If Dodge County was going to win its first-ever state tournament game, this was the blueprint to make it happen.

Three goals from its top line, another from its hottest line throughout the section playoffs, and outstanding play from its talented junior goalie.

It all added up to a 4-0 victory for No. 3-seeded and No. 3-ranked Dodge County against Fergus Falls in a Class A state quarterfinal game Wednesday at the Xcel Energy Center.

“First time for us at the state tournament, first win,” Dodge County head coach Jeremy Gunderson said. “Hats off to our girls, they did an awesome job. I’m very proud of them all.”

The win moves the Wildcats (22-4-0) into Friday’s semifinals, where they will face No. 2 seed Orono at 11 a.m. at the Xcel Center.

After a scoreless first period against Fergus Falls, Dodge County brought the pressure from the opening faceoff of the second.

The Wildcats opened the scoring when Zoe Heimer created a puck battle behind the Fergus Falls net and an Otters defender threw a pass out to the side of her own net. Senior McKenna LaFleur saw it coming and hopped in the way, one-timing the puck into an open side of the goal 5:38 into the period.

That goal continued a strong run through the section playoffs for LaFleur’s line, which includes sophomore Zoe Heimer and eighth grader Daisy Harens.

Heimer was credited with the lone assist on LaFleur’s goal.

Dodge County made it 2-0 just more than five minutes later when its top line struck. Mollie Koch fed Nora Carstensen to spark a 2-on-1 rush into the Otters’ zone. Carstensen fed Maysie Koch on the right wing. Koch held the puck into the right circle then sniped a quick wrist shot past the glove of goalie Ana Jyrkas with 5:54 to play in the period.

The goal was the 23rd of the year for Maysie Koch, a freshman who is already receiving looks from Division I colleges.

“That team played with a lot of energy,” Fergus Falls head coach Tim Lill said of the Wildcats. “That’s a tough team to play against. They just kept coming at us, and coming in waves. We could tell who their skilled players are and at the end of the game, you can tell they showed up.”

Carstensen gave the Wildcats some breathing room early in the third period when she took the puck at neutral ice, looped into the Otters zone and fired a shot from the left circle. The puck hit a defender, then bounced past Jyrkas to make it a 3-0 game.

The junior captain added a power-play goal — a snipe from the left circle — with 7:22 to play, that made it 4-0.

— Jason Feldman

Willmar’s Makenna Larson (18) and Orono forward Macy Rasmussen (23) collide chasing the puck in the first period Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2024 at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. (Jason Wachter / The Rink Live)

Orono 4, Willmar 1

Anika Fortin had a goal and an assist and Vivienne Anderson stopped 10 shots in Orono’s win over Willmar.

Zoe Lopez and Maddy Krimbrel scored along with an empty-netter by Grace Bickett for Orono.

“There’s no expectation that it’s going to be a blowout in any sort of playoff game,” said Spartans head coach Paul Antonenko. “They have a very good goaltender (Erin Eilers). She played really well and I thought their team did a really good job getting into the middle of the ice and packing it in front of the net.

“Our girls started moving the puck really well and obviously got some really nice scoring from these girls at the end.”

Eilers stopped 35 shots for Willmar.

The Cardinals were held scoreless until 6:47 of the third period when Lauren Eilers scored an even-strength goal.

“It was a good, hard-fought, physical game,” said Willmar head coach Eric Setrum. “They have a lot of speed. They did a good job getting pucks deep and putting pressure on us. It took us a little bit to get going.”

Holy Angels 6, Luverne 1

Holy Angels proved why it holds the No. 1 seed in the Class A field after pulling off a victory over Luverne.

The Stars will take on the winner of No. 5 Proctor/Hermantown and No. 4 Warroad in the semifinals on Friday.

Senior forward Bella LaMere scored three times in the third period for the Stars to help propel them to victory. Minnesota State Mankato commit Audrey Garton also had a big night, tallying two goals and an assist of her own. Defender Calli Holmes registered the other goal for Holy Angels. The Stars outshot Luverne by a 38-7 margin.

Hannah Woodley scored the lone goal for the Cardinals.

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