Last season was a big one for the Andover Huskies. Coach Mark Manney led the team to a Section 7AA win over Grand Rapids, and the team then clinched a Class AA state title. This victory was followed up in 2023 with their fourth consecutive section title, with a win over a resurgent Duluth East team. Some of the key players from last season including forward Gavyn Thoreson and goalie Beau Altman have moved on, but the team still has seasoned players in defensemen Landon Stringfellow and Anthony Pardo, and forwards Ben Doll and Brooks Cogswell.
Coach Manney mentioned that the team will need to defend their way to victory and that the returning players from last year’s state tournament will provide valuable experience in close games. However, the team will have to overcome a brutal early-season schedule, with eight of their first 13 games against state tournament teams or section finalists. Despite this tough schedule, having the experience of returning players will be an asset in navigating these challenging games.
The team will be faced with the early loss of goal scorers like Thoreson, Casey, and Conway, and will need to find players to step up and fill their roles. The Huskies also have to work on maintaining their confidence through the early part of the season, something that can be difficult when the schedule is jam-packed with challenging opponents.
Looking ahead, it would be really interesting to observe how the new players will fit into the team dynamic. The addition of Senior Defenseman, Brody Munelly as a new face to watch will be something to look out for. With these new additions along with the experience of the returning players, the team is poised to make another strong run in the upcoming season.
Here’s a look at the fixtures for the upcoming season.
– Nov. 24: vs. Chanhassen (At Minnetonka), 3 p.m.
– Nov. 25: at Minnetonka, 5:30 p.m.
– Nov. 30: Robbinsdale Armstrong/Cooper, 7 p.m.
– Dec. 5: at Benilde-St. Margaret’s, 7 p.m.
– Dec. 7: at Rogers, 7 p.m.
– Dec. 14: Champlin Park, 7 p.m.
– Dec. 15: at Moorhead, 6 p.m.
– Dec. 19: Duluth East, 7 p.m.
– Dec. 29: at Blake, 5 p.m.
– Jan. 4: at Maple Grove, 7 p.m.
– Jan. 6: Osseo, 3 p.m.
– Jan. 11: at Centennial, 7 p.m.
– Jan. 13: Totino-Grace, noon
– Jan. 20: at Anoka, 2:30 p.m.
– Jan. 23: Blaine, 7 p.m.
– Jan. 25: at Spring Lake Park, 7 p.m.
– Jan. 27: Coon Rapids, noon
– Feb. 1: Elk River/Zimmerman, 7 p.m.
– Feb. 2: at Grand Rapids, 7 p.m.
– Feb. 8: at Blaine, 7 p.m.
– Feb. 10: Centennial, 2 p.m.
– Feb. 16: Maple Grove, 7 p.m.
With a seasoned team and some new faces to look out for, the 2023-2024 season looks to be an exciting one for the Andover Huskies. Whether the team can continue to bring home the wins and how they’ll adapt to a key early-season set of games remains to be seen, but coach Manney and the Huskies are undoubtedly ready for the challenge.