The Underdogs

When most people think of girls hockey in the north metro, Irondale is not usually the first team come to mind. However, the Knights are doing their best to increase their brand awareness. "Things are going very well for us," coach Tom Rodefeld said. "It's very nice." After completing a 21-5-1 campaign last season, Irondale is again engaged in a two-team fight for the North Suburban Conference title with 2006 State Tournament participant Benilde-St. Margaret's. Benilde has won every conference title since high school girls hockey began last decade. Whether or not the Maroon Knights are able to unseat the Red Knights for the circuit championship this season, the tea leaves signal a possible end to Benilde's conference domination someday very soon. "We're doing better than I expected," Rodefeld said. "We have such a young team, but it is a very hard-working team." All this despite graduating last season's starting goaltender Renee Brashun, top assist-earner Amy Udvig and three other seniors. The team's leading scorer, forward Meghan Lorence, is merely a freshman; their second-leading scorer, forward Gina McDonald is only a sophomore, as is the team's number one goaltender, Lindsey Brown. Much of the team's leadership does come from its two core seniors, co-captains Nicole Olson and Rachel Gates-Vickery. "We are very blessed to have a group of girls like we have," Rodefeld said. The Knights have clinched themselves a second-straight successful season with a roster that is bottom-heavy with talented underclassmen. Senior Night ceremonies will again be short as just four Irondale players will graduate this spring. Despite their relative youth, Irondale is experiencing a level of success that has been unprecedented in the program's history. While other programs around the New Brighton-based school have either floundered or co-opted, the Knights have flourished because the town has rallied around the team. "I believe that girls hockey is still an emerging sport," Rodefeld said. "Other inner-ring suburbs have not been as fortunate as we have. It's been a tough sell here at times, but we've never been a co-op — it's always been our girls, our community. We've been quite lucky in a number of ways." With numbers continuing to grow in the youth levels, in some ways feeding upon the recent triumphs of the high school team, it appears that Irondale will indeed be in fine stead for seasons to come. "Our Youth Night (in January) was really something," Rodefeld said. "Besides the young players and our current high school players, a number of the coaches of the youth teams were alumni of previous Irondale teams — that's three generations of our players all together on one night." Beyond the wins and losses, Rodefeld, in his seventh season as head coach and 11th year with Knights hockey in total, says he is most proud about how the team represents Irondale and New Brighton in general. "This team rallies around the concept of community and the girls are very involved with the community," he said. "They play a game they can be proud of and carry themselves in a way we can all be proud of."