2025-2026 ND High School Hockey Thread

[SiouxperDave]

10 hours ago, sioux rube said:

Jays with a huge win tonight 3-2 over Minot. The West is up for grabs now 

It was a great night for JHS athletics. The girls basketball team snapped a 28 game losing streak against Century with a 59-56 win. Century beat them 90-28 earlier in the season. 

[Brim006]

13 minutes ago, SiouxperDave said:

It was a great night for JHS athletics. The girls basketball team snapped a 28 game losing streak against Century with a 59-56 win. Century beat them 90-28 earlier in the season. 

holy crap 

[sioux rube]

37 minutes ago, Brim006 said:

Wow I didn't realize they were only sitting with 2 losses in WDA play. So yes, with that win coupled with their win over Legacy the other night, the Jays are positioning themselves as a legit #1 contender in the west. Now another big game this Friday against Legacy again.

Nice to not only see them in the mix for a top 4 spot, but to be competing for the WDA championship. When's the last time Jamestown won that? I know they were in the east for many years until swapping with DL in 2007 so maybe this would be the first? 

Don’t quote me on this but I’m thinking 21/22 season 

[Brim006]

On 1/26/2026 at 3:38 PM, Brim006 said:

Jr. Carson Hogness with a shoulder injury. He was a solid top 6 F last year and again this year. Smaller fast and disruptive forward that does a lot for them on PK and other playmaking off the scoresheet. He was back for the GFC game, but that apparently didn't help much haha. Hopefully he heals all the way up and starts burying the puck a bit more now like they need him to. I think they have 5-6 decent forwards by EDC standards, so losing 2 of them essentially took them from a 2 line team to a 1 line team. I think with Hogness back they at least have 2 decent lines again. 

In his first game back last night in DL's win over WF, he had 1 goal and 1 assist which was good enough for player of the game. His assist was a nice pass to get Stromme on a breakaway for a goal. 

[Siouxphan27]

1 hour ago, SiouxperDave said:

It was a great night for JHS athletics. The girls basketball team snapped a 28 game losing streak against Century with a 59-56 win. Century beat them 90-28 earlier in the season. 

wow that is unreal.  i don't think i can recall a greater point differential turn around or whatever you call it within a season.  Well done Jamestown!

[gfhockey]

I still can’t believe minot only has one team

[siouxfaninseattle]

GFC looks to be a lock to win EDC. They have two 6 point games left and should win both, and two other conference games. GFRR has three games left.

[Wilbur]

Big win for Jamestown.  Hearing rumors that they are floating the possibility of moving back to the EDC.  Would save on travel costs immensely.

[gfhockey]

8 minutes ago, Wilbur said:

Big win for Jamestown.  Hearing rumors that they are floating the possibility of moving back to the EDC.  Would save on travel costs immensely.

Hope not I love seeing them in state and with  the Fargo schools and two gf schools a lock every year 

[Brim006]

28 minutes ago, Wilbur said:

Big win for Jamestown.  Hearing rumors that they are floating the possibility of moving back to the EDC.  Would save on travel costs immensely.

Hmmm, I wonder how that would work? Since I'm assuming DL doesn't want to swap with them again, and both EDC and WDA are at an even 10 right now. HB seems to be hanging on by a thread so if they drop out and Jamestown leaves it would be 11 EDC and 8 WDA. But maybe uneven number of teams doesn't matter? 

But also, I suppose Minot could split into 2 at any time, and maybe HB has no plans of dropping out. 

Any chance of Wahp ever coming back? 

[Brim006]

Wait a minute...I feel like I recall people on here mentioning Minot takes their JR Gold team very seriously and is a big part of the reason why they don't want to split up into 2 varsity teams. But it doesn't look like Minot even has a JR Gold team? So now I'm confused. 

[gfhockey]

40 minutes ago, Brim006 said:

Wait a minute...I feel like I recall people on here mentioning Minot takes their JR Gold team very seriously and is a big part of the reason why they don't want to split up into 2 varsity teams. But it doesn't look like Minot even has a JR Gold team? So now I'm confused. 

