League trailblazers proud to represent their schools
From left, Spade Landscaping's Griffin Storey of Waseca, MAP South's Eddie Auran of Two Rivers and MSP Magazine's Max Koch of Chisago Lakes all are believed to be the first players from their respective high schools to play in the Elite League. Photos by Loren Nelson, LegacyHockeyPhotography.com
Players from Two Rivers, Chisago Lakes and Waseca all are trailblazers in the Elite League this season, small-school standouts who believe their inclusion this fall with the state’s top high school talent could inspire youngsters from their hometowns to also reach for hockey’s highest levels.
“My hope is kids look up to me and feel like they don’t need to go to another program to become a good player,” said Two Rivers’ Eddie Auran, thought to be the first Two Rivers (formerly Henry Sibley) player to be selected for the league.
Chisago Lakes’ Max Koch and Waseca’s Griffin Storey also are believed to be the first from their towns to suit up in the Elite League, which was founded in 2002.
“It's been really fun, especially going from playing single A hockey to all these kids being really good … a lot of them going to college,” Koch said. “Maybe this would kind of lead a path so people from Chisago will get more looks and stuff like that.”
“We have a lot of young players who are really good,” Waseca’s Griffin Storey said about his on-the-rise Blue Jays squad. “Hopefully some of them will play in this league, too.”
Auran, Koch and Storey all said an adjustment period was required for them to get comfortable with the frenetic pace of the league. All three have been valued contributors for their teams.
Auran, a senior forward, has three goals and four assists for MAP South, which knocked off Shattuck-St. Mary’s 2-1 on Wednesday in Faribault. Koch, a senior defenseman for MSP Magazine, has focused most of his attention on holding opposing forwards in check. Storey, a sophomore forward and one of the youngest players in the league, has two goals and three assists for Spade Landscaping.
“My goal is to be a plus on the plus/minus and just kind of get used to playing this fast,” Koch said. “I think it'll help slow the (high school) game down, for sure. It'll also give me confidence that I know I'm a good player and I can be out here competing with these guys.”
Waseca coach Chris Storey, Griffin’s dad, said his son playing in the league is an important milestone for a Blue Jay’s program that has never played for a section championship, much less reached the state tournament.
“Just having a player from Waseca in this thing is an absolute honor,” Chris Storey said. “There is a little bit of pressure on the kid who is in the league first. You don’t want to go in there and lay an egg.”