Mahtomedi, for taking down the giants of Class 1A hockey, is the All-Metro Sports Awards Boys Team of the Year

A Hermantown-Warroad rematch in the Class 1A boys hockey state tournament championship game was expected, no destined, to conclude the 2022-23 season.

At least until Mahtomedi broke up the party. The Zephyrs won their second state title in four seasons, preventing both northern powers from enhancing their legacies. Upset victories against defending state champion Hermantown and previously undefeated Warroad made Mahtomedi hockey the 2023 All-Metro Sports Awards Boys Team of the Year.

"This team is a special team," Zephyrs coach Jeff Poeschl told the media after the championship game. "They have raised the work ethic to a new level.

"I was reflecting during the tournament that I've only had to raise my voice twice this whole season," Poeschl continued. "But other than that, it's been, 'Let's go to work; it's time to get things done.' It was a team, and they knew that if we were going to come out on top, they would need to do it together. My hat's off to 'em."

Jonny Grove scored the tying goal against Hermantown in the semifinals and Charlie Drage added the game-winner in a 2-1 semifinal victory.

Both forwards stood out in the championship game against Warroad. A third-period hat trick from Drage erased a two-goal Warriors lead. A Grove goal secured a 6-5 victory in double overtime.

"We knew that everyone picked the Warroad-Hermantown rematch," Drage said afterward. "We came into it remembering [losing to Warroad] last year and remembering that feeling. We just wanted to knock both of them out."