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HOME ICE: Ralph Engelstad Arena The Old Arena, The Huck Olson Memorial Civic Center NICKNAME: Prowlers 16 Thief River Falls State of Hockey Spotlight When it comes to hockey histories, few towns in Minnesota can match the longevity and success of Thief River Falls, the hockey hotbed of just under 9,000 people in the northwest region of the state, approximately 70 miles south of the Canada-U.S. border. Perhaps best known to outsiders as the birthplace of the Steiger Tractor or the home of snowmobile manufacturer Arctic Cat, to fans in the State of Hockey, Thief River Falls, or "TRF," also has a long-standing rep- utation for producing great hockey teams and memorable moments that date back to the 1940s. High school hockey in Minnesota officially began in 1945, and it was the Thief River Falls Prowlers who, with a young Ralph Engelstad between the pipes, won the first documented State High School Hockey Tournament game, 3-2, over White Bear Lake. Fast forward nearly 80 years later, and TRF is still making its mark on the Minnesota hockey landscape. STORIED PAST, BRIGHT FUTURE From that first Minnesota State High School Hockey Tournament to boys' state titles in 1954 and 1956, deep runs in 2011, 2016 and 2018, and a girls' championship win in 2015, TRF's place in Minnesota hock- ey lore is secure. Co-hosting the IIHF World Junior Championship in 2005 and scoring big during last year's Hockey Day Minnesota event in Warroad merely added to the town's hotbed status. The latest chapter in TRF's hockey success story belongs to its Peewee A team, which, in 2024, became the first TRF Amateur Hockey- Association team to win a State Championship. Photos / Thief River Falls Amateur Hockey Association P R E S E N T E D B Y by Steve Mann DISTRICT: Leif Spears PRESIDENT: 200 2023-24 REGISTRATION NUMBERS: 16 STATE HOCKEY M H J ON L I N E . C O M | N O V / D E C 2 0 2 4 of