Proctor/Hermantown defends Section 7A title, downs Duluth Marshall to return to state

The Proctor/Hermantown girls hockey team defended their Section 7A title Wednesday, taking down Duluth Marshall to clinch back-to-back state tournament berths.

The top-seeded Mirage bested the second seeded Hilltoppers 3-0 at the Iron Trail Motors Event Center in Virginia.

Izzy Fairchild scored first on the power play to put the Mirage up 1-0 in the first period. Scoring shorthanded in the second period Reese Heitzman would make it 2-0 Mirage. She’d net her second of the night in the third to lift the Mirage to the 3-0 victory.

Senior goalie Abby Pajari made 19 saves in the shutout.

"There was a lot of adversity we had to get through. We were on the penalty kill quite a bit and that was just us trying to be physical and take control of the game," Mirage head coach Emma Stauber said. "But our girls played great, we did what we needed to do. It was the little things that mattered and we’re really proud of them."

The Hilltoppers finish their season 17-8 while the Mirage stand 19-7-1 overall.

The girls state high school hockey tournament begins February 23, with the semifinals set for Feb. 25 and finals Feb. 26.