Reigning State Champion Warroad Girls’ Hockey Finds Positives in Pressure Ahead of Postseason

Warroad girls’ hockey is the epitome of a dynasty. They’ve won the past three state titles and five in total, accompanied by five state runner up finishes, 15 section championships, and have appeared in the last nine-straight state tournaments. They are one of the most successful girls hockey teams in the past two decades. But with success can come pressure. Luckily, pressure is just another day on the ice for Warroad.

As the saying goes, “no pressure, no diamonds.” Maybe that’s why it’s welcomed by Warroad girls’ hockey and why they’ve won the last three Class A State Championships.

“It feels really good to have that kind of pressure, and I think the pressure helps us perform,” said senior captain Katy Comstock. “But also, it’s a new year, so we can’t be dwelling on past teams. We just have to look ahead.”

What lies ahead is a different kind of pressure, an opportunity to do something no girls team has ever done in the state of hockey: win four titles in a row. The Warriors handle that pressure by focusing on the here and now.

“When the puck drops on a new season, you have to prove yourself all over again,” said head coach David “Izzy” Marvin. “Everybody wants a piece of the champion, you know? And we barely got out of our section last year, and that’s fresh in our minds.”

In last year’s Section 8A Final, Warroad overcame the pressure of a two-goal deficit in the third period to beat Crookston and keep their state title three-peat hopes alive. That kind of pressure pales in comparison to the pressure of living up to the Warrior culture, a culture sewn into the very fabric of their uniforms.

“I feel like there’s always a little bit of pressure every time you put this jersey on, just for what it represents,” admitted senior captain Kaiya Sandy. “But we’re a really strong team. We have a lot of strong-willed girls on this team. We can fight through adversity. That’s one of the strongest aspects of our team is, we know how to work hard when it’s not the easiest or when we don’t always want to work hard.”

But they have been working hard. From the seniors on down to the eighth graders who play, not for lack of depth, but because the best player plays. It’s why a sophomore, Jaylie French, leads the team in both goals and points this season, although she attributes it to more than just her own hard work.

“Chemistry,” French said confidently. “This year we have so much chemistry because we’ve been playing with each other for multiple years. Our team is getting better each year because we’re having the same girls, so it’s like, we can’t fall down. We always have to keep building, but we’re doing the little things to become a team that’s better than last year.”

It’s a sentiment that’s been passed down from warrior to warrior, year after year, generation to generation. It’s how the Warroad culture stays alive. The kind that understands, “no pressure, no diamonds.”

“Their effect on our hockey club to this day is still present,” Marvin said. “That’s where Sandy and Comstock get it from. And they’ve got an opportunity to do something pretty special. But they understand how much work it’ll take.”

After a 4-1 win over rival Roseau Tuesday, Warroad improved to 20-and-3 on the season and have now won 13 straight games. They still sit atop the the girls’ hockey Class A rankings, and with just two games left before the Section 8A tournament begins next week, they remain the favorites to win the Class A State Title.