Rosemount Boys Hockey Team Ends 34-Year State Tournament Drought

The Irish beat St. Thomas Academy in the section final to punch their ticket to the state tournament for the first time since 1992.

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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The Rosemount boys hockey team is heading to the state tournament for the first time in 34 years after defeating rival St. Thomas Academy in the section final. The team's last appearance was in 1992 during a short-lived two-tier tournament experiment. This year's squad is described as a very skilled and close-knit group that is excited to compete against the best teams in the state.

Why it matters

Rosemount's return to the state hockey tournament is a major milestone for the community, which has waited over 34 years to see their team compete at the highest level. The long drought underscores how difficult it is for smaller hockey programs to consistently reach the state tournament, making this achievement all the more meaningful for the players, coaches, and fans.

The details

In the section final, junior forward Connor Schubert scored two goals to lead Rosemount to a 3-2 victory over St. Thomas Academy. The team's head coach, Rickey Saintey, noted that it had been over 12,000 days, 1 million minutes, and 1 billion seconds since Rosemount's last state tournament appearance. The Irish will now face Grand Rapids in the state quarterfinals.

  • The Rosemount boys hockey team's last state tournament appearance was in 1992.
  • Rosemount defeated St. Thomas Academy in the section final on March 2, 2026 to punch their ticket to the 2026 state tournament.

The players

Connor Schubert

A junior forward for the Rosemount boys hockey team who scored two goals in the section final victory over St. Thomas Academy.

Rickey Saintey

The head coach of the Rosemount boys hockey team, who noted the team's long drought since their last state tournament appearance in 1992.

Gavin McNeil

A senior forward for the Rosemount boys hockey team, who described the team as a very skilled and close-knit group.

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What they’re saying

“Yeah, that was the ultimate dream. Especially like playing knee hockey in the basement. That was the dream.”

— Connor Schubert, Junior Forward (cbsnews.com)

“It's been 12,398 days, and I said it's been over 1 million minutes, and then 1 billion-some seconds since Rosemount hockey's been to the state tournament. I looked up the date and did all the math. I'm not a real good math guy, but it came out to those numbers and it was like, hey, our community deserves this.”

— Rickey Saintey, Head Coach (cbsnews.com)

“It honestly feels like it's not just our team that won. It's kind of like our city. As you said, 34 years since the last time. Everyone knows. You walk into Jersey Mike's, you go to school, everyone knows, everyone says something.”

— Connor Schubert, Junior Forward (cbsnews.com)

“We're a very skilled group. One of the most skilled groups in the state, I'd say. The difference between the last couple of years is we've been able to be a very close team off the ice. And I think that's what helped us get to the end goal.”

— Gavin McNeil, Senior Forward (cbsnews.com)

What’s next

Rosemount will face Grand Rapids in the state quarterfinals at Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul on Thursday.

The takeaway

Rosemount's return to the state hockey tournament after a 34-year drought is a major accomplishment for the community and a testament to the skill and camaraderie of this year's team. The long wait underscores the challenges smaller programs face in consistently reaching the state's best-of-the-best tournament, making this achievement all the more meaningful for the players, coaches, and fans.