High Stakes Await in Wisconsin State Hockey Tournaments This Weekend

MADISON, Wis. — The 49th Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) Boys State Hockey Tournament and the 18th Girls State Hockey Tournament are set to take place from February 28 to March 2 at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum at the Alliant Energy Center.

Ticket prices for the tournament are $8 per session, with a discounted price of $5 for individuals aged 13 and under.

The boys tournament features eight teams in a single-elimination format, while the girls tournament includes four teams. A total of 87 boys teams and 29 girls teams entered this year’s championship series.

On the boys side, the tournament schedule is as follows: On Thursday, February 28, #1 University School of Milwaukee (25-2) will face #8 Onalaska Co-op (24-3) at 10 a.m. The match will be followed by Game 2 featuring #4 Verona (20-5-2) against #5 Eau Claire North (17-9-1) at 1:15 p.m. Game 3 will pit #2 Wausau West (23-3-1) against #7 Waukesha North Co-op (16-8-3) at 4 p.m., while #3 Neenah Co-op (22-3-2) will battle #6 Hudson (16-10-1) at 6:15 p.m.

Friday, March 1, will see the winners of Games 1 and 2 compete at 4 p.m., followed by the winners of Games 3 and 4 at 6:15 p.m. The championship game is set for Saturday, March 2, at 2:15 p.m.

The girls tournament game schedule begins with Game 1 on Friday, March 1, featuring #1 Xavier Co-op (22-4) against #4 Sun Prairie Co-op (14-7-3) at 10 a.m. Game 2 will showcase #2 D.C. Everest Co-op (20-6) facing #3 Hudson (15-9-2) at 12:15 p.m., followed by the championship game on Saturday at 12:10 p.m.

The finals will be broadcast live on several local stations including WKOW in Madison and WXOW in La Crosse. The games will also be available for streaming on the State Television Network’s websites.

Last year, Hudson dominated the boys’ championship, defeating Eau Claire Memorial 7-1, securing their fourth title. The girls’ final saw the Eau Claire North Co-op edge out Sun Prairie/DeForest/Madison East in a 3-1 victory for their inaugural championship.

The team history indicates that Superior leads the boys’ championships with 13 titles, while the D.C. Everest/Mosinee Co-op holds three girls’ titles since the tournament began in 2002. Hudson also boasts a remarkable legacy with three titles in both girls’ and boys’ categories.

University School of Milwaukee has returned to the state tournament for the 12th time since its inception, aiming for its third title after wins in 2006 and 2010. Wausau West will participate for the 17th time, having previously captured the championship in 2011.

In the girls’ division, top-seeded Xavier will have their inaugural state tournament experience against D.C. Everest, who made a strong showing last year.

Fans and followers can stay updated on the tournaments through the WIAA State Tournament Twitter account @wiaawistate with the hashtag #wiaahockey, as well as through the organization’s Facebook and Instagram pages.

For results and more information, individuals are encouraged to visit the WIAA official website.