St.Paul Academy and Summit School’s Boys Varsity Hockey team played a particularly momentous game against Mahtomedi on Feb. 25 and lost unfortunately. This game determined whether or not SPA’s male hockey season would continue on to sections and the team felt the pressure well before they had even hit the ice. “All of the work we’ve  put in this year has been put in for this very game,” sophomore Evan Dahlseide said on the afternoon leading up to the game.

Players, while nervous, faced their opponents, who they perceived as minor rivals, with positivity. “When there’s a possibility that our season could be over, everyone is motivated to play harder,” junior Tyler Seplak said.

Consistent, exhaustive effort culminated in this game for SPA’s boys varsity hockey team. “You ask yourself why you’d go through so many countless hours of practice to not be prepared or ready for the chance when you need it,” Dahlseide said.

Underclassmen’s general desire to give their fellow senior hockey players a triumphant end to their last high school hockey season added another layer of pressure to the game. “It’s  [winning] something that you want to give back to the seniors for everything that they’ve done for you. You want to put it all on the ice for the seniors to make sure that this isn’t their last game in their last year of highschool hockey,” Dahlseide said.

Unfortunately, the team lost 1-2 against Mahtomedi in a double over time and is now done for the season.