Section 3A/AA claimed the title at the 35th annual CCM High Performance Ted Brill Great 8 Festival in South St. Paul, MN with an 8-4 win over Section 1A/AA on Sunday afternoon. Section 3A/AA put on an offensive show throughout the weekend scoring 25 goals in three games.

After rolling to 10-2 and 7-2 wins over Section 2A/AA and Section 5A/AA, respectively, Section 3A/AA once again asserted their offensive power in the championship game against Section 1A/AA. Section 3A/AA jumped out to an early lead less than three minutes into the game and never looked back. 

Cade Borchardt (Burnsville) set the tone for Section 3A/AA with primary assists on each of the team’s first three goals and finishing with four assists on the day.

“Cade took a puck from a guy and gave me a perfect pass,” said Derek Hammer (East Ridge), who took the pass and fired the puck into the far corner for the game’s first goal.

Later in the period, Section 3 drew the game’s first power play and used it to extend their lead to 2-0. Once again, it would be Borchardt using a great pass to create a scoring chance for his linemate.  This time it was Burnsville teammate Erik Otto waiting on the backdoor. Section 1A/AA goaltender Josh DeBoer (La Crescent) made a great stop on Otto’s initial shot, but Otto followed the puck to the net and cashed in on the rebound.  

Judd Schulz (Mankato East) got Section 1A/AA on the board by winning a battle behind the net and feeding Adam Hazlett (Lakeville South) to make it 2-1, but Section 3A/AA responded on the very next shift.  Nolan Sawchuk blasted a one-timer off another great feed by Borchardt to recapture their two goal lead.

With under a minute left in the period, Section 3A/AA looked like they might pull away as Weiland Parrish (Bloomington Jeferson) fired home a rebound to make it 4-1.  

Section 1A/AA took over the last minute of the period though using another nice play Schulz and Hazlett to make it 4-2. Then, they sustained pressure the rest of the period and forced to make Section 3A/AA netminder Tyler Domeier (Redwood Valley) to make a couple of key saves to maintain a two goal lead.

“It was big to carry over the momentum,” said Section 3A/AA coach Joe Stremcha (Redwood Valley). “Our goalies have really played well for us. They’re stopping the shots they need to and keeping us in the game right from the start.”

A few key saves proved to be exactly what Section 3A/AA needed as they came out of the locker room firing on all cylinders.

Nick Lucas (Park-Cottage Grove) walked off the half wall and used a quick wrist shot to score on the first shift. Chaz Smedsrud (Luverne) followed it up with a rebound goal just a minute later to extend Section 3A/AA’s lead to 6-2.

Section 1A/AA pushed back with goals by Schulz and Josh Frerks (Rochester John Marshall), but Hammer and Smedsrud answered with their second goals of the day to earn Section 3A/AA the Ted Brill Cup.

“The biggest thing we told the guys is to compete,” said Stremcha. “That’s what everyone here is looking for - guys who are willing to go hard in the corners and win races to loose pucks. At the end of the day, that’s what came here to do is to compete. It’s nice to take home the championship.”