Minnesota Hockey Journal

BRETT LUDVIGSEN, Dodge County Brett Ludvigsen vividly recalls his first high school home game. Taking the ice as a fresh- man, he stood on the blue line at the ice arena in Kasson, soaking in Dodge County's first action following the Wildcats' improb- able run to the State Championship game some months before. The place was packed, and it was loud; the band bolted out the school song, and specta- tors fought for position along the glass, two to three people deep. "I was so nervous," Ludvigsen says. "But I remember thinking, now I am a part of it." For Dodge County, the best days are ahead with a growing youth program, and top players like current Gophers' forward Brody Lamb blazing the trail, while players like Ludvigsen carry the torch. Proud of the program, they want the community's brand of hockey to grow and thrive, they want it left in good hands, and they want to be a part of it. Dodge County is a unique community in that it spans three high schools (Kasson- Mantorville, Byron, and Triton) in southeast Minnesota. It's a team that brings people together from multiple smaller towns where hockey has not always been the dominant draw. But the Wildcats have been successful, having won nearly 70 percent of their games over the past five years. "People ask me if it's weird to play with teammates who I don't go to school with, but I feel it's really cool because I've made a lot of friends from the surrounding schools," Ludvigsen says. "Even people that don't play hockey, or play other sports, people who show up to our games, or are mutual friends. I feel like that's been pretty cool." Carrying on the tradition is important. So is development. Ludvigsen wanted to con- tinue developing physically while taking on more leadership skills. With two years of steady production in the Elite League to his resume, Ludvigsen can trust in high school hockey to get him where he wants to be while offering him the most socially as well. "If you look at Division I rosters or junior rosters, it seems like half of those teams are made up of players from Minnesota, and I think that tells you something about the level of skill that exists here," Ludvigsen says. "When you compete here against those guys, it prepares you for the next level. And playing games in the Elite League against players who, all of them, will go on to play somewhere, that means high-level competition is right here for you." TAVEN JAMES, Warroad Things are always a little different in Hockey Town, USA, and Warroad senior forward Taven James knows it. There is free ice every day, and he and his friends sure love to use it. "It's an amazing community here for hock- ey, and I want to be a part of it," James says. "To represent that (Warroad) logo every day, what it means and what it represents about our community, it's amazing. It shows what we are all about." Warroad, a town of 1,959 people on the southwest shore of Lake of the Woods, and 6 miles from the Canadian border crossing, has produced 7 Olympians, 5 NHL players, and more than 80 D -I college players. There is something in the water in Warroad. James knows he's in the right place. With the 'C' on his sweater, James feels that honor and challenge are more vital to his development than anything he can find in junior hockey. "Being the captain means a lot to me," James says. "I think that responsibility and everything that goes with it is preparing me well for whatever is next." James tallied 63 points with 22 goals as a junior for a team whose only loss of the sea- son came in the Class 1A State Championship thriller, a 6-5 double-overtime stunner to Mahtomedi. Whenever the Warriors get their State Tourney sendoff and board the bus to St. Paul, the reception is grand, and the town shuts down for a little while. "Warroad is a unique place, but so is Minnesota hockey in general," James says. "The traditions and the tournament are something every player should get to experi- ence. Some don't, and that is unfortunate, but getting to represent your community is something that is amazing." M H J O N L I N E . C O M | MARCH 2 0 2 5 26 I LIKE PLAYING WITH THE PUCK ON MY STICK AND BEING COMFORTABLE TO GIVE IT UP TO GET IT BACK. PLAYING AT CATHEDRAL ALLOWS ME TO CONTINUE TO LEARN TO PLAY THE GAME THE RIGHT WAY AND TO BE A LEADER. THAT'S IMPORTANT IN DEVELOPMENT, TOO." – John Hirschfeld St. Cloud Cathedral Brent Solomon is committed to the University of Wisconsin.

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