Yeah, I don’t see mine has a junior gold team either

[MoSiouxFan]

3 hours ago, Brim006 said:

In his first game back last night in DL's win over WF, he had 1 goal and 1 assist which was good enough for player of the game. His assist was a nice pass to get Stromme on a breakaway for a goal. 

Yes, he was definitely a difference-maker his first game back.

[sioux rube]

1 hour ago, Wilbur said:

Big win for Jamestown.  Hearing rumors that they are floating the possibility of moving back to the EDC.  Would save on travel costs immensely.

I have not heard those rumors. Now I could possibly see that happen if Watford City leaves Junior Gold and joins the high school side. That talk has been around for awhile but last year when my bantam team played in WC the talk was pretty serious so we shall see. Personally I’d love to see them in the East 

[Brim006]

1 minute ago, sioux rube said:

I have not heard those rumors. Now I could possibly see that happen if Watford City leaves Junior Gold and joins the high school side. That talk has been around for awhile but last year when my bantam team played in WC the talk was pretty serious so we shall see. Personally I’d love to see them in the East 

That would be great. 
 

junior gold would be down to like 6 teams? 

[Johnny Five]

I did hear Minot didn't have enough for Junior Gold this year.  

Speaking of Watford City, I've heard that they are schedule GIRLS HS Hockey games for next season.

[Brim006]

17 minutes ago, Johnny Five said:

I did hear Minot didn't have enough for Junior Gold this year.  

Speaking of Watford City, I've heard that they are schedule GIRLS HS Hockey games for next season.

That's a big first step! Hopefully boys mix in some games sooner than later to kick off the transition. 

[Johnny Five]

Speaking of Girls Hockey.  North has only lost out on 1 conference point this year as WF took them to OT last week.  Fischer has accounted for 20 of the teams 63 goals as a defenseman.  It's impossible to verbally describe how much she affects a game.  I didn't get to see Bartz in action live, but Fischer has to be the most impactful player in the state since Bartz and then Britta Curl before that.  

Kilgore has the GF girls on a 8 game run.  LB has won 11/12 with only loss in that time coming 2-1 to North.  These 2 teams line up this weekend in a big battle for the inside track on the 2 seed (LB handed GF last loss before Christmas), but pretty impressive run for GF who has a young team.  Couple other dandies this weekend as CHS travels to take on both North and WFU on the road in some massive games for seeding purposes, especially for WFU and CHS.  

Don't let the standings fool you, however.  Outside the 1/8 matchup....every 1st round game at State has the potential for an "upset" if that's what you want to call it, there really are not upsets anymore.  

[sioux rube]

1 hour ago, Brim006 said:

That would be great. 
 

junior gold would be down to like 6 teams? 

Their bantam teams the last few years including this years team have been very competitive in the A division. Their bantam team is currently number 1 in the west 

[Wilbur]

7 hours ago, sioux rube said:

I have not heard those rumors. Now I could possibly see that happen if Watford City leaves Junior Gold and joins the high school side. That talk has been around for awhile but last year when my bantam team played in WC the talk was pretty serious so we shall see. Personally I’d love to see them in the East 

I think it makes the most sense.  Furthest bus trip is Grafton conference wise and you can play your non conference with Bismarck schools.  

[dustnyou]

11 hours ago, sioux rube said:

Don’t quote me on this but I’m thinking 21/22 season 

That’s correct. They then lost opening game of state tournament to EDC 4th seed WF Sheyenne. 

[sioux rube]

31 minutes ago, Wilbur said:

I think it makes the most sense.  Furthest bus trip is Grafton conference wise and you can play your non conference with Bismarck schools.  

