With the 2020-21 season still months out, it’s time to take a look at teams from all over the State of Hockey and examine what happened this past season and what’s ahead. The next team we’re breaking down is Bloomington Jefferson.
How last season went
The Jaguars had big ups and downs during the 2019-20 season. They fell out of the gate, losing five of their first six games. Then they rallied with a four-game winning streak, only to stumble into an unfortunate seven-game losing skid. Jefferson finished the season 9-16-0, with big wins over Metro West rival St. Louis Park and a very competitive Hastings team.
Entering playoffs, the Jaguars had a steep climb to get out of Section 3AA, which features the likes of Rosemount, Burnsville, and St. Thomas Academy. In the first round, they lined up against Eagan and battled the Wildcats until the final whistle, ending their season with a grueling 1-0 loss.
Who’s gone and who’s back
Bloomington Jefferson will have new faces leading the team in the coming season, as the Jags graduated their top 3 Scorers as well as their starting goalie from the past season. Carson Jacobs, Grayson Hight Grayson Hight Forward Bloomington Jefferson | 2020 State MN and Jack Mickelson combined for 49 goals and 51 assists, both are gone. Basil Kamsheh, who started for the Jaguars in net the past two seasons, graduated posting a .890 % his final season of high school hockey. Kamsheh also shined in playoffs stopping 41 of 42 shots vs Eagan.
Good news for the Jaguars is they are returning senior forward and recently voted captain, Ben Goedderz. As a junior, Goedderz emerged as a top scorer with 11 goals and 14 assists as well as a prominent role on the powerplay. Other key returning players include , Brett Herbert, Ryan Seitz, and Nick Hatton. Hatton, a Junior, was voted assistant captain and will hope to replace the leadership that Senior defenseman Martin Olson brought to the blue line last season.
What to expect next season
It will be interesting to see if Goedderz and the returning forwards can replace the point production lost from their top line. If Jefferson is to make it past the first round of sections, they’ll need contributions from all four lines and a strong Senior season from their new netminder, Ryan Seitz.