Hill-Murray boys hockey happy to be back together after state title run in March
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Monday was the first day that high school teams in Minnesota could begin summer workouts, and that’s exactly what the Hill-Murray boys hockey team did. With COVID-19 shutting schools down in mid-March, today was a long time coming.
KSTP Sports was at Hill-Murray’s Maplewood campus for their conditioning session. The excitement of the players being back together was palpable.
The Pioneers went on a memorable run in March, winning the AA state championship. It was their 30th state tournament appearance, and fourth championship. They last had won it all in 2008.
KSTP Sports talked to long-time head coach Bill Lechner and senior captain defenseman Joey Palodichuk (Wisconsin commitment).
***Click the video box on this page to watch our chats with Lechner and Palodichuk, and to see the Pioneers workout***
The Hill-Murray boys hockey team uses June for off-ice conditioning, and Monday was the first day the State High School League allowed them to gather.[KSTP: Jeff Brioschi]
Lechner touched on his happiness in having his team back together, the new normal when it comes to social distancing measures when together, and his memories of the state title run.
Palodichuk talked about seeing his teammates all together again, the atypical nature of the last few months, and his memories of winning it all. He missed the state title game win over Eden Prairie because of mono, but had a ton to do with the Pioneers being in that position to begin with.