The Alexandria boys hockey team made a fourth straight trip to the section title game this winter in a season that saw senior forward Caleb Strong named as the Cardinals’ MVP.
Strong also got the team’s Top Scorer Award after leading Alexandria in points. He finished with 50 points overall through the regular season and playoffs after tallying 27 goals and 23 assists.
Strong was also a second-team All-Section 6A selection for his four points in the playoffs. He joined teammates Andrew Revering, a senior defenseman, and senior goaltender Landyn James as All-Central Lakes Conference players, while Joe Westlund, Derek Pesta, Matthew Carlsen and Josiah Gronholz were honorable-mention selections. James led the team in wins from goal at 11-2-0 overall with a 2.05 goals-against average and a .912 save percentage.
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Revering made his mark with this group by being a first-team all-section selection. He set the tone for the Cardinals by earning this group’s Outstanding Leadership Award and Best Defensive Player Award. Revering also got in on the act offensively with 24 points on two goals and 22 assists.
Westlund was named the team’s hardest worker as a junior forward. He was third on the team in points with 31. Westlund finished with 17 assists and 14 goals. Gronholz, a sophomore, was second on the team in scoring with 38 points (18 goals, 20 assists).
Senior forward Derek Pesta rounded out Alexandria’s award winners by being named the most-improved player. He stepped up into a more prominent role this winter and finished with 25 points on 12 goals and 13 assists.
The Cardinals wrapped up their season at 19-9 overall and with a 10-3 record in the CLC. Alexandria beat Morris-Benson Area 7-1 and Little Falls 2-0 in the first two rounds of the Section 6A playoffs before its postseason run came to an end in the section title game during an 8-1 loss to defending state champion St. Cloud Cathedral.
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