No. 3 Brookings blanks No. 1 Aberdeen 2-0 for state girls hockey title

Roger Merriam, Watertown Public Opinion
·2 min read
The Brookings Rangers won the 2023 South Dakota Amateur Hockey Association's varsity girls state championship with a 2-0 win over the Aberdeen Cougars on Sunday, March 5, 2023 in Sioux Falls.
The Brookings Rangers won the 2023 South Dakota Amateur Hockey Association's varsity girls state championship with a 2-0 win over the Aberdeen Cougars on Sunday, March 5, 2023 in Sioux Falls.

SIOUX FALLS — The third-seeded Brookings Rangers avenged two regular-season losses to the top-seeded Aberdeen Cougars with a 2-0 win on Sunday in the championship game of the 2023 South Dakota Amateur Hockey Association's varsity girls state tournament.

Briella Van Dusseldorp of Watertown and Savannah Barber each tallied goals for the Rangers, who lost to Aberdeen 5-2 and 5-3 during the SDAHA's regular season. Barber also had an assist and Rorii Quam made 22 saves in net.

Chloe Vikander recorded 16 saves for Aberdeen, which outshot Brookings 25-18.

Brookings finished 16-3 and Aberdeen 17-2 in SDAHA games counting the state touranment.

In other games Sunday, the second-seeded Sioux Falls Flyers topped the fifth-seeded Mitchell Marlins 2-0 and the fourth-seeded Rushmore Thunder downed the seventh-seeded Sioux Center (Iowa) Thunder 4-1 in the consolation championship.

Rebecca Harris and Rylan Peska each scored goals for Sioux Falls. Lucia Vidas had a goal and two assists to lead Rushmore to its win.

SDAHA Awards

All-State First Team: Forwards Kran Vugteveen and Savannah Barber, Brookings Rangers and Brynlee Sabers, Mitchell Marlins. Defenders Devin Hunter, Huron All-Stars and Reese Amick, Mitchell Marlins; and Goaltender Sydney Fornwald, Sioux Falls Flyers.

All-State Second Team: Forwards Kylee Small, Huron All-Stars; Makenna Tronnes, Mitchell Marlins and Briella Van Dusseldorp, Brookings Rangers; Defenders Rylan Peska, Sioux Falls Flyers and Paige Zimiga, Rapid City Thunder; and Goaltender Abagail Stewart-Fromm, Oahe Capitals.

Coach of the Year: Mark Bukovich, Sioux Falls Flyers.

Hobey Baker Character Award (By Team): Given for character, commitment, persistence, selfishness, academic excellence and sportsmanship. Team winners included Lauren Scheel, Aberdeen Cougars; Jayda Kranz, Watertown Lakers; Kylee Small, Huron All-Stars; Sara Bierne, Oahe Capitals; Kylee Regennitter, Sioux Center (Iowa) Storm; Kiran Vugteveen, Brookings Rangers; Olivia Nockels, Mitchell Maqrlins; Lucia Vidas, Rushmore Thunder; and Alyssa Lingen, Sioux Falls Flyers.

Academic All-State: Must be senior, played SDAHA hockey for at least three years and maintained a cumulative grade-point average of 3.3 or better on a 4.0 scale. Honorees include Reece Ermer, Sydney Hofer, Ema Rehder and Madalynn Witte of Aberdeen; Aletha Baker, Savannah Barber and Ella Park of Brookings; Devin Hunter of Huron; Sadie Kludt of Mitchell; Sara Bierne and Alyssa Stahl of Oahe; Lucia Vidas and Samantha Woolsey of Rushmore; Allison Moore and Kylee Regennitter of Sioux Center; and Alysssa Lingen of Sioux Falls.

This article originally appeared on Watertown Public Opinion: Rangers avenged two regular-season SDAHA losses to the Cougars.