OHS adapted floor hockey is state bound

There was a lot riding on the Owatonna High School’s adapted floor hockey team during their last playoff game against the Mounds View/Irondale/Roseville Rams on Thursday, March 3. Their win earned them the south’s first seed at the state tournament.
The Huskies pulled through with a 13-4 win against the Rams, but the game was a nail-biter at the start. 
Within the first three minutes, the Rams scored a goal. It was not until the last three minutes of the first period that the Husky side of the scoreboard started to light up. 
Zach Sencer (grade 10 and #17) shot the first goal with assistance from #6, Taylor Hagen. The fan section, packed with Husky fans, shared in a unified sigh of relief when the puck slammed into the goal. 
Sencer was unstoppable after his first goal, as he continued to score three more goals in the last three minutes of the first period. 
As the game went on, Sencer scored two more points for a total of six goals. Senior Alex Burns was on fire for the last half of the game, as he scored seven goals total. He received assistance from #12 Elizabeth Crawford (senior) on at least three of his goals. 
Husky fans went wild at the sound of the game end, and it was announced that the OHS adapted floor hockey was going to state.
The players were ecstatic as they fist pumped, hugged their teammates, and thrusted their sticks in the air. 
After the game, Sencer admitted that he was happy with the teamwork that went on during the game. “We used the same strategies that we always do by passing and all that,” he said. “I think it went well.” 
For state, he said that they have a lot of practicing to do, but for the most part, they would stick with what they do best: teamwork. 
Assistant Coach CW Wolfe said that, once the team picked up the pace during the game, they were good to go. “I don’t know if they were fighting some nerves with all the people here tonight, but it was a slow start,” said Wolfe. “After that first goal, I think they settled in more.”
Wolfe said that as the team prepares for state, they are going to be working on strategies to pick up the pace faster and right away in the game. “At state, we won’t be able to afford that,” he said
The team will play their first game in the state tournament on Friday, March 11 at 8 p.m. in Bloomington against the Jets, the fourth seed from the north.