Warroad claimed its first Class A state title since 2005 with a 5-4 overtime victory over top-seeded Hibbing/Chisholm/VCA in the Minnesota State High School League Boys Hockey State Tournament. Senior forward Mooney Shaugabay scored the game-winner just one minute into the extra period. The win capped a dramatic comeback for the third-seeded Warriors at Grand Casino Arena.
The championship game on Saturday, March 7, 2026, at Grand Casino Arena unfolded as a high-stakes battle between Warroad (25-5-1) and Hibbing/Chisholm/VCA (26-3-2). Warroad took a two-goal lead in the third period, but the Bluejackets mounted a furious comeback with three goals in a 14-minute span. Senior forward Isaiah Hildenbrand initiated the surge, followed by sophomore defender Whitaker Rewertz and senior forward Benny Gall, who gave Hibbing/Chisholm/VCA a 4-3 lead with 3:45 remaining in regulation.
Warroad refused to yield. Junior forward Gavin Andersen tied the score with 46 seconds left, forcing overtime. The decisive moment came early in the extra frame through a precise triangle offensive play. Ninth-grade forward Rodrick Jackson started with a give-and-go to Andersen, who then passed to Shaugabay at the right post. Shaugabay one-timed the puck past the goalie for the victory.
Shaugabay later reflected on the sequence: “It went right to my stick. Then it went in. I don’t remember anything after that.” Warroad coach Jay Hardwick praised the execution: “A lot of times overtime goals aren’t like that. It’s just a mess around the net or it hits somebody’s skate and goes in or whatever. It’s not always pretty like that. We got it up the ice and you just put the puck in those guys’ hands and they’re going to make plays. I’m sure glad they did.”
Senior goalie Patrick Kennedy anchored the defense with 43 saves. This triumph marks Warroad's fifth state title overall and their first since 2005, despite eight runner-up finishes in between. In the third-place game, Mahtomedi defeated Delano 4-3 in overtime, while St. Cloud Cathedral won the consolation final 6-3 over Mankato West.