Yes I’m all for it. Playing Hazen twice year is such a waste of 2 games. Not to mention going to Williston every year. Plus tougher competition only makes one better

[Frozen4sioux]

52 minutes ago, sioux rube said:

Yes I’m all for it. Playing Hazen twice year is such a waste of 2 games. Not to mention going to Williston every year. Plus tougher competition only makes one better

If Watford city goes varsity I could see it as a balancing out so to say, maybe just have to have Mayport and 10th place do a play in to go to the play in...

would be even more attractive for jamestown if state tourney goes back to an at large8 teams vs 4 and 4.

[JakeLove]

If MayPort is allowed into the EDC , why not allow the traditional EDC powers to opt-out and then allow them to cherry-pick a schedule (just like MayPort has been doing). especially GFC and GFRR who basically have 3 competitive league games this year (against each other).
 

If Jamestown doesn’t want to play Hazen Beulah twice, why should GFC, GFRR, etc play MayPort at all? Or why should GFC, GFRR play Jamestown twice should the BlueJays return to the EDC. Dont take this as a dig in Jamestown, our hockey is better when they get better (plus many a friend grew up there) these are merely hypotheticals to make discussion points similar to the earlier stated distaste of Jamestown playing H-B 2x a year. 
 

you could go on and on with these “what ifs”. 
 

none of the above “what if” scenarios are good for the entirety of ND Hockey as all of them in all likelihood disadvantage anyone west of the Sheyenne River watershed and all have an element of doing what’s best for ones’ self not what’s best as a whole. 

 

lastly, 4 WDA and 4 EDC teams at state is the right way. Besides, If a team wanted to increase their odds of making it, stay in the WDA (ha-ha). 

I say this - find a way to make everyone better! 

[Brim006]

9 hours ago, JakeLove said:

If MayPort is allowed into the EDC , why not allow the traditional EDC powers to opt-out and then allow them to cherry-pick a schedule (just like MayPort has been doing). especially GFC and GFRR who basically have 3 competitive league games this year (against each other).
 

If Jamestown doesn’t want to play Hazen Beulah twice, why should GFC, GFRR, etc play MayPort at all? Or why should GFC, GFRR play Jamestown twice should the BlueJays return to the EDC. Dont take this as a dig in Jamestown, our hockey is better when they get better (plus many a friend grew up there) these are merely hypotheticals to make discussion points similar to the earlier stated distaste of Jamestown playing H-B 2x a year. 
 

you could go on and on with these “what ifs”. 
 

none of the above “what if” scenarios are good for the entirety of ND Hockey as all of them in all likelihood disadvantage anyone west of the Sheyenne River watershed and all have an element of doing what’s best for ones’ self not what’s best as a whole. 

 

lastly, 4 WDA and 4 EDC teams at state is the right way. Besides, If a team wanted to increase their odds of making it, stay in the WDA (ha-ha). 

I say this - find a way to make everyone better! 

I think leadership allowing more games takes care of a lot of the non-con limitation concerns especially for the GF teams, and it would also keep a few more kids from leaving early due to the more games in juniors excuse. I agree the Mayport situation is a bit odd, and I thought it was only supposed to be temporary but now it's year 7. I'm not exactly sure what the best solution is for Mayport, but allowing more games for everyone improves every single potential solution. If Jamestown gets added to the EDC, and Mayport becomes a full time member, the non-con games are going to be even more limited, so I'd imagine we'd start seeing even more 6-point games. Maybe that would finally push the envelope for getting more games added. 

Does anyone happen to know the argument against allowing more games? It seems like it would be overwhelmingly positive to allow it, and I have never heard of a single decent argument against it yet. Even just 2 games would make a big difference, but preferably 3-4. 

I might be mistaken but I don't think GFC has ever played Mayport yet a single time in the 7 years Mayport has been a part of the NDHS hockey system. GFRR played them 1 time at EDC quarterfinals last season when Mayport upset WF to make it past the play-in game round for the very first time. 

Side note: Are the GF teams or anyone else being denied 6-point game requests? If a team such as jamestown doesnt want to play HB twice, can't they just schedule a 6-point game and free up a game on both of their schedules?