls last home game is this Saturday, February 1st at Fogerty Arena in Blaine, which is senior night. They play Centennial. Senior night has not always been very emotional and intense, but this year it may be different. All of the underclassmen look up to these seniors graduating, especially the ones traveling across the country to play division one hockey.

The hockey team is on fire this year. They have made it a goal of theirs to become section champions, and make it to the state tournament, and hopefully place at state. They want to make this the best year they have ever had, since it is their last. The regular season is coming to an end, and section playoffs being on February 8th. The team is very excited for sections and they feel prepared and ready to take whatever comes in front of them. The girls cannot wait to hopefully accomplish their dreams that were set many years ago.