CLOQUET-ESKO-CARLTON LUMBERJACKS

Head coach: Courtney Olin, fifth season

2018-2019 Record: 19-8

Conference: Lake Superior

Section: 7A

Key departures: G Elise Lund, D Keagen Anderson

Key returners: Sr. F Taylor Nelson (55 points); sr. F Kiana Bender (49 points); sr. F Dea DeLeon (30 points); so. D Tenley Stewart (10 points)

Outlook: The Lumberjacks return their top five point producers from last season — led by Nelson, Bender and DeLeon — and two senior starters, Emmie Ellena and Jenna Zdebski, also return. CEC will need to break in a starting goalie, with freshman Araya Kiminski and senior Lauren Maslowski contending for the spot. Neither had varsity experience before this season. Olin expects Section 7A to be incredibly tough with CEC, Proctor-Hermantown, Duluth Marshall and Hibbing-Chisholm all being ranked in the top 10 in Class A at the end of last season. With 17 of 20 varsity players returning, the Lumberjacks expect to be in the mix again this season.

Schedule

Nov. 26 — Grand Rapids, 7:30 p.m.

Nov. 30 — International Falls, 3 p.m.

Dec. 3 — North Shore, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 5 — at Hibbing, 7 p.m.

Dec. 7 — at Sartell, 2 p.m.

Dec. 10 — Duluth Northern Stars, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 17 — at Princeton, 7 p.m.

Dec. 20 — at Moose Lake, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 2 — at Coon Rapids, 5 p.m.

Jan. 4 — Ashland-Hayward, 2 p.m.

Jan. 7 — at Superior, 7 p.m.

Jan. 9 — Duluth Marshall, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 11 — Cambridge-Isanti, 5 p.m.

Jan. 14 — Hibbing, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 16 — Eveleth-Gilbert, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 21 — at Proctor-Hermantown, 7 p.m.

Jan. 23 — at Grand Rapids, 7 p.m.

Jan. 28 — at North Shore, 7 p.m.

Jan. 30 — Bemidji, 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 1 — Thief River Falls, 2 p.m.

Roster

Duluth Northern Stars

Schedule

Nov. 26 — Duluth Marshall, 7 p.m.

Nov. 29 — at Princeton, 7 p.m.

Nov. 30 — at Blake, 2 p.m.

Dec. 3 — at Proctor-Hermantown, 7 p.m.

Dec. 6 — Champlin Park, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 10 — at Cloquet-Esko-Carlton, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 13 — at International Falls, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 14 — at Warroad, 2 p.m.

Dec. 19 — at Hibbing, 7 p.m.

Dec. 30-Jan. 1 — at Herb Brooks Holiday Classic (Blaine, Minn.), 2 p.m.

Jan. 3 — at St. Francis, 7 p.m.

Jan. 10 — Forest Lake, 5:15 p.m.

Jan. 11 — at Rochester John Marshall, 3 p.m.

Jan. 16 — at Hayward-Ashland (in Hayward), 7 p.m.

Jan. 21 — at Superior, 5:15 p.m.

Jan. 28 — at Grand Rapids, 7 p.m.

Jan. 30 — Moose Lake Area, 7:30 p.m.

Roster

Coach: Jamie Kenyon-Plesha, fifth season

2018-2019 record: 6-19-1

Conference: Lake Superior

Section: 7AA

Key departures: F Cassie McClure (20-3—23), a News Tribune All-Area second-team selection now playing at Wisconsin-Superior; F Noelle Stellmaker (9-5—14)

Key returners: Sr. G Sarah Spencer (.825 save percentage); so. F Annika Lindgren (7-14—21); sr. D Katie Kroska (0-8—8)

Outlook: Kenyon-Plesha said the Northern Stars will be banking on a new era of leadership from captains Sarah Spencer, Katie Kroska, Quinn Clark and Jorja Schooler as younger players work to define their roles.

The Northern Stars have won just 13 games the previous two seasons and have made it their goal to “do more” to put themselves in a position to compete with the top teams in the state. That included three days in the weight from from April through August in addition to on-ice work during the summer. Duluth plays a difficult schedule that includes the likes of girls hockey powers Edina, Blake and Warroad. “The Stars don’t want to only be able to compete against the top teams in the state, they have to,” Kenyon-Plesha said. Section 7AA has top competition with Andover, Forest Lake and newly added North Wright County. “The Stars and the coaching staff know it’s going to take a lot of hard work to accomplish their goals, but this group is excited and not afraid of a little work,” Kenyon-Plesha said.

Jon Nowacki, News Tribune

News Tribune file photo

News Tribune file photo